  Short Stories
This week: The Faces of a Stranger Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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"Well we all have a face that we hide away forever, and we take them out and show ourselves when everyone has gone. Some are satin, some are steel, some are silk, and some are leather. They're the faces of a stranger, but we love to try them on." ~ Billy Joel
Have you ever noticed neighbors of serial killers always say, "He was the nicest guy! Kinda quiet, kept to himself. He wouldn't hurt a fly."
I remember watching the yellow-suited hazmat team maneuver the dolly containing the blue 57-gallon drum down the steps of Dahmer's apartment building like it was yesterday. The reporters spoke about severed heads and human hearts in the refrigerator, Polaroids of bodies in various stages of dismemberment and decomposition, torsos secreted away in the freezer, skeletons, amputated hands, mummified scalps.... It was worse than the worst horror novel I'd ever read, and I wondered how the other tenants hadn't known. How did they not smell the carnage? I was mesmerized--glued to the television set for days as the story unfolded. I was twenty-three years old at the time, and of course I was sickened by what I saw, horrified by what I heard, but at the same time I thought This is big. This is huge. This will go down in history.
I'm fascinated by strange and unusual things: people, facts, crimes, you name it. Maybe it's the writer in me. I love a good story.
We are surrounded by the macabre and bizarre: Joseph Merrick, the Bermuda Triangle, virgin boy eggs, Jeffrey Dahmer, the Anjikuni mystery, artist Jan Poope's "Audiopills", Trongs, spontaneous human combustion, Lina Medina, dirty thunderstorms, the Great Blue Hole, Carl Tanzler, rainbow eucalyptus trees, Adam Rainer, Poo-Pourri. Really, Poo-Pourri. It's a thing.
You can never truly know all there is to know about anyone, not even those you're closest to. Everyone has a secret they've never told another living soul. What prompted Dahmer to commit such horrendous acts? Who could possibly think eggs marinated in prepubescent urine taste good, and who came up with that idea? Imagine--you're having a few drinks with friends when someone shouts, "Hey, I know what we can do! Let's hard-boil some eggs and marinate them in the urine of young boys. You know, like pickled eggs but with urine."
Yeah.
Have you ever wondered why your neighbor goes inside as soon as you step out? Why does the youth pastor keep his basement door locked? What about the boy down the road who was busted peeking through people's windows, or the coworker who literally has a little black book of conquests? That one-legged boy who rides the bus with your son probably has a story to tell. Maybe the bald girl who makes your coffee every morning sparks your imagination. Look around you. Delve into the mystery that is human nature. You just might be surprised by what you find.
Potential inspiration is all around you. Your next great story might just be a click away. I've included a few links below to get you started. Who knows, maybe one of them will awaken your inner genius and inspire a best seller.
 Historical Crime Detective
Weird News
Dark5 (WARNING: Very addicting YouTube channel)
True Crime
Strange Facts
Oddity Central
Murderpedia
Ancient Origins
Survival Stories
Wilderness Survival Stories
And I couldn't tease you with a Billy Joel quote and not include the song, so here goes.
"My sickness is that I'm fascinated by human behavior, by what's underneath the surface, by the worlds inside people." ~ Johnny Depp
Me too, Johnny. Me too.
Thank you for reading.
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I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections. Please do the authors the courtesy of reviewing the ones you read. Thank you, and have a great week!
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Suffering from writer's block, Aaron experiences a bizarre trip into truth and fiction.
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
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The following is in response to "Meet UK Horror Master Iain Rob Wright" :
Mara ♣ McBain  writes, "While horror is not a genre I read or write in I loved learning more about a fellow author and what makes him tick. Thank you for taking the time, and the risk (funny how I can be an author and still find the thought of approaching another terrifying!, to reach out and entice him to share with us!" Aw, thank you, Mara! I'm glad you enjoyed it. 
🌑 Darleen - QoD  writes, "Thanks for writing this issue, Shannon . I'm a huge fan of horror but struggle to find good authors. I've never heard of Iain Rob Wright before and was fascinated by your interview. He sounds like a very down to earth guy and I can't wait to sample his reading. With a good set of books already out I hope to find my next long binge read." Yay! Glad to be of assistance, Darleen. Please let me know what you think of his work. 
Patrece ~  writes, "This was a great newsletter! Thank you for your efforts in getting this interview. Write on!" You're most welcome, Patrece. Thank YOU for taking the time to read and comment. 
DRSmith writes, "I noticed right away, Mr. Wright advised he was an atheist. Figured before any righteous readers think Mr. Wright is wrong and wanna make him right, they'd be wrong to try cuz if they're right and Mr. Wright is wrong, it just means that when he dies, he'll be all dressed up with no place to go. Right?" My head hurts.  You always make me laugh. Thank you, my friend.
GeminiGem🐾  writes, "Thank you for an excellent newsletter, Shannon! Horror is not my thing, but I still found the interview and story behind it very interesting." Thank you! Iain was a good sport for taking the time to speak to us, and thank you for taking the time to read and comment! I'm glad you liked it. 
Joy  writes, "Great NL, Shannon. It was interesting to read Mr. Wright's answers, and I chuckled at the people who preached him about God. Thanks for a good read.  " Thank you, Joy! You're always so kind. Thank you. 
Quick-Quill  writes, "KUDOS what a great NL and interview!!!" Aw, thank you! It was a lot of fun. I'm glad you liked it. 
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Short Stories: February 24, 2016 Issue [#7490]
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