Please join me in welcoming Maggie Platt to the blog this week. She’s going to be sharing the story behind her novel, Kingdom Above the Cloud. First, let’s find out a little bit about it.

What if the nine Fruits of the Spirit and the Seven Deadly Sins were locked in a battle for control?

Abandoned as infants, Tovi and her twin brother were raised by an eclectic tribe of warm, kind people in a treehouse village in the valley. After her brother’s sudden disappearance Tovi questions her life and her faith in an invisible King. Ignoring her best friend Silas’ advice, she decides to search for her brother in the kingdom on top of the mountain.

Above the cloud, the Council of Masters receives their orders. Tovi and her brother are the objectives. King Damien has a plan and Tovi is the key. The Council of Masters wants her, but will she remain unscathed?

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?

Wow, what an interesting storyline. What led you to write the book?

One intimidating question led to Kingdom Above the Cloud (and its future sequels!). What if the fruits of the spirit and the deadly sins were turned into people who were battling for control of their world? 

As I wrote, two distinct worlds appeared. The evil kingdom on the mountain with its twisted ideas of how people should live, and the simple, rustic, joyful village of treehouses called Adia, nestled high in the trees of the valley.

The villains were incredibly fun to write. They each specialize in or “master” one of the king’s seven core values: Prosperity, Perfection, Control, Pleasure, Adoration, Power, and Wisdom. Each of those values is something that was once good but has been twisted by the king and his cronies. 

My very favorite character, Eryx, is a Master of Power on the mountain. He has spent most of his young life teaching others that wrath and domination are the way to get what you want and punish those who are in your way. 

One day while I was driving, “A Bad Dream” by Keane came on the radio. It was one of those meant-to-be moments that changed the whole direction of my story. As I listened to the words, I saw Eryx in a new light:

Where will I meet my fate?

Baby I’m a man, I was born to hate

And when will I meet my end?

In a better time you could be my friend

I wake up, it’s a bad dream

No one on my side

I was fighting

But I just feel too tired to be fighting

Guess I’m not the fighting kind

Through that song, I learned that Eryx was born into this life of hatred, but he longs for something different. He’s tired of fighting, tired of this loveless, joyless life. When he is sent on a mission into the valley, he witnesses a totally different kind of life. They are happier there among the trees, away from the glitz and wealth and power-hungry elites on the mountain. 

And then he sees her. He abandons the king’s mission and takes on a new role: protecting this beautiful creature who lives and laughs in the trees. But he dares not reveal himself to these people who would be afraid of him, so he stays in the shadows. 

In all of my favorite stories, the “bad guys” have redeeming qualities or tragic stories that make me pity them. All eight of my villains (the seven masters and the king), are deeply flawed with many tales to tell. Some may be redeemed, and others will remain evil for all eternity. I’ll let you read the story to find out which way the each go. 

Maggie Platt is a writer, traveler, cancer survivor, and dreamer. Her greatest joys are being Auntie M to her amazing nieces and nephew and sitting with students and friends over cups of coffee and deep conversations. She works at her alma mater, Anderson University in Indiana, and she lives in a cozy little cottage nearby where students come to sit on her couch just to laugh, cry, and talk about life. She is currently working on the next installment of the Tales from Adia series. 

Socials:

(wordpress) MaggiePlatt.com

https://www.instagram.com/_maggie_platt_/

Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2TXdhgy

Maggie is giving away a signed copy of Kingdom Above the Cloud along with a limited-edition map (US only). Follow the directions below to enter.

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Thanks for joining us, Maggie. It’s been great having you!