Today I would like to talk about the world idol of horror fans - Stephen King. Not so long ago he turned 66 (I just want to add another six). During his life, he wrote more than 250 works, and many of his creations can now rightfully be called cult. Under the cut, I suggest you look at a few unknowns, but interesting facts from the life of a legend of world literature.
Many have heard the story that Stephen King's father mysteriously disappeared when the boy was two years old and his brother David was four. Just went out for cigarettes and didn't come back. Only as adults did the brothers learn that their father had started another family, in which he had four children and had lived all the time near their old house. By the way, David is not Stephen's brother, he was adopted two years before the birth of the writer. But Stephen King himself never mentions it. Stephen was a sickly boy. One of the most vivid childhood impressions from childhood is otitis, which the writer fell ill with in the first grade (at the age of five) and the pain from piercing the eardrum, which he had to endure during three procedures. “My cry is still in my ears,” he wrote, almost fifty years later. During one of his serious illnesses, six-year-old Stephen decided to rewrite the comic with a sequel, just out of boredom. That's where it started literary activity. “My cry is still in my ears,” he wrote, almost fifty years later.
King's first reader was his mother (it was she who prompted him to write his own stories). When he brought her four own works, she paid the boy 25 cents each. “It was my first dollar I ever made,” writes Stephen King. His mother's support and his faith in his son's ability helped him later.
In the late fifties in America produced children's magazine"Famous Monsters of Filmland". Its editor, Forrest J. Ackerman, is a literary agent and lover of fantasy. This magazine was Stephen's favorite reading material.
Later, Forrest began to publish another magazine - "Cosmonaut", in which the boy sent his first story. The story was never published, and Stephen King happily forgot about it. But twenty years later famous writer had to face his childhood story - he signed it for ... Forrest J. Ackerman, who kept this unremarkable work all these years. The first issue of the magazine "Famous Monsters of Filmland", 1958
In 1962, Dave and Stephen King published a home newspaper called Dave's Mustard Platter, which was read by the entire town of Derham. First, the boys made prints on a hectograph, and then they bought a rotaprint. Somewhat later, it was on this hectograph that Stephen printed the first book, on the cover of which was written “the work of Stephen King” - a free reworking of one of his favorite horror films under the “edgarposh” title “The Well and the Pendulum”.
Stephen King met his wife in college. After three years of marriage, they already had three children. To feed them, the writer had to work in the laundry. During this time, he wrote "The Night Shift" and "Sometimes They Come Back" - at night and at lunchtime. Stephen King says of writing, "The job of a writer has as much to do with sweeping the floor as it does with mythical moments of insight."
The breakthrough to fame was the novel Carrie (1974), which King initially threw in the trash. The drafts were found and saved by his wife Tabitha, who also forced the writer to finish the novel after all. By that time, Fury, The Long Walk, and The Running Man had already been written.
By the way, Stephen King does not like his "Kerry". He says he doesn't understand main character and does not believe some of the characters. The rights to this novel were sold by his literary agent to Signet Books for $400,000. This money helped the writer's family to get out of poverty. First edition of Carrie, 1974
In King's works one can often find analogies with his own biography. The novel "Misery" (1987), in which an abnormal nurse holds the writer captive (the film adaptation of this novel is one of the most successful adaptations of King, with the inimitable Kathy Bates, who won Oscar and Golden Globe awards for her role in this film) , he wrote about himself in captivity to alcohol and drugs.
The Tommyknockers (1987) is an analogy novel, a cry for help. The voices in the head of the writer, who took possession of her will and invisible alien rulers of the mind. King joked that he had already drunk so much that he did not remember writing "Cujo" (1981), a novel about a St. Bernard who caught rabies. Since the late 80s, the writer has not drunk a drop of alcohol. Kathy Bates as Mad Nurse. One of the scariest shots from the movie Misery, 1990
In 1999, Stephen King's life could have ended in a car accident. Rather, he himself did not get into an accident, he was hit by a van flying at breakneck speed, driven by a not quite normal driver named Brian Smith. At the time of the accident, he reached into the back seat to push his Rottweiler away from the meat fridge. The writer was saved, and he even returned to normal life, although at first no one believed in such an optimistic outcome, especially the doctor who first examined the writer after the accident. The most interesting thing is that Brian Smith himself is like a character who has descended from the King's pages, flying into reality to do away with the creator.
