All The Write Stuff: The Gate

We all want to live forever... until we don't.

The Gate

The Immortal Coil Saga Book 1

by Brandi Schonberg

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Amarynn, a legendary warrior who hates everything she's become, desperately wants her existence to end. But there's one problem with that. She's immortal.

She's also made a terrible mistake having given away the secrets of her immorality to Venalise Korr, a powerful mage capable of twisting that magic into something monstrous. Now Venalise has kidnapped Regealth, Amarynn's creator, and stolen the magical stone called The Gate – the key to everything immortal. Determined to right her wrongs, Amarynn enters into an uneasy partnership with the king's son.

Together, Amarynn and Jael risk everything to rescue both the mage and the stone. If their rescue fails, Venalise will have the power to create a league of immortal warriors just like Amarynn. With that power secured, the wars between kingdoms will never end. And if the wars continue, Amarynn loses the ending she seeks. Though now that she's gotten close to Prince Jael, she doesn't know if that's a bad thing after all.

INTERVIEW

What inspired you to write this book?

Myinspiration for The Gate began as a scene I had on repeat in my mind. I saw a woman by a tree in the forest. It was night, and she was confused. This image lingered until it transformed into a couple of different stories- all about a woman/girl stranded in the wrong place or time; brought there by magical means. Then, about fifteen years ago, things in my personal life got exceptionally tough. My husband was suffering with mental illness and self-medication, and because I loved him dearly, I was desperate to help. In setting my own needs aside to take care of him and our three children, I created Amarynn. She was immortal, invincible. Amarynn’s original journey was my own. I was looking to find a way out of the troublesome times I found myself in. Eventually, as she grew as a character, she transformed into what I wanted my husband to see as inspiration, so she became my vision of him. Finally, she took on a life off her own infused with elements of both of us. Her story became her own.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I hope you can expect a lot from me in the future! I have books two and three of The Immortal Coil Saga to complete, a supernatural romance slated to release on Halloween, and a science fiction novel in the works. The Mage Crown, the sequel to The Gate, is tentatively scheduled to release in September. When I can find the time, I would like to work on my YA stories- a fairy tale mashup/retelling of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, a story centered on minor gods of the underworld seeking to ascend and join the good guys, and a couple of post-apocalyptic stories, but those will have to happen in-between the others.

Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?

Absolutely! I have been asked so many questions about Bent, Amarrynn’s mentor. That is definitely a novella, as well as an origin story about Venalise, the antagonist. The world of The Gate is vast, and even characters like Plinus, Aron, and Ehrinell have stories to tell.

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in The Gate?

The main characters:

a. Amarynn, the main character in The Gate, is not the character you think you’d like at first. She’s crass, bitter, and generally unhappy with her life. But as you learn more about her, it’s hard not to sympathize. She’s physically in very early twenties, but mentally much older. She’s of average height, strong but lithe, and covered in thousands of silvery, thin scars. Some scars are larger, though, and she has each of those concealed or decorated with tattoos to commemorate their acquisition. Her hair is long and auburn, and is usually in braids. Hazel eyes and her somewhat pale complexion complete the picture.

b. Crown Prince Jael is what my daughter calls a golden retriever (at first). He’s tall with sandy-blonde hair and is handsome (obviously). I like to think of his “first impression demeanor” as Prince Eric from the Little Mermaid. But that goes dark quickly and we get to see what he’s really made of. I there’s an onion in this story, he’s it.

c. Venalise, our antagonist, was originally modeled after Regina from Once Upon a Time. After many years of writing, revising, and editing, she’s younger in the story, but she has plans- so many plans. And she will stop at nothing to achieve them. Dark hair, pale complexion, and a deadly stare, she drips with nefarious vibes.

Where did you come up with the names in the story?

I wrote a blog about naming characters once. It’s one of my favorite things about writing stories. I believe names have great power, and I try to infuse as much meaning as I can into them. Having said that, I actually do not remember how the name “Amarynn” came about. Come to think of it, most of these names were dreamt up so long ago, I don’t think I can recall their conception. But my process for naming follows one of two paths. I either roll syllables around in my head until I get to something that fits the character’s personality or I go to Fantasy Name Generator and find the roots for names there. I might use syllables from different names, or discover a root I like and add something to it. As a rule, though, I try to make the name fit the character’s personality. It has to feel right.

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Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZWQ1X7R

Google: https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Gate.html?id=7RCv0AEACAAJ

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-gate-the-immortal-coil-saga-book-1-by-brandi-schonberg

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210847587-the-gate

About the Author

Brandi Schonberg has always written stories, but this is the first one she has completed. The Gate is her debut novel and the first title in The Immortal Coil Saga. A native Texan, she works as a middle school science instructional coach in San Antonio, Texas and has three grown children, a loving partner, and two exceptionally unusual cats.

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