The Family Story That Changed Everything - David Spiegel

The question should have been easy.

A boy stands before his classmates, sharing happy memories of his grandparents’ farm. He knows the barn, the chickens, the long driveway climbing into the hills. He knows how much he loves being there.

Then his teacher asks where his grandparents came from.

He has no answer.

In the opening of my novel, Scrolls of Bonefairy Castle, the year is 1955, and young Hunter discovers how quickly an ordinary school day can become a memory he wishes he could erase. His face burns. His classmates laugh. He escapes to the nurse’s office and asks her to call his mother.

For anyone who has ever felt exposed by a question everyone else seemed able to answer, the moment may feel familiar. Before introducing a magical kingdom, I introduce a child who suddenly wonders how much he really knows about his own family.

Hunter wants an answer before he faces his class again. What he receives is a story that reaches far beyond his school report.

A Grandfather With Something to Tell

The following visit to the farm begins with the comforts Hunter knows best. His grandfather greets him warmly. His grandmother has fresh chocolate chip cookies waiting. Outside, a well-worn rocking chair holds its own history: it once belonged to his grandfather’s mother.

For me, these details give the opening its warmth. Before there is a castle to imagine, there is a porch where a boy feels safe enough to admit that he was hurt.

Hunter asks for help. His grandfather has been waiting for the right time to share a family story, one Hunter’s father heard when he was a boy. It concerns an ancestor who lived across the ocean in medieval times, a loyal servant of a powerful queen.

His name was Hunter, too.

Suddenly, the name the boy has carried all his life means something more. It connects him to Sir Hunter, leader of the Royalmen and defender of Bonefairy Castle.

The family’s history, his grandfather explains, was recorded on scrolls. Their whereabouts are unknown.

That missing piece opens the door to everything that follows. What began as a search for information now carries the promise of a mystery.

What Makes a Knight Worth Following

The world of Bonefairy has a radiant winged queen, a castle built by fairies, dangerous journeys, and threats that persist even after a battle has been won.

Yet one of the early scenes I want readers to consider happens on the road.

Sir Hunter has survived a brutal conflict. Many of his men have died, and he must eventually report the victory to his queen. Traveling with his trusted horse, Wheels, he encounters a wounded soldier named Xavier struggling to make his way home.

Sir Hunter stops.

He helps unload the injured man’s belongings, prepares a place for him beside the fire, and offers the company that makes a difficult journey more bearable. Later, he accompanies Xavier home, where the soldier’s wife rushes out to greet him.

There is a quiet satisfaction in that reunion. We see what the long journey has been for.

To me, Sir Hunter’s authority comes with responsibility for other people. His concern survives the battlefield. Even with duties awaiting him, he takes time to help a wounded man reach his own front door.

For the younger Hunter listening to his grandfather, that is a meaningful inheritance to discover. His ancestor’s story offers him a way to think about the person he might become.

The Stories We Have Yet to Ask For

I believe the relationship between grandfather and grandson gives Scrolls of Bonefairy Castle a point of connection beyond its fantasy setting.

Many of us can recognize Hunter’s position. We can know someone’s habits, favorite chair, or familiar expressions without knowing much about the life that came before us. We assume there will be another visit, another afternoon, another opportunity to ask.

Hunter’s embarrassment prompts him to begin that conversation. As his story carries us from a familiar family setting into an expanding world of adventure, that original curiosity remains. Who were the people who came before us? What did they endure? What might their stories change about how we see ourselves?

The answers in my novel belong to fantasy, but the desire to ask feels close to home.

An Imagination Still at Work

My own life has taken me down many roads. I grew up in Michigan and later made Florida my home. I am a military veteran, entrepreneur, retired Teamster, musician, and winemaker. Creativity has remained part of my life through those different chapters.

Those experiences have strengthened my belief that imagination is a lifelong companion. There is always room to explore another idea and see where it might lead.

With Scrolls of Bonefairy Castle, the opening book of my Bonefairy Trilogy, I invite you to follow a boy whose most uncomfortable moment leads him toward an extraordinary discovery.

If you enjoy family mysteries and medieval adventure, your invitation begins on a farmhouse porch.

Pull up a chair. Grandpa has a story to tell.

David Spiegel is a visionary entrepreneur, winemaker, community leader, and 2X book author whose lifelong passion for creativity has inspired a unique world of storytelling, wine, and imagination. As the creator of the BoneFairy brand, David has brought together fantasy literature, premium wines, and immersive experiences.

Born in Michigan and now residing in Florida, David is a military veteran, retired Teamster, accomplished musician, and creative innovator. His fantasy novels, including Scrolls of Bonefairy Castle, transport readers into richly imagined worlds filled with mystery and courage.

David has released his second book, Awakening of Bonefairy Castle, the second installment in the Bonefairy Trilogy. The third and final book, Galaxy of Bonefairy Castle, will be released in early 2027.

As a winemaker, David developed the BoneFairy wine collection, crafted from select Napa Valley vineyards. A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, David continues to inspire audiences with a message that creativity has no age limit.

Find out more at https://www.bonefairy.com.

Article published in The Relatable Voice Magazine - November 2026.

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