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 Story Starters

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virgil tatro
dkchristi
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dkchristi
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dkchristi


Number of posts : 8594
Registration date : 2008-12-29
Location : Florida

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PostSubject: Story Starters   Story Starters EmptyThu Jan 06, 2011 6:00 pm

There are many fiction contests to enter that require short stories, some as short as 250 words up to 3000 words. We are all writers here; but sometimes, we need a situation to create a story. Perhaps we could share some that others might turn into a winner.

As an example, I was in the grocery today and a young mother and probably her mother were in line ahead of me. They left their baby in the stroller way behind them, in front of me at an opening where anyone could have just strolled away with their baby while they were engaged with the grocery desk. The possibilities here were immense.

Another is a story in the newspaper about a woman who lived alone and was found dead after several days. She had no living relatives or even close friends. A key found in her apartment opened a lock box at the local bank. In that box was found $millions in bonds and a few newspaper clippings of a socialite in Saigon during the Viet Nam conflict.

Maybe others could add story starter circumstances that might lead an author into a short story for one of the contests.
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virgil tatro
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virgil tatro


Number of posts : 25
Registration date : 2010-12-26
Age : 50
Location : Montana

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PostSubject: Re: Story Starters   Story Starters EmptyThu Jan 06, 2011 8:06 pm

How about a story about a Mine fire, thousands of feet under ground, A fire in a mine is the most dangerous thing underground. the ventilation that brings fresh air to the miners will also carry the smoke to unsuspected miners causing sure death if they dont dawn there self rescuers or barricade.. in this case no one was injured, but put over 300 miners at risk and the fire was put out using nine fire extinguishers when the fire supression system failed...
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virgil tatro
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virgil tatro


Number of posts : 25
Registration date : 2010-12-26
Age : 50
Location : Montana

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PostSubject: Re: Story Starters   Story Starters EmptyThu Jan 06, 2011 8:12 pm

A friend of mine was hunting on horse back in the Little Belt Mountains in Montana last year. It started snowing with high winds and he could not see any thing. he got lost and spent the night in the mountains lost in sub zero tempuratures.
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LC
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LC


Number of posts : 5044
Registration date : 2009-03-28

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PostSubject: Re: Story Starters   Story Starters EmptyThu Jan 06, 2011 8:31 pm

I was at Whole Foods and this guy was walking from food sample station to food sample station, eating half the stuff there. There were about six stations, and he'd make a complete round, then start over. He wasn't a customer, since he wasn't pushing a shopping cart. He saw someone eating a sample somewhere and ran over to ask where he got it. LOL, I actually followed this guy around for awhile, just curious about him. He looked early 30's, not homeless or anything, clean, casually dressed.

Unemployed? This his only meal? Big cheapskate?
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Al Stevens
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Al Stevens


Number of posts : 1727
Registration date : 2010-05-11
Location : Florida

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PostSubject: Re: Story Starters   Story Starters EmptyFri Jan 07, 2011 6:36 am

I like the story about the food sampler. I have two similar memories.

Judy's annual high school reunion always hired the same entertainer, who played several instruments, sang, and used recorded accompaniment. The reunion had a sit-down dinner in the afternoon, and a buffet of leftovers in the evening. Every year when they opened the dinner buffet, he'd get in line, fill up two plates with as much food as he could, and take them to his car, which was parked in the back of the venue. Then he'd return and get in line again, repeating the procedure until he had his back seat piled with paper plates of food. The reunion was held during the summer, and it was hot out there. And he had to work the rest of the evening.

He wasn't there this year. They said he died. Food poisening, no doubt.



Years ago (circa 72) when Busch Gardens was not yet a tourist theme park and emphasized its zoo and brewery, my wife and I went there. They have a train that runs around the perimeter of the park, stopping at each area. You could get a free cup of draft beer at each stop.

We met a retired gentleman on the train. He asked where we lived. He lived across the street. He had a season pass to the park and walked over every day, rode the train around, and drank beer. He said it was a lot cheaper than going to a bar, and you met a better class of people on the train to talk with.
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dkchristi
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dkchristi


Number of posts : 8594
Registration date : 2008-12-29
Location : Florida

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PostSubject: Re: Story Starters   Story Starters EmptyFri Jan 07, 2011 6:39 am

I loved that second story - that could travel somewhere!
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Shelagh
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Shelagh


Number of posts : 12662
Registration date : 2008-01-11
Location : UK

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PostSubject: Re: Story Starters   Story Starters EmptyFri Jan 07, 2011 10:44 am

During our stay in Dunedin, NZ, we visited Christchurch and stayed in a Bed & Breakfast Hotel. The day after we arrived, in the early morning, my husband visited the Gents and saw that the door to the lavatory was slightly ajar. When he pushed open the door, he found a man slumped before him -- dead. The landlord's face was ashen after my husband informed him that one of his guests had died!
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Abe F. March
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Abe F. March


Number of posts : 10768
Registration date : 2008-01-26
Age : 85
Location : Germany

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PostSubject: Re: Story Starters   Story Starters EmptyFri Jan 07, 2011 11:24 am

I think the eating stories are food for thought.
I think we've all witnessed interesting eating situations. It is not those who look hungry or are skinny that pig out, but those who could do without a meal, and then drink diet cola.

I met a man while living in Atlanta who told me he only went to "all you can eat" restuarants. He said that it was cheaper than eating at home. Having witnessed his plate and the number of times he returned to fill it, I could understand completely. It also explained why he was so huge.

I like all you can eat buffets, but what I don't like is to see is the amount of food that is thrown away. Taking more than what you can or will eat, is wasteful.
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dkchristi
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dkchristi


Number of posts : 8594
Registration date : 2008-12-29
Location : Florida

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PostSubject: Re: Story Starters   Story Starters EmptyFri Jan 07, 2011 1:23 pm

The Bed and Breakfast story sounds like a "Murder She Wrote" type mystery...and tied into many of the story starters here; perhaps he was poisoned...in the food.
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