Success Story Interview - Bryan van Bodegom

An Interview with Bryan van Bodegom (bvbodegom on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent V Ruiz of D4EO Literary Agency.

07/22/2026

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Bryan van Bodegom:
DAD BODIES was inspired greatly by my own experiences as a father and gamer, particularly in the TTRPG scene. My own campaigns tend to blend humor and horror with zany characters and I used that to bring life to the characters.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Bryan van Bodegom:
I started writing on July 29th, 2024 as a way to motivate two of my kids to write their own stories. When their interests inevitably shifted, I just kept going!

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Bryan van Bodegom:
The concept manifested itself in January 2025 and I began actively drafting it in February after several agents liked the pitch at different events. It was query-ready by the end of July, after beta feedback and minimal revisions.

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Bryan van Bodegom:
DAD BODIES received such fantastic support all the way from WIP to finish and beyond that I never felt like giving up. My thanks and respect goes out to all of those in the writing community I had the pleasure of interacting with! I don't think I could have seen this project through without the sheer enthusiasm of everyone.

QT: Is this your first book?

Bryan van Bodegom:
It's my second book, the first being a young adult space opera adventure romp.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Bryan van Bodegom:
I don't! Just a love and affinity for (the English) language and decades of improvisational collaborative storytelling practice in the form of TTRPGs.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Bryan van Bodegom:
Having a set routine as a stay-at-home husband and father of four is a bit difficult, but I found an hour a day is enough to get a thousand words in. I write exclusively on my phone.

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Bryan van Bodegom:
Two edit passes before it was beta ready, then a pass using beta feedback before a final polish. I tend to edit as I go, as a messy draft hampers my creative flow.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Bryan van Bodegom:
Yes, several! A few stayed with me after they read my first book.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Bryan van Bodegom:
My books tend to start as a pitch, followed by a blurb. Then I use the blurb as a sort of guide while I pants along. The story beats materialize as I progress through the story, with an ending in mind before I hit the mid-point.

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Bryan van Bodegom:
The first book was sent to only 8 agents (and I'm so sorry they had to see that!) before I pivoted to drafting DAD BODIES, which has been in the trenches for about 11 months.

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Bryan van Bodegom:
*checks spreadsheet* About 180, give or take!

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Bryan van Bodegom:
At first I queried my warm leads—those who had liked the pitch. After that, I queried agents with a good rep, then those whose wishes seemed to align with my story.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Bryan van Bodegom:
Only if they liked a pitch, otherwise not so much.

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Bryan van Bodegom:
Your pages are the most important part of your query package, don't sweat the query letter too much. Also, never give up if you want this!

QT: Would you be willing to share your query with us?

Bryan van Bodegom:
Certainly!

Query Letter:

Dear Agent (full name),

With your interests, I believe my co(s)mic horror novel centered around a group of middle-aged dads caught in a supernatural game gone awry could be a great fit for your list.

When one of them is murdered at their annual gaming retreat, five dads must rely on years of TTRPG experience—and ball-busting puns—to solve the crime before they're all killed off like NPCs in a badly run supernatural campaign.

Their game bleeds into reality when the victim's doppelganger appears, claiming only Troy can solve this mess. Arms get eaten, undead nuns show up, and their very identities are in danger of being erased. As the body count rises and a storm traps them inside, this fumbling crew of middle-aged friends must uncover the truth behind the supernatural nightmare, because escaping isn't enough when survival means keeping not just their lives, but everything that makes them who they are.

DAD BODIES at 74,000 words is an adult horror novel that tackles male identity and friendship, grief, and loss, with a healthy sense of dark humor through multi-POV. Readers of Leech by Hiron Ennes and The Spite House by Johnny Compton would find new appreciation for supernatural and cosmic horror through the lens of pop-culture nerdy dads and tabletop RPG fandom.

As a disabled, Dutch father of four living in the Netherlands with a penchant for TTRPGs and twenty-five years of experience playing them, DAD BODIES was greatly informed by those aspects. Ten years of being a Game Master have essentially been an extensive workshop in engaging storytelling and in-depth character work, translating into useful skills for a writer.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Bryan van Bodegom