Notes and Quotes From Live Chat

Here are my quick notes from the Stephen King webcast. These are notes only... many of them only half quotes at that. There were some really great discussion questions. In particular, I liked his explanation of the cover of Full Dark No Stars and the answer to the question, which story would he film? Turns out, he's already written a screen play for A Good Marriage. Anyway, here's my notes. . .

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About 1984: "I think reading should be a hot experience."

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About Big Driver, does he take back roads? "No! That's my wife." (Reference Mrs. Todd's Shortcut.) "that's my wife who is always looking for a way to shave a few minutes off point A to point B." (He said it usually takes her a lot longer)

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Fair Extension: Why did Streeter not feel guilty? "In my mind a lot of times we have deep seated envy that we never really express in our daily lives. We have friend where there is an under current of jealousy." "I started to wonder what it would be like if the devil was actually a fair trader."

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Which story is your favorite? "They're all my children. There are things about them all that I like. It's like when someone asks, which of your kids do you love best?"

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What is the inspiration for the title? "We had the book. We had four stories. At least two other books like this have long stories, Different Seasons and Four Past Midnight. They're orphan stories. The stories in Full Dark No Stars, there is no magazine that will print stories this length. 75k words is the top end. These are too short to be novels. The four stories together needed a title. They asked me for one." . . . "I wanted to have some kind of a theme that would go with the motif that would go with something to be read after dark."

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In 1922, Rats play a strong role. Why rats? "Because rats are nasty. Rats are scary. I write about things that scare me the most. When people ask me what scares you, they expect some big answer like death or no afterlife (or there is an afterlife). What scares me is what scares most people. Waking up and finding your bed is full of spiders."

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How can he so skillfully understand women characters? "I was raised by my mom. I married a woman who has five sisters. They're all strong personalities. I have assistance who run my life at the office. Really, I think that for a writer the act of imagination has to do with a number of things. One is the ability to put on the dress if your a man, or put on pants if you are a woman. I read something in my first year of college, Love and Death in the American novel. It said American writers don't understand women. Writers from Hemingway to Falkner don't deal well with women. Women are either zeros or destroyers. I thought to myself if I ever make my living doing this, I will do better at that. I have characters who are pretty dark as females (Annie Wilkes). I try across the board to treat women fairly, with as much texture as possible."

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Is there any significance to the photo on the front? "We had to have a cover. They asked me if I had any ideas? So many of the stories are so dark. at least two stories deal with women in terrible circumstances. the image that came to my mind was a woman with her head down, holding her head. What I saw isn't exactly the cover. It doesn't look like any of the other covers." he says the pose he wanted, the art director said looked like an Excedrin headache!

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Who are your favorite childhood authors? "I think the good stories tend to stay around." (There was a lot here that I missed. . .)

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Any outlet for creativity besides writing? "I play guitar. I have a couple of fast cars. Harley Davidson. I like that. I did have an accident a few years ago. I was just walking. if I'd been on the motor cycle, I'd been okay! Took a motorcycle across Australia a few years ago."

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Did you plan to connect your books? "The way I look at it, most of these books, I think of these as people who exist in a certain universe. I put this to work in the Dark Tower where they are connected. I like the idea of characters coming back. I like the idea where there is a world out there where Danny Torrance and Charlie McGee could get married. They would have totally wonderful children. I like the idea of going back and visiting those people again. I guess they are connected!"

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Which was the most fun to write? "I'd say Christine! The car that runs on its own. It was a hoot when I got the idea. I had an old car. I thought, wouldn't it be cool of the odometer ran backwards. and as it went, the car healed itself. Know what, I like most of them. I mostly have a good time. It's amazing I get paid to do this, because I have a blast."

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What story would you adapt? "I've written a screen play for Good Marriage."

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What still thrills you when you read a book? Do you analyze them like in High school? "Mostly just enjoy the story. I saw something just last night from the guy who wrote the Hero's Journey, he said when you sit in one place and the reading is good you're in a state of low rapture. i think there's truth to that."

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Do you feel short stories are becoming a lost art? "To some degree. They're harder to sell. There is a view from a lot of authors that the novel is the holy grail. I understand from readers that short fiction can be difficult. Once you get involved you want to be involved for a long time. If I were teaching I would say the one insensible book of short stories is would be please be quiet."

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Is it true you write 8 hours a day? "I'd shoot myself! I write about three hours a day."

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How has rock music influenced your writing? "I listen to a lot of metal, thrash. I like everything! Disco is fine with me. I can hear the sound of people shooting themselves in the head when I say that." he says he likes the beat that drives rock music.

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