The Stephen King and I
When I was a sophomore in high school, I wrote a paper for my Honors English class comparing and contrasting the works of H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. While there was plenty of material at the library on Lovecraft, I couldn't find too much biographical material on King, whom I worshipped at the time.
I was as ballsy then as I am now, so 15-year-old Tara Dublin wrote a letter (on PAPER, even!) to Stephen King, and mailed it to him via his publisher. I told him about my paper, that I was a big fan, and asked if THE DARK TOWER was available anywhere, because it was out of print at the time. I didn't really expect much, but I had learned early on that it never hurts to ask, because the worst thing someone can say is no. And I figured if it never got to him, I'd cobble together whatever information I could get from magazine articles. He's a busy guy, after all, writing stuff to scare the bejeebus out of everyone, and I was just this little girl from New Jersey.
So imagine my surprise when I received a packet of information from Stephen King just a few weeks later. It was a generic, fan-club type mailer with his bio- and bibiliographies. It also included a photocopied letter from Mr. King, explaining that in the past, he'd had the time to answer all fan inquiries himself, but there was now so much mail, he couldn't keep up with it. It's understandable. But at the bottom of that page, he'd personally typed: "Hope I'm not toooo late with this info. Good luck and hope you get an A! SK"
I brought that letter to school to show to my English teacher, Mr. Martin. He was duly impressed, as were many of my friends, and my mother. This was the same year I had my first ever letter published in a magazine (a missive to PEOPLE magazine regarding Band Aid), so my mom predicted I was headed for my own fame via the written word.
I simply basked in the fact that Stephen King had taken the time to read my letter AND to type out a personal response to me. It was just cool, the first of many celebrity encounters I would come to have in my life.
Shortly after I turned in my paper, I got another surprise in the mail. Check it out...it's become one of my most prized possessions:
If you can't quite make it out (it's framed and I don't want to handle it too much), this is what it says:
5/31/85
Dear Tara Dublin:
Thank you very much for your interest. As of November 1985 Don Grant in Kingston, Rhode Island, told me THE DARK TOWER is officially out of print. If you're still interested in obtaining a copy, may I suggest you contact a reputable dealer of used books and out of print editions. May I also suggest you refuse to pay more than $50.
Stephen King
Forgot to enclose this information
with the stuff for your term paper.
Now, I ask you: how COOL is that? Stephen King didn't have to write to me. He was probably working on MISERY at the time or something. That just rules. And if that wasn't enough, check this out: Stephen and his wife Tabitha own The Zone Corporation, a central Maine radio station group consisting of WZON, WZON-FM, and WKIT, which has the tagline "Stephen King's Rock 'n' Roll Station." I mean, come on. The man supports terrestrial radio as well. DUDE.
I look at this framed postcard every day of my life. I remind myself that Stephen King was on the brink of poverty when "Carrie" sold. I tell myself that if my book does indeed ever get published, I will answer the hopeful kids who write to me, because Stephen King set the example of how to remain a class act while being a big deal writer at the same time.
And if anyone out there actually knows Stephen King, shoot him this link, would you? It's the only way I know how to thank him for being such a badass all these years....and for helping me get an A on that paper. ; )
I was as ballsy then as I am now, so 15-year-old Tara Dublin wrote a letter (on PAPER, even!) to Stephen King, and mailed it to him via his publisher. I told him about my paper, that I was a big fan, and asked if THE DARK TOWER was available anywhere, because it was out of print at the time. I didn't really expect much, but I had learned early on that it never hurts to ask, because the worst thing someone can say is no. And I figured if it never got to him, I'd cobble together whatever information I could get from magazine articles. He's a busy guy, after all, writing stuff to scare the bejeebus out of everyone, and I was just this little girl from New Jersey.
So imagine my surprise when I received a packet of information from Stephen King just a few weeks later. It was a generic, fan-club type mailer with his bio- and bibiliographies. It also included a photocopied letter from Mr. King, explaining that in the past, he'd had the time to answer all fan inquiries himself, but there was now so much mail, he couldn't keep up with it. It's understandable. But at the bottom of that page, he'd personally typed: "Hope I'm not toooo late with this info. Good luck and hope you get an A! SK"
I brought that letter to school to show to my English teacher, Mr. Martin. He was duly impressed, as were many of my friends, and my mother. This was the same year I had my first ever letter published in a magazine (a missive to PEOPLE magazine regarding Band Aid), so my mom predicted I was headed for my own fame via the written word.
I simply basked in the fact that Stephen King had taken the time to read my letter AND to type out a personal response to me. It was just cool, the first of many celebrity encounters I would come to have in my life.
Shortly after I turned in my paper, I got another surprise in the mail. Check it out...it's become one of my most prized possessions:
If you can't quite make it out (it's framed and I don't want to handle it too much), this is what it says:
5/31/85
Dear Tara Dublin:
Thank you very much for your interest. As of November 1985 Don Grant in Kingston, Rhode Island, told me THE DARK TOWER is officially out of print. If you're still interested in obtaining a copy, may I suggest you contact a reputable dealer of used books and out of print editions. May I also suggest you refuse to pay more than $50.
Stephen King
Forgot to enclose this information
with the stuff for your term paper.
Now, I ask you: how COOL is that? Stephen King didn't have to write to me. He was probably working on MISERY at the time or something. That just rules. And if that wasn't enough, check this out: Stephen and his wife Tabitha own The Zone Corporation, a central Maine radio station group consisting of WZON, WZON-FM, and WKIT, which has the tagline "Stephen King's Rock 'n' Roll Station." I mean, come on. The man supports terrestrial radio as well. DUDE.
I look at this framed postcard every day of my life. I remind myself that Stephen King was on the brink of poverty when "Carrie" sold. I tell myself that if my book does indeed ever get published, I will answer the hopeful kids who write to me, because Stephen King set the example of how to remain a class act while being a big deal writer at the same time.
And if anyone out there actually knows Stephen King, shoot him this link, would you? It's the only way I know how to thank him for being such a badass all these years....and for helping me get an A on that paper. ; )
How effin' cool is this!? I'm a King fan, and I LOVE the fact that he personally wrote to you. Class act indeed.
BTW, I found the link to this on Twitter, but it may not get to Joe Hill. There's an underscore in his name on twitter... @joe_hill... in case you want to send it again.
Reply to this
Excellent story! Reminds me of my own ramblings and surprising response from Isaac Asimov. I, too, have that postcard framed and look at it every day. Hooray for authors who take time out to write to stupid high school kids!
Reply to this