Short Stories: January 03, 2024 Issue [#12348]
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 This week: Let It Snow
  Edited by: Leger~ Author IconMail Icon
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

The purpose of this newsletter is to help the Writing.com short story author hone their craft and improve their skills. Along with that I would like to inform, advocate, and create new, fresh ideas for the short story author. Write to me if you have an idea you would like presented.

This week's Short Story Editor
Leger~ Author Icon



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Letter from the editor

Let It Snow!


I found an interesting blog article about snow. And the 40 Finnish words for snow. I'm American, I can't hardly think of 10! My original idea for this newsletter was about finding inspiration in that cold white stuff. I prefer to view that stuff from under a quilt indoors with a nice beverage in my hand, with a fire and nice music. That's the image I'd like to project, not out there freezing my bits off kind of image.

I thought I'd share the list, in hopes it inspires you.

*Snow1* Frozen precipitations that are still falling
1.- lumi: snow
2.- pyry: snow shower
3.- myräkkä: snowstorm
4.- rae: hail
5.- räntä: sleet
6.- tuisku: snow shower with strong wind
7.- laviini: a small avalanche

*Snow2* Frozen precipitations mixed with water
8.- hyhmä: snow floating on top of water
9.- loska: very wet snow; snow, water and mud mixed together
10.- sohjo: slush; snow and water mixed together

*Snow3* Frozen precipitations over big masses of water
11.- ahto: pack-ice (broken & refrozen ice)
12.- ahtauma: a formation of pack-ice
13.- jää: ice
14.- kide: ice crystal
15.- kohva: gray ice formed from wet snow
16.- paanne: multi-layered ice (typically waves crash on top of another and freeze)
17.- railo: pressure ridge in ice
18.- röpelö: uneven ice
19.- tökkö: ice with frost on top

*Snow4* Frozen precipitation over the ground
20.- iljanne: a thin layer of snow atop ice
21.- hanki: a even layer of snow on the ground, especially if it is enough for skiing
22.- huurre: rime; granular frost (like the one you can find inside your freezer. Coincidentally, your freezer could be up to 20 degrees Celsius warmer than the temperature outside.)
23.- härmä: frost
24.- kinos: snow drift; a loose pile of snow, especially one formed by wind
25.- kaljama: a thick layer of ice on the ground. Something that made me fall from my bike many times, actually
26.- kuura: hoarfrost; frozen dew
27.- nietos: a large, hard pile of snow (could be refrozen)
28.- nuoska: “snowballable” snow, usually formed when powdery snow melts a bit
29.- polanne: a hard layer of compacted snow
30.- tykky: large chunks of snow, especially when frozen onto trees
31.- viti: freshly fallen powdery snow

*Snow5* Frozen precipitations that suffered alterations from humans or animals
32.- avanto: a hole in ice
33.- jotos: reindeer tracks in snow
34.- latu: a ski trail in snow
35.- rannio: a reindeer path in deep snow

*Snow1* Onomatopeyic verbs for “walking over the snow”
36.- nirskua
37.- narskua
38.- kirskua
39.- nitistä
40.- narista

I enjoy the Finnish language because it's so very...specific. And knowing a few Finnish friends, I enjoy their fun using the language to twist a little humor into what they say. So perhaps in all this, you might find a word or phrase to inspire you the next time you're writing a short story about that cold stuff.

*Snow5* Stay warm, and Write On! *Snow1*

Resource

This month's question: Do you find joy in finding just the right word to describe something? Send in your answer below! *Down* Editors love feedback!


Editor's Picks


 
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Stranded Open in new Window. (E)
A winter storm strands seven people.
#2115158 by Espero Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: All seven of them gathered in the hotel lobby after their flight was cancelled due to a massive snowstorm.

Image Protector
STATIC
Words for Snow Open in new Window. (13+)
Isa and Jack are trapped in a winter of their own making.
#2143760 by K Renée Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: The snow thinned, the wind eased, tiny flurries danced upon her invisible breath. She was cold inside, cold as the snow, the wind, the stars…

 
Image Protector
STATIC
Return of Sandy the California Snowman Open in new Window. (E)
If you live on the beach and can't build a snowman, build a sandman!
#2216705 by Legendary❤️Mask Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: A beautiful brunette stood on Del Mar Beach, watching the waves rolling in as time passed. She realized that moment that it had been ten years since she stood on the same beach that magical day with Little Joey Turner. Where had the time gone? The last she heard Joey and his family had moved to Colorado. No one had ever seen Sandy again.

 
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A Solitary Snowflake Open in new Window. (18+)
Freedom lies beyond the bridge.
#2263105 by L_P Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: Estelle sits in her dad’s old pickup truck, engine idling, paused at the crest of the hill. She could still turn around, go home, sneak back through her bedroom’s cracked window, burrow into her cave of blankets, pretend she never left. It’s not too late.

Except it is.


