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Just After Sunset Trivia Quiz

This quiz is on the set of short stories included in "Just After Sunset". There will be one question on each story, plus one each about the introduction and the notes section. Enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by jkkkbdelorge. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
jkkkbdelorge

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
303,682

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
11 / 15

Plays
361

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. According to the Introduction, what got Stephen King back into the groove of writing short stories again? Hint

He found a unfinished short story of his from years back and tried to finish it

He became editor of Best American Short Stories in 2006

His wife begged him to

He was under contract to churn out a book of them before 2006

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. "Willa":
When David Sanderson encounters the wolf out on the deserted road to town, why was the wolf so frightened of David? Hint

David was possessed

David tried to touch it

David had a gun

David was a ghost

NEXT>

Question 3 of 15

3. "The Gingerbread Girl":
What does Emily Owensby find in the trunk of Jim Pickering's Mercedes? Hint

a tied and gagged dog

a severed foot

stacks and stacks of hundred dollar bills

a dead woman

NEXT>

Question 4 of 15

4. "Harvey's Dream":
Basically, what does Harvey Stevens dream? Hint

That this is the day he dies

That one of his daughters is dead

That his wife dies in her sleep in two days

That he murders a stranger

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Question 5 of 15

5. "Rest Stop":
What was John Dykstra's occupation? Hint

Construction worker

Electrician

Family therapist

English professor/writer

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Question 6 of 15

6. "Stationary Bike":
What does Richard Sifkitz do to break the monotony of riding the stationary bike? Hint

Bribes a neighbor boy to visit with him

Brings in a TV

Paints a mural on the wall

Buys a stereo system

NEXT>

Question 7 of 15

7. "The Things They Left Behind":
Scott Staley could not get rid of items left behind by dead people until he had delivered them to the right people. How had all the dead people died? Hint

Space shuttle Challenger explosion

Titanic disaster

September 11th (Twin Towers)

Hindenburg airship explosion

NEXT>

Question 8 of 15

8. "Graduation Afternoon":
What happens on Bruce Hope's graduation afternoon? Hint

A nuclear bomb hit New York City

A mustard gas attack on Chicago

A tsunami hits Miami Beach

A terrorist attack on Los Angeles

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Question 9 of 15

9. "N.":
How many rocks were necessary to keep CTHUN from entering our world? Hint

NEXT>

Question 10 of 15

10. "The Cat From Hell":
What did Drogan want Halston to do with the cat? Hint

Kill it

Keep it

Bring it to the pound

Drop it off in the country

NEXT>

Question 11 of 15

11. "The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates":
How does James, who has recently died, contact Anna? Hint

by phone

by email

by Instant Message

through a psychic

NEXT>

Question 12 of 15

12. "Mute":
What was supposedly wrong with the hitchhiker that Monette picked up? Hint

deaf and mute

missing a leg

missing an arm

blind

NEXT>

Question 13 of 15

13. "Ayana":
What was the main character's father dying of at the beginning of the story? Hint

Pancreatic cancer

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Lung cancer

Multiple myeloma

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. "A Very Tight Place":
What was the first lawsuit between Curtis Johnson and Tim Grunwald over? Hint

Grunwald's encroachment on Johnson's land

the best lot on Turtle Island

stock options

right-of-way on the beach

NEXT>

Question 15 of 15

15. According to the Sunset Notes, what is the one short story in this collection that actually had been written long ago by King? Hint

Harvey's Dream

The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates

The Cat From Hell

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. According to the Introduction, what got Stephen King back into the groove of writing short stories again?

Answer: He became editor of Best American Short Stories in 2006

King used to write short stories in the '70s to help pay the bills and he "wrote them hard and fast". He began to work on novels through the next two decades and eventually was dismayed to find he couldn't really do short stories anymore. Then around 2004 he was asked to edit the 2006 volume of "Best American Short Stories" and he immediately accepted.

He read hundreds of short stories and got excited about the craft again.

2. "Willa": When David Sanderson encounters the wolf out on the deserted road to town, why was the wolf so frightened of David?

Answer: David was a ghost

David was so impressed with himself for scaring a wolf off just by yelling at it, he jokingly thought of changing his name to Wolf Frightener. Only later when Willa finally convinced him that they were long-dead ghosts, did he understand that he wasn't such a he-man.

