Watching a documentary about Stephen King.
My mother once blamed my childish terror traits on him as I was trying to read as much by him as possible. Between the ages of 10 and 13 I read Pet Semetary, It, Tommyknockers, Misery, Four Past Midnight, Needful Things, Gerald’s Game and Dolores Clairborne. I also watched the films It, Misery, Christine and Stand By Me.
It was the way he built his stories. I couldn’t sleep, not because of fear, but because I couldn’t close the books.
I haven’t read anything by him since I was 13, possibly because I’d decided to place this “childhood phase” tag on his name. I bundled his horror with that of the schlock-horror films that were out at the time which I had little interest in. In reality, King’s horror is more often a possible-scenario, a little too true to life.
It amazes me to hear that while in univesity, he was quite poor. He threw away Carrie and Tabitha fished it out of the bin and told him to keep going. Another writer is quoted as saying “he’s moved out of the famous writer category and moved in to the famous person category.” He’s had alcohol and drug problems. He may be going blind. He’s human.
Looking through www.stephenking.com I’m amazed to read that Stephen King published a short story called My Pretty Pony which was illustrated by Barbara Kruger – I happen to admire BK and love to find these strange links between people.
I think I should re-introduce myself.