#emry karic

[ashen-crest]

[ID: an illustrated book cover. It shows a pink lute against a black background, surrounded by dark green thorny vines and purple leaves. The white text over the lute reads: The Spirit's Curse. Underneath the lute reads: Lutesong Book Three and R.K. Ashwick. end ID]

✨ It's Cover Reveal Time! ✨

And it's not just a cover reveal! ARCs and pre-orders for The Spirit's Curse, the final book in the Lutesong trilogy, are now open!!

The spirits have awoken—and can never sleep again. After being roused to defend against a magical disaster, the nature spirits of Thalis have begun to leave their groves and mingle with humans. Eager to welcome their verdant new friends, Emry, Cal, and Aspen take center stage once more: they throw the country’s first spirit festival.  Music and merriment abound—but when an angry lynx attacks Aspen onstage, demanding to know how to go back to sleep in his grove, Emry realizes that not every spirit wants this new life…and he has no idea how to return them to their old one. The trio and their allies venture into an old-growth forest, seeking answers from Yarrow, the country’s oldest spirit. But Yarrow has grown treacherous—instead of helping them, it traps them in Raven’s Rest, a stubborn little village fighting for its place in the forest. As Yarrow’s malice grows and the spirits question their place in the world, Emry, Cal, and Aspen must join forces with the village to subdue Yarrow—even if it means destroying the very answers they seek.

Curious about the pre-order goodies? I've got a bookmark, sticker, and free short story for you!

[ID: a square graphic. It shows: a bookmark with a pink flower, purple thorns, and The Spirit's Curse title + a raven sticker on a dark purple background. The text below the sticker reads: Bookmark, Sticker, & Digital Short Story! end ID]

(And again, if you just want the book for free, Advanced Reader Copies are also now available!)

[author-a-holmes]

Book Review: The Stray Spirit by R.K Ashwick

I, admittedly, went into A Stray Spirit with some hesitance because it's not my usual brand of fantasy. The magic in the world of Thalis is softer, and quieter, than I've grown to expect from my fantasy favourites, and yet…

It works.

It works beautifully. So much so that by the time I'd realised I'd fallen in love with the characters, I was already seven chapters into this masterfully woven adventure. R.K Ashwick weaves the story through your head much like the lutesong that our protagonist, Emry Karic, plays at the Red Rat inn.

Emry is kind, and relatable. He has goals that anyone can empathise with and understand, and a backstory I was eagerly waiting to discover as the tale progressed.

Cal is headstrong, stubborn, intelligent, and a perfect companion to work alongside Emry, balancing out his character. I can see their character developing even more beautifully as the series progresses and I can't wait to see where she goes next.

Aspen is an absolute sweetheart. They stole my entire soul the moment they caused trouble with Stef in a fabric store. If you've read the book, you know exactly the scene I'm talking about. It painted such a vivid picture of innocent mischievousness, I laughed aloud, and if you don't know the scene I'm talking about, then you should absolutely pick up this book and find out!

This is an entirely enchanting tale, with enough adventure and tension to keep you engaged, while weaving affection for the characters through every line you read.

A truly beautiful piece of writing. I wasn't intending to purchase a copy in paperback, but now I've finished it I think I'm going to have to (I have, in fact, already put my order in!). It would be a crying shame not to add this book to my shelves, and I'm eagerly awaiting more stories of Emry, Cal and Aspen in the future.

[ashen-crest]

[ID: a photo of three books on a wood background, surrounded by bits and bobs: a resin lute bookmark with blue flowers, a resin feather bookmark with pink flowers, a flower crown, a pink and green rock, and a charisma 20 pin. The books are titled The Stray Spirit, The Spirit Well, and The Spirit’s Curse. All have lutes on the covers surrounded by foliage in different colors: blue, then red, then dark green. End ID]

Still not over seeing all of them together.

(Spirit’s Curse releases on May 26th! If you missed it earlier, ARCs and pre-orders are open, along with pre-order goodies.)

[ashen-crest]

[ID: a Canva graphic comparing two quotes against a dark wood background. The first one is from The Stray Spirit (Book 1): "Aspen stopped, their hands in little fists. 'I can't fight you like I tried with Marie,' they said, 'but you're being mean to yourself, and you need to apologize.' The second quote is from The Spirit's Curse (Book 3): "Emry took Aspen's hand. 'You're not a failure. You're doing your best, and I won't have you say any mean things about yourself, all right?'" end ID]

I don't have the time to pull the full quotes from each book and drop them as text here for Tumblr, so apologies for the Canva graphic, but these quotes are important to me and they might also be important to the Emry-Aspen fans out there. <3

[ashen-crest]

The remaining two days of the music festival passed far too quickly for Emry. Day two was, tragically, naught but a sleepy haze. After all the excitement of day one, his pain and exhaustion kept him firmly in bed from sunrise to sundown. He couldn’t even convince Cal to sleep in as a consolation prize. “Darling,” she tried weakly as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’m suppose to meet Lydia for a report this morning—” Emry stubbornly buried his face into her warm shoulder, savoring the softness of her nightgown. “But you didn’t hear the doctor yesterday. He proposed an experimental treatment that might heal me instantly.” Cal let her head fall back on the pillow. She knew where this was going, but was helpless to stop it. “And that is?” “Kisses.” He pressed his lips to the back of her neck. “And staying in bed.” She bit back a smile. “Did he write a prescription for it?”  “Yes.” He feebly reached for her wedding ring on the nightstand. “See, right here.”

...no one tell my husband that Emry often takes after him

(also thank you to @writeblrfantasy for encouraging more EmCal beats in this draft)

[ashen-crest]

“I hate this.” “I know.” “I’m going to yell at them when they’re back.” Cal shot Emry a side glance. “Darling, I don’t think you’ve ever yelled at Aspen in your life.” Emry sighed miserably. “I know.”

if I knew Aspen irl, I'd also never be capable of yelling at them ever

[ashen-crest]

quick question

how much simp is too simp for one (1) Emry Karic?

“I assure you, the festival is taking every possible step to ensure that everyone here has a safe three days,” Emry said. “I assume you noticed Ms. Bres”—he corrected himself with a smile—“Mrs. Karic and her team of researchers at the entrance?” “We most certainly did.” Penelope fluttered her fan. “She is an absolute darling, isn’t she?” Inwardly, Emry scoffed. She was far more than a darling. She was his wife. A refined genius with the best laugh in the world. A rose who stooped to his dandelion. A goddess if there ever was one— He had to keep the conversation going before he started waxing poetic about his wife’s innumerable charms.

[ashen-crest]

Aspen held onto that laugh and grounded themself to it, winding it in their flower-filled lute, their little grove, like any other beloved seedling. As long as Emry was with them, everything would be fine.

first chapter of Aspen's POV: "hello reader, please recall that I love my brother Emry Karic with my whole spirit-y heart, thank you"