Unknown facts from the life of Stephen King (15 photos). Interesting facts from the life of Stephen King (14 photos)

Everyone knows the name Stephen King. He is usually presented as a truly creepy dude who can scare you to the point of hiccups with just his appearance. It may indeed seem so to some, but this writer is a symbol of our time (prolific, among other things). If you took all of his works and put them in one pile, they could very well create a floor-to-ceiling column (especially if you include all versions of The Dark Tower). However, most people have seen films based on Stephen King's books, rather than read them. Almost every book is ready script for a TV series or movie. The next project, “Mr. Mercedes,” proves that film products based on King are released as often as new works by the Master of Horror. But who is he in reality? Here are 25 of the most interesting facts about Stephen King that will show you a different side of him.

King and his wife have their own radio station

King is a big rock and roll fan. The Kings operate three radio stations in Bangor, Maine: WKIT-FM, WZLO-FM and WZON-AM. High-quality music plays on all waves of Stephen, people come to visit famous people and really interesting thoughts are often discussed, far from politics and vulgarity (which is rare now).

Red Sox fan

Stephen never misses a single game of the Boston Red Sox baseball team. His fanaticism is so pervasive that he co-wrote a piece about the 2004 sports season with Stuart O'Nan.

The first version of "Carrie" ended up in the trash

Before fame, Stephen tried to publish in magazines short stories, but he was not always able to write something that would be interesting to publishers. At that time, he was writing the first version of the novel Carrie, but found it too boring and threw it in the trash. Thanks to the efforts of his wife Tabitha, the novel finally saw the light of day and made King famous.

He has two creative pseudonym

To publish more novels per year, King began using pseudonyms. As a result, seven novels were published under the authorship of Richard Bachman and one novella, the author of which was listed as John Senchen. After the fans figured out the author, he stopped using these names.

Loves cameos

Most of King's works have been filmed. And King played short cameos in 14 films. Only Stan Lee, who plays in every Marvel film, can surpass him.

« Dark Tower"is the link for all the author's books

King has sold more than 350,000,000 copies of his books

Such data only confirms the title of “King of Horror”. Perhaps new calculations will show that even this figure does not reach how many books were actually sold (and samizdat and electronic versions are not taken into account).

Alice Cooper wanted to play Pennywise

In the original It miniseries, the evil clown monster was brilliantly played by Tim Curry. But initially it was planned to take a musician to play his role, but he could not find time due to a busy tour schedule. Cooper constantly remembers this and regrets that he was not able to bring the clown to life.

48 novels, 84 short stories and 16 stories

King's rule is at least one work per year. And he never let himself or his fans down. For my creative career, King wrote 48 novels, 84 short stories and 16 novellas.

In the 80s, King suffered from alcohol and drug addictions.

At the height of his fame in the 1980s, King descended into drugs and alcohol. So he tried to deal with childhood traumas and a stagnant personal crisis. It got to the point where his family wanted nothing to do with him. Good news: together they managed to win bad habits, almost killed a genius.

He's afraid to fly

Ironically, the Master of Horror has a lot of phobias. One of them is the fear of flying. He is also terrified of not being able to create.

2000 words a day is the norm

King tries to write at least 2,000 words a day (about 5 sheets of text). This way he can write a novel in a couple of months.

He wrote a musical

King was inspired by Lovecraft

As King himself said, he thought about a career as a writer after reading Howard Lovecraft’s story “The Whisperer in the Dark.” This explains a lot.

Did with Mike Jackson joint project

Not everyone knows that King and Jackson communicated, and they had an idea to make a short film together called “Ghosts” (it was supposed to continue the idea of the hit “Thriller”). Viewers assured that the end result was so bad that the creators decided to forget about it.

He hates Kubrick

Fans love both Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation and the original story written by Stephen King. However, the author himself calls art house from the famous director “ luxury car from which the engine was removed." King considers the adaptation tasteless and simply stupid.

The house looks ominous

The King estate looks almost like the Addams family home. Ghosts, werewolves, and ghouls can live in it. The neighbors say that better home Can't be found during Halloween.

Dynasty of writers

The writer's wife, Tabitha King, has also published several novels. Their children, Joe Hill and Owen King, are also prolific authors. Owen married a writer.

As a child, I saw his friend die under a train.

