Phil Mathews
aka
Bones MacDowell
Phil navigates two distinct literary worlds with ease, moving from the lighthearted joy of children’s stories to the intricate shadows of adult suspense. While the audience changes, the dedication to authentic, grounded storytelling remains the constant thread.
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As Bones MacDowell, he taps into a sense of wonder, crafting vibrant tales for children that prioritize adventure, kindness, and the small but significant discoveries of growing up.
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As Phil Mathews, he shifts into high-stakes historical fiction and crime drama. This side of his work explores the grit of the American experience—specifically the psychological complexities of family legacy and betrayal.
Discover some thrilling adventures that are sure to ignite the imagination of children and kids at heart!
Phil's Novels
From a desolate Texas barrio to the hallowed fields of Major League Baseball, Hall of Famer is a gripping tale of one man's struggle to outrun his past. Francisco, a boy with an extraordinary talent for hitting a baseball, is shaped by a violent home and a brutal street life. After a final act of rebellion and an attempted suicide, he reinvents himself as Randy McComb, a rising star in the LA Dodgers. But as he climbs to fame, the ghosts of his past—including a murderous rage and the loss of his beloved family—threaten to unravel his new life with his wife, Greta, and their two children, Mauricio and Gwendolyn. This is a story of survival, forgiveness, and the relentless pursuit of a redemption that can only be found by facing the darkest parts of yourself.
UnSealed is a story of a former Tier-1 Navy SEAL who successfully faked his death to build a quiet, peaceful life with his family, only to have his past resurface as a personal vendetta by a powerful government figure. It is a high-stakes thriller that explores the corrosive nature of power and the absolute lengths a man will go to, not for survival, but to protect his family and reclaim his stolen identity.
Phil teamed up with best selling Author, Linda Daly, for a seven-book series of iconic men who changed our country. *America Comes of Age* captures how the machines they built changed the world. The handshake they made defined it. And the family they forgot survived it.
In Book 1, "The Madman in the Shed" opens, amidst the financial ruin of the Panic of 1893, young blacksmith Sean O’Malley abandons his father’s dying trade to follow a "madman" named Henry Ford into a shed. Together with a visionary salesman named Harvey Firestone, they forge a friendship that births the automotive age, tearing the O’Malley family apart in the clash between iron tradition and the gasoline future.
Bones MacDowell Children's Books
The Schnitzelgroobers are an odd bunch of innovators who are raising eyebrows in their own neighborhood. Tag along with their curious neighbors and discover that all the odd noises, different looks, and weird food actually distinguish the Schnitzelgroobers as adventure seekers in search of a new realm.
This is a story of a quiet pond besieged by a vicious storm that puts the Mugwumpers in a life-and-death situation. What does a well-meaning frog do? They Frog-Up! Does confusion stop them from acting? How do they recover from Mother Nature and her storms? Please read “The Mugwumpers” to find out.
One of the hardest things parents face today is getting their children to eat nutritious, healthy foods for their growth and development, rather than fast food.
In “Duermit County, Succotash Bash”, our main character, a spunky rabbit named “Veggie Dude” works tirelessly at getting the word out to everyone just how tasty veggies and fruits are.
Phineas Bumbershoot is a precocious eight-year-old boy who is not a fan of Vegetables. In fact, he is quite vocal on the subject. He noticed his classmates were not only eating what he considered to be pukey and disgusting food that belonged only in a distant land next to the pharaoh's tomb.
Phineas had ants in his pants. Lots of 'em. And it was only Monday. Phinn was going to Grandma's House in a few days, and he was anx-shish-ious. How do they get through school for the next couple of days? He couldn't take it. Torture via education...
Discover a young boy's reactions to the changes of Christmas that his Grandmother has in store for him this year...
"Boy's what do think of the new family room?"
So many thoughts. Not nice thoughts.
Was Christmas over forever?
What carnage was going on here? Who are these misfits? But all I could get out was, "Nice."
Join Phineas Bumbershoot on a Historic Adventure
in the magical world of Greenfield Village, where history comes to life. Phineas and his twin brothers set off on an unforgettable journey with their dad at this amazing place created by Henry Ford, filled with old homes, wonderful tales.
Coming Soon - The Bumbershoot brothers, full of glee,
Had counted the days ‘til summer – oh how they dreamed to be free!
But this year had twists that gave them a fright,
For Phinn and his brother’s, they faced a staycation plight.
“A Staycation? Phinn grimaced, a puzzled young lad,
looked up at his brothers, “No trips to the beach? Why does this feel bad?”