The Key to Midnight (Group Read - November 2013)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Shastina-Sassy wrote: "I've been wanting to come back to this book for a while. This will be that last little reason to finally give in!"

Wow! A lot of people are really excited for The Key to Midnight. This will be fun :-)

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Alex (Al) wrote: "Now I have an excuse to read it again next month. ;]"

Don't you read The Key to Midnight Every Month?

[Karen B.]

It's nice to have something everyone is so excited to be reading or re-reading. It's one of those I always have had one more book I wanted to read before this one but am really looking forward to this. Now that I have learned how to do my cardio at the gym and read my Kindle at the same time I can spend more time reading than I have since in the past three weeks. (I spend every morning at the gym and ... applause welcome ... it's a miracle for Couch Potato Karen who hates to even walk out to the mailbox to get the mail.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Karen B wrote: " Now that I have learned how to do my cardio at the gym and read my Kindle at the same time I can spend more time reading than I have since in the past three weeks. (I spend every morning at the gym and ... applause welcome ... it's a miracle for Couch Potato Karen who hates to even walk out to the mailbox to get the mail. "

I am rather a homebody myself :-) I got me a pet hedgehog last month because I am so much like a hedgehog. I don't like a lot of social drama. I keep things simple.

I was going to post a link to Lady Gaga singing APPLAUSE but instead I would like to share this with you because it's a bit quirky:
http://youtu.be/t1x8DMfbYN4
Soon We'll Be Found by Sia

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Alex (Al) wrote: "I do read it every month, but now I have a real excuse to read it next month."

That's what I thought :-) How often do you read False Memory and The House of Thunder?

[Karen B.]

Alex thanks for the song. Sometimes when I am with a group of people and they ask what do I like to "do" ... I feel really odd saying "read" but truly reading is my favorite activity.
And I like re-reading some books because I get more out of them the second and third time around.
There are some books I like to just read on the Kindle and then delete them. And there are some books that I like to have the paper copy and the Kindle copy which may sound weird but I can read Kindle in bed more easily than a Large Print hard bound book. Koontz is usually the one I have double copies of.
And I really was teasing about the applause. The expression we have in my family is "the Martians must have gotten your brains." taken from an old black and white movie my ex and I watched and then watched again and again with my daughters. Well my going to the gym is like the Martians must have taken my brains because moving around is definitely NOT me.
It's been a long time since I read The Key to Midnight and maybe I will be wanting to re-read it every month as well. I know that every time I re-read Watchers, or any of the Chris Snow books I get more out of them than just a "story". Some of the Odd Thomas books too but not all of them will get a second read. And here I go getting all Karenny
but I like to re-read Shakespeare and not necessarily the most famous ones. I have read and taught Twelfth Night<\i> to the point that some would definitely say the Martians had taken over my brains but it gets funnier each time I read it as I pick up more of the sarcasm and wit in it. And I have read (not just watch) A Christmas Carol every year because there are all these little things in the book version that are never in the movie versions.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I can't reply to a specific comment from my phone, but that's what I do. I have a few books I have on my bookshelf and my Nook both. I keep bookmarks updated so I can read in a bath or whatever.

I can't work, so I really do devote most of my time to reading. Or, trying to read. My cats like to sit on my book/Nook and be wenches. hahah.

I haven't read this book since 08 or so. It was the second or third Koontz book I read, and I loved it. I'm quote excited to revisit it and see what all I really remember!

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

*quite.
Bad phone, making me spell things wrong.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Does The Key To Midnight open The Door to December? Is the Door to December One Door Away From Heaven?

Does anyone else ponder the mysterious interconnectedness of the Koontz Universe?

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Does The Key To Midnight open The Door to December? Is the Door to December One Door Away From Heaven?

Does anyone else ponder the mysterious interconnectedness of the Koontz Universe?"

I've definitely wondered if the Key To Midnight opened the Door to December.

[Karen B.]

oh my... sometimes it floors me that some people think like I do regarding interconnectedness of the Koontz Universe. I kept messing up references too and was writing on here something about The Darkest Evening of the Year> When I meant What the Night Knows>

Shastina-Sassy, my one cat Loves my Kindle. Here it was I thought he was wanting me to put it down and be attentive to me and it turns out he loves rubbing his face against the cover when I hold it like a book.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

I just adopted a cat from The Humane Society 2 weeks ago. I didn't think I was a cat person, but since I am gone all day at work I can't really have a dog in my cozy condo. I got me a hedgehog but she doesn't like to cuddle and then suddenly two weeks ago my cat started talking to my in my mind and I got up in the middle of the night and checked the available cats at The Humane Society and there he was so I went and got him the next morning. His name is Indie, The Telepathic Cat. He is purrfect!

