{"id":5471,"date":"2026-10-09T23:13:47","date_gmt":"2026-10-10T05:13:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pelicanbookgroup.com\/blog\/?p=5471"},"modified":"2026-10-09T23:21:45","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T05:21:45","slug":"finding-grace-in-grief-an-interview-with-o-r-sykora","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pelicanbookgroup.com\/blog\/finding-grace-in-grief-an-interview-with-o-r-sykora\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Grace in Grief: An Interview with O.R. Sykora"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we celebrate the paperback release of book two in the Mountain King trilogy, we’re pleased to dive into the heart of “Wrath of the Mountain King” with author O.R. Sykora. In this interview, she discusses how personal trauma shaped the novel’s exploration of grief, the difficult question of suffering, and how grace can bring healing…and, we’ll learn about the rich biblical symbolism behind the story.<\/p>\n

PBG:<\/b> Jenna’s encounter in the Wilderness of Tuphoo becomes a turning point where she anchors herself to the suffering of King Abel and Queen Judah. How did you develop the scene where the old forest servant comforts her feet with cool water as a spiritual metaphor for how trauma survivors find grace? What inspired you to portray Jenna’s wrestling with “Why must I suffer these things?” rather than offering easy answers?<\/p>\n

ORS:<\/b> Wrath of the Mountain King unfurled in my mind for years. And then, months before I began drafting, my family experienced a trauma that thrust us into the labyrinthine paths of grief. Trauma is a many-headed monster. But there are threads connecting all trauma survivors. There seems to exist a common road of grief, and companionship can be found with fellow travelers. Jenna\u2019s experience and her subsequent wrestling became an avenue through which I explored my own grief and tried to hold in some way the grief of others. It was almost a cathartic experience for me, one of those rare times when life and writing intertwine in such a way that each informs and influences the other.<\/p>\n

Jenna\u2019s experience points to the fact that we do not have all the answers to grief this side of Heaven. What we do have is Someone Who holds us and loves us through the \u201cvalley of the shadow.\u201d As a spiritual metaphor, cool water on damaged feet can show how the grace of God brings healing to traumatized hearts through the overflow of His peace.<\/p>\n

A trauma survivor may not see God for a time. The darkness seems too thick. But a light of grace may pierce the darkness through the hands of a friend, through the loving ministrations of daily bread. Job of the Bible would probably have appreciated a bowl of soup or the washing of his scraped wounds more than the torrent of words his companions brought. What this means is that the scene with the old forest servant and Jenna has very direct, practical applications in addition to the spiritual metaphor.<\/p>\n

PBG:<\/b> The white fire functions simultaneously as judgment, cleansing, power, and salvation throughout the early narrative. What drew you to this particular symbol, and how did you develop the layered spiritual meaning so that readers experience it as both terrifying and redemptive?<\/p>\n

ORS:<\/b> Over and over in the Bible, God is described as a \u201cconsuming fire.\u201d He is holy. In the end, the evil that is rotting this world will be destroyed, for sin cannot remain before the holiness of God. But God\u2019s holiness is not separate from His love. He gave His Son Jesus so that people may be saved by His holy blood. On the Cross, Jesus suffered the holy, cleansing wrath of God in our place as He took our sins upon Himself.<\/p>\n

Similarly, in Marah and the surrounding lands, the black poison that has infected everything and everyone must be destroyed, and only the white fire of the Mountain King will accomplish this. But the Mountain King opens a way for any person seeking salvation to be cleansed from the poison and thereby saved. \u201cCome to Abel at Kadosh\u201d is the cry sent into the whole world, pleading for people to let Abel cleanse them from the poison and give them new life. He does this by taking the poison upon Himself and thrusting it into the purifying white fire. The same fire is in the water each cleansed person is given to drink, and since the person is no longer infected, the fire becomes life to them. Thus, the very thing that brings death to every poison-infection person now imbues the individual with pure, holy, eternal life.<\/p>\n

PBG:<\/b> The story unfolds through distinct first-person narratives (Jenna as scribe, Anna as Watchman, and Raven as Watchman) with each witnessing the same events but perceiving them differently. What was your deliberate intention in structuring the narrative this way, and how does disseminating the story across viewpoints deepen the spiritual themes of recognition, compassion, and community witness?<\/p>\n