During his childhood, King's family lived near railway and he and his friends often played there. One day he saw how the composition caused the death of his friend. This left a mark on the author’s memory and, according to many fans, was the reason for his desire to write horror.

It" is one of the favorite works of the king of horrors

King put a lot of his childhood memories and fears into It, which is why he called this work one of the most significant. Later he began to say that the first place with “It” is shared by the novel “11/22/63”.

Wrote a comic

King wrote an entire story arc in the X-Men comics. It was called "Heroes of Hope." The main goal of creativity is to help starving children in Africa. Now copies of this comic book cost incredible amounts of money.

He only gives autographs on his books.

None of those who write letters to King asking for an autograph get what they want. The author's signature can only be obtained at an autograph session.

He was hit by a car

In 1999, King was hit by a 1985 Dodge Caravan. The case was won by the author. The van was bought from the would-be driver and King promised that he would break the car himself.

Banned his own book

King wrote the book "Rage" while still in school, but published it only in adulthood under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. After some events in the author’s life began to repeat what happened on the pages of the book, King asked to remove the work from store shelves.

Triscadecaphobe

King is afraid of the number 13. He's even afraid to say it. The author says that he will never stop on the 13th page of the text and will continue to write (or read) until he stops on the next one.
Recently, The Dark Tower and the reincarnation of It were released. Let's hope that King will continue to delight us with new works, remaining a prolific author providing new scripts to Hollywood.

Forbes magazine published the top 10 highest paid writers. At the end of the year, the author of the thrillers “And Came a Spider” and “Kissing the Girls” James Patterson, took first place in the rating, earning $70 million. As the publication notes, the writer’s fortune may increase significantly by 2012. In two years, the author must write 11 works for adults and six books for children.

In second place in the ranking was Stephenie Meyer, who became popular thanks to the Twilight series of vampire novels. Her books have been filmed three times and translated into more than 30 languages. More than 100 million copies of her novels have been sold worldwide. Mayer's fortune increased by $40 million over the year. The top three is completed by Stephen King ($34 million), who earned royalties from the sale of his early works. King's latest novel to date, Under the Dome, was published in November 2009 and sold more than 600 thousand copies.

In last, tenth place is former leader, the highest paid fiction writer on the planet - 2008 British JK Rowling, author of the saga about the boy wizard Harry Potter. If two years ago she earned $300 million (four times more than Patterson now), now her income has dropped to a modest 10 million, Forbes clarifies.

10 most successful fiction writers based on the results of the year:

James Patterson - $70 million;
Stephenie Meyer - $40 million;
Stephen King - $34 million;
Danielle Steel - $32 million;
Ken Follett - $20 million;
Dean Koontz - $18 million;
Janet Evanovich - $17 million;
John Grisham - $15 million;
Nicholas Sparks - $14 million;
J.K. Rowling - $10 million.

Nicknamed "The King of Horror" American writer Stephen King is not only a very prolific author, but also a talented one. He works in the most different genres, and his works are distinguished by very original plots, intense passions and unexpected endings. King has a whole army of fans around the world, and his works have been filmed many times by a variety of directors.