[Karen B.]

Dustin, what? Your hedgehog doesn't like to cuddle? ...
*LOL* They are so sweet though. Apparently there is a whole big universe of hedgehog lovers.
You have definitely been reading a lot of Koontz if your cat started talking to you before you even adopted him. Maybe you will become a cat whisperer. Sometimes I sure do wish I had a real telepathic connection with my kids (cats). When Phil stands on the stool next to the bed (so he can climb up more easily) and I know the litter box is cleaned, the food and water bowls are full and he meows up at me I go crazy trying to figure out what he's saying.

[Jen]

I just requested the my library either buy a copy of The Key to Midnight or find me one via Interlibrary Loan so I can read both it and Demon Seed. :)

[Tracy]

Jen wrote: "I just requested the my library either buy a copy of The Key to Midnight or find me one via Interlibrary Loan so I can read both it and Demon Seed. :)"

Good idea Jen. Looks like I have to get Key to Midnight since my sister took mine but I do have Demon Seed sitting on my dresser.

[Jen]

Thanks, Tracy. I haven't yet found copies of either of our November books to add to my growing Koontz collection, but someday... :)

[Tracy]

I am slowly getting all of Koontz books. Every time I see one I have to check goodreads to make sure I don't already have it and if I don't I grab it. Long process since he has written so many.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

My cats are always laying on my Nook, even if I set it down just long enough to turn the light off. They do it with my laptop, too. I think they like the cool surface against their fluffy, adorable faces.

[Tracy]

Maybe it's the warmth Shastina. Do you have your nook or laptop on?

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

My laptop isn't on very often, and they lay on it when it's closed in the summer constantly. That's why I was thinking maybe the cool surface. I'm not sure, I just know they like sitting on everything I'm in the middle of trying to do, haha.

[Karen B.]

My Phil likes my Kindle not because of the heat, but because he can rub his face against a thin sturdy cover.It's harder to read but if I open it like a book and he can have the left side to rub on he's happy.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

That's cute. They can be little monsters, but life without them would be a lovey one.
One of mine follows me everywhere and watches me closely, especially when I'm sick. They know so much.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

Lonely*
My phone keeps correcting me!

[Karen B.]

My Mary Kate follows me and is always looking at me. When I had a TV before she would watch TV and loved a show on the Animal Planet called "That's my Baby" and I don't know why but she loved the mama llama and it's baby. Now with the new type of flat screen I don't think she can see the pictures anymore. Sometimes I feel like she is saying "Me too Meowmie" when I say something to her brother or sister. She loves sitting on the back of my computer chair when I am on the computer but doesn't like being held in my lap. Phil likes to lie on me and he is one big cat. I have to chase him sometimes because he makes it harder to breathe. I swear he's around 18 pounds. He doesn't look fat he's just big all over. Longer legs than his sisters and longer from nose to tail. I wish I could make him understand that it isn't that I don't love him but he is so darned heavy and weighs my chest down.

[Karen B.]

Oh and I hate when my phone corrects me and I don't pick it up.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

My older cat is like that. He doesn't realize he's no longer a baby and will try to stretch out over my chest. If I fall asleep on my side I usually wake up with both of them trying to lay on my shoulder or hip.

[Misty]

My dog does that when I'm lying on our couch. We've had her for about 2 years and she's always lying on me somehow, be it on my chest or my lap. Granted, she's only a 3lb chihuahua so it's not as inconvenient as it sounds.

[Tracy]

Need to get this from the library.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Currently Reading. The eyes on the cover are a bit creepy.

[Tracy]

Is the book as creepy DC?

[Jen]

I just checked my records and it looks like my library is buying copies of The Key to Midnight for its collection! While this is very exciting news for Koontz fans, I'm a wee bit disappointed since purchases tend to take longer to come in than Interlibrary Loan titles, so I might not get to read it in November. :(

[Karen B.]