King, who is known to be a fan of rock music, for a long time played rhythm guitar in the all-writer Rock Bottom Reaminders rock band. Moreover, the group did not just gather in the garage of one of its members, but performed with concerts, had its fans and even brought in a certain income. In addition to music, writers discussed their literary achievements and ideas - such a versatile creative union.
In many of King's works, there are "winks" to the Regular Reader - a person who, without any doubt, exists in reality, for whom Stephen King wrote and still writes. Heroes of one work, casually mentioned in another, bringing together various cycles and storylines, the unity of place and time - all these features of writing make the books written by him a single work- a lifetime of a man named Stephen King.
Today I would like to talk about the world idol of horror fans - Stephen King.
Not so long ago, he turned 66 (I just want to add another six).
During his life, he wrote more than 250 works, and many of his creations can now rightfully be called cult.
Under the cut, I suggest you look at some unknown, but interesting facts from the life of the legend of world literature.
Many have heard the story that Stephen King's father mysteriously disappeared when the boy was two years old and his brother David was four. Just went out for cigarettes and didn't come back. Only as adults did the brothers learn that their father had started another family, in which he had four children and had lived all the time near their old house. By the way, David is not Stephen's brother, he was adopted two years before the birth of the writer. But Stephen King himself never mentions it. Stephen was a sickly boy. One of the most vivid childhood impressions from childhood is otitis, which the writer fell ill with in the first grade (at the age of five) and the pain from piercing the eardrum, which he had to endure during three procedures. “My cry is still in my ears,” he wrote, almost fifty years later. During one of his serious illnesses, six-year-old Stephen decided to rewrite the comic with a sequel, just out of boredom. This is where his literary career began. “My cry is still in my ears,” he wrote, almost fifty years later.
King's first reader was his mother (it was she who prompted him to write his own stories). When he brought her four of his own pieces, she paid the boy 25 cents each. “It was my first dollar I ever made,” writes Stephen King. His mother's support and his faith in his son's ability helped him later.
In the late fifties, a children's magazine, Famous Monsters of Filmland, was published in America. Its editor, Forrest J. Ackerman, is a literary agent and lover of fantasy. This magazine was Stephen's favorite reading material.
Later, Forrest began to publish another magazine - "Cosmonaut", in which the boy sent his first story. The story was never published, and Stephen King happily forgot about it. But twenty years later, the famous writer had to face his childhood story - he signed it for ... Forrest J. Ackerman, who kept this unremarkable work all these years. The first issue of the magazine "Famous Monsters of Filmland", 1958
In 1962, Dave and Stephen King published a home newspaper called Dave's Mustard Platter, which was read by the entire town of Derham. First, the boys made prints on a hectograph, and then they bought a rotaprint. Somewhat later, it was on this hectograph that Stephen printed the first book, on the cover of which was written “the work of Stephen King” - a free reworking of one of his favorite horror films under the “edgarposh” title “The Well and the Pendulum”.
Stephen King met his wife in college. After three years of marriage, they already had three children. To feed them, the writer had to work in the laundry. During this time, he wrote "The Night Shift" and "Sometimes They Come Back" - at night and at lunchtime. Stephen King says of writing, "The job of a writer has as much to do with sweeping the floor as it does with mythical moments of insight."
The breakthrough to fame was the novel Carrie (1974), which King initially threw in the trash. The drafts were found and saved by his wife Tabitha, who also forced the writer to finish the novel after all. By that time, Fury, The Long Walk, and The Running Man had already been written.
