Tuesday, April 9, 2013

King's Speech: H is for HOPE

Regular readers of The Shellshank Redemption know how much I enjoy a good quote (see Motivational Mondays) and that I’m a huge fan of Stephen King (see the King of All Days Part I and Part II.) So, for the 2013 A-Z Challenge, I decided to combine the two, using some of my favorite King quotes about reading, writing and life in general. Enjoy!

*****

You cannot HOPE to sweep someone else away 
by the force of your writing until it has been done to you.
(Stephen King)

I can’t tell you how many books I’ve read where I just wanted to weep because I was so affected by the amazing story and its complex, memorable characters. I can’t tell you how many times I wished I had written that novel, not because it was a bestseller or won an award, but because it somehow worked its way under my skin and settled in for the long haul. The power of a good story is far-reaching and undeniable.

17 comments:

  1. Amen! I return to my favorite characters over and over again.

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  2. It's the connection through the written word...so powerful.

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  3. I love it when a book does that to me, just love it. That's really my only goal for my writing: move someone to feel something.

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  4. JL - it's like revisiting old friends.

    Rebecca - when it happens, it's truly amazing!

    MJ - that's one of the reasons I write, too - to be able to give that experience, that connection to someone else.

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  5. For me, too, that's what it's all about--to give back to the reader some of the pleasure so many other authors have given to me.

    Barbara
    H is for Habits
    The Daille-y News

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  6. This is so very true. Those are the stories I read again and again. I take away something new every time.

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  7. Barbara - I wonder what it's like to do that for readers on a large scale, like being a bestselling author and knowing thousands or millions of people are reading your words...

    Jai - those are also the stories that stay with us, in some degree or another, whether it's the story itself or the characters or the writing style.

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  8. I love this. It makes me so proud to be a storyteller.

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  9. The first book that affected me like this was Charlotte's Web (I was really young).

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  10. Nothing better than a book that can do this to you. :)

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  11. I know exactly what you are saying! I have to take a bit of time inbetween (great) books to just let it all settle because they impact so deeply.

    Wonderful use of Hope today :)

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  12. Ilima - I never thought of it that way, of being proud to do what we do! Thank you for that insight! :)

    Michael - I still love CHARLOTTE'S WEB. :)

    Julie - you know it!

    Lexie - taking that breather is so true. Any book that follows is going to be hard-pressed to deliver.

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  13. It sounds like you've read a lot of good books. There have been times when I read something and I would think, finally, someone gets it, someone gets me. As a writer, I would like to give someone the same kind of feeling through my work someday.

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  14. I so very much love to be swept away! And yes, I can think of a few stories that have gotten under my skin. Mm.. Love that feeling :)

    Happy 2nd week!

    AJ Lauer
    #atozchallenge helper minion
    Twitter: @ayjaylauer

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  15. Brooks' Shannara books did that to me as a teen, and Jurassic Park did that to me as an adult.

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  16. This is what we are all aiming for. There is no formula unfortunately - sometimes the magic just happens!

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  17. Cynthia - oh yes, I have! :)

    Ayjay - happy second week to you, too! :)

    Alex - that you remember them makes them special.

    Nick - I agree, it really is a form of magic.

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