#RK Ashwick

[skygemspeaks]

Hello happy pride month, here are some sweet and relatively low-stakes queer reads for you:

Cursed Cocktails by SL Rowland - a blood mage retires after decades of fighting to protect his people, and moves to a small coastal town where the heat will be good for his chronic pain. He opens a cocktail bar and maybe falls in love with his business partner.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - case worker has to investigate a group home of very powerful magical orphans. One of them is the antichrist. He tries not to lose his mind. Finds love (platonic and romantic) along the way

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree - badass orc barbarian decides to retire from her life of fighting and opens a cafe in a town where no one has heard of coffee before. Finds a family along the way.

A Rival Most Vial by RK Ashwick - two rival potion shop owners who hate everything about each other find out they have to work together on a potion for the mayor. Find out that maybe they don't hate each other that much after all. Oh and there's a found family in there somewhere.

[noahhawthorneauthor]

If you're looking to build your TBR, why not try these queer indie books by the hosts of our podcast?

Remember, you can read queer all year, not just for pride month. 🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈📚

Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms (All royalties for June are being donated)

Swords and Seers

Dear Bartleby

Fella Enchanted

The Forgotten Lyric

The Stray Spirit

Phantom and Rook

This Doesn't Mean Anything

Fiorenzo

A Rival Most Vial

Kit & Basie

Right Here, Write Queer Linktree

@nothwell @ashen-crest @tesscarletta @ninawolv3rina

[nothwell]

Listen wherever you find your favorite podcasts!

Five indie authors weigh the benefits of writing interconnected books as a series or specializing in telling single stories, including the shiny lure of a fresh story idea, getting to know intriguing new characters compared to settling in for another adventure with old friends, the challenge of crafting a sequel as compelling as its predecessor, and whether readers are more willing to follow an author into a bold new direction or return to familiar ground.

RK Ashwick (she/her) @ashen-crest is the author of the Sidequest Row series (beginning with A Rival Most Vial) and the Lutesong series (beginning with The Stray Spirit). You can connect with her at her website: rkashwick.com

Noah Hawthorne (he/they) @noahhawthorneauthor, also writing as Aelina Isaacs, is the author of the Adventures in Levena series (beginning with Phantom and Rook) and the stand alone novel The Rebel Foxes. You can connect with him at their website: neshamapublishing.com

S. O. Callahan (she/her) is the author of the Fella Enchanted duology and co-author of the Fae & Human Relations series (beginning with Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms). You can connect with her on Instagram @s.o.callahan

Sarah Wallace (they/she) is the author of the Meddle & Mend series (beginning with Letters to Half Moon Street) and co-author of the Fae & Human Relations series (beginning with Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms). You can connect with them at their website: sarahwallacewriter.com

Sebastian Nothwell (he/him) is the author of the Aubrey & Lindsey series (beginning with Mr Warren’s Profession), the Oak King Holly King series (beginning with Oak King Holly King), and the stand alone novels Hold Fast, Fiorenzo, and The Haunting of Heatherhurst Hall. You can connect with him at his website: sebastiannothwell.com

[author-a-holmes]

A Captured Cauldron - ARC Review

A Captured Cauldron is the second book in this series, and once again RK Ashwick didn't disappoint.

It was a delight to return to Rosemond Street and reconnect with the bright, original, characters that inhabit it (Although, personally, I missed Ambrose the most!)

This time, there's a Potions Convention, and it brought back many fond memories of my own visits to Con's, so much so that even though I knew to expect the imminent kidnapping from the blurb, I was STILL shocked when it actually happened.

Book Two also has a new POV in the form of Dawn, the lovely wandmaker of Rosemond and Ambrose's best friend. I'm not always a fan of additional POVs in later books, but in this instance, it worked wonders. It gave us the opportunity to see how other people in Rosemond Street were handling Ambrose being missing, other than Eli who, for obvious reasons, was a mess.

It was also lovely to watch Dawn try and navigate the guilt she felt handling a new crush, while her best friend is missing. Overall, A Captured Caldron was a delight from start to finish. I finished the entire book in under five hours, and I can't wait to get my hands on a paperback so I can coo over that glorious cover.

