Q&A: A.K. Caggiano, Author of ‘Throne In The Dark’

We chat with author A.K. Caggiano about Throne In The Dark, which follows the son of a demon on his way to fulfill his dark legacy, and the blonde pickpocket he accidentally magically links to him along the way.

Hi, A.K.! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi, Readers! I’m a childless cat lady living in Vermont with her husband who loves stories about dragons and love and sometimes falling in love with dragon-adjacent characters! I have a little flock of chickens, way too many empty journals, and a long love-hate relationship with the Internet.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

It was definitely Reading Rainbow that started it all. LeVar Burton’s enthusiasm for stories nestled itself deep in my heart before I could even speak, and I knew very early on that I wanted to make other people feel the way he made me feel when he read books “to me.” For as long as I’ve had a memory, stories—books, TV, movies, comics—were my most significant obsession.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Oooo so I was obsessed with this giant book about kittens when I was really young and would constantly check it out of the library to look at the pictures before I could read, and eventually I did learn to read, and I kept checking it out! Sorry, that wasn’t lightning-y, was it?
• The one that made you want to become an author: Kristy’s Great Idea, the first Baby-Sitter’s Club book by Ann M. Martin, or The Werewolf of Fever Swamp by RL Stein
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I probably think about Howl’s Moving Castle at least twice a day

Your latest novel, Throne in the Dark, is out November 4^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Whimsical swoony giggly slow burn

What can readers expect?

Either a parody that takes itself too seriously or a romantasy that doesn’t take itself seriously enough. Also a “hidden” narrator who’s winking and nudging you with her elbow throughout.

Where did the inspiration for Throne in the Dark come from?

I really wanted to create something that had the silliness of a D&D campaign or a Terry Pratchett novel but with the sincerity of the loving relationships and deep character arcs that make fantasy romance as a genre great. I’ve always enjoyed parodies, but it’s the ones with earnest love for the subject matter that feel the best, so I wanted to see if I could do that.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I almost always write chronologically, but the very first scene I wrote for Throne happens about two thirds into the book—I was just inspired, so I scribbled out a couple thousand words of drunken flirting at a tavern first then went back to the beginning. When I finally reached that pre-written scene in the drafting process, I had to totally rewrite it because Damien and Amma had evolved so much, and it was so much fun to see how I had originally conceived of them and how they actually turned out. As for character’s Damien’s father is one of my favorites, but I’ve learned he’s pretty divisive to some readers, so that just makes me love him more!

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

I moved a lot while writing these books—five different houses across four states. Routine is crucial when it comes to finishing creative projects, especially when you’re your own boss, so constantly packing things up and working out of different offices took a toll, but the familiarity of the world and characters was a nice safe, grounding place to always come back to. I also find being “funny” pretty challenging—I mean, I make me laugh, but I never know if the jokes are going to land out on the page for the readers!

What’s next for you?

I’m in the process of self-publishing a cozy monster romance series with fellow romantasy author Laura Winter, which has been such a comforting, low-stakes break while the real world falls apart around us (lol?). And I’ve got a fairytale-centric duology brewing that I think is going to be so so much fun—it’s a return to the voice of Throne in a totally new world with what I think is a fun spin on the villain-as-love-interest trope. Plus, talking mice!

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

Everything by T. Kingfisher! I’m in the middle of Hemlock & Silver right now and I’m once again in love with everything. Up next on my physical TBR is Her Soul for A Crown by Alysha Rameera—it’s been sitting on my shelf since it arrived, tempting me with its beautiful cover and edges! I can’t wait for so many books in 2026, but I’m especially looking forward to Trick & Tangle by Laura Winter, Strange Animals by Jarod K Anderson, and of course Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher.

Will you be picking up Throne in the Dark? Tell us in the comments below!