By the way, Stephen King does not like his "Kerry". According to him, he does not understand the main character and does not believe some of the characters. The rights to this novel were sold by his literary agent to Signet Books for $400,000. This money helped the writer's family to get out of poverty. First edition of Carrie, 1974
In the works of King, one can often find analogies with his own biography. The novel "Misery" (1987), in which an abnormal nurse holds the writer captive (the film adaptation of this novel is one of the most successful adaptations of King, with the inimitable Kathy Bates, who won Oscar and Golden Globe awards for her role in this film) , he wrote about himself in captivity to alcohol and drugs.
The Tommyknockers (1987) is an analogy novel, a cry for help. The voices in the head of the writer, who took possession of her will and invisible alien rulers of the mind. King joked that he had already drunk so much that he did not remember writing "Cujo" (1981), a novel about a St. Bernard who caught rabies. Since the late 80s, the writer has not drunk a drop of alcohol. Kathy Bates as Mad Nurse. One of the scariest shots from the movie Misery, 1990
In 1999, Stephen King's life could have ended in a car accident. Rather, he himself did not get into an accident, he was hit by a van flying at breakneck speed, driven by a not quite normal driver named Brian Smith. At the time of the accident, he reached into the back seat to push his Rottweiler away from the meat fridge. The writer was saved, and he even returned to normal life, although at first no one believed in such an optimistic outcome, especially the doctor who first examined the writer after the accident. The most interesting thing is that Brian Smith himself is like a character who has descended from the King's pages, flying into reality to do away with the creator.
King, who is known to be a fan of rock music, had a long history of playing rhythm guitar in the all-writer rock band the Rock Bottom Reamanders. Moreover, the group did not just gather in the garage of one of its members, but performed with concerts, had its fans and even brought in a certain income. In addition to music, writers discussed their literary achievements and ideas - such a versatile creative union.
In many of King's works, there are "winks" to the Regular Reader - a person who, without any doubt, exists in reality, for whom Stephen King wrote and still writes. The heroes of one work, casually mentioned in another, the bringing together of various cycles and storylines, the unity of place and time - all these features of writing make the books he wrote a single work - the life of a man named Stephen King.
Source
culture
Stephen King is arguably the most popular horror author whose books have captivated millions of readers around the world.
Besides, a large number of his works were filmed, and some film adaptations, such as "Green Mile" and "The Shawshank Redemption" surpassed, according to some, the original.
Many people know his work, but what do you know about King himself, about his fears, about his connection with the Simpsons series?
Interesting facts from the biography of Stephen King
Here are 10 incredible facts about one of the most famous contemporary writers in the world:
10. Fear of flying - Stephen King is afraid of flying
There are many things a writer is afraid of. King wrote many plots from his books based on your own fears. He is afraid of psychiatrists- the fear that he acquired during the struggle with alcohol and drug addiction many years ago.
King is also very afraid of spiders and one day hopes to write another horror movie about it. But the biggest fear experienced by the writer is the fear of air travel.
He already disliked airplanes, and after one day the plane in which he was flying, caught in turbulence, all passengers had to wear oxygen masks, and his seat came off the floor, and he fell with him, Kingu it took a long time to be patient to get on the plane again.
9. King's accident - he bought a van that ran over him
There was a time when King wrote several thousand words a day, and quite a few works were published in a short time. But everything changed when a van ran over him while walking.
It happened in 1999, and after the accident, King was in critical condition. His ribs, leg and hip were broken, and his lung was severely damaged. In three weeks, he underwent several operations and was then discharged from the hospital. He wasn't sure he could write again.
During his slow recovery, he not only wrote a little, but also managed to purchase from the police the van that hit him.
It was originally assumed that he wanted to smash it with my own hands on the anniversary of the accident, but in fact, King just didn't want this van to fall into the hands of some fan or critic..
8. King wrote several comics
Stephen King is a freak. He co-wrote "American Vampire"(American Vampire) - a series of graphic novels in the style of horror - written by American writer Scott Snyder. The artist of this comic is Rafael Albuquerque, and the first issue was published in 2010.
He also supervised graphic adaptations of his own works. Among them, work on "dark tower" and "Confrontation"(post-apocalyptic novel). In addition, he collaborated with fellow American writer Peter Straub on The Talisman and with George Romero on the motion picture Horror Kaleidoscope.
