Monday, April 22, 2013

King's Speech: S is for SECRETS

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!

*****

Good books don’t give up all their SECRETS at once. 
(Stephen King)

My husband and I will be sitting together, reading, all comfortable and companionable, when I’ll suddenly gasp or cry out (or curse.) Something just happened on the page that I didn’t see coming, and it both delighted me and shocked me. When you can do that to a reader, for a reader, you are definitely in the right line of work.

19 comments:

  1. I enjoy that, too. It's irritating when a book dumps out its entire bag of tricks or whatever right at the beginning of the story.

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  2. It's always such a great feeling when you're immersed in a story and then get a shock like this. Very fun! :)

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  3. Yes indeed! I recently finished a amazing book with an extremely unexpected ending. i was so shocked by it!

    my blog: morgankatz505.blogspot.com

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  4. MJ - right? Because then what's the point? Although, if it's done well, I enjoy those books where you already know what happened but you keep reading to find out why...

    Julie - love when that happens!

    Morgan -that sounds like a great book! Want to share the title? :) And thanks for joining us here at TSR!

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  5. I need to work harder to make those moments :)

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  6. I like the suspense of secrets. Keeps me hooked.

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  7. Kate - I strive to do that for my readers, too.

    Mama J - "suspense of secrets" sounds like a tongue twister - say it five times fast. :)

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  8. I do like it when I don't see it coming.

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  9. Oh, yeah... the best ones can be spotten JUST before they are given up so the reader feels really smart.

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  10. King is a master of shock and surprise, isn't he? I used to read him obsessively but haven't read anything of his in the last 10 years.

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  11. Alex - me, too!

    Jai - it's so great when we don't see it coming and yet once it's there, it makes perfect sense.

    Hart - good point!

    Dawn - go ahead give some of his new work a try! 11/22/63 was very good and FULL DARK NO STARS gave me the creeps!

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  12. Usually my biggest reaction is a smile but my daughter laughs outloud all the time when she reads. Her delight delights me.

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  13. Susan - I love to see others enjoying their reading, too. :)

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  14. I would hope that if anyone cursed at something I'd written, they'd be cursing in delight.

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  15. ...Cursing in shock is acceptable too, but it has to be a shock of delight, if that makes any sense!

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  16. A good story is definitely going to sprinkle their secret magic through out the book. And I love getting to a key part in the book and thinking! "OMG! I can't believe it!" it's fun and keeps the pages turning. (:

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  17. Cynthia - it makes perfect sense. :)

    Elise - absolutely!

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  18. So true! I only wish I could have the power to shock and delight a reader on a regular basis.

    When an author does the same to me, it really brings home the reason I'm a reader.

    Barbara
    T is for Triple Play: Two Teasers and Time's Running Out
    The Daille-y News

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