Stephen King's Magical Toolbox

[Zgirlie]

One of the things I most love about SK's books is his rather colorful and versatile use of words and phrases. Some of them, I have to admit, had me convulsing on the floor laughing my ass off.

What is YOUR favorite word, or grouping of words, in any of his books? Mine are as follows:

"Fumper-Licker" (LMFAO!) -and I'm having this massive brainfart right now and it's pissing me off, I think this one was from "Blaze" but I can't remember!

"Oh my, there's a penis between us" (Johanna in "Bag of Bones")

I don't want to steal anyone else's thunder here so I'll shut up now. Let 'em fly, kids! :bat:

[aptpupil]

Hey Z

You really ought to consult a doctor about those episodes of "convulsing on the floor laughing your ass off".

Girl, it just ain't normal.

[Cowboy]

"Tooter fish sandwiches" -Sai Roland

[cunninghamair]

I laughed out loud a lot while reading "On Writing." Only SK could make grammar funny! Something about adverbs, I think.

[Dani~]

I love that about Stephen's work. I'll just be reading away, on the edge of my seat and suddenly he'll 'say' something that just cracks me up. Or he'll put in some little observation that stops me short and I have to go back and read it two or three times just to try and savour the moment.

I also love the little incidentals he puts in. In The Gingerbread Girl he has two people fighting for their lives in the roiling surf and out of nowhere comes this sentence.

"One small, clueless fish zipped past." I love that!!

[Dani~]

The unspoken humour, the intuitive observations into the human experience, and the smatterings of normality in an otherwise unreal situation are what make it hard to translate his books into movies effectively. Sorry if this is off topic...continue:smile2:

[Bryan James]

I completely and sincerely (two different things) think that Stephen King just lets a few words hang......from time to time. (Obscure Star Wars reference for which I apologize).

But the first part, no.

I have no idea what sort of moderation goes on here, so I'm going to write despite and not to spite.

You get an idea in yer head, and you want to just jam it out.

Sometimes it works. Sometimes you need to retool it.
Sometimes you need to trash it.

Deify enough plums and they eventually come from their home planet and deify you.

BJS

[tillyn]

Brain Fart for sure , i just finished Dt and there were a ton of them in there!

[Prince of Darkness]

Hi,

From Lisey's Story -- "Incuncks" and "Incunckobilia" and "Bool!"

The latter most of all. I have gone on to use that word daily after reading Lisey's Story. People look at me funny, but I can't be bothered! :biggrin2:

Long days and pleasant nights

[cocomajo]

really enjoyed all the mis -spoken words and phrases as a result of the brain injury in Duma Key especially when he's mad at his wife.

[Jax]

I end up using the word f*ckarow from time to time which I think Beaver in Dreamcatcher used.
I also like the phrase "SOWISA" from Lisey's Story. Seems like I "strap it on" a lot to get through certain things.

[Zgirlie]

I end up using the word f*ckarow from time to time which I think Beaver in Dreamcatcher used.
I also like the phrase "SOWISA" from Lisey's Story. Seems like I "strap it on" a lot to get through certain things.


Yes....I strap it on quite frequently!:smile2:

I have to add that SK's stories have such an element of realism to them. People go about saying and thinking all sorts of random crap, and very few writers are honest about it. I also really liked the deal in one of his books (another brainfart happening here) where he says something about "That's a little too Stephen King for me" and it almost makes you forget you're reading a book, ffs! In the words of my 10 year-old, epic win!!!

[pandora]

Isn't SK amazing!!! He can with a few phrases catch a characters personality! I love that!
I've always liked "Bad Gunky". It describes almost anything that either freaks you out. (I have to admit the pet name "Baby Love" makes me melt!)

[Agincourt Concierge]

"Lobstrosities..."

oh yeah....look for these everytime I hit the beach...

[Samantha_]

You can't seriously think whatever you're thinking ... can you? quoted from "Insomnia".

The odd things is I actually understand that reasoning

And, "You know, I've always wanted to be a brain surgeon." quoted from the introduction in "Night Shift".

[Cerralin]

I liked..

He was glad her back was turned because he felt at that precise moment there was more of him on his face than he wanted her to see!!

From Cujo

[Carri]

Isn't SK amazing!!! He can with a few phrases catch a characters personality! I love that!
I've always liked "Bad Gunky". It describes almost anything that either freaks you out. (I have to admit the pet name "Baby Love" makes me melt!)

Yeah...the "bad gunky" and the "mean reds." I so get that.

[Samantha_]

I read "Cujo" but it's been a while and that is a great line.

And, I forgot to add that the line about "always wanting to be a brain surgeon" came from John D. MacDonald writing in the first introduction in Night Shift.

Basically, he says people always come up to him and say, "You know I always wanted to write." He gives an excited reply, "You know I've always wanted to be a brain surgeon."

John D. MacDonald goes on to say that Stephen King always wanted to write and he writes. For me, that's part of the magical toolbox-if you want to write- just write.

[Mr. Jingles]

I live the part of Pet Semetary when Lewis talks about Gage throwing up....he says "Pretty, pretty" then pukes....when Lewis himself feels green, he thinks to himself, "I feel like saying pretty, pretty, and blowing my groceries all over the garage."
That to me is too funny!

[dsurrett]

"sky carriage" - Roland of Gilead in Drawing of the Three

[Chatterbox]

I always say "Die Realität ist Ralph" what means "reality is Ralph, dunno how it really is in the original version of lisey's story but I always remember that one and I liked the whole pool thing in the book^^

[Merlsmom]

It's King's nicely-sculpted turns of phrase that always floor me. One especially lovely one from It springs to mind.

"Some desire as warm as want, as lovely as love."

Ah - it's writing like that which makes me fall ever more in love with the man!

[Autumnlyn]

OMG - Kingspeak is part of my everyday language.

theres a tree on the way to my house we named "Bad Gunky"; Bool-the-end; a blood bool is 'that time of the month'; I am often forced to Cry my sisters Pardon; always Shoot with my mind; Someone really evil is always He who walks behind the rows; the list could go on and on and on and on and on...

[Perse Jr.]

"Buggerlug" from Duma...don't ask why, it just stuck!

[Crystalized]

A few of my personal favorites come from Lisey's Story

SOWISA
Strap On Whenever It Seems Appropriate
&
Eatin' Nasty

I have put these to good use in my own life & can I just say that I will have nothing to do with a man if he drives a PT Cruiser thanks to SK ... I think he refers to them as being a "toy gangster car" & you know he's a bad guy if he's sporting one.

[catnoel]

SOWISA (I think)

Strap on whenever it seems appropriate. I acutally think this before the s*#@ hits the fan!!!

[derrickgott007]

In Dreamcatcher when Pete and Henry first encounter the sitting woman in the road, and they get her to stand and she farts...

The woman bent slightly, grimaced,farted.
"Thank you very much," Pete said sourly. "You've been a wonderful audience, goodnight!"

Those lines had me rolling in laughter at work.....Priceless.

[justkat73]

I laughed out loud a lot while reading "On Writing." Only SK could make grammar funny! Something about adverbs, I think.

I was just thinking about that before I saw this thread as I was working on my writing. I am reading that book right now and I was cracking up on that part...but it made me pay more attention to my adverbs too. I have a feeling that a class with him would each me more about writing they way I want to than any college book is going to.

[RJMiller]

There are too many too list. I just can't pick one favourite. I wish I could come up with half of the stuff he has. SOWISA is also one that has stuck with me.
I didn't realize it before but these crazy words and phrases do stick with you. I've used them a few times myself without a thought to where I heard them before.