In 1986 he wrote an introduction to Issue 400 of Batman Comic, thereby letting know that among all superheroes, he prefers the dark knight, and not the popular, already at that time, Superman.
King is also big X-Men fan. Once he was asked to write a charity issue of a book about the X-Men, and he accepted. The book is called "Heroes of Hope"("Heroes For Hope: Starring The X-Men"), and it was released to draw public attention to the problem of hunger in African countries.
7. There was a time when King defended violent video games.
In 2008, he spoke out against a potential Massachusetts law change that would limit or a ban on the sale of video games with scenes of violence persons under 18 years of age.
He believed that the law was an attempt to act as a surrogate mother for the state's children, which, in his opinion, is "terrible" because. because of him, pop culture becomes a scapegoat when it comes to violence.
He also noted that the law does not prohibit a 17-year-old teenager from watching horror films with scenes of violence, but forbids playing, for example, grand theft Auto.
6. He wrote his first book while working two jobs and living in a trailer.
In his autobiographical book "Memoirs of a Craft"("On Writing") except practical advice To aspiring writers, King mentioned how he submitted his work to newspapers and magazines and was often rejected.
His first published novel was "Carrie", but before him, King wrote two books that refused to be published. Despite frequent failures, work in the laundry and as a cleaner and big family, he tried to find time to write, which allowed him to become what he is now.
5. Stephen King's house has a lot of security systems.
Being Stephen King is pretty dangerous. Of course, there are many benefits if you famous person, but it also means that you can have many fans, some of which are different unstable psyche.
April 20, 1991 crazy a fan broke into King's house and threatened his wife with a bomb, claiming that King stole the idea for the main character in Misery from his aunt. King's wife, Tabitha, ran to the neighbors and called the police, who eventually discovered that the bomb was just a fake.
The fan was arrested and imprisoned for 18 months.
From that moment on throughout the house a video surveillance system was installed, as well as a high wrought iron fence around the house.
4. King and his wife own several radio stations
Music plays important role in the life of Stephen King. In his works, the writer often mentioned groups or songs that he personally liked.
He especially loves the group AC/DC and The Ramones. In the film "Maximum Acceleration", based on his book, only AC/DC songs can be heard.
King wrote the liner notes for an album dedicated to the punk band The Ramones.
But King's role in music is much more than just a rock lover. He and his wife own and operate The Zone Corporation, a company that owns 3 radio stations operating in Maine.
radio station WZON in Bangor talks on political topics, and the daughter station WZLO broadcasts music different styles and directions of rock. WKIT-FM positions itself as "Stephen King's Rock and Roll Station" and even mentioned in the book "11/22/63" , where one of the characters works as a DJ at this radio station.
3. He was in the same band as the creator of The Simpsons
Rock-Bottom Remainers was a rock band with many different American writers including Stephen King, Amy Tan, Scott Thurow, Joel Selwyn, James McBride, Barbara Kingsolver, Greg Eales, and Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons.
The group appeared in the 1990s, and its name comes from the term "remaindered book", which means unsold books that were on sale.
All the money collected by the group from concerts is about $2 million- went to charity.
The band played covers of their favorite songs, including "Stand by Me" door Ben King- one of the most popular rhythm and blues tunes of the 20th century, rockaway beach, bands The Ramones, and others.
Stephen King played guitar from 1992 to last concert group on June 23, 2012 at the American Library Association's annual conference in Anaheim.
2. Stephen King doesn't sign autographs.
There are several theories about why King doesn't sign autographs. Among his fans there is a myth that it is connected with a certain superstition, and this should not be surprising, given his strange phobias.
Another theory is that if you send a book to a writer to sign, then King burn the book and send the ashes to the fan.
But, as is usually the case, none of the theories are true, as King debunked them and reported true reasons refusal to sign their books, and these reasons are quite simple. King just doesn't like being out famous people make idols.
By refusing to sign autographs, King made his autograph even more valuable. But still, when he tours to promote his new book, King can give an autograph.
