Whatever Wednesday - Say What? Yikes!

 "You like  it  darker? Fine. So do I," writes Stephen King in the afterword to this twelve story collection.

You Like  it  Darker by Stephen King is a masterclass in writing, in delving into lives - fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything  can happen.  (cover blurb)

It's the creepy stuff, secrets, psychic flash, good luck, bad luck, unbearable  tragedy and more. 

He writes such believable dialogue. It's like you are listening in on a real conversation.  He touches on just  the right quirks that make a character unique. 

Sometimes, a short story is just the right  amount to read in a day.  King  offers the right amount of snack size sizzle that will have you turning  on  the lights and looking over your shoulder. 

Wait...did you hear that?

Um...did you see that?

Turn the page, my friends. 

Friday Book Club - Billy Summers by Stephen King (not horror, my friends)

 No horror.  Billy Summers is a bad guy (but he's really in his heart good with some morals) - he is a professional killer who will only kill someone he considers a truly bad person. 

He's the best. His time in the military - Iraq war vet sniper. He can vanish without a trace. 

What could go wrong when he's hired to kill a man who killed a bad guy? Everything. 

Billy Summers by Stephen King is excellent. We learn a lot about Billy when he's hired by Nick to kill Josh Allen. Oh, there's so much backstory and Billy figures he's getting double crossed when the final payment does not get wired. He digs deep and he's going to find the man behind the man behind the man. Who's the power broker who's not paying up on Billy's retirement party.

Plus there's a young woman who gets involved. Billy saves her, she saves him.  cover blurb - This book is about love, luck, fate, and a complex hero with one last shot at redemption. I really enjoyed this book. Stephen King is excellent at character development and his writing is tight. You root for Billy and until the last page, you, the reader, are all in and then drained from emotion. Good stuff. 

Wednesday Moment and Book Review - If It Bleeds

 I liked this meme. 

Reading a lot as we stay home. For Ray's sake, his favorite author  - Stephen King - brought out If It Bleeds, a collection of four novellas. Ray ripped through the book, and I decided to read it too. These are a dark treat - typical twists,turns, and sarcastic humor. The man has a style and it works.

The title story If It Bleeds brings back Holly, a cop from another series of his, and she's still chasing an outsider creature. Too many coincidences in a reporters appearance at some horrible tragedies. She starts putting together clues, finds another man who's tracked this evil too, and together they work to lure this time travelling killer into a trap.

Sometimes evil can manifest in friendship. Craig befriends Mr. Harrigan and there's a sweetness in this.  But what happens after Mr. Harrigan dies and Craig calls his cell phone to chat with him. Maybe wishes do come true in Mr. Harrigan's Phone

The other stories, The Life of Chuck and also Rat, prove to be creepy. As always, King does write well about the writing life and ambition and turns to the dark side too. If you like Stephen King's style, then you will find that If It Bleeds will keep you up turning pages - and yes, you'll have all of the lights on in the house. Check your locks.

Movie Review Madness - IT

Stephen King’s IT is a monster tome – it’s a fast read for a lot of pages. It was a mini-series a long time ago starring Tim Curry. Now a new movie is on the big screen and it is a worthy adaptation. Derry, Maine seems like a charming little town. It’s 1988 and Billy makes a paper boat for little brother Georgie to float in the rain. Alas, a storm drain proves Georgie’s undoing as Pennywise the clown (Bill Skarsgard) smiles and lures him closer…closer…and snatches him. Kids seem to be disappearing in this town. Billy and his band of Losers start investigating and arrive at a very scary solution.

Meanwhile, the bullying of the Losers, the implied home abuse of others, and more hint at the horrors of childhood for so many. Stephen King has always had underlying themes in his work – the daily horror of life versus an otherworldly element. Sewer systems, haunted home, the well, and basements. IT taps into plenty of creaking doors, not to mention the fears in the mind.  This movie is R due to language and subject matter. The pacing, filming, and effects are excellent. The kids are all superb, and IT is a good kickoff to the fall movie season.

Be wary if a red balloon drifts in your direction.

July Junque: Day 25 Killer Book Review

We know who the killer is – a man wearing a clown mask drives a Mercedes through crowds of people at a job convention. However, he gets away and is now plotting against retired Detective Hodges. Stephen King is a master of suspense. He hooks you and reels you in bit by bit in the book Mr. Mercedes. It’s a race against time and an insight into a killer’s mind.  

