An Interview with Katherine Briggs, author of The Eternity Gate

Katherine Briggs crafted her first monster story at age three. Since graduating from crayons to laptop, she continues to devour and weave fantasy tales while enjoying oolong or chai tea. She, her co-adventurer husband, and their rescue dog reside outside Houston, where she classically educates amazing middle school students, teaches ESL to adults, and studies other languages.

You can buy The Eternity Gate here.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I wrote my first story when I was three years old. I drew animals and monsters in spiral notebooks with crayons, and my mom kindly wrote the words for me.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I teach middle school language arts and volunteer teach English as a second language classes.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

This book has had many titles. I’ve always been impressed by the simple names for Shakespeare’s plays. I decided to follow suit, and my publisher liked the choice. That felt like a win because publishers have changed many of my short story titles.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

Here is a link to my hardcover unboxing!

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

The Eternity Gate’s “seed idea” popped into my mind several years ago. I daydreamed a scene about a princess and a monster, and this idea changed many times before becoming this completed novel. Some songs that fit the book are “Bad Wings” by The Glitch Mob, “Morph” by Twenty-One Pilots, and “As Wings Blot Out the Sun” by City of the Fallen.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I hope readers see that they are important and that their actions, big and small, bad and good, change others’ lives.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

Story helps us see our lives through a clearer lens. We remember and ponder story. I think this is part of why Jesus spoke in parables.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

The Threshold Duology’s Book 2 has been a joy to write. It explores a new country and new heroine, while familiar characters make reappearances and grow. Expect lots of elemental gifting, an unlikely “chosen one,” a journey into enemy land, and a deeper exploration of what makes someone worthy.

Book 2 releases Fall 2024.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.