Haunted Heart: The Life and Times of Stephen King
Page 37
Four Past Midnight, 163
free love, 54
French-Canadians, 53
friends, SK’s, cut off because they wanted a free ride, 120–21
From a Buick 8, 202, 209, 221–22
Fugate, Caril, 21
Fulghum, Robert, 171
Gaines, Bill, 15
Gallery magazine, 55, 98
“The Garbage Truck” (SK’s college newspaper column), 47–51
Garris, Mick, 193
gay and lesbian community, 185, 228–29
Gazzara, Ben, 76
Gerald’s Game, 168–69, 174, 179
Getting It On (working title), 59–60, 83
The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County (collaborative musical with John Mellencamp), 240–41
ghosts, 104–5
ghost stories
English, 90
in a small town, 19
G.I. Joe toys, 149–50
girls
courage of, on dates, 47
SK’s writing about, 65–66
unpopular ones, as models for later SK stories, 28–29, 65
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, 199, 201
“The Glass Floor,” 42
God
as character, 189
SK’s belief in, 189
Golding, William, Lord of the Flies, 99
Goldmark, Kathi Kamen, 171–73, 178–79, 235
Goodman, Tim, 200
Gould, John, 125
government, 216
Graham, Nan, 230
“Granny Spansky” (SK’s grandmother), 12, 24
Grant, Donald M., 116, 130, 189
Grant, Prudence, 32
grave digging, SK’s job at, 29
Graveyard Shift (book), 6
Graveyard Shift (movie), 132
“Graveyard Shift” (story), 60, 85
Greene, Arthur B., 160
Greene, Graham, 230
The Green Mile (movie), 176, 196–97, 199, 208
The Green Mile (serialized novel), 4, 187–88, 190
Grisham, John, 229, 240
Guggenheim Foundation, 61
guitar, Stephen King limited-edition, 136
The Gunslinger (book), 94–95, 116–17, 130, 160
“The Gunslinger” (story), 95, 116
Gypsies, 139
Haley, Alex, 87
Hall, Brian, 29, 35
Hampden, Maine, 54
Hampden Academy, 54, 58, 62–63, 67–69, 75, 148
Hancock Point, Maine, 142
Hanks, Tom, 196
Hard Case Crime series, 229
Hardy Boys books, 20
Harold Lauder character, 87–88, 111
Hart, Gary, 131
Hasbro, 149–50
Hatlen, Burt, 43, 50
haunted houses, 90, 104–5
Hautala, Rick, 41, 49, 50, 97, 193, 214
Haven Foundation, 236–37, 242
Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 61
“Head Down,” 164, 177
Hearst, Patty, 80
Heart-Shaped Box (Joe Hill), 234
Hearts in Atlantis, 199, 201
hell, 20
Herbert, Frank, 81
“Here There Be Tygers,” 145
Higgins, Pete, 31–32, 36, 38, 39, 40, 91
high school
academic tracks in, 31
SK’s view of students, 92
social life, 11, 67
teasing and taunting in, 32
Hill, Joe (labor hero), 68
Hill, Joe (pseudonym of Joe King), 185, 226–27, 233–34
Hitchcock, Alfred, 26, 134
Holmes, Ted, 49
Homer, Winslow, 9
horror, generally
“hot” genre in early 1970s, 71
SK’s views of, 82
horror and fantasy conventions, 136
horror comics, 15
horror movies, 16, 46, 48, 115, 117
challenges of, 125–26
Horror Writers’ Association, 190
Hotel Towel Problem (SK’s idea), 175
The House on Value Street (working title), 80
“I Am the Doorway,” 54
Iles, Greg, 235
Insomnia, 179–80
intruders, 166
Irving, John, 237
IT (book), 112, 145–47
writing of, 146–47, 157
IT (miniseries), 132, 163
“I Was a Teenage Grave Robber,” 33–34
Jack Sawyer character, 139
Jackson, Shirley, 43, 48, 217
Jack Torrance character, 84–85, 106, 124
Jenkins, Jonathan, 164–65
Jeremiah’s Lot, Vermont, 48
Jessie Burlingame character, 169
Jimmy Cody character, 76
John Bapst Memorial High School, 53
Johnson, Diane, 106
Johnson, Lyndon, 42
Jordy Verrill character, 156
