An old version of the heads or tails coin toss is cross or pile or cross and pile. That’s because an old English coin was marked with a cross on one side and pile meant the back of a coin. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Cross and...
Ever thought about getting that novel published? Apparently, others have too, and some of their queries are less than persuasive for the admittedly grumpy literary agent who writes the blog SlushPile Hell. He posts some of the more colorful queries...
The grumpy agent who writes the blog SlushPile Hell received a submission stating, “I have attached a copy of a letter I recently sent to Oprah about my book. She ends her show in September 2011, which leaves little time to select an agent.” The...
Martha shares another barb from the SlushPile Hell agent. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “SlushPile Hell Barb” Music Music Music Music Music Music Grant, here’s another snippet from a letter sent to the person writing the blog...
A woman from upstate New York says her stepfather used to keep small dishes in various rooms to collect small odds and ends like paper clips and rubber bands. He called them culch piles. Martha has the story on this term. This is part of a complete...
Harvard death n.— «I thought about that bitter medical student joke, the “Harvard death,” in which all the lab results are perfect, all the electrolytes and body chemistry numbers “in the boxes”—as the patient dies.» —“In a Pile of Papers, the...
