Frank Coffman is Associate Professor of English and Journalism at Rock Valley College, Rockford, Illinois. A graduate of Millikin University, he has both his M.A. in English and his M.S. in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Currently ABD in his work toward the doctorate in English at Northern Illinois University, his dissertation in progress is on "G. K. Chesterton and the Philosophical Detective Story."

He has a special interest in the rise and relevance of popular imaginative literature across its various genres of Adventure, Detection & Mystery, Fantasy, Horror & the Supernatural, and Science Fiction. Believing strongly in the potential of computer-assisted literary criticism (which he calls "CALC"), he is exploring new avenues for the stylometric analysis of literary texts.

His interests specific to the work of Howard include REH's too-often neglected poetry and the exploration of Howard's fictional methods and prose style, based upon the view of Howard as one who understood that entertainment is the first essential of storytelling, one whose tales keep "the name of action."

A member of REHupa: The Robert E. Howard United Press Association with his contributing journal, The Cross Plainsman.
A member of REHeapa, The Robert-E-Howard: Electronic Amateur Press Association with his contributing journal, The Shadow Singer.