I was lucky to get an interview with R.K. Ashwick, the author of A Rival Most Vial, and a semifinalist in this year’s #SPFBO9.
Please, tell us a bit about yourself…
I live with my husband and my cat in SoCal, where I stubbornly wear sweaters in 100-degree heat. When I’m not writing or wrestling with my day job, I like to bake, craft, draw, and play cozy video games.
“It’s the book equivalent of a hug for all the queer nerds out there.”
Why should I buy your SPFBO9 entry?
Gay rival potion shops in a D&D-esque setting. It’s the book equivalent of a hug for all the queer nerds out there.
Subgenre: Queer Cozy Fantasy
Pages: 340
Self-published: 2023
What got you into writing? And how long have you been doing it?
I’ve been writing ever since I was little, and I can only attribute it to the fact that I’ve been inhaling books ever since I was little. Those summer reading challenges from the library? Crushed ‘em. Middle school library? There every day. Really, writing was just the logical next step.
Have you participated in the SPFBO before and where did you hear about the competition?
This is my first year entering SPFBO! I’m lucky enough to be a part of several indie author discords where other authors post contest opportunities like this one. Having a support network of other authors, particularly in the queer fantasy genre, is incredible. Highly recommend.
Why did you choose to write fantasy?
I grew up on Tamora Pierce and Diana Wynne Jones- there was no way I wasn’t going to write fantasy. There are practically tiny dragons in my DNA at this point. I dove into specifically cozy fantasy because, well, I’m a big softie. I love friendly NPCs, cute little shops, silly side quests. Sure, there are heroes out fighting monsters, but there are stories to tell in the tiny towns, too! What’s the gossip from the magical blacksmith? How’s the baker’s love life? And what’s going on with those two rival potion shops across the street from each other? 😊
Which other author has had the biggest influence on your writing?
Like I mentioned above, I think it’s gotta be Diana Wynne Jones. The style! The vibe! The fact that she gave us Howl’s Moving Castle! I mean, come on!
If you were to win the SPFBO, what impact do you think this would have on your writing career?
Honestly, it would encourage me to keep going! Balancing writing with a day job is difficult and not every day is rewarding. It’s easy to doubt yourself and wonder if people actually like your books, or if they’ll like the one you’re working on. External validation isn’t the end all be all, but it's an important factor when you’re putting yourself out there like that.
What challenges did you face during the writing or publishing process, and how did you overcome them?
Just learning about the self-publishing industry was a challenge! There’s so much to think about- distribution, pricing, advertisements, social media, ISBNs, copyright, front matter, back matter, formatting, etc. And none of that has anything to do with actually writing the book! It took me a lot of note-filled Google docs, lists on lists on lists, and questions to other authors to get a handle on things.
Do you have any tips or an author app, tool, or resource that you can really recommend we try?
In terms of external resources, I’ve had great experiences with:
Reedsy for finding cover designers and editors
Vellum for formatting (Mac only, which is a bummer)
BookFunnel for getting short stories and ARCs out there, and for group promos
Another tip I have for fellow plotters out there is making a chart of your scenes, plot threads, and character development beats. It’s how I outline! With a chart, it’s easy to see what scenes are load-bearing (they cover a lot of beats), which beats don’t come up a lot, and how the beats are spaced out. Granted, it still takes me several rounds of drafting and re-outlining to get things right, so the chart isn’t going to magically get everything right on the first try- but it really helps me keep things organized.
And now it's time to yank out your Palantir! Let’s talk about the future. What new projects are you working on?
I’m currently scrambling to revise The Spirit Well, the sequel to The Stray Spirit, so my line editor can start at the end of October. Then while the editor is hacking away at that, I’ll be drafting A Captured Cauldron, the sequel to A Rival Most Vial! I am planning on releasing both The Spirit Well and A Captured Cauldron next year.
Apps that are based on artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGTP and Midjourney, along with apps aimed specifically at authors, have caused quite a stir. Do you expect these new technologies will make your life as a self-published author easier or harder, and do you expect that they’ll mean you’ll earn more or less?
Karl Sharro on Twitter put it rather succinctly: “Humans doing the hard jobs on minimum wage while the robots write poetry and paint is not the future I wanted.”
Do you have any dreams you’d like to share?
It would be so cool for my love of cozy fantasy books and cozy video games to connect somehow! A Stray Spirit-themed Stardew Valley? A Rival Most Vial dating game?!
Problem is, I don’t know how to code or anything. And I have a day job. And books to write. And, you know, life to live. Sigh.
Anything else you would like to say before we close?
Thanks so much for giving me this opportunity! If you’re reading this, eat a cookie and wrap yourself in a blanket! You deserve it!!
“Cookies, yummi!!”
(munching sounds)
”I wish you the very best in the SPFBO. I hope a lot of readers discover your writing.
Thanks for doing the interview! Oh, and it’s kind of cold outside…where did I put that blanket?”
