The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: New short story collection (11/03/15)

[herbertwest]

"Dear Constant Reader,
Mr. Mercedes is the first volume of a projected trilogy concerning Bill Hodges, his friends…and his enemies. The second volume, Finders Keepers, is finished (in first draft, at least) and will be published in the first half of 2015, perhaps followed by a book of new stories in the fall (or not). Anyway, these three novels seem to revolve around the City Center Massacre that opens Mr. Mercedes. Because of that, I wanted to post a complete list of those killed and injured in Brady Hartsfield’s attack. Some of these unfortunates have other parts to play. As always, I’m glad you’re along for the ride, but be warned: there are some sharp turns ahead, and I’m a really crazy driver."


>>>> http://stephenking.com/promo/mr_merc...-the-toll.html


Meaning : a new collection of short stories?

[Bev Vincent]

You could read it that way -- or as a "book of new stories," like Full Dark, No Stars was.

[mae]

Could be interpreted either way. It's a bit vague, so it could indeed mean a new short fiction collection as I have predicted earlier: http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/...read.php?18202 or he could be referring to the third book in the trilogy. From the sentence structure he says "Mr. Mercedes is the first volume of a projected trilogy concerning Bill Hodges, his friends…and his enemies. The second volume, Finders Keepers, is finished (in first draft, at least) and will be published in the first half of 2015, perhaps followed by a book of new stories in the fall (or not)." I dunno.

[herbertwest]

Na, my understanding is that the new stories he mentions can only be 2 things :
- or a collection of short stories
- or a collection of novellas (as Bev says)
Not being the third book of the trilogy, despite the use of the word "followed". IMO.

But I think that as Bev says, it is very likely to be novellas. Hence the use of the word "NEW" stories. THere are many uncollected stories, but then, per definition they wouldnt, technically, be "new".

[mae]

Well, new in the sense that most King readers don't keep an eye out for every magazine or anthology where a new King story or novella might pop up, plus it's too early for another four-story collection.

[Bev Vincent]

Ms. Mod clarifies: "Collected from previously published in magazines, etc. but complete list has not yet been decided. Whether there are any completely new ones for the collection--to be determined."

[mae]

WOO!

Ms. Mod clarifies: "Collected from previously published in magazines, etc. but complete list has not yet been decided. Whether there are any completely new ones for the collection--to be determined."

Not to toot my own horn again but here's an overview of what the contents may be:

Since we have two new novels to look forward to in 2014, I doubt any other new release will see print this year. Even though we're only four months in into 2014, I don't think it's that early to start looking forward to 2015 releases. I've long believed that in 2015, apart from whatever new novel(s) King may be working on, we'll see a new short fiction collection from him.

The math is simple, and I've posted about this formula a while back. Over the span of his long career, King has published five short story collections (counting just collections of mostly previously published stories). There was a seven-year gap between Night Shift and Skeleton Crew, an eight-year gap between Skeleton Crew and Nightmares & Dreamscapes, a nine-year gap between Nightmares & Dreamscapes and Everything's Eventual, and a six-year gap between Everything's Eventual and Just After Sunset. This averages to 7 years, rounding down. With 30 years between Night Shift and Just After Sunset, it actually averages to an even 6.

So, with Just After Sunset turning seven next year, I'm betting we'll be seeing King's sixth collection of short fiction finally gracing our shelves. Here's what it should contain:

1. Throttle
2. Ur
3. Premium Harmony
4. Herman Wouk is Still Alive
5. Under the Weather
6. Mile 81
7. The Little Green God of Agony
8. The Dune
9. In the Tall Grass
10. A Face in the Crowd
11. Batman and Robin Have an Altercation
12. Afterlife
13. Summer Thunder
14. Bad Little Kid

It might also include "Morality", but that was published as part of Blockade Billy, so King may consider it already collected. Then there were a few poems published by King recently (Mostly Old Men, The Bone Church, Tommy) that could (and should) also be included. As well, there could (and very well should) be included some long-uncollected stories, such as "Weeds", "The Crate", "The Reploids"... And of course a previously unpublished story or two could always be included (all collections thus far had at least one such story), as well as any new stories that may be published in the meantime.

So there you have it. Looks like a pretty solid volume, around the size of Skeleton Crew or so.

P.S.: I would be shocked if the co-authored stories won't be collected, but it's certainly possible.

[DanishFan]

Let's hope the poems will also be included (Mostly Old Men, The Bone Church and Tommy) and of course some bonus materials/brand new stuff. If not, it's going to be a too slim volume.

[mae]

I'm very much hoping for Weeds and The Crate to be included. Please, Steve!

[jhanic]

I just hope there will be some NEW stuff included. I make a special effort to buy the original magazines that the stories appeared in, so I want some new stories!

John

[mae]

I'm really looking forward to re-reading the wonderfully stark and literary stories like Premium Harmony, Herman Wouk is Still Alive, and Batman and Robin Have an Altercation between hard covers.

[herbertwest]

I hope that there will be new stuff too. Although I am certain that there will at least be "BAD LITTLE KID", but that's not new for me :p
UR : i very doubt so. I guess that contractually it will never be published by anyone else than amazon...

[Ari_Racing]

I should check, but as far as I remember, every single short story collection by Steve had at least one new story.

[Bev Vincent]

There were no new stories in Everything's Eventual.

[mae]

That's right, how could I forget. Maybe "Bad Little Kid" will be the new story. Technically, it's unpublished.

[divemaster]

This would be great. I don't read the stories here and there, so a new collection would be just the ticket!

[mae]

There were no new stories in Everything's Eventual.

Technically, "1408" appeared in print for the first time in Everything's Eventual, so there's that.

[jhanic]

Per Ms Mod on the SKMB:

If I can find the other thread where this was asked, I'll post it there as well but some of you had asked about whether "Bad Little Kid" would be included. I've asked Steve and we've confirmed that the exclusive which France and Germany had will expire in June 2015 so it will be able to be included since the collection won't be out until the autumn of 2015. As of now, the plan is to include it.

John

[mattgreenbean]

Per Ms Mod on the SKMB:

If I can find the other thread where this was asked, I'll post it there as well but some of you had asked about whether "Bad Little Kid" would be included. I've asked Steve and we've confirmed that the exclusive which France and Germany had will expire in June 2015 so it will be able to be included since the collection won't be out until the autumn of 2015. As of now, the plan is to include it.

John

So we've got a trilogy of Bill Hodges books AND a new collection coming.

[mae]

So that seems to confirm the collection for fall 2015, likely November.

[mae]

So with this new story That Bus Is Another World the total of stories that this collection should contain is at least 15.

[frik]

And what about Weeds?
Published in May 1976 (Cavalier magazine) and April 1976 (Nugget magazine), and reprinted recently in CD's SHIVERS VII.

And The Crate?
Published in SHIVERS VI, but never in an official King collection.

sk

[mae]

Yes I listed the stories published after the last collection, and there were 14 (now 15) of them. Below that list I also mentioned a few older uncollected stories that may be included. Weeds and The Crate definitely should be.

[mae]

http://stephenking.com/xf/index.php?...contents.4252/

The list has already been set but I can't reveal yet which ones made the cut.

I think the people involved in the pre-production process are agreeing with Steve since he's the one doing the choosing and holding the sharp object.

Hoping none of the published stories is left uncollected.

[nocny]

'The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams' is the tittle.