Salem's Lot Read-A-Long ~ Susan

Welcome to DAY 5 of the Salem's Lot read-a-long! 

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as we read through each chapter of the book .

Chapter TWO

BEWARE! IT MAY SPOIL THE BOOK FOR YOU IF YOU READ THIS! GO NOW and "read the damn book!"

Like all his romantic relationships, I didn't like Susan. Let's be honest. Stephen king is a master of horror not of romance. Susan reminded me too much of Sadie Dunhill from 11/22/63. blech!  Ben, with a girl like Susan not yet a woman, was basically robbing the cradle and that's not creepy. I'm sure Ben Mears wasn't looking to impress Susan, but he needed no introduction because she already knew him from the book she was reading. It was his second novel, Air Dance and she thought he was a ghost. Lovely. He might've thought it was inconsequential meeting her there, but being recognized because of his book he'd hoped to be a successful writer someday -- just like Stephen King probably!  "Of such inconsequential beginnings dynasties are begun" he says. It was "like prophecy spoken in jest".

Soon after they meet in the park , two cops notice the couple in Spencer's having ice cream like two lovebirds. In any small town there is bound to be gossip and the youngest cop points out that Susan was already dating Floyd Tibbits and wouldn't Floyd like to know she was with someone else. Ann Norton doesn't approve of her daughter dating Ben Mears a ghost either :P because she likes Floyd . Susan, however disagrees with her mom badly.

Background info: Hubert Marsten killed his wife Birdie inside his home and then hung himself in 1939. Ben Mears' recurring nightmare stems from when he was a boy. He'd gone into the Marsten's House on a dare. A group of kids playing Pirates told him if he wanted to be one of them that he had to get something from inside the old empty house. Of course that is when he saw the ghost of Hubie Marsten hanging from the ceiling. It opened its eyes and Ben ran out screaming.

Salem's Lot ReadALong Chapter One

Welcome to DAY 4 of the Salem's Lot read-a-long!

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as we read through each chapter of the book.

Chapter One 

Were you a little confused about this chapter like I was? I think the author got it backwards because we are now living in the past before the events in the prologue. Right? Stephen King has a demented mind but he's a great author. Anyway, Ben Mears goes to visit Jerusalem's Lot for the first time in 25 years and is surprised to see not much has changed. He's on a mission to write a book about something that happened to him as a kid, and to exercise his demons. When he goes to find the Marsten House looking as old as ever and still empty, it gives him goosebumps. He hopes to live in it and write his book there. Crazy.

Halloween Meme

Each week in October Midnytereader will be posting a question relating to Halloween and Horror. Simple and fun right?

Question for the Week:

What was the first book that scared you?

I read Helter Skelter when I was 13. It's about how Charles Manson killed Sharon Tate and others. It was horrific and it left me paralyzed in fear.

Salem's Lot ~ The Marsten House

Welcome to DAY 3 of the Salem's Lot read-a-long! 
If you'd like to join please SIGN UP HERE and follow along each day 
as we read through each chapter of the book .

The Marsten House

• Post a picture of a creepy haunted house

source

The Marsten's House is described as creepy. In the following paragraph, what are some adjectives Stephen King uses to fulfill that sense...

 " The house itself looked toward town. it was huge and rambling and sagging, its windows haphazardly boarded shut, giving it that sinister look of all old houses that have been empty for a long time. The paint had been weathered away, giving the house a uniform gray look. Windstorms had ripped many of the shingles off, and a heavy snowfall had punched in the west corner of the main roof, giving it a slumped, hunched look. A tattered no-trespassing sign was nailed to the right-hand newel post."

Salem's Lot: The Prologue

Welcome to DAY 2 of the Salem's Lot read-a-long!
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as we read through each chapter of the book .

Prologue 

According to a Portland Maine newspaper article Salem's Lot is haunted and nobody lives there anymore . The obvious conclusion would be because it was overtaken by vampires. But how? Where did they come from? A boy and a tall man with black hair appear to know more then anybody else about the circumstances surrounding 'Salem's Lot, that he'd drive more than forty miles every week just to get the newspaper. These two characters are travelling south in a beat up Citroen Sedan, running from something that happened a year ago in Jerusalem's Lot . Who are they? The man is a writer, and appears human, looks like he could be the boys father, but it baffles me because of a nightmare he would go back . .  back to the place where I assume it began . Also, the priest in Los Zapatos, Father Gracon, might've prompted him. The priest was very sympathetic after hearing the boy's confession, but the whole dark unknown was worrisome.