1. "Rage" - a book that has been banned (at the request of King)
King has always valued freedom of speech and advocated that violent video games should not be banned from being sold to persons under 18 years of age. There is also a lot of violence and other scary stuff in his books.
But in the case of one book, he did make an exception. "Rage"(Rage), a novel written by King in 1977 under the pseudonym Richard Bachman was withdrawn from sale at the request of the writer himself.
The fact is that some students took weapons with them to school, and one day a boy who took children from his class hostage found this book. After that, there were more cases in the 1980s and 90s when terrorist attacks occurred in American schools, very similar to those that King described in his book back in 1977.
After all that happened, King wrote several times about the impact of his work on people, and spoke out about the fact that does not regret his decision to ban the sale of one of his books.
Today I would like to talk about the world idol of horror fans - Stephen King. Not so long ago he turned 66 (I just want to add another six). During his life, he wrote more than 250 works, and many of his creations can now rightfully be called cult. Under the cut, I suggest you look at some unknown, but interesting facts from the life of the legend of world literature.
Today I would like to talk about the world idol of horror fans - Stephen King. Not so long ago he turned 66 (I just want to add another six). During his life, he wrote more than 250 works, and many of his creations can now rightfully be called cult. Under the cut, I suggest you look at some unknown, but interesting facts from the life of the legend of the world literature.
By the way, Stephen King does not like his "Kerry". According to him, he does not understand the main character and does not believe some of the characters. The rights to this novel were sold by his literary agent to Signet Books for $400,000. These money helped the writer's family get out of poverty. First edition of Carrie, 1974.
In the works of King, one can often find analogies with his own biography. The novel "Misery" (1987), in which an abnormal nurse holds the writer captive (the film adaptation of this novel is one of the most successful adaptations of King, with the inimitable Kathy Bates, who won Oscar and Golden Globe awards for her role in this film) , he wrote about himself in captivity to alcohol and drugs.
The Tommyknockers (1987) is an analogy novel, a cry for help. The voices in the head of the writer, who took possession of her will and invisible alien rulers of the mind. King joked that he had already drunk so much that he did not remember writing "Cujo" (1981), a novel about a St. Bernard who caught rabies. Since the late 80s, the writer has not drunk a drop of alcohol. Kathy Bates as Mad Nurse. One of the scariest shots from the movie Misery, 1990.
In 1999, Stephen King's life could have ended in automotive accidents. Rather, he himself did not get into an accident, he was hit by a van flying at breakneck speed, driven by a not quite normal driver named Brian Smith. At the time of the accident, he reached into the back seat to push his Rottweiler away from the meat fridge. The writer was saved, and he even returned to normal life, although at first no one believed in such an optimistic outcome, especially the doctor who first examined the writer after the accident. The most interesting thing is that Brian Smith himself is like a character who has descended from the King's pages, flying into reality to do away with the creator.
King, who is known to be a fan of rock music, had a long history of playing rhythm guitar in the all-writer rock band the Rock Bottom Reamanders. Moreover, the group did not just gather in the garage of one of its members, but performed with concerts, had its fans and even brought in a certain income. In addition to music, writers discussed their literary achievements and ideas - such a versatile creative union.
In many of King's works, there are "winks" to the Regular Reader - a person who, without any doubt, exists in reality, for whom Stephen King wrote and still writes. Heroes one work, casually mentioned in another, bringing together various cycles and storylines, the unity of place and time - all these features of writing make the books he wrote a single work - the life of a man named Stephen King.
Many have heard the story that Stephen King's father mysteriously disappeared when the boy was two years old and his brother David was four. Just went out for cigarettes and didn't come back. Only as adults did the brothers learn that their father had started another family, in which he had four children and had lived all the time near their old house. By the way, David is not Stephen's brother, he was adopted two years before the birth of the writer. But Stephen King himself never mentions it.
Stephen was a sickly boy.
One of the most vivid childhood impressions from childhood is otitis, which the writer fell ill with in the first grade (at the age of five) and the pain from piercing the eardrum, which he had to endure during three procedures. “My cry is still in my ears,” he wrote, almost fifty years later. During one of his serious illnesses, six-year-old Stephen decided to rewrite the comic with a sequel, just out of boredom. This is where his literary career began. “My cry is still in my ears,” he wrote, almost fifty years later. 