I received an ARC of this book from the author, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[authorlaurawinter]

So @ashen-crest is sharing tons of A Captured Cauldron art and I can finally reblog it constantly and scream that this has been my personality for the last month and I am FERAL

I’m celebrating by relistening to A Rival Most Vial and pretending I can squish Ambrose’s cheeks in my dreams.

Seriously, it is so good you are not prepared.

[author-a-holmes]

@ashen-crest Look what crossed me Dash :D <3

waitomo glowworm caves, new zealand.

[dahldahlbills]

finished reading a book that was so so good what am I supposed to do with myself now how do I move on from that

[cinnastray]

Hello, happy Sunday!

This is another illustration for RK Ashwick's new book, "The Spirit Well" <3

[author-a-holmes]

Ah! That's awesome! Congrats!! <3

me, scrolling through the clock app: ooh, a video of cozy fantasy reads! that’s fun! I’ll add that one to my tbr…and that one…

*the person holds up The Stray Spirit*

me: wait wait hold on i WROTE THAT ONE

[soot-and-salt]

A tag? For me?? Thank you @flappingduster

last song listened to: Look, I would love to tell you that I am not still Hazbin Hotel OST trash but that would be a hideous, hideous lie. But when I'm not currently in a hell of my own making, my current music obsessions have been the new album from synthwave darlings, Gunship, and the latest from Hozier.

currently reading: I'm between books at the moment. I finished everything from RK Ashwick and had a blast (Rivals Most Vial was a delight). I might start the new KJ Charles. I am woefully only 48 pages in the first Lord of the Rings book. That reread is NOT going well.

currently watching: I don't really watch TV so nothing at all. I am enjoying the new season of Game Changer on DropOut that just started. And yes, okay, fine, Hazbin Hotel, whatever, I KNOW I'M SORRY. I'm also waiting for Delicious in Dungeon to finish so I can watch it all the way through. I've heard good things.

currently obsessed with:

Alastor, the Radio Demon, because my rule for characters I get obsessive over is just them wearing a red fucking coat apparently

Baldur's Gate 3, a game I am not even playing

medieval stuff in general. Knights, etc. The aesthetic is top notch

I will never not be obsessed with Caleb and Essek, but I do miss them a lot

Holo Taco nail polish. It's been fun spending time doing my nails. The rest of me is in haggard, collapsing, aging decay but at least my nails look good

The art of dovegraveyard, ramlightly, and canisalbus

serotonin is hard to find lately, please help, my brain cells are dying

I'm not tagging anyone. Good luck and godspeed.

[skygemspeaks]

Book 2 of the sidequest row series is finally here! Hell yeah! These are seriously some of the prettiest books I own 😍 Finished RWRB just in time too, so I can get started on this immediately

[ambiguouspuzuma]

I realise I'm a little late to the party on this, but I recently finished reading @ashen-crest's wonderful A Rival Most Vial and I have been struggling to put the words together for my review. I signed up for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts, but I have to say that my feelings have rather taken over.

Those who have heard me speak on it before will know that I'm no great reader of romances. There are some who hear terms like "slow burn" or "enemies to lovers" and come flocking to the shelves, but I've never been a particular fan of the format or its various tropes. Still, reading page after page of RK Ashwick's heartfelt novel, I couldn't help but fall in love with it, despite my initial preconceptions, which... well, I suppose that's the trope, isn't it?

You may have also seen me talk about the superficial reasons to find this book beautiful. Ashwick is clearly a master of the finishing touches, which reach beyond the professional cover to a word-perfect blurb, the way chapter headings are cleverly replaced with steps in a recipe, the way point-of-view characters are identified with their idiosyncratic vials, and even some hand-drawn inserts to tie a bow on the top.

I am now pleased to confirm that this story tastes as good as it looks. The narrative is all heart, and you don't need to be a fan of other tropes like "found family" or "hurt/comfort" to find yourself falling in love with the inhabitants of Rosemond Street, who combine for a perfectly cosy read that might have kept me warm throughout February, if I hadn't found myself racing through the pages in half the time.

