Second to be published, in August of 1982, Different Seasons includes of one King’s better known short stories: “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.” It also contains a short story called “The Body,” in which four boys travel into the Maine woods, which of course became the premise for the 1986 film Stand by Me. Other titles include: “Battleground,” “Graveyard Shift,” “I Am the Doorway,” “I Know What You Need,” “Night Surf,” “One for the Road,” “Quitter’s Inc.,” “Sometimes They Come Back,” “Strawberry Spring,” “The Boogeyman,” “The Last Rung on the Ladder,” “The Lawnmower Man,” “The Ledge,” “The Man Who Loved Flowers,” “The Woman in the Room,” “Trucks,” and “Grey Matter.”

The very first anthology of Stephen King short stories, published in 1978, Night Shift contains several familiar pieces, such as “Children of the Corn” and “Jerusalem’s Lot.” As well as 18 other chilling stories, including “The Mangler” (the one about the possessed laundry press!). But I am including them for two reasons: King lists them with his short story collections on his website, and they contain some of his best known and most incredible works.

Technically, four of these collections contain a handful of novella length stories rather than 20 or so short stories. The bulk of King’s short stories exist only in the series of 11 anthologies he’s published during his career. Stephen King Short Stories in Print and eBook I'm posting a brand new short story, if you want to read it–think of it as an appetizer to the main course, THE OUTSIDER, coming next week. King also published a short story, “Herman Wouk is Still Alive,” in The Atlantic in 2011, and just recently he tweeted the link to a brand new short story “Laurie,” which he called an “appetizer” for his newest book, The Outsider, out May 22.

“Cone Head” (This is less story, more anecdote.).

Earlier stories are available to subscribing members. All of his stories published in the magazine are listed on his contributor page, and the first four are available to anyone. King contributes fairly regularly to The New Yorker, his last story appearing in 2015. So if it’s creepy clowns or undead children you’re after, these Stephen King short stories may not be your preference. Any elements of horror derive from King’s brilliant use of small town secrets and the human condition. This handful of short stories is predominantly without supernatural elements. There are a few of King’s stories that are available to read for free online, if you want to take a test drive before you commit to purchasing a whole anthology.

Stephen king night shift stories