Just After Sunset (collection), 242
Keene, Erik, 165
Kennedy, Robert, 42
King, Aiden (SK’s grandson), 242
King, Betty (Don’s sister), 12
King, David Victor (SK’s brother), 4, 6, 11, 14, 15, 40, 66, 74, 197
adoption of, 8
childhood newsletter of, 22–23
King, Donald Edwin (SK’s father), 8–11, 156
an aspiring writer, 30
Chicago family of, 12
disappearance of (walked out the door and never came back), 7, 11, 14–15
lack of persistence of, 30
a ladies’ man, 10
marries Ruth Pillsbury, 9–10
nickname “Daddy Done,” 14
Ruth’s attempts to track down, 37
search for, possible, 124, 197–98
second secret family, children, and death of, 197–98
SK’s ideas about him showing up, 123–24
SK’s no recollection of, 4
SK’s shame at desertion of, 14–15, 79, 123–24, 150, 215
King, Ethan (SK’s grandson), 201, 242
King, Joseph Hillstrom (SK’s son), 79, 101, 115, 118–19, 135, 161, 168, 181–82, 184–85
birth of, 68
children of, 201
writing career, 149, 185, 192, 226–27
King, Leonora (SK’s daughter-in-law), 201
King, Martin Luther, 42
King, Naomi Rachel (SK’s daughter), 68, 81, 94, 101, 107, 144, 151
birth of, 58
car accident, 192
ceremony of union with Thandeka, 212
minister calling, 192–93, 228–29
restaurant business, 185–86, 193
writings of, 149
King, Owen Phillip (SK’s son), 86–87, 93–94, 101, 115, 131, 135, 144–45, 149–50, 162, 163, 169, 184–85
writing career, 185, 192, 227–28, 233–34
King, Ryan (SK’s grandson), 242
King, Stephen
abandonment by father, 123–24, 150
accident, hit by car while walking on country road, 202–8, 216
as actor (frustrated), 133
as actor in own films, 118, 182
addictive personality of, 156–57
alcohol and drug use, 79, 96–97, 131, 142–43, 154–60
arrest and trial for larceny of traffic cones, 57, 58
arrest for drunkenness, 142
athletic nonability, 29, 35
belief in God, 189
biggest and oldest kid in class, 20, 27
birth of, named “Stephen Edwin,” 8
blue-collar roots of, 144
business office and assistants, 140, 143–44, 225
buys radio station in Bangor, 129
celebrity status of, 3, 90, 127, 132–34, 148, 235
college years, 38–52
commercial endorsements by, 132–33
constant moves as child, 11–13, 19
drug-free life, 241
epiphany of (voice from out of the blue), 159–60
eyesight, 193
fans’ questions about his childhood experiences, 106–7
and father’s disappearance, 4, 7, 14–15, 79, 123–24, 150, 215
4-F status, 50–51, 57
friends cut off because they wanted a free ride, 120–21
fund-raising by, 142
graduation from college, 57
health concerns, 13–14, 81, 121–22, 193
isolation as child, 23–24
marital faithfulness of, 214–15
marriage health, 214–15
marries Tabitha, 61
meets and lives with Tabitha Spruce, 52, 54–55
menial jobs of, 58–59, 61
and money, attitude toward, 91, 127, 143
movie directing, 140–42
moviegoing by, 20, 31
movie producing, 181–82
music making of, 36, 50, 171–73, 177–79, 235–36
name used to benefit worthy causes, 116, 134, 148
obnoxious behavior when drunk, 142
off-campus apartments, 44–46
photographs of him, 176
physical therapy sessions after accident, 205–6
playmate hit by freight train when he was four, 12
pneumonia contracted, 224–25
political beliefs, in college, 42, 48, 50–51
political campaigning, 131
poor health as child, 13–14
popularity (or lack of) in high school, 31–32, 34–35
poverty of, 52
prefers popular to classic literature, 41
quitting cold turkey, 158–60, 208
