She's going to tell us about her book, Son of the Mountain King (Book one of The Mountain King Trilogy), and about herself!
Welcome to the Diamond Mine Olivia!
Can you tell us a little about your book?
Son of the Mountain King is an allegorical fantasy about what I believe is the greatest love and adventure story: the love of God for people.
Judah is the young governor of the land of the Mountain King. She longs to prove her worth, but when an enemy threatens to invade her country, Judah is faced with secrets, betrayals , and a conspiracy that may prove the undoing of herself and her people. Readers have said that Son of the Mountain King reminds them of The Chronicles of Narnia and Till We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis), Hind's Feet on High Places (Hannah Hurnard), Israel, My Beloved (Kay Arthur), and the fairytales of George MacDonald.
When an invasion threatens the land of the Mountain King, the fate of the people rests on the shoulders of young governor Judah. She has sworn to prove herself a skillful leader by protecting her kingdom from foes, but difficulty and danger surround her.
Then Judah's life is saved by two different men who divide her loyalty. One, a fascinating healer, captures the hearts of Judah and her people. The other, a mysterious shepherd, forces Judah to question what she believes to be true.
When a conspiracy comes to light that could destroy Judah and her kingdom, a single choice might cost her people everything. Will the headstrong leader prove herself--or find herself trapped?
Sounds really cool!! How did you get your idea for this story?
While I was reading my devotions one morning, the comparison of Christ's love for His people being like that of a husband for his wife struck me in a new way.
I thought, what if the entire story of the Bible were told as a simple love story, a fairytale that speaks the truth of the greatest love story ever? The seed of SOMK grew from there.
Wow! Isn't it amazing how inspiration works?
What made you decide to be a writer?
Like many authors, I have always loved writing. However, as an English teacher I was content to work with my students on their writing and maintain a sporadic blog on the side. My dabbling in prose took a sharp turn in 2018, when I joined a worldwide challenge to write a novel draft in 30 days. It was a heady experience. I was hooked. The rough draft of Son of the Mountain King came into being the following year during my second writing challenge.
That's how my first published novel started out, from that November challenge!
What was your first story?
My first novel manuscript--which to date remains on a shelf--was the one that pulled me into the dream of becoming a published author. This story, which I outlined on the whiteboard in front of my students as an example of how to "raise the stakes" for their own stories, developed in a wild, spontaneous way that was just plain fun. It became a rollicking, modern-day adventure that is quite different from the Mountain King trilogy.
Sounds like you and your students had a lot of fun with that!
Do you write from an outline, or just from inspiration, or both?
As other mixed-bag writers might say: yes. A story idea will come to me, and I'll let it simmer for a while, sometimes years. When it's time to write the story, I create a rough outline. But in the middle of being written, the story starts to shift and twist under inspirational seismic events. When the dust settles, the beginning and end points may be the only parts of the story that haven't undergone massive changes.
Such a great description of that process. I love the term "inspirational seismic events." It's perfect!
Do you have any underlying themes that you want your readers to come away with?
In the end, hope and love. This story speaks of the most important fact in the world: God loves us, every one of us. May a fragrance of that love and the hope stemming from it envelop every reader.
Amen to that!!
Do your characters share any traits with you or someone you know?
I'm sure they do! Not intentionally, but when I look back over a draft, many of the characters' struggles, hopes, and fears are my own or those of people I love.
Do your characters ever surprise you?
Definitely. Writing the story of these characters is like developing a friendship. I might think I know everything about someone, then boom! they do something that reveals a deeper layer. I discovered steadfast, sacrificial courage in a character who was sensible and laid back. A minor character who didn't even exist in initial drafts became a central figure in the second book. One character that I detested in the first book became a favorite of mine by the end of the second.
I love that! I've experienced the same things. It's surprising and delightful!
Do you have a favorite character in your books?
Of course, I love my main characters. But a side character I've always been partial to is Hilda, a friend of the narrator. She's a confident introvert with a dry sense of humor and an iron backbone when it comes to good vs. evil.
I bet readers will love her, too!
What are you working on now?
Book three of the trilogy is in the works as we speak! I have continued to use the 30-day method for creating a novel rough draft, and I'm almost halfway through at this point. There's a very different kind of world building going on in this story, and I'm enjoying the challenge.
And I've really enjoyed this interview, and getting to know you and your book. Thanks so much, Olivia!!
Here's some more about Olivia, along with her links:
Olivia Sykora has always been fascinated by allegorical stories. C.S. Lewis sits on the top of her favorite authors list, and then George MacDonald with his glorious fairytales. Hannah Hurnard's classic story, Hind's Feet on High Places, became a significant allegory in Olivia's life and faith journey, and she searched for further books that could communicate spiritual truths through accessible, exciting stories.Now, Olivia has crafted a new allegorical fantasy for modern readers to enjoy. Son of the Mountain King, the first book in the Mountain King trilogy tells the greatest love and adventure story: the love of God for His people.
Here's a short bio:
Olivia is an author, globe-trotter and educator. While traveling through 30+ countries, her adventures have ranged from exploring Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, to dining with Roma royalty in Romania, to summitting Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro. Olivia taught middle school English for many years before retiring to raise her kids and to write. She lives with her husband and two daughters in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where they hike, kayak, and explore.
Links:
Website: www.orsykora.com
Amazon: https://us.amazon.com/Son-Mountain-King-Trilogy/dp/1522305157
Barnes &Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/son-of-the-mountain-king-or-sykora/1147648895?ean=9781522305156
Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/son-of-the-mountain-king/id6744548609
Pelican:
https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main page=product info&cPath=34 102&products id=1716
Socials:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orsykora/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18VzUe8Dxd/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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