Facts from the life of Stephen King

When the future writer was two years old, his father left his mother and disappeared from sight. Mom told little Stephen that dad was taken by the Martians.
He has stepbrother, whom his parents adopted before the birth of their own child.
The writer signed some of his works with the pseudonym “Richard Bachman.” He also once signed a review published in a magazine as “John Sweeten.”
In total, 55 full-fledged novels and about 200 short stories were published from King’s pen.
Besides fiction, he wrote 5 popular science works.
By the time of Stephen King's 70th birthday, more than 350 million copies of his books had been successfully sold. They have been translated into many languages.
Stephen King played a cameo role in the drama series Sons of Anarchy.
His works have been filmed more than 100 times.
Many of King's works take place in the American state of Maine, which he himself calls "the most mysterious state in America."
In my youth future writer played in a rock and roll band and also on the school rugby team.
In his youth, shortly after his wedding, Stephen King worked part-time in a laundry to provide for his wife and three children. He wrote some of his works, which later became famous, right then, right at work, during breaks.
In some of his works the heroes are writers. Researchers of King's work associate this with his own biography.
He was pushed to become a writer by his mother, who encouraged her son’s passion in every possible way.
Stephen King wrote his first stories as a child.
In childhood and adolescence, he read the works of another “master of horror,” Howard Lovecraft (see).
In 1999, the writer was hit by a car. Doctors weren't sure he would survive, but he pulled through.
The novel "Carrie" brought Stephen King more than 200 thousand dollars. In the 70s, when it was written, it was even more money than it is now. Moreover, at first he never finished “Carrie”, sending the manuscript to the trash bin, but his wife convinced him to finish the work. It eventually became his first commercial success.
Stephen King is the richest writer in the history of world literature. Just like Pablo Picasso was the richest artist (see).
The writer's favorite genre of music is hard rock.
One of Stephen King's early works, Fury, was pulled from sale after several school shootings in Kansas. This book was found on one of the shooters. The writer himself approved the withdrawal of the edition.
At a certain period of his life, the master of the pen completely plunged into the abyss of alcohol and drugs. As he himself admits, he doesn’t even remember how he worked on his famous novel"Tommyknockers", written in those years. Fortunately, he later managed to overcome his addictions.
Stephen King, by his own statements, has been writing at least 2,000 words a day for many years. He strictly adheres to this standard, which he set for himself.
The writer has developed aerophobia. He is afraid of flying on airplanes.
Another phobia of his, quite unusual, is the fear of psychiatrists.
Stephen King's favorite sport is baseball.
The writer often appears in small roles in film adaptations of his works.
His famous Dark Tower series contains references to almost all of his other iconic novels.
Stephen King's house looks like a haunted mansion from one of his novels.
King's wife, as well as his two sons, followed his example and also began to write. One of them also married a writer.
with their own the best works he counts the novels It and Lizzie's Story.
Stephen King never gives autographs on the streets - only at official meetings with fans, and he only signs his books.
Being not too superstitious person, he, however, is afraid of the number 13 and avoids it in every possible way in his life.
King claims that anyone who wants to become a writer should devote at least 4-6 hours to this activity every day.
His favorite musical group- rock band Ramones.
In 2003, Stephen King was awarded the prestigious National Book Award in the United States for his contribution to the development of literature.

Today I would like to talk about the world idol of horror lovers - Stephen King.

Not 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 rightly be called cult.

Below the cut, I suggest you look at several 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. He just went out for cigarettes and never came back. Only when they became adults did the brothers find out that their father had started another family, in which he had four children and lived all the time not far from their old house. By the way, David is not brother Stephen, he was adopted two years before the writer was born. But Stephen King himself never mentions this. Stephen was a sickly boy. One of the most vivid childhood impressions is otitis media, which the writer contracted in first grade (at the age of five) and the pain from piercing the eardrum, which he had to endure during three procedures. “My scream 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 book with a sequel, simply out of boredom. This is where it started literary activity. “My scream is still in my ears,” he wrote, almost fifty years later.

King's first reader was his mother (it was she who suggested the opportunity to write his own stories). When he brought her four own works, she paid the boy 25 cents each. “It was my first dollar,” writes Stephen King. His mother's support and his faith in his son's abilities helped him later.

In the late fifties, it was produced in America children's magazine"Famous Monsters of Filmland." Its editor, Forrest J. Ackerman, is a literary agent and science fiction enthusiast. This magazine was Stephen's favorite read.

Later, Forrest began publishing another magazine, “Cosmonaut,” to which the boy sent his first story. The story was never published, and Stephen King conveniently forgot about it. But after twenty years famous writer had to face his children's story - he signed it for... Forrest J. Ackerman, who kept this unremarkable work all these years. First issue of the magazine "Famous Monsters of Filmland", 1958

In 1962, Dave and Stephen King published a home newspaper called Dave's Mustard Plaster, which was read by the entire town of Durham. At first the boys made prints on a hectograph, and then acquired a rotaprint. Somewhat later, it was on this hectograph that Stephen printed the first book, on the cover of which was written “a work by 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 a laundry. At this time he wrote " Night shift" and "Sometimes they come back" - at night and during lunch breaks. Stephen King says about writing: “The work of a writer has as much to do with sweeping the floor as it does with mythical moments of insight.”

His breakthrough to fame was the novel Carrie (1974), which King initially threw in the trash. His wife Tabitha found and saved the drafts, and she forced the writer to finish the novel. By that time, Fury, The Long Walk and The Running Man had already been written.

