Short Stories: March 15, 2023 Issue [#11857]
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 This week: This Day In History
  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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Letter from the editor

"That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history." ~ Aldous Huxley


Isn't it interesting when people tell completely different stories about a shared experience? How many of us have married friends whose relationships seem ideal on the outside; on the inside, one spouse thinks their marriage is stronger than ever while the other has been having an affair for years. One is settling in while the other is looking for a way out.

Is perception reality?

I've been writing about my life growing up on 20 acres in the middle of nowhere Alaska. The more I write the more memories flood my brain. One incident I've always remembered well happened when I was four or five years old. Mother discovered that my older brother had stolen something. She was livid, marching him (and the rest of us kids) down to the police station to insist they lock him up. Of course, police aren't in the habit of locking up children for petty theft and they looked at my mom like she was a crazed lunatic. Recently I asked my brother, who just turned 58 on March 11th, what he remembers about that day. He had no idea what I was talking about; he doesn't remember it at all. That experience didn't stay with him, but it has lingered in me for decades.

Personal experiences often inspire stories, and sometimes events that happened years or even centuries ago ignite our desire to write something contemporary and completely unrelated based on those facts. If you're staring at a blank page or blinking cursor with no idea what to write about, perhaps this day in history (March 15th) will generate a few ideas:


*Bullet* Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE
*Bullet* In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson delivered his We Shall Overcome speech, introducing voting rights legislation that was passed later that year
*Bullet* Antigovernment protests were held in several Syrian cities on this day in 2011
*Bullet* The Godfather premiered in 1972
*Bullet* On March 15, 1990, Mikhail Gorbachev  Open in new Window. was elected President of the Soviet Union
*Bullet* The world's first internet domain was registered on this day in 1985
*Bullet* H.P. Lovecraft succumbed to cancer in 1937
*Bullet* In 1493, Christopher Columbus returned to Spain after his first visit to the Western Hemisphere
*Bullet* Maine became the 23rd state on this day in 1820
*Bullet* The first hospital blood bank was established in 1937
*Bullet* 1892 - Jesse W. Reno patented the Reno Inclined Elevator (the first escalator)
*Bullet* On this day in 2002, Andrea Yates received a life sentence for drowning her five children on June 20, 2001
*Bullet*  Hitler marched into Czechoslovakia on this day in 1939
*Bullet* In 1941  Open in new Window., without warning from weather reports or forecasters, a blizzard with 85mph-strong winds swept through North Dakota and northern Minnesota, causing 7-foot-high snow drifts and a reported temperature drop of 20 degrees in less than 15 minutes in some areas. Due to the lack of warning, many people who died during the blizzard were traveling and became stranded in their cars. A total of 151 people died
*Bullet* On March 15, 1963, convicted kidnapper and murderer Victor Feguer  Open in new Window. was executed by hanging in Iowa


These are but a handful of memorable events that happened on this day in history. Do any of these facts give you an idea for a story? Have you written a tale based on a true story? Every registered author who shares their ideas and/or creative endeavors relating to or inspired by this week's topic will receive an exclusive "History" 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 May when my next short stories newsletter goes live.



"History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul." ~ John Dalberg-Acton


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!



Shadows of the Czar Open in new Window. (13+)
In 1796, Czar Paul I, makes a decision that will echo through Russia's history.
#1097775 by SantaBee Author IconMail Icon


 History of Julia Garmen Open in new Window. (18+)
A story about a girl who is depressive. Is there a way out or will she suffer forever?
#730843 by Elizebeth Author IconMail Icon


 Campfire Story: All the Worldly Goods Open in new Window. (13+)
Campfire short story written for Trish's Comprension Campfire group
#548451 by BlueThunder Author IconMail Icon


Slaughter House Open in new Window. (18+)
A woman tries to buy a home, dismissing its haunted history as urban legend
#1306885 by J.D. Blaire Author IconMail Icon


That Little Old Man Open in new Window. (13+)
An old man recounts his history...
#1825371 by Angus Author IconMail Icon


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Jesse Open in new Window. (13+)
On May 15, 1916 he was found guilty of murder - the rest is history.
#2094991 by iKïyå§ama Author IconMail Icon

 
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Ask & Answer

The following is in response to "Murder in a Small TownOpen in new Window.:

*Vignette5* ~


Quick-Quill Author IconMail Icon writes: I am a crime author. my book Silent River is a fiction based on all the facts of an infamous unsolved murder here in Portland Oregon. I chose to write this as fiction because it is unsolved and there are too many theories. Back in the Mid 80's when I started this I interviewed the Detective on the case. I still believe, as did he, it was a murder for hire. I wrote this before I joined WDC I've learned a lot about writing since then.

*Vignette5* ~


brom21 Author IconMail Icon writes: Fictional murder mysteries don't really catch my fancy. I tend to lean towards speculative works. I do however like crime documentaries for some reason though. I loved the show Unsolved Mysteries back in the 90's. The program also featured paranormal based content too. Thanks for the NL!

*Vignette5* ~


BIG BAD WOLF is Merry Author IconMail Icon writes: Didn't see it, and don't know the victim, but the fella was shot outside my place of work, on two separate occasions. Everyone suspects that it is personal/money related, as the person is known for buying illicit items. Apparently, fella is still alive.

*Vignette5* ~


Annette Author IconMail Icon writes: True crime stories, even if they happen in several states away from me, always "hit too close to home." I am fine with most things in fiction, but I prefer my reality peaceful. I remember the case with those two people who killed their spouses and children and got married in Hawaii. It was impossible to escape. I never heard of Joseph Duncan III, but it proves that American justice is completely unjust if someone like that isn't locked up forever after the first of such crimes while others spend decades in prison for stealing a TV from a store.

*Vignette5* ~


Jeff Author IconMail Icon writes: I like to write stories in the crime genre, but I don't find serial killers, true crime, or violent crime particularly interesting. I prefer crime stories that rely on the ingenuity of the criminals (or those trying to solve the crime): con artists, thieves, forgers, and criminals of that nature.

*Vignette5* ~


dragonwoman Author IconMail Icon writes: I watch a lot of true crime shows and often use them as inspiration for my fiction. I have never written any true crime myself. Writing crime fiction is enough for me!

*Vignette5* ~


Detective Author IconMail Icon writes: I haven't written a true crime story yet, but I know a few people who were victims of violent crimes. Two of my coworkers (at two different stores) were murdered, several years apart. One of my mom's coworkers was murdered a few years ago. I actually met her a short while before it happened. I'm also in the weird position of being related to someone who committed a violent crime. Said relative is currently in prison for said violent crime.

*Vignette5* ~


Beacon's Anchor Author IconMail Icon writes: I've read these stories and it's awful that someone could do such a thing. Well, they need to stay in prison for the rest of their lives. Well, I'm glad you keep us informed of what's happening in real life. I like reading your newsletter each time.

*Vignette5* ~

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