Short Stories: February 14, 2024 Issue [#12406]
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 This week: To Be or Not to Be
  Edited by: Shannon 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

Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon Author IconMail Icon and I'm your editor this week.

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Keep reading for your chance to claim an exclusive trinket!


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Letter from the editor

"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity."
~ Henry Van Dyke


Today is Valentine's Day in the United States. Love is in the air and being celebrated nationwide.

I have friends who hate this holiday and spend the days leading up to it regaling me with bad date stories and crimes of passion ripped from the headlines. "What about those people who try to find love and find a stalker instead? What about when Mr. Right turns out to be Mr. Wrong?"

I think most of us have a romance we're not proud of hidden in our closets. Out of sight, out of mind. While they're a drag when we're in them, they do make for great story fodder. Just ask Taylor Swift.

If you want to write about meeting Mr. Wrong (or Mr. Right, as the case may be) but don't know where to start, there are websites chock full of cautionary tales that may inspire your muse:

*Bullet* reddit's Lets Not Meet  Open in new Window.
Just scrolling through the post titles is enough to give you story ideas. A few examples are:
         *BurstP* I Got a Cop Fired and Now I Think He's Stalking Me
         *BurstG* The Man In My Back Yard
         *BurstO* Charmed Like a Snake
         *BurstB* Someone Has Been Coming Into My House When I'm Not Home
         *BurstR* Stranger Breaks In and Watches Me Sleep
         *BurstY* My Screaming May Have Saved My Life

*Bullet* Listverse's Top 10 Horror Stories from Dating Apps  Open in new Window.
         *BurstP* Ex-Date Sends 1,100 Strangers To Him For Sex or Drugs
         *BurstG* Men Posing as Women to Rob Their “Dates”
         *BurstO* He Was Robbed at Gun Point By His Date and Two Men
         *BurstB* His Date Was Paid to Set Up A Robbery Leading to His Death
         *BurstR* She Was Attacked and Hospitalized After Breaking It Off
         *BurstY* He Went On A Date With A Murderous Cannibal

There are television series dedicated to love gone wrong, like Deadly Women, Snapped, Wicked Attraction, and LMN's I Dated a Psycho  Open in new Window., as well as documentaries like The Tinder Swindler, Catfish, Love Fraud, and Swiped: Hooking Up In the Digital Age.



Yet people are still hopeful. Everyone wants to love and be loved. In stark contrast to the sites mentioned above, message boards like Craigslist's "Missed Connections" expose a more tender, optimistic side of those looking for love. Here are a few post titles from New York's page:
         *BurstP* You Liked My Truck (Flushing)
         *BurstG* You Were Walking Past the Lotus Garden on 97th Street (Upper West Side)
         *BurstO* My Morning Walk Where I See You (Battery Park)
         *BurstB* We Crossed Paths at CVS on 9th Street in Park Slope, black lab (Brooklyn)
         *BurstR* Hey Denise It's Jeff From a Long Time Ago (Rego Park)
         *BurstY* Asian Woman Dressed In All Black on 3rd Ave Between 39th and 40th (Midtown East)

Granted, some Missed Connections listings are just plain creepy and weird, but many people have had chance encounters with strangers they'd like to know better and are desperately seeking that one specific needle in a haystack composed of 8.5 million because maybe, just maybe, he or she will turn out to be the love of their life.



Have you written a love story you'd like to share with the WDC community? Every registered author who shares their ideas and/or creative endeavors relating to or inspired by this week's topic will receive an exclusive "Valentine's Day 2024" trinket. The image used to make this month's trinket was created by yours truly. I will retire this month's limited-edition trinket in April when my next short stories newsletter goes live.




"The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves."
~ Victor Hugo


Thank you for reading.

