This week: Making Memories 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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Christmas is a time for making memories, sharing kindness, and telling stories. It's also a difficult and lonely time of year for those who have lost loved ones.
When I was a little kid my family and I would drive to each of my grandparents' houses on Christmas Day. We'd usually start at my paternal grandparent's house. Grandma and Grandpa Cramé's home was small, cluttered, welcoming, and cozy. My three brothers and I could sit where we wanted, eat what we wanted, and act like the kids that we were. Grandma Cramé was an AMAZING cook, and the table was burdened with enough food to feed an army. We'd open presents, eat, and enjoy each other's company. It was one of my favorite places on Earth.
After dinner, we'd drive a few miles down the road to my maternal grandparents' house for dessert. Grandma and Grandpa Smith were much more refined, for lack of a better word. Their house was large, spotless, we had to ask "May I please be excused?" from the table, and their dining room was carpeted with cherry red shag--no children allowed. Grandma raked the carpet with a leaf rake; tiny footprints would've given us away, so we didn't dare. She wore dresses and high heels and made fancy, flaky creampuffs (delicious!). I loved her because she was my grandma, but I never felt comfortable in her home.
Later, when I was a teenager, the grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins would come to our house on Christmas Day (by then we had a huge 3-story house and it was the only home big enough for everyone). I still have a VHS tape of one Christmas dinner when we were all together, fireplace crackling and Christmas music playing softly in the background. Dad would just set up the camera on a tripod and let it roll while we ate. My parents, aunts, and uncles were younger then than I am now. Three of those uncles and all of my grandparents are gone now, so it's nice (and a little sad) to see their faces when they were young, healthy, and happy.
The only moment that matters is this moment. Enjoy each one while it lasts. Immerse yourself in the presence of your loved ones, for they are the only presents that really matter.
Do you have a Christmas memory that's lasted a lifetime? Have you written a Christmas story you'd like to share with the WDC community? Share your thoughts, comments, and creations in the feedback section and I will include them in next month's newsletter.
Merry Christmas; peace and blessings to you and yours.
P.S. Every registered author who shares their ideas and/or creative endeavors relating to or inspired by this week's topic will receive an exclusive trinket. I will retire this month's limited-edition trinket at 11:59 p.m. WDC time on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, when my next short stories newsletter goes live.
Thank you for reading.
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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!
| |  | THE CATCHERS (18+)
A funny, kind- of -Christmas story. Australian Literary Award winner.
#1171240 by tosca  |
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The following is in response to "From DNA to OMG" :
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eyestar~* writes: Wow! Excellent research yet again. And it is pretty scary about DNA traces. Yikes! I never thought about it. The video was interesting. This transference makes me think that those OCD folks who need to wear gloves all the time ... they have a fear of germs. Maybe have a good idea considering this issue. Thanks for sharing another fascinating aspect and concept for crime stories.
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Princess Megan Snow Rose  writes: DNA. I wanted to get to get a DNA Kit but my husband says it isn't a good idea. Someone will have my DNA and may use it against me for something. He may be right. The DNA on the ink pen and tracing a bank robbery back to that woman. Yikes. At my job, I worked in Nursing and everyone's DNA was all over charts, therometers, ink pens and what ever we touched. DNA is powerful. I enjoyed reading this newsletter and this makes me think. Great job of writing this.
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Angus  writes: Great Newsletter about DNA, Shannon! That's one of the main reasons I don't want to find out my ancestry through Ancestry.Com! I realize the reasons it's 'needed' to catch criminals, but as you said, the possibility of DNA transfer is just too high, and I've seen more and more cases about this happening lately. One police officer who was on a scene actually became a suspect because of a DNA transfer! Thanks for this informative NL, my friend! Hopefully it'll be a wake up call for those who don't keep up with this kind of thing!
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BIG BAD WOLF is Howling  writes: I don't know how DNA would work in a Fantasy, but when the City Guard includes werewolves, your scent is all they need to track you down, which is how my one conman-turned-fraud investigator got caught. Also, it seems that scents are passed on down to ones' offspring, which is how my Commander has identified an Unlicensed Thief as the illegitimate daughter of the Guildmaster of the Thieves Guild, and a maid that had worked at the guild, and even identified her maternal grandfather, a lord with a less-than-friendly disposition towards female servants.