I felt like a blind person groping in the dark, because instead of starting where most tales begin we begin at the end where nothing really makes sense. Salem's Lot appears to have a ton of characters I expect we will be meeting in the course of the book.

What did you guys think ? Did you get the feeling that their were dark things ahead ?

Salem's Lot Read-a-long Questions for PART ONE

ANSWER QUESTIONS TO SALEM'S LOT

 PROLOGUE
 PART ONE
 CHAPTERS ONE TO SEVEN

1. Who are the tall man and the boy? 
2. What does the tall man drive more than forty miles to get every week? 
3. To whom does the boy make a confession?
4. What house does Ben Mears make note of as he drives into Jerusalem's Lot? 
5. How does Susan know who Ben is when she sees him in the park? What does this tell the reader about Ben's career to this point? 
6. What obstacle do several characters point out stand between a possible relationship between Susan and Ben? 
7. Who died in the Marsten House in 1939? 
8. Why did Ben enter the Marsten House as a nine-year-old boy? 
9. What is unusual about the format of Chapter 3? 
10. Who sold the Marsten House to Straker and Barlow? Why? 
11. What two boys are walking alone in the dark woods? Why? 
12. What takes place in Harmony Hill Cemetery at midnight on the day depicted in Chapter 3? 
13. Which children go missing in Chapter 4? Who sounds the alarm? 
14. Which of the brothers eventually arrives home? What condition is he in? 
15. What is unusual about the box that two movers are ordered to take to the Marsten House? 
16. What does Hank Peters see in the Marsten cellar that he discusses with Larry Crockett?
17. What does Mr. Glick demand Danny do during the funeral for Danny Glick?
18. Who becomes convinced that Danny's eyes are open in his coffin? What does he do about it?
19. What does Parkins learn from the FBI about Ben Mears' past?
20. What does Father Callahan attempt to hide from his housekeeper? Why?
21. What is the book Ben currently writing about? 
22. What do Ben and Susan discuss is still living in the Marsten House? 
23. Why does Ben decide to go out again after leaving Susan at home after their second dinner with her parents?
24. Who does Ben meet while at Dell's bar?
25. To whom does Ben give a speech about his writing career?
26. What do Ben and Matt discuss over dinner in Chapter 7?
27. Who does Matt run into at Dell's on Thursday night?
28. What does Matt hear as he tries to fall asleep after allowing Mike to sleep in his spare bedroom? 

Assignments:
 On DAY 3  ~ Post a picture of a Haunted House

Read-A-Long To Salem's Lot Introduction

Welcome to the Salem's Lot read-a-long! SIGN UP HERE and follow along each day as we read through each chapter of the book There's no right or wrong way to take part in this read along. You can join in at the start of the read along, a few days after we start, the middle etc. You can read the book through in one night or read each chapter separately as we go. 

There are THREE PARTS to Salem's Lot so I'll post questions pertaining to each part beforehand and you can answer the questions on your blog or in a comment. Whichever works best for you. I'll include the link to each post on the dates listed in the schedule. It may contain spoilers but I will post a warning for the sake of the people who haven't read the book.

THE SCHEDULE

 October
        DAY. . .

• 1st.. .Welcome Introduction ↑ ↑ ↑ 
• 2nd....Prologue section 1-7 
• 3rd ~ The Marsten House - 
• 4th Chapter One
• 5th Chapter Two
• 6th Chapter Three
• 7th Chapter Four: Danny Glick and Others section 1-6 
• 8th Chapter Four: Danny Glick and Others section 6-14 
• 9th Chapter 5: Ben (II) 
• 10th Chapter 6: The Lot (II) section 1-6 
• 11th Chapter 6: The Lot (II) section 6-9 
• 12th Chapter 7: Matt 
• 13th PART TWO: The Emperor of Ice Cream 
• 14th Chapter 8: Ben (III) 
• 15th Chapter 9: Susan (II) 
• 16th Chapter 10: The Lot (III) 
• 17th Chapter 11: Ben (IV) 
• 18th Chapter 12: Mark  
• 19th Chapter 13: Father Callahan 
• 20th PART THREE: The Deserted Village 
• 21st Chapter 14: The Lot (IV)
• 22nd Chapter 15: Ben and Mark 
• 23rd Epilogue 

Assignments:
On Day 3 post a picture of a Haunted House