A swirly signature I made using the Mutlu font and a drop shadow.
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Newsletter Archives Open in new Window. (E)
A listing of all my newsletters in one easy-to-find place.
#1555482 by Shannon Author IconMail Icon


Editor's Picks

I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections. I occasionally feature static items by members who are no longer with us; some have passed away while others simply aren't active members. Their absence doesn't render their work any less relevant, and if it fits the week's topic I will include it.

Thank you, and have a great week!


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1764142 by Not Available.


I Will Always Be Loved Open in new Window. (E)
A Valentine's Day brings the realization that love will always be with me.
#1441858 by audra_branson Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#622477 by Not Available.


Where Are the Songs? Open in new Window. (13+)
A Country Singer longs for a past love.
#1368459 by Jaye P. Marshall Author IconMail Icon


 Blossoms Maligned Open in new Window. (13+)
Finally getting the nerve to ask Sarah out, Tom finds his best day might just be his last
#1135889 by RadioShea Author IconMail Icon

 
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Ask & Answer

The following is in response to "Blessed Is the SeasonOpen in new Window.:

*Vignette5* ~


NaNoNette Author IconMail Icon writes: I wrote this Christmas-inspired story of how the world as we know ended and fairies made a comeback. "Christmas For A Whole WeekOpen in new Window. [13+]

*Vignette5* ~


Write_Mikey_Write! Author IconMail Icon writes: I would be glad to share my little Christmas tale,
 
Let it snow! Open in new Window. [E]
Slim chance for snow on Christmas in Seattle (entry for Songs, Movies and More!)
by Write_Mikey_Write! Author Icon
. Thanks for taking the helm for the Newsletter for this week, and Merry Christmas!

*Vignette5* ~


Princess Megan Snow Rose Author IconMail Icon writes: I do love Christmas. I enjoyed the Jim Carey movie of How The Grinch Stoled Christmas, Miracle On 34h Street and I nevervread The Stupidest Angel. I love Prancer. I saw the one house from Prancer in a town near me. I enjoy Rudolpg, Frosty The Snowman and Christmas Vacation is my favorite. I enjoyed this Christmas Newsletter.

*Vignette5* ~


W.D.Wilcox Author IconMail Icon writes: Merry Christmas *Heart*

*Vignette5* ~


Sum1's In Seattle Author IconMail Icon writes: One of my Christmas Stories. "A Christmas To RememberOpen in new Window.

*Vignette5* ~


dragonwoman Author IconMail Icon writes: Check the next few days of my flash entries for A Tale Most Rare in several parts. A Christmas story with a difference based on a carol.

*Vignette5* ~


BIG BAD WOLF is Howling Author IconMail Icon writes: Got some Christmas things here and there.

*Vignette5* ~


Leger~ Author IconMail Icon writes: Thank you for featuring my Christmas story "HitchhikerOpen in new Window.
I'd love to have the time to create a collection featuring Gabriel.

*Vignette5* ~


Angelica Weatherby- NaNo 14000 Author IconMail Icon writes:P Great opening lines. I have a a hard time deciding my favorite. I don't have a story to share. I think the Grinch took it away. Lol But maybe some coffee will do the trick. It's cold outside. *Coffee* Merry Christmas!

*Vignette5* ~


JACE Author IconMail Icon writes: Written about a snow that started falling on Christmas eve in the early 70's, presents almost took a back seat to our need to get outside and play. "Forecast: MemoriesOpen in new Window. [E]

Oh, and I wonder if anyone has noticed the error in O Henry's, The Gift of the Magi. He writes, “One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies." With 87 cents, there must have been at least 62 cents. I choose to believe there's hope for us all.

*Laugh* You are correct, sir.

*Vignette5* ~


Jeff Author IconMail Icon writes: Even though I didn't run in this year, "12 Days of "Christmas"Open in new Window. is my favorite thing I do for the holidays on Writing.com. I love holiday music and it's the perfect, short activity to get people into the mood for the season! *Bigsmile*

*Vignette5* ~

*Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet* Don't Be Shy! Write Into This Newsletter! *Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet*

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