reading habit, 11–12, 13, 15–16, 20, 23, 28, 30, 41, 43–44
reclusiveness and disappearances, 148
religious beliefs, 189
romantic nature of, 7
schoolboy days, 13–14, 20, 26–29, 31–39
sense of humor, 6
summer jobs, 39–40
surgery for road accident, 203–5
teacher training, 40, 57
teaching career, 54, 62–63, 67–69, 72, 75, 91–93, 97–98
traditional family values of, 62
travels to visit editors or to do promotional tours, 96, 128–29
vasectomy incident, 95
work as drug to, 221–22
King, Stephen, family
children’s careers, 184–86, 192, 226–29
frequent moves, 67, 72, 75, 77–78, 80, 89–90, 101
home life, 135, 144
home purchases, 90, 103–5, 237
marriage health, 214–15
money problems, 69, 74–75, 95
pastimes at home, 135
wintering in Florida, 219
writing as family business, 149, 185
King, Stephen, writing career
awards, 184, 223–24, 234–35
“borrowing” in, 120
collaboration with Tabby tried, but not possible, 215–16
creative process, 196
daily routines, 93, 181, 215
early stories, sold to schoolmates, 26–27
early writing ambition, 16, 18
first writing, encouraged by mother, 13–14
flow of work, 240
fueled by alcohol and drugs, SK believed, 158–59
guest editor stints, 237–38
interviews, 100
method of starting novels and using materials, 122
not knowing how a story will turn out, 187
not listening to editors or the critics, 154
not researching or outlining in advance, 5–6, 111
not sure if he could write again, after his accident, 206
pseudonyms, 83–84, 86, 137–39
publisher’s fear of saturating the market with his name, 83
retirement announcements and hints, 143, 152, 200, 220–22, 226, 231
SK’s own explanation of source of plots, 79–80, 106
as sportswriter, 35
stereotyped as a horror writer, 75
success of, SK’s opining on, 140
views on horror genre, 82
volume of writing, 2–3
work methods, 233
writer’s block sometimes experienced, 155, 180
writing pursuit as child, 13–14, 23–25, 32–33, 44
King, Stephen, writings
articles in magazines and newspapers, 222
autobiographical intent, SK’s denial of, 82, 191–92, 213
on bestseller lists, 77, 115–16, 143, 188, 221, 240, 242
“Big Mac and fries” self-description, 240
books in print, 4
characters’ appearance rarely described, 147
criticisms of, 154
new focus, not strictly horror, 196
nonfiction, 187
psychic motives of, 123–24
quality suffering because of accelerated publication schedules, 125
readership, decline in recent years, 196, 221, 240
reviews of, 124, 155, 184, 231–32
seriousness of, in SK’s opinion, 242
SK’s own explanations of, 84–85, 88
King, William R. (grandfather), 9
Kingdom Hospital (miniseries), 209, 223
Kingsolver, Barbara, 171
Kobritz, Richard, 99–100, 125–26
Kooper, Al, 172, 178
Koster, Elaine, 83–84, 137
Kubrick, Stanley, 105–6, 193–94
Ku Klux Klan, 53
Kurt Barlow character, 100
LaGrande, Leanora (SK’s daughter-in-law), 226
Land of Enchantment publisher, 131
“The Langoliers” (story), 163
The Langoliers (TV movie), 184
Laurie, Piper, 82
Leave It to Beaver, 78
leftists, SK’s view of, 48
Lennon, John, 108–9, 170
Leonard, Stephanie, 152, 161
Lester, Mark, 132
Levesque, Noreen, 93
Lewiston, Maine, 20, 36, 91, 203
Libby, Winthrop, 49, 51
liberals, SK’s view of, 48
library books, 163–64
“The Library Policeman,” 163
Lightfoot, Stephen, 170
limited-edition books, 107, 114, 130, 131, 135–36, 161–62, 189–90, 211
Lindelof, Damon, 233
Lisbon Falls, Maine, 31, 39, 91, 99
