Beatrice Jackson’s life isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. Well…actually it is: you see, Beatrice has a flying unicorn named Rainbow. The world isn’t quite ready for them, so they live their lives well below the radar. But, their secret life is going to get a lot less secret when it intersects with  a corporation’s sinister plot, and the exploits of a regional superhero.

The inspiration for this book came to me during a conversation with my daughter. She was six at the time and very into all things unicorn and rainbow. We were talking about unicorns (of course!) and how awesome it would be to actually have a unicorn, or – better yet – a flying unicorn: an alicorn! After years of walking, disciplining, and cleaning up after our family dog, my feelings about having a thousand-pound winged beast living in our modest house were a little less than enthusiastic. 

The idea of actually having an alicorn stuck with me for a while after that conversation. On the surface, my practical/parental side was obsessed with the outrageous logistical challenges that this would generate. But later, my thoughts ran a little deeper. I thought about how children fearlessly follow their paths. Later, as we grow into adulthood, our fears and insecurities also grow and, if we are not careful, we can allow them to put limits around our dreams. 

With those thoughts swirling around my head, I considered what might happen if a child’s most amazing dreams came true. How would the ‘real world’ respond? Are happy endings always possible?  

In April of 2022, I opened a Google Doc and began jotting down ideas for a story based around this concept. Because it existed in the cloud, I was able to tinker away on it while my family and I wrapped up our life in Yangon, Myanmar and traveled through Toronto, Canada and Spokane, USA, on our way to our new life in Islamabad, Pakistan. While I was revising and fine-tuning the manuscript, my wife, an elementary teacher and a reading specialist, provided much needed guidance and support throughout this process. And, best of all, my daughter – the inspiration for this story and the main character – contributed amazing art for the cover. 

I hope this book captivates and inspires young readers and serves as a reminder that even if  someone is different (even in a wings and rainbow way), they are still worthy of acceptance and inclusion. 

So Over That Rainbow is now available on Amazon. 

Ed X!