Memory Lane

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JCBrennan68

Member
Dec 23, 2013
18
99
56
Arizona
The other night I decided to go back through my collection of Stephen King books and found one of his short story collections "Everything's Eventual." I re-read the introduction about a short stories becoming a dieing art and thought how sad it would be if they did become a thing of the past, a reminiscence of what once was. The tragedy that would transpire if future generations never know what a short story collection was and the joy that came from them. Then I read the first story "Autopsy Room Four" and found myself on the edge of my seat once again wondering if they, Dr. Arlen and Mr.Baywatch, Peter, would realize he wasn't actually dead in time. I have read this collection of stories many times and knew that Dr. Arlen and Peter would not cut into a live man. But still I was on the edge of my seat, biting my finger nails, screaming in my head "don't do it, don't cut into him...he's still alive!"
My point is it would be such a shame to lose the art of short stories and I wanted to share this with Mr. King and thank him for all the times he has left me in the dark, on the edge of my seat, excited and scare to find out what would happen next.
 

HollyGolightly

Well-Known Member
Sep 6, 2013
9,660
74,320
54
Heart of the South
I remember reading that - I love that Stephen King so loves and respects short stories. While I love a good long SK novel, my favorites are short stories. I have a collection - Best American Short Stories - that SK guest edited - I love his Editor's notes in that volume and I love his picks. I hope the short story never dies.
 

kingzeppelin

Member who probably should be COMMITTED!
Apr 15, 2012
7,441
20,496
Oxfordshire, UK
Hello and welcome. Like you I like short story collections but I much prefer a real weighty "monster" of a read. I know that once I'm aboard and enjoying the ride of a tale, and desperate to know what happens next, I'll wish that it would never end. So the longer the story is, is all the better for me. :D
 

Chuggs

Well-Known Member
Feb 6, 2012
3,777
6,426
Arkansas
Welcome to the board. I love short stories as well, especially Sai King's .

The short story market is a hard one to break into. The problem, I think, is that editors fall in love with certain authors and publish them over and over again, not giving the "new guy" a shot. Sometimes, they don't even read the "new guy's" stories, but simply reject them as a matter of fact. Its a shame, really. The amount of good authors that such a hard time getting published, I think that's why many simply start out with novels (not that they are any easier to get published). I think that authors don't want to give the time and energy that goes into attempting to have a short story published for what can only amount to a few hundred dollars or less. With a novel (assuming you get published by a bigger company), you have the possibility of a several thousand dollar advance and royalties. A writer can do well without a published novel, but the key is to break into the market with several editors, that way you can publish multiple short stories and make a decent income. Then, your novel(s) will theoretically sell better because you will have a following.

I realize that its not all about the money, but one needs money to live, and for authors such as I, we want to make our living doing what we love. In order to do that, you must make money.

I write both novels and short stories. I love them both. :)
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
...warm welcomes honey...I firmly believe that as long as there are practitioners of the craft, there will always be short stories and novellas...some ideas don't lend themselves to novel length treatment-but still beg to be put on paper...Unca Steve is undoubtedly one of the best, but he has plenty of company still...
 

OKKingFan

Well-Known Member
Jun 15, 2013
138
371
Oklahoma
I don't know which I like better, his novels or short stories. But some of his short stories just blow me away. Don't know if I can say that as much about his novels. Seems like the best of his short stories are the creepiest. I also think they have the potential to be the best movies; you don't have to leave anything out when you make a movie out of a short story.
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
I don't know which I like better, his novels or short stories. But some of his short stories just blow me away. Don't know if I can say that as much about his novels. Seems like the best of his short stories are the creepiest. I also think they have the potential to be the best movies; you don't have to leave anything out when you make a movie out of a short story.
I agree. His short stories are wicked tight.
 

JCBrennan68

Member
Dec 23, 2013
18
99
56
Arizona
I don't know which I like better, his novels or short stories. But some of his short stories just blow me away. Don't know if I can say that as much about his novels. Seems like the best of his short stories are the creepiest. I also think they have the potential to be the best movies; you don't have to leave anything out when you make a movie out of a short story.
I love them both and I do believe one of his best movies was the Green Mile. The beauty of that movie is that it followed his book almost perfectly. In addition, I loved how he put it out in chapter books instead of one big novel...the suspend almost killed me (lol).
 

JCBrennan68

Member
Dec 23, 2013
18
99
56
Arizona
...I hear ya!...back in the day, drove the lady who owned our local bookstore nuts, pacing around-waiting for her to unpack them each month...damn I miss having a "local" shop...they have gone the way of the Edsel...
LOL, I know! I miss many of the thing that "use to be." I guess that is why I began this conversation. The simple things in life that we grew up with are disappearing and the only one's that can keep them alive are us. I miss my little town as well; you know, the one were everyone knew your name.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
Welcome! I agree with you that King is a master of the short story. I will never forget the first time I read Night Shift (way back in the day when the paperback had the blue cover with the eyes staring out at you and when you opened the cover there was the hand with tiny eyes all over it) and I finished the first story (Jerusalem's Lot) and thought 'My God! This guy can really, really write!' and the use of the 'old' language. Up to that point I had read his first three books and the Stand so to read something that he had written in a totally different 'voice' was like a punch in the face to me. It really woke me up to how gifted this guy was and put him on the top of my list of writers. Almost every story in Night Shift is different in tone and style and really shows what a powerhouse King was (and still is!).