Clouds Above: Plausible Science Fiction

by Michael Hicks Thompson, Disciple Design (Cover Art), Twyla Dixon (Editor)

"As our world faces a water shortage like no other time in history, will young Grayson Fields' science skills and determination make it possible for her to bring rain to a parched world? Readers quickly become involved in a realistic scenario that traverses the planet from D.C. to India and the Himalayas with greedy billionaires, security secrets, and dangers that affect the world's water supply. Thompson brings to life this plausible world in such a way that readers will not only be engrossed in the outcome of an elaborate setting but will find the science of climate manipulation thoroughly intriguing-even vital to our survival." D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review.

352 pages, Hardcover

Published June 1, 2021

About the author

Birthed in his mother's own bed, Michael Thompson's family lived so far out on a farm in the woop woop, hospitals weren't an option.
Being raised in such a small Mississippi town (pop 210), Michael claims to know a thing or two about strong southern women, alcoholic men, and quirky characters.
Ole Miss was his undergraduate playground of worldly, wild, college life. Only by the grace of God is he still alive ... 23 broken bones from fights, football, and one major "Harley massage."
Marriage and grad school at the U of South Carolina for a master's in mass communication settled him down (he claims God settled him down when He changed his heart forever.)
He moved to Memphis and started a one-man ad agency at age 27. The firm, Thompson & Company grew to 87 employees in two cities--Memphis and Nashville. He was CEO/creative director/copywriter for over 30 years. The agency won numerous national and international awards for creativity. Michael sold the firm in 2011.
Novel writing started as a natural hobby for him, along with oil painting. He wrote, art directed, and published two graphic novels on the life of David from the Old Testament--DAVID-The Illustrated Novel. Michael couldn't figure out why God said David was a man after His own heart. So he wrote about it. Successfully.
Vol 2 won first place BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL and BEST INTERIOR DESIGN (2011) from the INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS. Vol 1, in 2010, won 2nd BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL from the Independent Publisher Book Awards.
In 2011 he penned a sci0fi thriller (JALA) that was serialized in a monthly magazine for an entire year.
Michael is a licensed sailboat captain, having sailed most of the Caribbean Islands many times. He's a Kairos team member (prison ministry), which came in handy for his mystery/suspense novel, The Rector. He's been to Cuba twice on door-to-door evangelism missions, been a featured speaker at large conventions, taught night classes at Memphis College of Art, and Sunday School for college/career singles. He's an honorary deputy sheriff in Mississippi and Tennessee, and licensed to carry a concealed weapon. He was King of Carnival Memphis in 1997, a city-wide honor. (I know most of this stuff only because he made me include it.)
While he was fretting over his writing The Rector, I told him, "You wrote advertising copy for thirty years! Holy dooly, man, you've been writing fiction for three decades."
Now he really does write fiction--Christian novels that entertain, intrigue, and shine a light on Jesus.
Michael doesn't like the "filler" in most of today's mystery books. "Too many paragraphs upon paragraphs of superfluous character and setting detail, he says. "I'd rather keep my reader on a fast pace."
Michael studied Master Novel Writing under Caitlin Alexander (former editor with Random). He's a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Mystery Writers of America, The International Crime Writers Asso, the Southern Writers Asso, and more than I'm willing to include.
I do believe Michael should've been born next to me, in Sydney. He has our down-under sense of humor and winner take all attitude. He really is the dinky-di from woop woop who learned how to spin a yarn as good as gold.
I'm David Weekes, an Aussie ad man from Sydney and good friend of my good friend, Michael. You can email me, david@loud.com.au. I can answer any questions you have about this bloke named Michael Thompson. BTW, you shouldn't miss the pic of Michael with Goliath and the ark of the covenant on his website, michaelthompsonauthor.com. The crazy bloke had these life-size replicas made for a book signing tour.

Reviews

[Elma C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was like watching a documentary wrapped in a thriller. Suspenseful and eye-opening at the same time.

[James I. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt too real. The idea that weather could be manipulated to solve a global crisis and all the consequences that come with it had me hooked and thinking deeply.

[Henrietta H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up thinking it would be a typical sci-fi novel, but it turned out to be a lot more grounded and urgent. The science made sense, and the story was suspenseful throughout.

[Florence B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely riveting. The pacing was tight, and I appreciated how the author kept the story grounded in plausible science while still delivering thrills.

[John B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect to be emotionally invested in a story about climate science, but here we are. This book has heart, intellect, and tension in equal parts.

[Tracy H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of story that makes you ask, “What if?” and then realize that “what if” might already be happening. A wake-up call in the form of fiction.

[Patti R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved how international the story felt. From Washington D.C. to the Himalayas, every setting was vivid and essential to the plot.