Amidst the glamour of the kingdom above the cloud Tovi is torn between her own dark desires and unanswered questions. It starts with a snake and a crown. When the ring is complete, will her life be over?

Kingdom Above the Cloud is the story of Tovi Tivka, a young woman living in the whimsical valley of Adia, where everyone lives in tree houses. She and her twin brother were raised by foster grandparents who took them in as infants. Meanwhile, evil King Damien, who rules his kingdom on the top of a nearby mountain, chooses several of his young, elite “masters” to play a game. Their goal is to use their talents (based loosely on the seven deadly sins) to draw someone from the valley up to the top of the mountain. Several of these masters set their sights on Tovi.

Eryx is by far my favorite! He became a pet of mine sometime in the middle of writing this story. He was very minor at first. He is one of the “bad guys” who lives on the mountain, and he represents the sin of wrath. One day, I heard the song “A Bad Dream” by Keane and the lines, “I’m a man, I was born to hate,” and “I was fighting, but I just feel too tired to be fighting, guess I’m not the fighting kind,” hit me so hard. It knew in that moment that Eryx has lived a life of wrath, but he is exhausted, frustrated, and longing for something different. I’m not totally sure why he became so dear to me. Maybe it’s the hope he represents. He’s a “bad guy,” but he wants to be better. Adwin (the God character in the story) goes out of his way, time and time again, to draw Eryx in. I hope we can really see them connect in a sequel, but we’ll have to see where Eryx takes us in the story!

It really started with a daydream. What if there was a world full of characters who had mastered either a deadly sin or a fruit of the spirit? I started designing characters and imagining scenes, and it took on a life of its own. By the time I was done writing it, it was a deep dive into my Christian faith on a scale I never expected!

We All Need Saving by Jon McLaughlin was a song on constant repeat while I was writing. 

If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would play your characters?

I've always pictured Silas (one of the main characters) as Zac Efron. But, not the Zac Efron of today… more like the shaggy-haired High School Musical Zac (I started writing the story in 2007!). For the rest of the characters, I’ve never had specific actors in mind. I think I’d like to see it with a bunch of unknowns!

What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

A hammock strung between shady trees, with your favorite fruity beverage (whether that is juice, flavored water, or hard cider!). Tovi lives in a tree house, so sitting under or in a tree is ideal!

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish KINGDOM ABOVE THE CLOUD?

One of my recent favorites is the Story Peddler series by Lindsay Franklin. It’s another whimsical fantasy world with lots of allegory and spiritual themes.

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book?

The absolute hardest part for me was actually declaring it “finished.” I worked on it for over a decade on my own, rearranging, rewording, and revising. Then came the official editing process. I kept tweaking and tweaking and tweaking. Finally my editor told it was ready and we should stop! Thank goodness for her. Without her we’d probably still be editing!

What’s next for you?

I am working on the sequel! I’m hoping to have the first draft finished and submitted to my publisher by the end of the summer.

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