Welcome to Potion Con

Side Quest Row #0.5

by R.K. Ashwick

Bubbling cauldron? Love it. Bubbly people? Not so much.

Young apprentice Ambrose Beake knows everything about potions...except for how to talk to other potioneers.

So, when the annual potion convention rolls into town, he’s both thrilled and riddled with anxiety. Will the chatty crowds be too much for him? Or will he find his people?

In this light-hearted Dungeons & Dragons meets Comic-Con short story, you'll meet the main character of A Rival Most Vial, eight years before his rival sets up shop across the street.

Genres: Fantasy, Cozy, Cozy Fantasy, Fiction

32 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

By day, R.K. Ashwick herds cats in the animation industry. By night, she writes, bakes, and herds her literal cat around her living room. She lives with her husband (and said cat) in California.

Get free stories, art, and release updates here:
rkashwick.com

Q&A

Where do you get your ideas for your books?

The idea for Stray Spirit came from an active brainstorming session- I knew I wanted to write something for Nanowrimo, but I didn't know what. So I threw together three things I was interested in- bards, caves, and spirit possession- and went from there.

A Rival Most Vial came to me when the phrase "rival potion shops" fell into my head. (And subsequently never left.)

Why did you add drawings to The Stray Spirit?

I wanted to give the book a fairy tale vibe, and because I self-published, I had the freedom to select the artist and the scenes that were drawn. Was it more expensive? Sure. Was it worth it? Yes.

For A Rival Most Vial: why potion shops?

Because my nerdy little D&D heart loves them. I'm obsessed with the hidden lives of NPCs in D&D campaigns, and A Rival Most Vial is absolutely a tribute to that.

And finally: what's next?

Keep an eye out for two more books in the Lutesong Series, three books and two novellas in the Side Quest Row series, and a stand-alone tentatively titled The Bread Witch!

Reviews

[Drusilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just a brief introduction to the series. And the story bubbled along nicely at first, just like a magic potion should, gentle and interesting.
Oops, and then suddenly it literally explodes.
Hmm, yes this has whetted my appetite and I'm looking forward to reading this.
I mean alchemy, a super interesting world that isn't really shown here yet but seems to be very exciting, strange characters and with a main character who is cute and clever and huggable and oh so promising....

Ambrose took one more look at the convention chart—the crowded chart full of people who wanted to, of all things, talk to him—and swallowed.
Maybe he could get himself run over by a donkey on the way there. 🥺💖🥺

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set 8 years before the start of A Rival Most Vial, this little short story serves as a lovely introduction to the utterly endearing potioneer Ambrose Beake.

Much like the main novel, Welcome to Potion Con honestly just feels like a delightful warm hug of a story. The characters are charming, the found family vibes are so heartwarming, and the magical potion lore is highly intriguing.

I really enjoyed the little excursion to the Potion Con, especially because we get to experience all the buzz from Ambrose's socially anxious view. His awkwardness was tragically relatable, and I was honestly cheering him on when he showed some surprising spunk!

This story is over before you know it, but in just a couple of pages it will undoubtedly make your heart swell with joy. A true gem of a short story!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

Prequel to A Rival Most Vial: Potioneering for Love and Profit. This was so cute.

Ambrose is the most adorable, anxious, intelligent half-elf.🥰It was so cute how he just sat in his shop, brewed potions, and relented interacting with anyone.🥺His fear of public speaking was so palpable and authentic.

This book reminded me of those terrifying job fairs at college where you have to network with people. I sympathized with Ambrose a lot, and I'm excited to dive into the next books!

One note of contention: on her website it says this book is 12 years before the events of A Rival Most Vial, but on Goodreads it says this book is 8 years before the events of A Rival Most Vial.🤷🏻‍♀️

[Ribbon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An introvert attends a big convention for his interest for the first time. Welcome to Potion Con really captures the feelings of being utterly overwhelmed.

[Mint · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ambrose is officially my most relatable fictional character of all time. This is the story of him attending a potion convention for the first time. But it's also the story of me attending an academic conference for the first time, except Ambrose is actually smart and manages to find friendly people where I am not and did not. Despite the war flashback this gives me-or maybe because of it-it's very cute and heartwarming. I'm just sad that it's so short and I'm already missing Ambrose again.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the summary itself says, its a short story of Dungeons & Dragons-esque world meets Comic-Con.

All of the spells and magical items and wizards of a fantasy world - and filled with all the excitement and giddiness of fans at their first panel. Ashwick has clearly been to their share of conventions, neatly capturing the organized chaos of the events, and the comradery that develops between strangers who have Found Their People.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short and sweet story introducing us to Ambrose and all the other residents of the street we will come to love! It was lovely to see Ambrose when he was a teenager and see the potential of what he is like when he opens up more. It is also good to see him so passionate about potions and why he got into potion making in the first place. A really wholesome short read to get you in the mood for a Rival Most Vial!

[Alex (HEABookNerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

WELCOME TO POTION CON was really delightful to read! The writing was engaging and the world of the Scar and the shops was unique and fun. Ambrose was a great character and I completely related to his introverted personality and his desire to avoid crowds, networking, and just people in general. There was something really endearing about this short story that has me excited to read more.

[Malin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cozy read after having read ”A Rival most Vial”. It was short and sweet and featured the cast from the main book. A nice read, especially if you like me have a hard time letting go of characters you like when a great book has been read to the end.

[Twele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute bit of backstory.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute intro to the character

[Teagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ambrose!! 💖

(FYI This is free on the author’s website, in case you’re looking for it.)

[Tünde Kasza tóth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice glimpse into young Ambrose's life.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can never get enough of this beloved crew. This is a short and sweet story which takes place before "A Rival Most Vial," with a fun setting. A perfect little cozy read for a lazy morning!

[Jenn Bednar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read that was an introduction to Ambrose and some of the characters on Rosemond Street, super cute.

[natasha ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ambrose's social anxiety is my spirit animal. Also, his little found family of Rosemond Street shop owners looking out for him... 🥺🥺🥺

Ambrose took one more look at the convention chart—the crowded chart full of people who wanted to, of all things, talk to him—and swallowed. Maybe he could get himself run over by a donkey on the way there.

[Elliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun short story that shows us how principled and adept he is.