From the cover blurb: The killer “loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants to feel that rush again. Only Bill Hodges, with a couple of eccentric and mismatched allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because the next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands.” 

This is not a book with creatures who go bump in the night. This is a book with an insane monster functioning in society. He’s a computer geek with two jobs, and he gains access to homes, families, and kids easily. Now, that’s scary.

 

Stephen King knows how to poke into the psyche and hit the nerves. He writes with humor and everyday chatter, and he keeps the pages turning. If you haven’t read a Stephen King book in a while, Mr. Mercedes is a good one to pick up for summer reading. It’s fast paced and nerve wracking. Root for Detective Hodges and figure out the twists and turns with him. Your heart will thump, scared there will be an explosion.  Accelerate or swerve. Whew!

 

H: Horror & Hemlock

H: I debated. Did I want to write about humor or horror? Then I decided I could combine both with a salute to Stephen King, my husband's favorite author. We heard Stephen King speak in Dallas - a rare appearance. He was promoting his 1963 book. He was funny and creepy, and he made you think about things that go bump in the night. Mr. King is a master at creating characters who appear normal, in a town that appears normal, until you realize that something's a bit off, and then all hell breaks loose. Carrie at the prom. It - scary clown. He throws in humor, the kind that makes you chuckle uncomfortably, relax for a second, let your guard down, and then ....bam....hits you with horror.

I personally think Pet Sematary is one of King's best horror tales. Animals that go berserk. Yikes. Your favorite pet is buried and then comes back with drooling fangs. Holy cow! That's like the movie The Omen (the original) starring Gregory Peck. I wasn't afraid of Damien, the devil child. It was those darn black snarling dogs in the cemetery scene. I cowered under my seat during that frightfest.

Heeere's Johnny! That's priceless horror humor - Jack Nicholson with an ax, slashing at a door, and sticking his head through the opening. The Shining is one of the best adaptations of a King book. Talk about cabin fever.

Finally - we start this week with a famous poison - Hemlock. The poisonous leaves can be made into a fatal salad, which paralyzes the muscles. The mind remains clear until death from paralysis of the lungs. Most famous death - Socrates drank from a cup that contained hemlock. He walked until he dropped. Don't know if he had time to use the Socratic method to deduce his murder.

Stephen King:Rare Appearance

Stephen King.

Standing ovation before the man even spoke. Wow! He is a literary magician. On Writing is the bible for writing students. The Stand started it all. IT still scares the bejeezus out of us. Carrie - the book was amazing. The movie introduced us to Sissy Spacek, an impeccable actress.

And so it goes. Our bookshelves groan under the weight of Stephen King's words. I'm grateful each Christmas for his tremendous production, and Ray acts surprised every time he opens a book present. It's tradition.

11/22/63 is Mr.King's latest offering. I have not read it yet. However, his author discussion was fascinating. His opinion is that Oswald assassinated Kennedy alone. Mr King basically said, "Follow the bullet." The book involves time travel and the chance to change history. No doubt, in the world of Stephen King, nothing is predictable or a sure thing.

As we left the Majestic (a gem of a theater), Ray said, "You could spend a day with Stephen King." Indeed, he was funny, charming, opinionated, self deprecating, and a tad odd. Altogether, the perfect dinner guest. I thank the Sixth Floor Museum for hosting an excellent author event.

Stephen King. Standing ovation.

Fear, Frights, and Terror (and candy)

Fear - it's the creepy crawlies, the willies, things that go bump in the night. Read Edgar Allen Poe, Stephen King, or Jeffrey Deaver's works and I dare you to turn off the light.

Vampires, zombies, ghosts, and ghouls. A haunting - perhaps The Turn of the Screw

Halloween is a bit of a silly season, yet the bright orange pumpkins and scary masks are harmless fun. When else do you take candy from strangers? Play ghostly organ music, conjure up a phantom, or watch old Vincent Price or Bela Lugosi movies. I can remember, as a kid, tromping about our neighborhood in PA on a Halloween night with my costume on and a winter coat (due to snow flurries). That diminishes the oomph of the presentation.

I vant to suck your blood - say it with your best Transylvanian accent. Or dance the Time Warp again a la Rocky Horror

Eat gobs of candy corn. Just don't step on the scale. EEEEEEK!!!

Happy Halloween