Sourdough, Oscar, and an Assassin
Would you like a bonus scene to go with that?
Greetings from Michigan, where we just wrapped up Fake Spring #1 and are headed for More Winter Probably! It isn’t the Midwest if there isn’t a chance of snowflakes for Easter.
Sourdough Adventures
Currently bringing me joy: a second-hand bread machine, and the successful rehabilitation of a dehydrated sourdough starter that’s been languishing in the back of a cabinet for the last five years. I doubt I’ll become one of those people who makes sourdough their identity, but I love the smell and taste of freshly-baked bread.
If you’ve got tips and tricks for a lazy sourdough baker, share ‘em! I’m also taking ideas for names for my starter. I require a terrible pun or literary joke to be involved.
Speaking of, have you read Sourdough, by Robin Sloan? It’s a hilarious and intriguing novel about a Michigan robotics engineer who moves to San Francisco and is given a probably-sentient sourdough starter.
Ready for an Oscar
For some reason, likely misplaced perfectionism, I’d avoided re-reading Love in the Eternal City for far too long. But when you’re writing a sequel it’s best that you don’t forget what shenanigans you dropped your characters into the first time around! And as it turns out, I’d forgotten some of the nuances of Rianna and Oscar’s backstory.
While writing the first draft of Love in the Floating City I got bogged down figuring out the plotlines, and I lost a little of Oscar’s delightful sense of humor in the process! I mean, how could I forget this bit of dialogue between Beni and Oscar?
“Rianna is visiting this week.”
“And you haven’t asked me to escort her around town while you are working, why? I am distressed. Grieved, mon ami. Have you no thought for my romantic destiny?”
That gets him a snort. “Ri told me that the next time I sprung you on her unawares, she would take the next flight back to Zug. Anyway. She’s been nagging me about dating again—”
“As have I. She’s a woman with the utmost sense, further proof the two of us are meant to be.”
Oh, Oscar. Such a brat. Of course the two of them are meant to be, but it won’t be easy!
Speaking of LEC, I have a very important question for you:
Not making any promises but…okay yes, I am making a promise! I’m getting closer to 200 subscribers here on Substack, and I’d like to celebrate by sharing a bonus scene I’ve had in the back of my mind for a long time. So…if you vote and share Virtuous Fluff, I’ll write the top pick once I get to 200 people. Do we have a deal? :D
Five-Star Reads
I just discovered these first two books in The Retired Assassin’s Guide series and they are GOLD. Set in small-town New Zealand, they follow the titular retired assassin and a mostly-retired art thief, solving murderers with the help of a gardener who can see ghosts, a long-suffering strait-laced detective, and a cat. Both volumes were precisely as hilarious and delightful as their titles and descriptions hinted! The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Amateur Theatrics is coming out in December and I’m not sure how I’m going to wait that long.
The cat’s yelling at me so it’s time to sign off. Back to writing, revising, and more writing!
Catch y’all later. (And don’t forget to share Virtuous Fluff with someone so I’m forced to write that bonus scene…)
Love,
R
P.S. Did you catch my article over on Caeli Catholic?
The Retired Assassin's Guide books sound DELIGHTFUL! I am currently slowly stumbling through a re-read of Brothers Karamazov and I am not opposed to getting sidetracked by other books haha. I am looking forward to those!
I am not an expert on sourdough by any means and I am an incredibly imprecise baker, BUT my sourdough starter (named Jigglypuff) has been alive for just over a year now, which is the longest I've ever kept a starter going without it dying or growing disgusting mold. My starter grows best when I feed it with whole wheat flour, it barely seems to bubble with all purpose flour. My go-to bread recipe is the one for Pain de Campagne on the Fermenting Foodies website, I usually use a little bit of whole wheat, a little bit of all purpose, and a little bit of rye flour. Sometimes, my loaves turn out beautifully, and other times they are very flat (but still delicious). It's always an adventure haha! I also regularly make the Layered Buttermilk Scones (on the Well Made by Kiley blog), those are a delicious way to use up starter :)
I had to do 50% whole wheat and 50% all purpose flour before mine actually rose properly. Also, especially in colder climates, it can take 12 to almost 24 hours for your starter to rise instead of the "normal" 8 hours (if you're using part whole wheat flour).