Holly Messinger's Blog, page 4
October 6, 2015
would you rather...
So last weekend a guy I know was organizing a "great race" kind of relay to raise money for the homeless. One of the challenge stations was sponsored by Schendler pest control, and contestants had to either eat bugs (mealworms, mostly) or answer questions about an essay describing Schendler's company history.
Out of 400 contestants, not one took the test.
Which just goes to show people would
Out of 400 contestants, not one took the test.
Which just goes to show people would
October 1, 2015
short stories: P90X for your writer's brain
I'm
a novelist by nature; I tell epic sagas. But at this distance, I can say I
learnt the most about plot structure by writing short pieces, both stories and
nonfiction essays. A story is, after all, a thematic argument, and if you don't
know how to structure a convincing essay, neither will you be able to write a compelling story.
I remember distinctly the first two stories I wrote that I
a novelist by nature; I tell epic sagas. But at this distance, I can say I
learnt the most about plot structure by writing short pieces, both stories and
nonfiction essays. A story is, after all, a thematic argument, and if you don't
know how to structure a convincing essay, neither will you be able to write a compelling story.
I remember distinctly the first two stories I wrote that I
short stories: PX90 for your writer's brain
I'm
a novelist by nature; I tell epic sagas. But at this distance, I can say I
learnt the most about plot structure by writing short pieces, both stories and
nonfiction essays. A story is, after all, a thematic argument, and if you don't
know how to structure a convincing essay, neither will you be able to write a compelling story.
I remember distinctly the first two stories I wrote that I
a novelist by nature; I tell epic sagas. But at this distance, I can say I
learnt the most about plot structure by writing short pieces, both stories and
nonfiction essays. A story is, after all, a thematic argument, and if you don't
know how to structure a convincing essay, neither will you be able to write a compelling story.
I remember distinctly the first two stories I wrote that I
September 17, 2015
awkward writer situations
Saw this post this morning by Janet Reid about the weird ideas muggles have about how authoring works.
The scenario is both funny and familiar to me, though I haven't had to deal with it in a while. I'm grateful for all the years I went to writer's groups and small local cons and especially being a vendor/cosplayer at Planet Comicon because they gave me ample opportunity to build a catalog of
The scenario is both funny and familiar to me, though I haven't had to deal with it in a while. I'm grateful for all the years I went to writer's groups and small local cons and especially being a vendor/cosplayer at Planet Comicon because they gave me ample opportunity to build a catalog of
April 11, 2015
caramel cake
Preheat oven to 350ºF
grease 8-inch sq. pan and line with parchment
bake 35-40 min
beat with mixer:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 c sugar
2 lg eggs
1 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
Sift together:
2 c flour
1 tsp bkg pdr
3/4 tsp bkg soda
1/2 tsp salt
Add flour in thirds to liquid mixture until incorporated. Spread in pan and rap on counter to eliminate bubbles. Bake til golden &
grease 8-inch sq. pan and line with parchment
bake 35-40 min
beat with mixer:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 c sugar
2 lg eggs
1 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
Sift together:
2 c flour
1 tsp bkg pdr
3/4 tsp bkg soda
1/2 tsp salt
Add flour in thirds to liquid mixture until incorporated. Spread in pan and rap on counter to eliminate bubbles. Bake til golden &
February 10, 2015
that feeling up the back of your neck
So I'm fairly sure I got cased out on the street today.
I was walking through downtown Lawrence, on my way to the coffee shop, about 9 am before all the shops were open. Bright daylight, chilly, very few pedestrians.
I cross the street from south to north, at the corner, and two guys cross from the opposite corner, from east to west. As they cross, one of them goes straight, but the other makes
I was walking through downtown Lawrence, on my way to the coffee shop, about 9 am before all the shops were open. Bright daylight, chilly, very few pedestrians.
I cross the street from south to north, at the corner, and two guys cross from the opposite corner, from east to west. As they cross, one of them goes straight, but the other makes
January 25, 2015
fun with racial slurs
At my last writer's meeting somebody questioned my use of the racial slur "cracker," so I got curious and did some new digging; new resources crop up all the time. I knew 'cracker' was pre-Civil War but didn't know it was pre-Revolution:
cracker (n.2)
Southern U.S. derogatory term for "poor, white trash" (1766), probably an agent noun from crack (v.) in the sense "to boast" (as in not what
cracker (n.2)
Southern U.S. derogatory term for "poor, white trash" (1766), probably an agent noun from crack (v.) in the sense "to boast" (as in not what
