Kathleen Rear

Wayward Son

Kathleen Rear

December 4, 2019

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell is the sequel to Carry On. And if that statement has started an ear-worm of a certain Kansas song then you are not alone! Something I suspect was not a coincidence.

It’s appropriate considering this is a story about a road trip. A crazy, careening, out of control road trip that is the perfect follow up to the crazy, careening, out of control first book in what looks to be a three book series.

The story is supposed to be over.

Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after… So why can’t Simon Snow get off the couch?

What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light…

That’s how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West.

They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place…

With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever wondered what happened to the Chosen One after he saved the day. And a book for everyone who was ever more curious about the second kiss than the first. It’s another helping of sour cherry scones with an absolutely decadent amount of butter.

Come on, Simon Snow. Your hero’s journey might be over – but your life has just begun.

__________

May I also humbly recommend:

Turkey Day Tutorial: Roast Turkey Breast

Kathleen Rear

no comments

November 29, 2019

1382544819997

(not my picture! It went so fast I didn’t have time to get a photo!)

Do you have extra guests or does your family prefer white meat? Do you want to perfect a new rub or brining technique? Are you cooking for just a small gathering this year?

If your answer is yes to any of those then you may want to consider roasting a turkey breast.

Roast Turkey Breast

Step One: Thaw your meat….This can take up to a week in the fridge.

You will also need a probe thermometer I use this one (Click Here)

1 7-8 pound Bone In Turkey Breast (Thawed)

1 stick (softened) Butter

Salt & Pepper

Pre heat oven to 375 F

Pat the turkey breast dry and place in your roasting pan. Cover with a tea towel or paper towel and let set out for about 1 hour

(you don’t want to put cold meat in a hot oven – it will cook unevenly and the skin will be burnt before the meat is done!)

Smear on the butter getting all the nooks and crannies.

Sprinkle on the salt and pepper. (This is to taste but I tend to go heavy on the seasonings)

Stick your probe thermometer into the deepest part of the breast meat (without touching the bone)

Set the thermometer’s timer to go off at 160F. Remember to place the timer part OUTSIDE your oven. The timer’s wire is heat proof.

Place in oven (on the center rack) and roast until your timer goes off.

Vague I know. All ovens are different. It may take 1 1/2 hours or more. That’s the genius of the probe thermometer! I’ve learned to trust mine.

Tent with foil if the skin on the breast becomes too brown.

After your timer goes off. Take the turkey out of the oven and let rest for at least 30 mins (You always want to let meat rest before carving!)

Also, the meat’s temperature will climb while is rests (carry over) bringing it up to a final temp of 165F

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday Surfing Thanksgiving Edition

Kathleen Rear

no comments

November 24, 2019

fada5d6f802cd56c6966d17f2d2a35fd

Image from Google search

From the WFH archive The Turkey Day Tutorial

Ina’s favorite Thanksgiving sides

Ranking Thanksgiving side dishes by how healthy they are

I re-read this gem by Sam Sifton every year!

The day would not be complete without this classic!

Table decorating ideas

A sneak peek at this years MTD parade floats!

How ASMR can help with travel anxiety

Stories of Thanksgiving disasters

The Way I Heard It (Thanksgiving Episode)

Thanksgiving Dinner flavored chips

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dragon’s Pawn Hardback Edition!

Kathleen Rear

no comments

November 14, 2019

DP new cover2019

Hey book lovers!
Just popping into your inbox to let you know that DRAGON’S PAWN is now available in hardback. It’s a beautiful edition and sure to make a colorful splash on your book shelf!

Follow the link below to get yours!

Sunday Surfing

Kathleen Rear

no comments

November 10, 2019

dog-2289451_1920

Image Compliments of Andrew Richardson
Kickass Women in History
Fascinating stories about INXS
I could use a few new recipes for fish, how about you?
Something Sauce – Classic WFH recipe!
Amazing calligraphy using just a cheap ballpoint pen
I’d love to live in Miena’s illustrations
What to bring for Thanksgiving this year
Why fake apologies are on the rise
What the Queen’s clothes say about what she is really thinking

Have a great Sunday!

The Coroner’s Daughter

Kathleen Rear

no comments

November 5, 2019

This book ticked most of boxes for things that I love in a story. Murder mystery? (check) Single father + precocious daughter trope? (check) Set in Regency era? (check) Regency era Ireland? (had to make a new box to check for that one!) A very sweetly portrayed slow burn romance with father’s medical student? (CHECK!)

Needless to say I very much enjoyed The Coroner’s Daughter, Abigail was a wonderful surprise in the fact that she’s smart, tough, and thoughtful in a way that will appeal to modern readers but still in keeping with the time period.

When a young woman uncovers evidence that a recent suicide may have been murder, her investigations attract the attention of a dangerous man stalking the streets of nineteenth-century Dublin.