Lisbon High School, 31–32, 34–39
senior class trip to New York City, 37–38
Lisbon Weekly Enterprise (newspaper), 35, 125
“Lisey and the Madman,” 225
Lisey’s Story, 225, 229–32, 240
Literary Guild, 86, 138
literature
as alive and dangerous, 47
Dead White Men type, 43
popular, prejudice against, 224
SK’s preference for popular fiction, 41, 43
SK’s scorn for literary grants, 61
Little, Bentley, 202
Little, Brown, 116
Little League, 164, 169–70
Little Shop of Horrors (musical), 211
lobster, 27, 53
Lobsterland, Bangor, Maine, 53
“The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill,” 117
Long, Frank Belknap, 81
The Long Walk (Bachman book), 60, 86, 137, 140
publication of, 98–99
“The Long Walk” (story), 41–42
Lord of the Flies (Golding), 99
Lord of the Rings (Tolkien), 55
Loukaitis, Barry, 194
Lovecraft, H. P., 28
MacDonald, John D., 20, 43, 44, 140, 217
MacLeod, George, 43–46, 50, 51, 70, 75, 119–20, 214, 240
Mad magazine, 15
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, 95, 116, 238
Magistrale, Tony, 136–37, 144, 200–201, 223, 242
Maine, 90, 91, 100–102, 167
winters in, 195
Maine Campus (coll
ege newspaper)
SK’s column in, 47–51
SK’s other contributions to, 46, 51, 58
Maine Christian Civic League, 149
Maine Life magazine, 127
Maine National Guard, 212
Malden, Mass., 11
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV show), 33
The Mangler (movie), 184
“The Mangler” (story), 64–65, 86
“The Man in the Black Suit,” 182–83, 184
Mansfield, Dave, 170
Manson, Charles, 51
Manuel, Richard, 137
marriage
SK’s fidelity in, 121
SK’s view of, 169
as story theme, 230–31
Marsh, Dave, 173
Marston haunted house, 36
Marvel Comics, 149, 226–27, 233
Maslin, Janet, 208
Maximum Overdrive (movie), 6, 140–42
McBain, Ed, 20
McCarthy, Eugene, 42
McCauley, Kirby, 81, 89, 97, 122–23, 137, 138, 143, 160, 188, 239
McDowell, Michael, 232
McGrath, Chip, 164, 182
McPherson, Diane, 50
McSweeney’s Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories, 225
Meadville Lombard Theological School, 212, 228
Mellencamp, John, 240–41
men’s magazines, SK’s writing for, 55, 60–61, 63–66, 68, 70–71, 85–86, 98
menstruation, 65–66
Methodists, 19–20
Mexico, Maine, 6, 74
MidLife Confidential: The Rock Bottom Remainders Tour America with Three Chords and an Attitude, 173, 177
Miller, Dennis, 2
Million Dollar Movie (TV series), 16
miniseries, SK’s, 163
Misery (book), 148, 152–53, 155, 206
Misery (play), 230
The Mist, 239
The Mist (movie), 239
Moldow, Susan, 191, 209, 221–22, 229
money, SK’s attitude toward, 91, 127, 143
monsters, 145–46
buried inside most men, SK believes, 124
Moth (magazine), 49
movie rights, 74
abuses of, 174–76
granted by SK for nonprofit use, 116
movies
SK’ early viewing of, 16–17, 20, 46
SK’s directing of, 140–42
Muller, Frank, 236
Murray, Bill, 126
music, SK’s taste in, 22, 35–36, 49, 129, 217, 223
My Pretty Pony, 161
Mysterious Bookshop, 114–15
Mysterious Press, 114, 116
Mystery Writers of America, 234–35
NA, 159, 167
Nancy Drew books, 20
Nannuzzi, Armando, 141
Nation, Terry, Survivors, 80
National Book Foundation, 223–24
Needful Things (book), 166–67
Needful Things (movie), 176
netLibrary, 211
New American Library (NAL), 73–74, 83–84, 86, 89, 138, 143, 160, 190
New Englanders, emotional control of, 16
New Franklin Laundry, 59, 61, 64–65, 67
New Gloucester, Maine, 74
New Line Cinema, 175