By the way, Stephen King doesn’t like his “Carrie”. According to him, he doesn't understand main character and doesn't believe some of the characters. The rights to this novel were sold by his literary agent to Cygnet Books for four hundred thousand dollars. This money helped the writer's family get out of poverty. First edition of the novel "Carrie", 1974

In King's works one can often find analogies with his own biography. The novel “Misery” (1987), in which a deranged nurse holds a writer captive (the film adaptation of this novel is one of King’s particularly successful adaptations, starring the inimitable Kathy Bates, who received an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her role in this film) , he wrote about himself in thrall to alcohol and drugs.

“The Tommyknockers” (1987) is an analogy novel, a cry for help. Voices in the writer’s head that have taken over her will and invisible alien rulers of the mind. King joked that he had been drinking so much that he didn't remember writing Cujo (1981), a novel about a St. Bernard who gets rabies. Since the late 80s, the writer has not drank a drop of alcohol. Kathy Bates as the crazed nurse. One of the most scary footage film "Misery", 1990

In 1999, Stephen King's life could have been cut short in car accident. Or 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 cooler. The writer was rescued, and he even returned to normal life, although at first no one believed in such an optimistic outcome, especially the doctor who was the first to examine the writer after the accident. The most interesting thing is that Brian Smith himself is like a character straight out of King’s pages, who flew into reality to put an end to his creator.

King, who is known to be a fan of rock music, for a long time played rhythm guitar in the rock band Rock Bottom Remainers, which consisted only of writers. Moreover, the group not only met in the garage of one of its members, but performed concerts, had its own fans and even brought in some income. In addition to music, the writers discussed their literary achievements and ideas are such a versatile creative union.

In many of King's works there are “winks” to the Regular Reader - a person, without any doubt, who 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 he wrote a single work - the length of the life of a man named Stephen King.

Source

Stephen King is a cult science fiction writer and the author of more than fifty novels, which to this day are extremely popular not only in America, but throughout the world. His stories and tales have become symbols of several generations, and many films have been made based on exciting plots and scenarios. King's popularity knows no bounds, and every year the demand for his works only increases.

It is worth noting that the writer’s life itself was no less bright, dramatic and action-packed than the events described on the pages of his books, and Stephen himself can easily compete with almost any hero of his stories.

In order to plunge a little into not only literary, but also real world mystical writer, let's remember the most interesting, and for many even shocking, facts from the biography of Stephen King.

Otitis

Little King was a very sickly and weak child, and at the age of five he fell ill with otitis media. During several medical procedures, the child suffered from unbearable and severe pain due to the piercing of his eardrums.

Many years later, the science fiction writer still admits that he remembers with horror his heart-rending childish cry.

Car accident

In the late nineties, Stephen almost dies under the wheels of a van that hits a man at breakneck speed. As it later turned out, the driver of the truck was a psychopath named Brian Smith. Before hitting the writer, he turned away to shoo his dog away from the meat container.

King not only survived the terrible collision and life-threatening injuries, but also fully recovered his health, returning to his previous normal state, despite the disappointing doctor's prognosis.

Bad habits

Like many creative people upon whom it fell huge wave overwhelming and frenzied popularity, King at one time became addicted to alcohol and drugs.

In this regard, he does not even remember how he wrote one of his largest novels called “Tommyknockers,” which described rather psychedelic moments, clearly invented under the influence of something intoxicating and affecting consciousness.

Fortunately, thanks to the help of doctors and the support of close relatives, King gave up his addictions and has been living for two decades now. healthy image life.

Newspaper maniac

Eleven-year-old Stephen in the late fifties, together with mostly American residents were literally distraught by the news related to the bloody murders and brutalities of nineteen-year-old Charles Starkweather and fourteen-year-old Caryl Fugate.

The impressed teenager at that time was able to collect an entire album with newspaper articles and clippings that told about the bloody events of that time.

A talented person is talented in everything

Writing is not the only hobby of the versatile and enthusiastic King. For a very long time he studied music, playing rhythm guitar in a rock band consisting only of literary figures.

The company performed concerts and even received royalties, and during the break between performing songs, the writers held fascinating conversations with a discussion of their achievements and ideas.

If you want to know more about this amazing person- watch the following video:

Stephen King to this day continues to delight his readers with new fresh ideas and original stories. He continues to create unique and sought-after works, including Doctor Sleep and The Colorado Boy, fueling the interest of audiences hungry for immersive experiences.

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!