ORS:<\/b> Each of the women is given a specific task to accomplish. Anna and Raven have roles that echo of the two witnesses in the biblical book of Revelation. However, Raven is sent to be confrontive, reflective of Elijah, similar to her role in the first book. She sees clearly, recognizing what must be done, and she speaks without fear. Anna, on the other hand, has a compassionate heart that reaches for her old love with the invitation for redemption. She also aches over the slavery of her people, and she pleads for the slaves to be freed in a way reminiscent of Moses. The third woman, Jenna, is set in a very different situation: that of witnessing and recording the end. She brings a perspective more akin to that of the Apostle John.<\/p>\n

From early on in the planning process, it became clear to me that this story needed to be a three-spoke wheel for it to hold the complete, multilayered narrative. Every person has a unique role, but there is an interconnectedness between all of the Mountain King\u2019s people. They share a common sight (hope-based perspective of the end), common heart (love for their Master and love for all people), and common action (obedience to the King, no matter the cost), all of which are rooted in the love of the King.<\/p>\n

PBG:<\/b> In early chapters, Raven teaches Anna to perceive the Black Poison visually interspersed with “vision glimpses” of what things were meant to be. This creates a theological framework where beauty and horror coexist in constant tension. How did you develop this visual language, and what role does the contrast between corrupted and redeemed creation play in conveying Christian themes of redemption without didacticism?<\/p>\n

ORS:<\/b> In a sense, the reality of this world is simple: everyone and everything are already as good as dead. We aren\u2019t trying to escape death\u2014because of sin, we are dead. Ephesians 2 makes this clear. Unlike the mythical gods of old, the true God isn\u2019t retaliating with wrath for people\u2019s lack of devotion or failure to pay up. Rather, because of His great love for all people, God reaches through the poison of our death and opens His hand with redemption, salvation, cleansing for all who will come. This is the truth I strove to represent through the simple concept of black poison.<\/p>\n

But the poison wreaks its havoc inside things that appear quite beautiful and healthy and good. The very beauty originally created to point people to God has been twisted to become the lens through which people are deceived into thinking all is well. There is no sin, the whisper comes, there is only the beauty of nature. Grasp the beauty, cling to it with all your might, for it is all you have. Deep in the heart of every person thrums the knowledge of sin, just as all of creation points to God and the knowledge of Him lies planted in every heart. But the song of God and the thrum of sin can both be quenched, seared in a heart until a person can no longer hear, no longer see. It is a gift of God to know of our sin, to know of our need for salvation, that we might throw ourselves before the Savior.<\/p>\n

Years ago, I read C.S. Lewis\u2019 sermon, \u201cThe Weight of Glory.\u201d One passage stood out to me, and its shadow is always hovering somewhere in my mind: \u201cThere are no ordinary people. You have never met a mere mortal\u2026it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit\u2014immortal horrors or everlasting splendours.\u201d This is the reality of the present and future for everyone around us. The Garden of Eden serves as a reminder of both the past and the eternal NOW that is God\u2019s plan: He did not create things to be as they became. There is a Divine Intention that will come to fruition for all eternity, and at times, believers are allowed pinprick glimpses of the beautiful Reality that is there alongside the destructive sin. In this story, people who have drunk the water from the King\u2019s Spring of Life are able to see not only the beauty, but also the black poison.<\/p>\n

PBG:<\/b> Anna is portrayed as emotionally open and expressive. Unlike traditional “chosen one” narratives where the protagonist masks doubt, you allow Anna’s feelings and uncertainties to coexist with her spiritual authority. Was this a conscious choice to challenge genre expectations, and what does Anna’s emotional authenticity communicate about how you view faith and courage?<\/p>\n

ORS:<\/b> The people who have been the most impactful in my spiritual life are the ones who are open with me. I was raised by incredible Christian parents who made it clear to their daughters that we could ask them anything. They took our questions seriously, discussing whatever we wanted to know. There was never a mask of spirituality; their faith rang true whether we spoke of doubts or speculations or perspectives or fears.<\/p>\n

