About the Book

Book: Ragabones

Author: Daniel Tweddell

Genre: Fantasy YA

Release Date: June 27, 2023

As if Josh having his memory stolen by an over-protective mother wasn’t enough, his older brother, Pete, wins every trophy and never lets him forget it. And oh yeah, Mom’s an ex-god of the underworld, so it’s no surprise their family has enemies.

Maybe that’s why Dad’s missing. Maybe that’s why ragged scars crisscross Josh’s throat. It’s definitely why Josh accidentally sprung the trap – the one that opened a portal and released the demon who now hunts them.

Turns out there’s another world; one with castles and dragons, and prisons that dangle into hell. That’s the world where Josh and Pete find Dad turned to stone, the world with entire cities enslaved by the demon. As the brothers race to undo Josh’s colossal mistake, Josh’s mysterious past comes to light, and Josh must choose between the fate of the world and the lives of his family.

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Daniel Tweddell. I grew up in the Bornean and Philippine jungle as a missionary’s kid. My neighbors had monkeys for pets. Just behind the tree line, “ex”-headhunters slipped through the shadows with spears and six-foot blow guns. It was the perfect incubator for a kid’s imagination. As an adult, I did a lot of things from writing high-octane video games with my friends to having my own companies. But I always loved castles, wizards, and monsters the best. So now I write white-knuckle stories about magic woven with truths from my life’s journey. I live in San Diego with my wife and 3 kids.

Author Interview with Daniel

Q: What was the inspiration behind this novel?

Daniel: A good friend from way back in high school told me he was making a short film for his two boys. He knew how to film but said he couldn’t write a story to save his life. So I wrote a short script about two brothers who can’t find a reason to get along until one is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice. By the time it was done, he had become too busy to film, but the story had taken root in my soul, so I grew it into a book.

Q: How long did it take you to write this novel?

Daniel: About ten years. I had a lot of growing to do as a writer (I still do), so I ended up rewriting the story a dozen times. I also had a lot of life happen – the worst of which was finding my wife of 19 years dead in my bedroom. I ran away and traveled the world for a while. When I came back, I got remarried and had an instant family. I remind myself that Jesus never hurried. God is in control of time, so he never has to hurry. That doesn’t mean I don’t move quickly, it simply means I never have to worry when reality’s timetable doesn’t match mine. If I’m walking with Jesus, He’ll will make sure everything lands exactly how it should and when it should.

Q: What was the most surprising thing you discovered while researching and writing this novel?

Daniel: I had a chapter that just would not write. I labored on it for weeks and when it was done, I hated it. So I scrapped it and wrote it again. And hated it again. I began to wonder if I could write it. Could I even write a book at all? Year’s earlier I’d promised myself if I had to edit 1000 times, I would. So I tackled it for a third time, struggling with every word. The whole time, I knew I’d hate it. And when it was done, I loved it. Several of my readers said it made them cry. They posted quotes from it on their cubicle walls at work. I learned that good writing doesn’t need inspiration, only tenacity … and a lot of prayer.

Q: Do any of the novel’s characters hold a special place in your heart?

Daniel: Mom (Alealle / Alice) Her heartbreaking backstory spans centuries and empires, as do the scars from her time as god of the underworld, binding her on the brink of insanity. I could only give glimpses of her in this book, because after all, this book isn’t her story. But I will write it someday, I promise.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this novel?

Daniel: “Faith isn’t looking forward it’s looking back and stepping forward. It’s not a feeling it’s noticing.”

Q: What do you hope readers take away from this novel?

Daniel: I had a reader tell me they “totally felt the hand of God [and heard his] whispers in the writing.” I had others say how much the book encouraged them. Although I've dreamt of writing this story for decades, I had to be destroyed before I could honestly portray Josh's (the protagonist’s) journey. The truths about facing fear, about God making everything OK even when there is no way it can ever be, about suicide, and depression, as well as hope, and finding your destiny, they're all written from my journey through the depths of an utterly shattered heart to a life so good it feels like a fantasy novel. Whatever my readers might be going through, I hope the story encourages as well as entertains them. Maybe they’ll even meet Magic for themselves.

Q: If the novel was made into a movie, who would like you to see play the main characters?

Daniel: I have no idea, but I want Brian Goldner to produce it. He produced, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), which was epic fantasy as it should be: well written, exciting, clean, and funny.

Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know?

Daniel: I used to write music. My favorite pieces were the orchestral ones. If my books ever make it one screen, I’ll see if the producer can slip in a couple themes.

Q: In what setting do you enjoy writing the most?

Daniel: My favorite is cinematic classical music, symphonies by Brahms, Beethoven, Dvorak, Schubert, etc. My favorite place to write is a certain little coffee shop. The morning sun spills through picture windows and pools around little wrought iron tables. Arabic businessmen in their kaffiyeh’s stand in line behind moms herding toddlers. Shuffling at the end are barefoot college students with bed-head. The place is full color and sound, and I feel like its life absorbs into my writing.

Q: What are you reading now?

Daniel: I am halfway through Our Lady of the Artilects by Andrew Gillsmith. I’m also re-reading the classic, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin.

Q: How many bookshelves are in your home?

Daniel: Sometimes I think my house is a giant bookshelf.

Q:. Who is an author you would recommend to anyone and everyone?

Daniel: I just finished How To Stop Time by Matt Haig. He’s one of the rare writers literary enough for my wife to enjoy, but speculative enough to grab my attention.

Q: What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

Daniel: I love mountain biking and hiking. I also love to invent things and bought a 3d printer. But which hobbies do I actually do? Build Roly-Poly habitats, build Lego spaceships, and play Roblox and Minecraft. Yep, I have a ten-year-old son.

Q:. Where can readers find out more about you and your novel?

Daniel: Ragabones.com

More from Daniel

I had a visual of a soapbox derby with the cars lined up from worst to best. The worst was made of cardboard with garbage can lids for wheels. The best was polished mahogany, with chrome wheels and velvet seat covers. Can you see the kids’ faces? One brushes old coffee grounds off his hood. He can’t face the crowd. Another polishes a gleaming fender and waves to his fans. I realized the difference between these cars isn’t the kids … it’s the time they spent with Dad.

I’m fraught with blind spots, bad habits, and shortcomings. I also barely have enough time, energy, or insight to manage my own life. How do I have enough for the lives around me who are so hungry for something more? I realized I live in a 5-loaf/5000-mouth world. I’ll never be enough, but I don’t need to be. Instead, I asked God to make this life and this book a father/son project.

Although I’ve dreamt of writing this story for decades, I had to be destroyed before I could honestly portray this hero’s journey. The truths about facing fear, about God making everything OK even when there is no way it can ever be, as well as courage, hope, and finding your destiny, they’re all written from my journey through the depths of an utterly shattered heart to a life so good it feels like a fantasy novel. Whatever you might be going through, I hope the story encourages as well as entertains you. If you haven’t already, you might even meet Magic for yourself.