Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Kingdom Above the Cloud by Maggie Platt, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Kingdom Above the CloudAuthor: Maggie Platt
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: April 17, 2020
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
What if the nine Fruit 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 want 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?
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CONNECT WITH MAGGIE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Would
you share your inspiration for Kingdom
Above the Cloud?
Maggie: 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!
How
long did it take you to write this novel?
Maggie: Over a
decade! I toyed with this idea for what seemed like forever. I would obsess
over it for about a month, and then it would go on the back burner while I
focused on work and other stories. In 2011, I quit my job and moved to Florida
so that I could focus more on writing. I wrote the bulk of the first draft over
the next year. It wasn’t anything like I expected that year to be! I had grand
visions of writing on the beach. Those daydreams didn’t include blowing sand
and glaring sun. So, instead of the beach, I spent every evening after work
holed up in the local library, hammering out each chapter. I submitted the
story to Ambassador International in December 2018, and I signed my contract in
early 2019.
Do
you have a favorite character in Kingdom
Above the Cloud?
Maggie: 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!
What
do you hope readers take away from this novel?
Maggie: My
hope and prayer is that readers feel even just one step closer to God after
reading this book. God, Jesus, and Christianity are not mentioned by name, but
the whole story is a vulnerable look inside my faith in Christ. I hope that the
words of the story point readers to Jesus and the love, hope, joy, and peace
that only He can provide.
Can
you share a book you are currently reading or have read recently?
Maggie: I just
finished The Overstory by Richard Powers, and it was incredible. It is not the
same genre as Kingdom Above the Cloud in any way! I love reading fantasy and
allegory, but I also love other types of fiction. The Overstory follows several
characters that seem totally unrelated, other than that each storyline involves
something about trees. By the end, their stories have intertwined in ways I
never could have imagined.
Who
is an author that you would recommend to anyone and everyone?
Maggie: C.S.
Lewis, whether you’re reading fiction or nonfiction! The Chronicles of Narnia
and Screwtape Letters will always be some of my favorite books, and his
nonfiction has also impacted my life in so many ways. My mom passed away very
suddenly a couple of years ago, and A Grief Observed has been incredibly
meaningful to me in this season.
What
hobbies do you enjoy when you aren't writing?
Maggie: I
love to garden, and that hobby was passed down from my grandma to my mom and
then to me. I recently expanded my flower beds to about four times their old
size! I think I would be the happiest person in the world if I could spend all
of my time digging in dirt and typing on a keyboard (after washing my muddy
fingers!). I have a back patio that is surrounded by my flowers. Once they grow
a little bigger, it will be the perfect place for some inspired writing.
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Kingdom Above the Cloud, limited edition map, laptop decal/sticker, and bookmark.
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 11, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on May 18, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