3. "The Gingerbread Girl": What does Emily Owensby find in the trunk of Jim Pickering's Mercedes?

Answer: a dead woman

As Emily is jogging by, she peeks in his driveway even though she was just warned by Deke, "Jim Pickering's not a very nice man. I'd steer clear of him." Nonetheless, she slows and looks down his driveway and catches a glimpse of his Mercedes' trunk open and blonde, bloody hair hanging out of it.

4. "Harvey's Dream": Basically, what does Harvey Stevens dream?

Answer: That one of his daughters is dead

The dream had really scared Harvey and as he's telling his wife about it, he is actually describing what had already happened the night before and that morning. His wife is realizing that the dream is prophetic and she's terrified to find out if the ending is true.

5. "Rest Stop": What was John Dykstra's occupation?

Answer: English professor/writer

John was an "English professor whose specialty was twentieth-century American poets and novelists". He also wrote suspense novels under the pseudonym Rick Hardin.

6. "Stationary Bike": What does Richard Sifkitz do to break the monotony of riding the stationary bike?

Answer: Paints a mural on the wall

Sifkitz paints a mural of the vision he got when his doctor describes the metabolic process of keeping his arteries clear of cholesterol. The problem is he begins to lose himself in this painting to the point he actually feels like he's riding inside it and meets up with the "work crew" of the metabolic process.

7. "The Things They Left Behind": Scott Staley could not get rid of items left behind by dead people until he had delivered them to the right people. How had all the dead people died?

Answer: September 11th (Twin Towers)

I enjoyed this story because it surprised me. Instead of scaring me and haunting my sleep, this story left me happy and wishing it were true. Not something a person would normally wish after reading a King story!

8. "Graduation Afternoon": What happens on Bruce Hope's graduation afternoon?

Answer: A nuclear bomb hit New York City

Very short story and very distressing. You start with young people contemplating their future, full of hope and bright thoughts. Then Janice sees the mushroom cloud from a distance and just knows life is over and waits for it to hit her. This is the story that bothered me the most in the book.

9. "N.": How many rocks were necessary to keep CTHUN from entering our world?

Answer: 8

As long as 8 rocks were visible in Ackerman's Field, then the evil creature from another realm could not enter our world. When it went to 7 rocks, then it could start to come through. The 'caretaker' would then need to look through a camera or use other methods he figures out to keep our world safe.

10. "The Cat From Hell": What did Drogan want Halston to do with the cat?

Answer: Kill it

Halston is a professional hitman and was surprised to be hired to kill a cat. Drogan suspects the cat killed three others in his home and that he would be next. Never underestimate a cat!

11. "The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates": How does James, who has recently died, contact Anna?

Answer: by phone

As James' plane was going down, he tried to call his wife. Apparently James could complete his call to Anna later since he died right before it rang the first time. They only get to talk a short while though, since his phone was just about out of batteries.

12. "Mute": What was supposedly wrong with the hitchhiker that Monette picked up?

Answer: deaf and mute

He may have been mute, but he certainly wasn't deaf. He listened to Monette's tale of woe about his wife and then went off and killed her.

13. "Ayana": What was the main character's father dying of at the beginning of the story?

Answer: Pancreatic cancer

Doc was on his deathbed from this cancer when the little girl visited him and cured him. The son went on to cure a few people on his own during his life, all because Ayana had touched him during the visit with his father.

14. "A Very Tight Place": What was the first lawsuit between Curtis Johnson and Tim Grunwald over?

Answer: the best lot on Turtle Island

Both men had been sold the land by an old and senile man. Each had a bill of sale that was witnessed and they began a legal battle. Johnson wanted to own it so it would stay undeveloped and Grunwald wanted it for the exact opposite reason.

15. According to the Sunset Notes, what is the one short story in this collection that actually had been written long ago by King?

Answer: The Cat From Hell

King's longtime assistant pointed out that this one story had never appeared in any of his four previous short story collections. It had been published in the magazine "Cavalier" over thirty years ago, but was never included in a hardcover collection. King considers it "the equivalent of a hidden track on a CD".

Source: Author jkkkbdelorge

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor MotherGoose before going online.
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