Dublin, 1816. A young nursemaid conceals a pregnancy and then murders her newborn in the home of the Neshams, a prominent family in a radical Christian sect known as the Brethren. Rumors swirl about the identity of the child’s father, but before an inquest can be held, the maid is found dead after an apparent suicide. When Abigail Lawless, the eighteen-year-old daughter of the city coroner, by chance discovers a message from the maid’s seducer, she sets out to discover the truth.

An only child, Abigail has been raised amid the books and instruments of her father’s grim profession, and he in turn indulges her curious and critical mind. Now she must push against the restrictions society places on a girl her age to pursue an increasingly dangerous investigation. Abigail’s searches begin to uncover the well-guarded secrets of two factions―the Christian Brethren and a burgeoning rationalist community―drawing the attention of a sinister figure who emerges in fleeting glimpses and second-hand reports: the man with the lazy eye.

Determined, resourceful, and intuitive, Abigail Lawless emerges as a young lady sleuth operating at the dawn of forensic science.

If that sounds like it ticks some of your boxes, I would definitely recommend it!

And, may I also humbly recommend:

Dragon’s Pawn Release TODAY!

Kathleen Rear

1 comment

October 24, 2019

DP new cover2019

This story has been a long time in the making for me. It came to life the summer of 2013. The ballad that prefaces the book: “White Willie, White Willie was king of Red Town…” flitted through my head and I was compelled to open up a notebook and write the rest down. I soon had a detailed outline but I set it aside because I’d just had this great story idea about a girl who falls in love with the Boogeyman.

MECH5030624, as it was called at the time, waited patiently until November 2016. That year, as we all know, in many cities in the U.S. people gathered to express themselves in a way I’d only read about in history books or seen in movies set in the 1960’s.

I was witness to a particularly hair-raising standoff between police in riot gear and some extremely angry citizens in Portland Oregon that fall. It was then I remembered the notebook and the story about a country literally divided. I also realized that my story was not about how it all falls apart but rather how society rebuilds after things unravel. That was the story I was interested in.

That’s the story of Dragon’s Pawn. I hope you enjoy it.

You can buy it here:

Read the first chapter—> (READ MORE)

Adam wants nothing more than to live a life of quiet solitude, something that’s easy to do in the Trashtown District of Red City. An ex-MECH soldier, he keeps his head down and his mouth shut. Slowly, he’s starting to put the horrors of the battlefield behind him. And then he meets Mia.

The spirited messenger who runs for Lóng Sang more than intrigues him. As they grow closer he feels, with her, he’s found a place to trust his weary heart.

Mia’s time as a humble messenger for Lóng Sang is running out. Like her mother before her, soon she will take her place as a courtesan along side the Glitter Girls and Party Boys of the Tower. Her training has already begun and Caleb Masters, the devious oligarch who is Dragon of Lóng Sang, has taken a keen interest in her.

Mia knows too well what will happen if she and Adam are caught together so she cherishes their stolen moments while hiding her true identity from him.

She’s playing a dangerous game, especially when she finds herself drawn into a conspiracy that threatens to tear Red City apart.

Sunday Surfing

Kathleen Rear

no comments

October 20, 2019

tyler-nix-6mze64HRU2Q-unsplash

Welcome to Sunday! Time to hang out and relax.

Image courtesy of Tyler Nix.

I reached 50k+ on my WIP! Go me!

Taste the whiskey made by George Washington!

Modern day elf Janne has a magical lifestyle.

Drool worthy vacation rentals!

Vashti Whitfield is an island of calm and reason in the stormy internet sea.

Want to buy a Bob Ross Painting? Read this first.

Some of his paintings are heading to the Smithsonian!

It’s closet cleaning time again, Ugh!

What it’s really like to be a musical theater actress!

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Sunday Surfing

Kathleen Rear

no comments

October 13, 2019

debora-cardenas-1LWl2vhwNBQ-unsplash

Hey Guys!
This year I’ve had a lot of book promos but that’s not going to be the norm. I won’t be having three book releases next year (just one!) so I thought I’d fill this space in the interim between new books with posts I/we enjoyed when it was the old Wishing for Horses site.
Sunday Surfing was one of those things…

It’s Sunday!
Time to kick back with a nice cuppa and surf the web!
Here’s what happening….

Image compliments of Debora Cardenas!

Tracy has so many great recipes! This is my current favorite!

And here’s another for your Meatless Monday!

This mushroom and parmesan tart has been a weeknight staple for a while now.

Nostalgia and design groupies will love these hotel rooms from the 50s & 60s

Just finished Rainbow Rowell’s sequel to Carry On and I have so many feelings!

I’m also waiting on tenterhooks for Erin Morgenstern’s LONG awaited second novel!

Been having a real think on how to reduce my household’s plastic use. This article was helpful.

Plus some of the products that I’m using that help reduce my plastic use: In the Kitchen, Bathroom, and at the Grocery Store.

Envy in general but especially on the internet. (On The Spike)

This Spotify playlist makes me so happy!

And finally… Linda has a new recommendations site that I’m going to visit often!