This openness and spiritual authenticity are traits that naturally fit Anna. I had to stay true to who Anna is as a character, even if that meant challenging genre expectations. I could not stuff her into a traditional \u201cchosen one\u201d suit; instead, I had to ask myself, how would Anna respond in the role of a chosen one? She would be just as open as always, but with her maturity there would also be a foundation of spiritual authority, of faith that could not be shaken even in the face of death. Looking back, I see so many traits of one of my favorite apostles, Peter, in Anna. In the first book, she is a little loud and opinionated and has more of a \u201cbig personality.\u201d Then she fails her mistress in the worst way, through betrayal. She is repentant, restored, redeemed, and now is a courageous servant of her Master who will walk through whatever is placed before her.<\/p>\n

PBG:<\/b> When the messenger announces that Raven and Anna have been chosen as Watchmen, he notes: “This title was given long before it was known by us…” This suggests predetermined purpose. How did this idea of unforeseen bearers of divine calling emerge in your writing, and what does it suggest about the nature of vocation in your spiritual worldview?<\/p>\n

ORS:<\/b> Throughout the Bible, we see examples of specific people called to a specific task. Noah. Abraham. Moses. Samuel. Elijah. Paul. The list goes on. Meanwhile, the many other people who loved God went about their daily little tasks in their daily little lives. Today, we gaze in awe at the grand effect of the lives of the \u201cgreats\u201d (both biblical and modern people, such as Charles Spurgeon, Elizabeth Elliot, Billy Graham). God called each of them to a mighty task in His Name, similar to how Raven and Anna are called to be the two Watchmen.<\/p>\n

Are all the other believers therefore unimportant? No. Most of us will not receive a huge, important calling on our lives. But God has called each person with the most important calling of all: He has called us to Himself. By living our small, humble lives in faithful obedience to our God, we are doing the exact same thing as those who receive a special calling. We are obeying. Oswald Chambers said, \u201cWhen you are rightly related to God, it is a life of freedom and liberty and delight, you are God\u2019s will, and all your commonsense decisions are His will for you unless He checks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do I believe that every single person has a specific vocation given them by the Lord? Yes, in the sense that we are all commanded to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Do I believe that certain people are called by God to be used in an uncommon way to accomplish His purposes? Also yes. But I do not believe it is wise to envy those people, for along with greater calling comes greater pressing, as Anna, Raven, and Jenna all attest to in the story.<\/p>\n

PBG:<\/b> Early in the story, we learn that many Riders sacrificed their lives spreading warnings about the Black Poison and the coming judgment. The messenger explicitly tells Anna and Raven they must bear a personal burden that none may help carry. This hints at a cost beyond physical danger. How does your narrative explore the internal and relational burden of witness and warning, particularly for those whose message will be rejected?<\/p>\n

ORS:<\/b> As believers, we are not responsible for how people respond to the Gospel. We are responsible for our own obedience to the Great Commission in Matthew 28. Through our obedience, we demonstrate our love for Christ (John 14:24). Jesus warned His followers that they would endure rejection, suffering, hatred, even death as they obeyed Him (Matthew 10), and both history and modern times have proven this to be true. Like us, the Riders and the Watchmen carry in their hearts the burden of their commission, knowing full well that their obedience to the King will certainly cost their relationships and may even cost their lives. But, like us, such a prospect is worth walking toward, for the love that redeems is the love that refines; the love that reaches out is the love that mourns when rejected.<\/p>\n

PBG:<\/b> In the prologue, despite being tortured by the giant chief of Tuphoo, Jenna holds only compassion in her heart, even as she faces death. Later, Raven and Anna are sent to warn these same peoples of coming judgment. This creates a distinctive theological tension: judgment is necessary, yet mercy and compassion toward the judged remain central to the characters’ spiritual posture. How did you navigate the challenge of portraying righteous judgment alongside genuine love for those being judged?<\/p>\n

ORS:<\/b> I suppose the challenge becomes less of an issue the moment I look inside\u2014see how much God has forgiven me! Oswald Chambers pointed out that each of us contains within our hearts the potential for terrible evil. He adds, \u201cOnce I realize what God has done for me, it is impossible to despair of anyone else.\u201d When, as a teenager, I first began to understand what Chambers meant, my paradigm shifted. I have no right to judge even the cruelest, most evil person in history because the potential has been in my own heart for even worse evil. Chambers also says that by looking at our own sin, we can understand why God must enact judgment on sin.<\/p>\n

