The Magic of Multiple Perspectives in Fantasy Romance – GUEST POST by A. K. Mulford (A SKY OF EMERALD STARS)
The second book in the all-new Golden Court romantasy trilogy.
A secret song. A hidden fortress. A world on the brink of war.
Royal guard Sadie Rauxtide has been grappling with how she’ll fit into the Golden Court, after the long, tyrannical reign of the evil sorceress has finally ended. But all thoughts of peace are lost when rival Wolf king Nero kidnaps the new Queen’s friend and mentor, Ora.
Sadie along with Navin and Maez are tasked with discovering Nero’s secrets. Yet Navin is hiding things too, and Sadie must uncover them, all while battling her growing attraction to the man who betrayed her. She may have a mission, but the heart wants what it wants and fate has its own magic.
Meanwhile, Queen Calla is forced to seek help from the Ice Wolf pack’s queen to stop Nero’s prejudicial rule. But when she repeatedly dismisses Calla’s new gender identity and is unwilling to help rescue Ora, Calla must battle between diplomacy and being their true self.
As war brews and Sadie and Calla struggle to gain support, the pair will discover that the world of Aotreas is more than it seems.
A Sky of Emerald Stars by A. K. Mulford is published by HarperVoyager on 2nd January 2025. You can pre-order your copy on Bookshop.org
The Magic of Multiple Perspectives in Fantasy Romance
by A. K. Mulford
In the first book in The Golden Court trilogy, the story centers around a single point of view: that of non-binary wolf shifter, Calla. In the second installment, A Sky of Emerald Stars, a new point of view—the grumpy warrior, Sadie—is introduced. Following Sadie’s new adventure and love story while simultaneously deepening the love story of Calla and Grae makes A Sky of Emerald Stars even more captivating. Here are some of the benefits of adding an additional POV into your story:
- Giving readers the familiar and the novel all in one
In my The Five Crowns of Okrith series, the five books are interconnected standalones, each story with its own POV and romance. I was met with a dilemma as readers wanted more of the original POV characters but also wanted to explore the previous side characters’ burgeoning romances. So with my latest series I thought, why not both? New lusting looks across a crowded room, new love interests ready to risk it all to share their heart with someone, while also exploring the deepening love story between the couple we first fell for.
- Expanding the World
With two POVs, we’re no longer confined to a single character’s perspective or location. This opens the door to more epic and adventurous storytelling, as you can explore different parts of your world simultaneously. In A Sky of Emerald Stars, Calla is challenged with making allies in the snow-covered realm of Taigos, meanwhile Sadie is traveling incognito with a musician across the sand covered kingdom of Valta. Navigating monsters, enemies, and her own family, Sadie quests to the floating mountains of the Onyx Wolf kingdom. If you’re anything like me, I always want to explore every corner of a fantasy book’s map. But with a single character, there’s only so much of the world you can see at once. Hopefully this gives readers a richer sense of the setting’s scope and diversity.
- Building Suspense
Dual POVs are deliciously devious for cliffhangers. There is nothing more satisfying than leaving the reader at the edge of their seat and then cutting to a different character’s POV, leaving them hanging for just a little while longer to see what happens. These are the stories that I love to read and absolutely devour. We find out Navin’s secrets and then we jump to Calla’s POV for more court intrigue, an enemy closes in on Calla, and we jump back to Sadie’s POV as the crew roles into the local tavern. This alternating structure creates a rhythm that can drive your story’s momentum and heighten emotional investment.
- Distinct Voices
Having two unique voices gives the world more depth and perspective. Not every character is the brave, steadfast heroine. I had a lot of fun writing in Sadie’s POV because she is very different than Calla. Sadie is a curmudgeonly warrior who would rather stab someone than have a diplomatic conversation. She is headstrong and cavalier whereas Calla is still discovering their voice and where they stand as the leader of their court. Calla is earnest and full-hearted, trying to put the needs of everyone else before their own. The duality between these two I think creates a richer universe along with the voices of the supporting characters.
- Doubling the Romance
Two POVs mean two romantic arcs, and the possibilities are endless. One romance might be in the smoldering early stages while the other approaches a dramatic crescendo. The contrast in pacing and tone adds variety and keeps readers engaged as they root for multiple love stories. Two love stories in one is absolutely the icing on a fantasy romance cake!
The world will expand even further in the Golden Court Book 3 when we bring in the addition of a third point of view—Briar’s—in a new court on the continent. With snow, sand, and floating mountains, all three characters will adventure to find their own ways to defeat their shared enemy all culminating in an epic final battle.
A Sky of Emerald Stars by A. K. Mulford is published by HarperVoyager on 2nd January 2025. You can pre-order your copy on Bookshop.org
A. K. Mulford is a bestselling fantasy author and former wildlife biologist who swapped rehabilitating monkeys for writing novels.
They/she is inspired to create diverse stories that transport readers to new realms, making them fall in love with fantasy for the first time or all over again.
They now live in Australia with their husband and two young human primates, creating lovable fantasy characters and making ridiculous TikToks (@akmulfordauthor).
