Short Story Prompts Culled from the News

People love to say that truth is stranger than fiction, but those people apparently read different books than I do. Still, reality can be good fodder for fiction. Here are 11 recent news stories that are just strange enough to use for your next short story:

Man Regrows Van Gogh’s Ear and Speaks into It

Arizona Man Arrested for Firing Pistol at Moon

Zombie Bees Terrorize Hipster Neighborhood

University Librarians Discover a Book Is Bound in Human Skin

Man Attempts to Trade a Salad for a Blowjob to Undercover Cop

Lawyer Willing to Die to Post Nude Photos Online

The Pope Announces He Will Baptize Aliens

Chinese Billionaire Decides to Take 1,000 “Destitute” New Yorkers to Lunch with Him

Zookeeper in Gorilla Suit Mistaken for Actual Gorilla and Tranquilized

Man Builds Meth Lab in His Retirement Community

Woman Hears Repeated Cries of “Daddy!”, Calls Cops on Parrot