 
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Silent Night Open in new Window. (18+)
Contest entry. A body, snow, and a story.
#2207355 by D. Reed Whittaker Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: "My mistake, I thought I was training you to be a detective."

Carl stepped back. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means this was not a mugging and you shouldn't have leaped to that conclusion. Hell, we just got here. We don't know anything about the vic. Why mugging?"


 
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A Long Christmas Eve Open in new Window. (13+)
Church bells pealed in the dark velvet sky as he watched her car pull to the curb.
#1833343 by Bikerider Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: Tom stood in the shadows, shivering, as the cold December breeze frenzied the snow flakes falling around him. He glanced up at the Christmas tree, its colorful lights briefly holding his gaze, and then he turned to search the faces of the people strolling into the snow-covered plaza. Tom looked at his watch again—it’s getting late, he thought—did she remember? He pushed his hands deeper into his coat pockets as doubt crept through his thoughts.

Image Protector
STATIC
The Snowman Open in new Window. (E)
A small boy, an orphanage, and a talking snowman all mixed together for Christmas morning.
#1045394 by W.D.Wilcox Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: A blossom of hot breath floated across the upstairs orphanage window. A small, pale finger etched a holiday scene across the glass, as intense blue eyes focused on the snow that lay thick upon the yard below. The boy imagined he was looking at himself outside playing in the snow, making a snowman.

 
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STATIC
Along Came Winter Open in new Window. (13+)
Conall ought not have strayed so far late in the day, but he dared to threshold of night
#2264283 by Tileira Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: Conall ought not have strayed so far so late in the day, but he found too many of the traps empty. So he had continued on, daring to the threshold of night, only to find it had crept past him instead. For a hare. One hare, that would feed his family for one day, and that might have stayed frozen in the trap another night without foxes taking it.

 
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STATIC
Freeze Frame  Open in new Window. (E)
An ice skating marathon where the judges get fooled.
#2213037 by Don Two Author IconMail Icon

Excerpt: The objective was simple: to be the couple who could skate the longest. Essentially, it was a dance marathon, except on ice, in skates, and outside.

 
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Ask & Answer


This month's question: Do you find joy in finding just the right word to describe something? Send in your answer below! *Down* Editors love feedback!

Last month's "Short Stories Newsletter (December 6, 2023)Open in new Window. question: What inspires you during the holiday season?


Paul Author Icon: My biggest inspiration during the holiday season is peace and quiet. I’m not inspired by raucous parties or loud noise. Occasionally I watch the balloon drop on New Year’s Eve in New York city for excitement. Mostly I’m laughing from the comfort of my sofa at all those people.

What if you’re in the middle and have to take a leak? Hell, what if you’re on the edge and have too? No thanks.

bryanmchunter: Watching my favorite Christmas movies and specials.

s Author Icon: Nothing special. I just write like I always write.
This time of the year is the one I truly dislike.

HollisFrances Author Icon: Since I do not have much yard work to do, and the days are shorter, nights are longer I more peaceful/relaxing time to focus on my writing.

StoneHeart Author Icon: I will write, nothing else to do.

G. B. Williams Author Icon: I am not sure I have been inspired during the holiday season for almost thirty (30) years. My mother died in 1993, and with her, my inspiration for the holiday season. Then, all of my children became grown, moved away from home, and had children of their own, and took away even more of my inspiration for the holiday season. My writing is more emotion-driven, so I do not need to be inspired to write. I just need to become emotional or passionate about something, and the writing happens. During the Christmas holiday season, I am more of a drifter.

tj-turkey-jobble-jobble-hard-J Author Icon: Nothing seems to inspire during the holiday season, in fact, it seems there are so many things going on, endless interruptions, and other things in life right now that I would say holidays tend to be more uninspiring.

TheBusmanPoet Author Icon: Not much to be inspired about with the state of the world in the mess it's in. We're coming closer to election primaries and then the election. We could be a fascist country by 2025 if the wrong person is elected. Then we could break out into a civil war we're so armed to the teeth it's insane.

green is happy Author Icon: The eyes of the children as they are awed by the Christmas lights, the Christmas trees, yard decorations, and presents waiting under their own tree.

Mouse says gobble gobble Author Icon: The same things that inspire me all year long basically. I admit the past couple of years I've been trying to write a Hallmark style Christmas story but that is just me watching TV and saying "I could do that"... But I do that all the time. Like I said the same things that always inspire me....

Incurable Romantic Author Icon: Memories of the few holiday seasons (11 1/2 years) I was able to spend with my late wife Linda and her family before she passed away at the age of 30. If I didn't use them as inspiration, they would tear me apart after 43 1/2 years without her.

Cloud Author Icon: Snow is a constant inspiration to me! I love the snow, it really is one of my favorite things about winter and what's better than writing about your favorite things?

Tannus Author Icon: Christmas break and being off for two weeks! YES!

keyisfake Author Icon: Time.

Thanks for responding everyone!

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