King's first reader was his mother (it was she who prompted him to write his own stories). When he brought her four of his own pieces, she paid the boy 25 cents each. “It was my first dollar I ever made,” writes Stephen King. His mother's support and his faith in his son's ability helped him later.
In the late fifties, a children's magazine, Famous Monsters of Filmland, was published in America. Its editor, Forrest J. Ackerman, is a literary agent and lover of fantasy. This magazine was Stephen's favorite reading material. 
Later, Forrest began to publish another magazine - "Cosmonaut", in which the boy sent his first story. The story was never published, and Stephen King happily forgot about it. But twenty years later, the famous writer had to face his childhood story - he signed it for ... Forrest J. Ackerman, who kept this unremarkable work all these years. The first issue of the magazine "Famous Monsters of Filmland", 1958 
In 1962, Dave and Stephen King published a home newspaper called Dave's Mustard Platter, which was read by the entire town of Derham. First, the boys made prints on a hectograph, and then they bought a rotaprint. Somewhat later, it was on this hectograph that Stephen printed the first book, on the cover of which was written “the work of Stephen King” - a free reworking of one of his favorite horror films under the “edgarposh” title “The Well and the Pendulum”.
Stephen King met his wife in college. After three years of marriage, they already had three children. To feed them, the writer had to work in the laundry. During this time, he wrote "The Night Shift" and "Sometimes They Come Back" - at night and at lunchtime. Stephen King says of writing, "The job of a writer has as much to do with sweeping the floor as it does with mythical moments of insight." 
The breakthrough to fame was the novel Carrie (1974), which King initially threw in the trash. The drafts were found and saved by his wife Tabitha, who also forced the writer to finish the novel after all. By that time, Fury, The Long Walk, and The Running Man had already been written. 
By the way, Stephen King does not like his "Kerry". According to him, he does not understand the main character and does not believe some of the characters. The rights to this novel were sold by his literary agent to Signet Books for $400,000. This money helped the writer's family to get out of poverty. First edition of Carrie, 1974 
In the works of King, one can often find analogies with his own biography. The novel "Misery" (1987), in which an abnormal nurse holds the writer captive (the film adaptation of this novel is one of the most successful adaptations of King, with the inimitable Kathy Bates, who won Oscar and Golden Globe awards for her role in this film) , he wrote about himself in captivity to alcohol and drugs.
The Tommyknockers (1987) is an analogy novel, a cry for help. The voices in the head of the writer, who took possession of her will and invisible alien rulers of the mind. King joked that he had already drunk so much that he did not remember writing "Cujo" (1981), a novel about a St. Bernard who caught rabies. Since the late 80s, the writer has not drunk a drop of alcohol. Kathy Bates as Mad Nurse. One of the scariest shots from the movie Misery, 1990 
In 1999, Stephen King's life could have ended in a car accident. Rather, he himself did not get into an accident, he was hit by a van flying at breakneck speed, driven by a not quite normal driver named Brian Smith. At the time of the accident, he reached into the back seat to push his Rottweiler away from the meat fridge. The writer was saved, and he even returned to normal life, although at first no one believed in such an optimistic outcome, especially the doctor who first examined the writer after the accident. The most interesting thing is that Brian Smith himself is like a character who has descended from the King's pages, flying into reality to do away with the creator. 
King, who is known to be a fan of rock music, had a long history of playing rhythm guitar in the all-writer rock band the Rock Bottom Reamanders. Moreover, the group did not just gather in the garage of one of its members, but performed with concerts, had its fans and even brought in a certain income. In addition to music, writers discussed their literary achievements and ideas - such a versatile creative union. 
In many of King's works, there are "winks" to the Regular Reader - a person who, without any doubt, exists in reality, for whom Stephen King wrote and still writes. The heroes of one work, casually mentioned in another, the bringing together of various cycles and storylines, the unity of place and time - all these features of writing make the books he wrote a single work - the life of a man named Stephen King.
