Welcome to the first installment of The Final Gauntlet Author Commentary! Sure there was an introduction last week but why quibble over semantics like that? (Quibble is a funny word.) Okay, enough rambling. Prepare to be astonished at the massive amount of over-thinking that went into the three goals for this book and, as always, SPOILER WARNING!
Three goals
I approach books with certain expectations. As I discussed last time with The Gifts of Kali, I wanted to explore the origin of Soriya’s ribbon. On top of that, I really was excited to write a car chase of all things. So there were certain expectations with that one.
The Final Gauntlet came with its own set of expectations and absolutes right out of the gate. Being the end of a planned trilogy meant wrapping up certain elements, closing off arcs, and buttoning up threads, so that was the beginning for this book.
The final door
Hammer and Anvil introduced the concept of a doorway into our world, and of someone creating these doors. That theme carried over to Gifts and was expanded upon with a brief glimpse as to who was behind these events.
The first goal for The Final Gauntlet was answering this mystery. There was no getting around that one. Having the series end without an answer to something introduced in the first book would have been absolutely a mistake.
So, the outline started there. It started with Annabelle Waterhouse and her motivations. Were they nefarious? Were they altruistic? What was behind the door and how did it fit into the larger narrative of Greystone in general?
That was always a question in the back of my mind. Was there a way to tie the prequel trilogy to the larger series as a whole? I love adding connections. Every time one came together it was like lightning in a bottle. It always led to a stronger moment, either plot or character based.
Once Annabelle was in place, things started to rock and roll.
Witches
Coming up with the main threat of a narrative is always a treat. For The Final Gauntlet I set a couple requirements as I started researching.
The first was a non-physical threat. Hammer and Gifts both brought very physical beings into Portents. There were brawls. There was blood. It was more about strength than cunning in both cases. I wanted Gauntlet to run differently. There needed to be a subtlety to it, something otherworldly to make it different. If this series was all about testing Soriya Greystone, then let’s put her through the wringer.
The second was the use of multiple threats. Again, the main basis was to be different from the previous two installments. Most of the Greystone stories are centered on a single menace. Raising the stakes is always a goal when it comes to series writing, so having three main threats really amped the action, in my opinion.
The final requirement I had in the back of my mind was the use of witchcraft. I wanted witches in this book right from the start. It came back to a change from the previous books, more mystical than physical in terms of danger to Soriya. More than that, I just wanted a new visual. Introducing the Daughters of Salem brought something fresh to the table, and I loved the concept right out of the gate. (More about them next time…)
Transition to the main series
I am a loon, I know. Three goals was way too many when starting this book. And it made for a tough ride, but who doesn’t like a challenge?
Everyone who read A Circle of Shadows thought it was the end of the story. It wasn’t. Everyone who picked up the prequel trilogy thought it stood alone.
It doesn’t.
The third goal I had when starting The Final Gauntlet was to find a way to transition back to the main series. There was always going to be a second act to the series, five more novels including a flashback book about Soriya and Loren’s first meeting. I have notes dating back five years that attest to that. So how the hell could I close everything else out with this book, but leave just enough to connect to Book 6 of the main series?
That was my challenge and my starting point. I’ll talk more about this aspect later in the commentary, but yeah, it’s all about Beth… again.
Next time:
As promised, a detailed look at the Daughters of Salem.
Thanks for reading.
