by Stephen King
Jamie, an old woman's voice whispers from the keyhole of a door only I can see. Come. Come to me and live forever.
No, I tell her, just as I told her in my vision. No.
And . . . so far, so good. But eventually something will happen. Something always does. And when it does . . .
I will come to Mother.
April 6, 2013-December 27, 2013
Author's Note
CHUCK VERRILL is my agent. He sold the book, and provided aid and comfort along the way.
NAN GRAHAM edited the book with a sharp eye and an even sharper blue pencil.
RUSS DORR, my tireless researcher, provided information when information was needed. If I screwed something up, it was because I failed to understand. In such cases blame me, not him.
SUSAN MOLDOW took all my calls, even when I was being a pain in the ass, and urged me ever onward.
MARSHA DeFILIPPO and JULIE EUGLEY mind my real-world affairs so I can live in my imagination.
TABITHA KING, my wife and best critic, pointed out the soft places and urged me to fix them. Which I did, to the best of my ability. I love her a bunch.
Thanks to all of you, and special thanks to THE ROCK BOTTOM REMAINDERS, who taught me you're never too old to rock and roll and have kept me high-stepping to "In the Midnight Hour" since 1992. Key of E. All that shit starts in E.
--Bangor, Maine
About the Author
Photograph (c) Shane Leonard
Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Mr. Mercedes, Doctor Sleep, and Under the Dome, now a major TV miniseries on CBS. His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller as well as the Best Hardcover Book Award from the International Thriller Writers Association. He is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.
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Interior design by Erich Hobbing
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2014005950
ISBN 978-1-47677038-3
ISBN 978-1-4767-7040-6 (ebook)
Contents
* * *
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Author's Note
About the Author