Although the core of the tale is a comforting one, Ashwick sprinkles enough conflict and subplot to keep the plot moving at a healthy pace, and enough jeopardy to leave you genuinely invested in a happy ending. I found myself tearing up with the characters, and wishing I could visit the Scar to share some cookies and tea and much-needed hugs. If Ambrose wasn't relatable enough, his story is scarily similar to that of my own current protagonist, Nathan Warner of Going Quietly, which left me especially susceptible to his charms, but I dare anyone to defy them.

The Scar itself is a wonderful piece of worldbuilding, and there are some other innovations, from the messaging system to Tom the automaton, and flourishes in things like potion ingredients. By-and-large, however, Rosemond Street is a setting which will be familiar to any reader with a passing awareness of genre staples, from the fantasy races to their trades catering to Dungeons & Dragons style adventurers (albeit with a contemporary American blend, with some clever references to college campuses, organised sports and trade journals which makes it feel much closer to home).

This is not a bug, but a feature. In leaning on those existing archetypes, Ashwick is free to tell this character-driven story without being bogged down by the sort of gibberish and exposition that has hamstrung many other fantasy tales. Without it, A Rival Most Vial is deliciously readable, its prose perfectly weighted, accessible with just enough flavour and texture to satisfy all tastes at once. It melted the heart of this crusty old cynic. If you're in need of a little warm honey to soothe your soul, I have the perfect potion to recommend.

[nothwell]

A new episode of Right Here, Write Queer just dropped! You can listen in your favorite podcast app.

Today’s episode features R.K. Ashwick (@ashen-crest), fantasy author of the Lutesong series and A Rival Most Vial: Potioneering for Love and Profit. We chat about catharsis through character development, building stories around your passions, and cozy inspiration.

Our other episodes will introduce you to…

• S.O. Callahan, author of the historical fantasy novel Fella Enchanted and co-author of Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms. • Tess Carletta, cozy magical-realism author of Kit & Basie and its recently-released sequel, Patchwork. • Sarah Wallace, author of the Regency fantasy novel Letters to Half Moon Street and co-author of Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms. • Noah Hawthorne (also writing as Aelina Isaacs), author of the fantasy novel Phantom and Rook: When An Immortal Falls In Love With A Witch as well as The Rebel Foxes: The Sirione Chronicles: The Dome. • Luna Daye, author of the epic high fantasy series The Thoraius Saga and the romantasy series The Fated Fae. • Carolina Cruz, author of the gothic horror romance Blood in the Water and the fantasy series The Creed of Gethin. • Sarah Whalen, author of the contemporary ace romance novel This Doesn’t Mean Anything. • and me, Sebastian Nothwell!

Our intro episodes will be rapid-releasing every Monday-Wednesday-Friday, and our regular topic episodes will come out every week after that.

This project has been many months in the making and I’m so thrilled to finally be able to share it with you – thank you for listening!

[author-a-holmes]

My Preorder Goodies Arrived!

@ashen-crest I think the stamp across the seal is the cutest thing ever, I knew what it was before I even flipped it over to see if it was a letter for me or mum!

As with the preorder lovelies from Stray Spirit, I've stuck the sticker and message on the inside cover to keep them together!

If you'd like to get your hands on these pretties, check out the preorder page on Ashwick's website <3

[authorlaurawinter]

Tagged by @battyaboutbooksreviews

Make a poll with five of your favorite books (...series...) and let booklr pick its favorite out of those, and tag five more.

Is this me just begging more people to read my favorites so I can gush about them? Yes.

Tagging @ashen-crest @inks-books @abalonetea @xenascribbles and anyone else who wants to play!!

[ettawritesnstudies]

Indie Author Interview: R.K. Ashwick talks about A Captured Cauldron

General Preorder Link. If you choose to order it through this Bookstore affiliate link, I will get a small commission, but you can also support any indie bookstore of your choice! Sign up for Preorder Goodies Here! Etta: Hi, I am Etta Grace and welcome back to my YouTube channel. Today I am joined by RK Ashwick and we’re going to be talking about the second book in the series that we’re…