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Pumpkin Harvest  writes: I'm not convinced that all the DNA family tree kits are accurate. For instance I took one several years ago when I was working actively on my family trees. It came back 100% European. It was not more detailed than that. I knew it was close: Sottish, Sweedish, German, French, etc. But I have claims of American Indian on both my maternal and paternal side. One researcher had 3 living old people in the 90's who claimed to know the Indian woman personally on my father's side. They were set to witness to the researcher who was a notary, but he got sick and died before he could interview them officially. They're all gone now. But nothing showed on the test.
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Lilli 🧿 ☕  writes: Wow! What an interesting newsletter! I had never given much thought to DNA transfer like that. You've given me something I want to learn more about! Thank you!
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Kimbug writes: I haven't written a story about forensic science, other than the one where a minor character was a forensic psychologist. Shows (fictional and non fictional) about forensic science, interest me, but I have yet to write a story incorporating it. Considering we shed thousands of skin cells a day, they get spread everywhere. It's scary to think that the casual contact with a person or item can falsely make you an accomplice to or suspect of a crime. Great topic.
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Jeff  writes: I've never really felt the need to have my DNA tested. My uncle is really into genealogy and did a bunch of old fashioned research years ago so maybe that scratched the itch to know where I come from, but I am just not into sending a cheek swab to a lab and getting a report back.
To answer the questions you posed, yes, I've written a story about forensic science... no, I don't think I've ever written a story about a protagonist falsely accused based on DNA evidence... I do not know a forensic analyst personally, although I do know a coroner!
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Samberine Everose  writes: A good newsletter Shannon, you are giving us ideas to create an interesting short story about the use of DNA and its involvement in crime and investigation. 
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Jenstrying writes: This is rather sobering. I am a huge fan of all the forensic shows on TV and usually associate that sort of thing for good. But you are right. The ease of transference to the wrong place at the wrong time is kinda scary. Would it be any easier to clear your name once it had been tarnished? I think CSI (the original) did a few episodes on false imprisonment. Wow. Now you have me thinking. Thanks...I think. lol
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dragonwoman writes: I never even considered that DNA transfer could occur. Now I'm scared to touch anything in a bank for fear I end up wrongfully accused. Thanks a lot!
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Quick-Quill  writes: I've been binging on crime podcasts. I also have listened to how Parabon used DNA to create a snapshot of criminals. At no time did anyone have any access to the criminal's DNA or to anyone who is on the site unless they desire to do so. The fact they have caught a number of criminals from years ago is amazing. The statement is "If you thought you got away with murder years ago, think again. The police may be on your doorstep."
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Joy  writes: That is really so scary, Shannon. I know we leave our electrons anywhere we go and on anything we touch, but imagine the scenario you have in the NL with someone shaking your hand and then committing a crime!
I don't write about such delicate scientific stuff at all for fear that I'll mess it up.
Then, even if it would be okay with today's science, what will be discovered in the future may negate what I write today, not that what I write is going to stay for very long. 
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Paul  writes: I absolutely agree with what’s said here. I hide mine as much as I can, but you can not really hide. Watch the movie Gattaca and it’ll explain what’s possible and where we seem to be heading. I will never willingly give a sample, but a couple of my kids have so the whole family is known now. “Crap!”
How do you protect yourself when a simple cough in public can reveal you.
Paul
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Dragon is hiding writes: What if you're an orphaned, only child? Then what? 
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Lisa Noe  writes: Hi, I found this newsletter to be so interesting and informative, I really did enjoy reading it. I hope it is this interesting every month, as this is the first time I've read it I think. I think you did a very good job and it shows that you researched your work before sending out the email and article.
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Cubby  writes: Your newsletter was an eye-opener, to say the least! Wow, I had no idea DNA could be transferred/contaminated so easily. Very scary. Your title, From DNA to OMG, is perfect. I learned something new tonight. Interesting article, Shannon!
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Elycia Lee ☮  writes: I'm completely unaware of how sophisticated DNA testing is until now and I'm dying to read a story about it. Have you written any? I'm gonna dig into your port later. Thank you for sharing. Great newsletter.
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~Brian K Compton~ writes: I had second thoughts after submitting a sample of my DNA to Ancestry.com. Being put in their data base is creepier than having each Facebook detail and Twitter post tracked to seduce Internet and government stalkers. Forensic Science has come a long way. But there is going to be too much to track...they will need to make computers smarter to analyze all the data...that's when I'm told robots will likely eradicate our race. So, we have that to look forward to.
Our personal liberties only exist in our minds. I'm locked up in this little Internet hamlet.
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Short Stories: December 26, 2018 Issue [#9294]
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