I have a friend looking for the author and name of a short story. He was pretty sure the story was done by Stephen King, but I've not been able to find anything. The story is about a man that overhears a word on a motivational cassette and that word is the perfect answer to every question. After hearing this word, he ends up being hunted as no one should know this word. The title was maybe 6 characters, but not legible as each letter was just 4 or so letters typed on top of each other. So as not to give away the 'secret' word. Does anyone have any information on this story? It's been driving me crazy for awhile now.
Help finding name of short story
- Thread starter MLMusic
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I may just be having a senior moment, but I can't think of any story Stephen has written that matches your description.
I may just be having a senior moment, but I can't think of any story Stephen has written that matches your description.
Sounds like a good story but I don't think Mr. King wrote it.
Thanks all! I was pretty sure it wasn't, but thought I'd better check with some of you that know more than I.
....if you can get some more info, we will gladly see if we can help figure it out....
A'yuh. Or, that is, na'yup. Doesn't sound like any King story I evah heard of, chummy.
Sounds kinda interesting, though.
MLMusic, have you discovered the story yet?
This link gives many ways and sites to help your friend find that short story. I'm really interested in knowing if and when you figure it out!
Finding Novels: Lost Titles, Forgotten Rhymes (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)
Finding Novels: Lost Titles, Forgotten Rhymes (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)
Yes! Someone on the Facebook thread that started this whole mess knew the story. Seems the guy looking for it was a little off on his description, but the main idea is the same. "Man happens on a magic universal word, misuses it, and is caught by the word's owners."
It's by F. Paul Wilson and the story is called ROVPD/CAVEE/EFI (and then those words are typed over each other to create 'the word'). Looks like it's in a couple of different books; Aftershock & Others:19 Oddities by F. Paul Wilson, David Copperfield's Tales of the Impossible by Berliner/Copperfield and A Magic Lover's Treasury of the Fantastic by Margaret Weiss.
Now...to find a copy of one of those books and get to reading!
It's by F. Paul Wilson and the story is called ROVPD/CAVEE/EFI (and then those words are typed over each other to create 'the word'). Looks like it's in a couple of different books; Aftershock & Others:19 Oddities by F. Paul Wilson, David Copperfield's Tales of the Impossible by Berliner/Copperfield and A Magic Lover's Treasury of the Fantastic by Margaret Weiss.
Now...to find a copy of one of those books and get to reading!
Thanks! I'll keep this site handy!
MLMusic - glad the story was found. Now, have a look around the SKMB and keep posting. Great group here.
Here's the link to Aftershock and Others book on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Aftershock-Others-Oddities-Paul-Wilson/dp/0765325241/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477509708&sr=8-1&keywords=aftershock+and+others