I think these ideas are what drove my portrayal of the response to the people of Tuphoo. Jenna, Anna, and Raven would all be under the same judgment but for the cleansing of poison from King Abel. Anna, in particular, knew how much she had been forgiven, and she allowed that knowledge to soften her heart with compassion and grace. All of them knew what and why the white fire was coming to cleanse the lands, and they also knew the Mountain King and his son loved the people of the lands. The spirit of King Abel lived in the hearts of Jenna and the others, so his love reached out through them, calling people to the one path of salvation, the path that tore through the King himself.<\/p>\n

PBG:<\/b> Jenna is explicitly tasked by King Abel to record the events. This positions the act of writing itself as a spiritual discipline and witness. What does Jenna’s role as scribe represent in your vision of how faith communities preserve and transmit sacred memory, and how does the written word function differently from the spoken witness of the Watchmen?<\/p>\n

ORS:<\/b> At the Last Supper, Jesus took the bread and wine and said, \u201cDo this in remembrance of Me\u201d (Luke 22). Jesus Himself modeled the transmission of sacred memory when He instituted the holy practice of Communion. But we do not have the bodily Presence of Jesus among us at this time, so we rely on the written Word and spoken witness of God\u2019s work in His people. The Bible is the Word of God, and no one is to add to it. The Holy Spirit witnesses to our spirits, and we give witness of His saving work through our words and deeds. The portrayal of Watchmen and scribe in the story is not much different.<\/p>\n

In this story, there is a time element that essentially divides the written word from the spoken witness. One speaks to the here and now; in the story, that is the warning which the Watchmen spoke regarding the need for immediate action.<\/p>\n

The other speaks to the future, preserving sacred memory for those in the present and future to read and remember the things which should not be forgotten. To an extent, Jenna\u2019s role was patterned after the Apostle John as he was told to write what he saw in the book of Revelation. In the story, Jenna was physically present and recorded what she saw and what Abel told her to record. The act of writing captured the incredible events at Kadosh and Marah, conserving the truth of the events in a way the spoken word could not.<\/p>\n

Perhaps, as writers of faith-driven fiction, we are not so different from the women in this story. Our Master has tasked us to write stories that point to Him. Every time we put pen to paper in pursuit of this charge, our writing becomes an act of obedience and an offering to the praise of God. May He use our humble tales for His glorious purposes!<\/p>\n

\n\"Finding

Wrath of the Mountain King<\/h1>Release Date<\/strong> 2026-10-10
ISBN:<\/strong> 9781522305361
ASIN:<\/strong> B0GKHSJT2G
PelicanID: <\/strong>1741
Genres:<\/strong> Fiction \/ Christian \/ Classic & Allegory, Fiction \/ Christian \/ Fantasy
Pages:<\/strong> 272
Format:<\/strong> Paperback

\"The world is poisoned. The cleansing is coming. And three women hold the key to salvation\u2014 or ruin.\" The castle of Marah lies in ruins, its people enslaved by invaders or shackled by fear. When a fissure of white fire encircles the Mountain King' s land, scribe-scout Jenna returns with a warning: time is running out. At the base of the mountain, the humble Kadosh hut offers a final chance\u2014 cleansing for those who dare to seek it, mercy for those who repent, and the water of life<\/b> for any who will come.
But the call must go out. Raven, a Watchman bound by duty, and Anna, a servant haunted by love and loss, descend into the valley to deliver the King' s message: Choose Kadosh or face the wrath to come. Their journey takes them through charred roads and whispering pines, into courts where a ruthless queen tightens her grip, and before a king who must choose redemption or destruction<\/i>.
As the white fire burns brighter against the midnight sky, the three women fight to fulfill their charge. Jenna, broken but resolute, stands beside her king for one last task. Anna faces the sacrifice that could heal or shatter her heart. And Raven must decide whether she will trust the Master who sent her or allow the shadows of betrayal to prevail.
A faith-forward allegory of judgment, mercy, and the promise of redemption<\/b>. Perfect for fans of:
Morgan L. Busse, Patrick W. Carr, and Jill Williamson. This epic Christian fantasy<\/b> weaves courageous women, prophetic warnings, and the unshakable truth that providence turns even wrath into joy.<\/p>\n<\/p>

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