Jen, do you have a used bookstore in your area? If not Amazon.com has used paperbacks for as low as 80 cents plus 3.99 shipping. Then there are the Amazon Prime used books. $3.56 for a "good" copy and that includes shipping with a two-day delivery. Not bad.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Tracy wrote: "Is the book as creepy DC?"

Yes!
(view spoiler)[ I find people with metal fingers extremely creepy especially when they are sticking people with needles. "the faceless bastard with steel fingers... once more the needle" (hide spoiler)] (Chapter 9)

[Tracy]

Jen wrote: "I just checked my records and it looks like my library is buying copies of The Key to Midnight for its collection! While this is very exciting news for Koontz fans, I'm a wee bit disappointed since..."

Well that's good and bad news Jen. Have you ever used Overdrive? That is where I get 90% of my books from.

[Tracy]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Is the book as creepy DC?"

Yes!
[spoilers removed] (Chapter 9)"

I thought the (view spoiler)[steel fingers and needles was in Demon Seed. (hide spoiler)]

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Nope :-) (view spoiler)[ The Key to Midnight is along the same lines as The House of Thunder and False Memory. Demon Seed is about a computer entity that takes a woman prisoner in her own home (hide spoiler)]

[Craig]

Hi guys!
I'm new to the group. My wife beat me into joining.
(Shastina)
Okay, okay. She didn't.
She's also not typing this for me.

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I got about 100 pages or so in before I zonked out s'mornin'
I'd only achieved 90 minutes or so of sleep.
It's definitely a quick read, once you've already read it. I remember most things, there are just some small things I'd forgotten. I should have it finished tomorrow. Then I'll be starting Demon Seed!

Dustin, when does voting start for December? I'm just curious. I haven't been on Goodreads much, but I'm hoping to become more involved :)

[Karen B.]

Have we decided yet if the The Key to Midnight will open the Door to December? Dustin, I think you asked that question ... I thought it was a great one.

[Tracy]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Nope :-) [spoilers removed]"

Oh well that's what I get for watching the movie trailer.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Karen B wrote: "Have we decided yet if the The Key to Midnight will open the Door to December? Dustin, I think you asked that question ... I thought it was a great one."

:-) I was making a joke. Ha. Ha.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Welcome to the group Craig!!!!

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Shastina-Sassy wrote: "Dustin, when does voting start for December? I'm just curious. I haven't been on Goodreads much, but I'm hoping to become more involved :) "

The Poll is open now and will run through Friday Night.
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/2...
If two choices tie then we will feature both options. However in the rare instance of a 3-way tie we will do a break the tie poll.

We have always seemed to go through waves of activity here in Koontzland. There will be no new comments for a while and then all of a sudden a flurry of activity. I find it interesting that The Key to Midnight is actually generating more interest than we have had in a while - The Key to Midnight is not one of Dean's more popular books :-)

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I'll definitely go vote, then.

I find that interesting, most people I personally have talked to seem to like it a lot.

Maybe it's just us loyal fans. haha.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

The Key to Midnight was used in The Key of Awesome's Parody of Lady Gaga's Applause followed by the phrase "He's not that good". But maybe they just used this particular title for the similarities in name between The Key of Awesome and The Key to Midnight :-)

http://youtu.be/XRHrFEYyl_k
you can skip to the 1:29 mark :-)

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

I remember, I was saying I didn't like that part!

It could be a mixture of that and she says a word similar in the actual song I believe.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Shastina-Sassy wrote: "I remember, I was saying I didn't like that part!
"

Was that you that pointed it out? I hadn't even heard the "he's not that good part" until someone pointed it out in the Is Lady Gaga a Koontz Fan thread

[Shastina , Koontzland Social Media Moderator]

Yeah, it was :)

[Tracy]

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Shastina-Sassy wrote: "I remember, I was saying I didn't like that part!
"

Was that you that pointed it out? I hadn't even heard the "he's not that good part" until someone pointed it out in the I..."

I think they were talking about the guy reading to her because he turned around real fast when that guy said that. At least that's the way I'm taking it. Not that I'm a Lady Gaga fan, actually I don't care for her at all.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl, Colorful Colorado]

Tracy wrote: "I think they were talking about the guy reading to her because he turned around real fast when that guy said that. At least that's the way I'm taking it. "

but that guy was dressed up like and pretending to be Dean Koontz :-)