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King comments Ullmann

Posted: March 17, 2010, 22:13

King left this comment on his board today:

Message from Steve re Ghost Brothers of Darkland County
Liv Ullmann? Probably but don't believe it until you see it here. Remember, stephenking.com is the horse's mouth, the rest is just rumor.
Steve

Thanks to herbertwest

My review of American Vampire

Posted: March 17, 2010, 22:11

Here are my review of the first issue of American Vampire that was released today.

Cover for issue #5

Posted: March 16, 2010, 19:42

Here is the cover for issue #5 of Soul Survivors.

Lilja's Library in July

Posted: March 15, 2010, 22:46

From Cemetery Dance's latest newsletter that was sent out earlier today.

We're pleased to report that Lilja's Library: The World of Stephen King by Hans-Ake Lilja and illustrated by Glenn Chadbourne is rolling at our printer and is now scheduled for a mid-summer publication date. Also, collectors should take note that the Lettered Edition, which features original artwork by Chadbourne, is almost sold out! Don't wait to order or you'll miss out on that very special edition of this very cool book.

And just to be clear, mid-summer spells J-U-L-Y.

Liv Ullmann to direct Ghost Brothers

Posted: March 15, 2010, 22:37

The Norwegian actress and director Liv Ullmann is set to direct Ghost Brothers of Darkland County. NRK reports that that Ullmann more or less has agreed to do it and that she feels that both King and Mellencamp represent a new world for her, a world that is a bit frightening. More news to come…

Thanks to Anders Jakobson

Two days to American Vampire

Posted: March 15, 2010, 22:19

Two days until the first issue of American Vampire is released and now you can check out a trailer for it here and an interview with King himself about it here. And here is an interview with Scott Snyder.

Thanks to Maria Pia and herbertwest

Less then 5 copies left

Posted: March 10, 2010, 23:49

Cemetery Dance will soon let everyone know the release date for my book but they told me today that there are less then 5 of the 52 copies of the lettered edition left so if you are planning on getting one of those, don't wait to long. You can order here.

"...a must have for the Constant Reader."— Fangoria #236 (Book of the Month)

Stephen King on the Academy Awards

Posted: March 10, 2010, 23:47

Here are King's latest column with the title Stephen King on the Academy Awards.

Thanks to Maria Pia

A new Pet Sematary in the making

Posted: March 5, 2010, 22:54

New life for the remake of Pet Sematary:

Stephen King’s Pet Sematary Movie To Be Resuscitated
Matthew Greenberg, who wrote the Stephen King adaptation “1408,” is heading back to King territory with “Pet Sematary.”

Lorenzo di Bonaventura recently boarded as producer on the long-gestating project, which is set up at Paramount. Steven Schneider also is producing.

Published in 1983, King’s creepy tale centered on a family that trades the city life for the country life in Maine, then discovers that they have moved near a pet cemetery that rests on an ancient burial ground. When the husband’s toddler son is killed in an auto accident, the father takes the boy’s body to the cemetery, where it is resurrected in demonic form.

Paramount brought the book to life in 1989, with a feature version adapted by King that starred Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby and Fred Gwynne.

Film group president Adam Goodman, looking over library titles, deemed it worthy to resuscitate.

Mark Vahradian and David Ready are overseeing for Di Bonaventura Pictures.

Thanks to Anders Jakobson, Larry Fire and Al Mattice

Cover for issue #5

Posted: March 4, 2010, 22:47

Here is the cover for issue #5 of The Battle of Jericho Hill.

It has all led to this: The climactic battle for all the Mid-World marbles! On one side, with their backs to Jericho Hill are Roland, his ka-tet and the surviving members of his father's Affiliation. Arrayed against them, thousands of soldiers and slow mutants armed with the most horrific selection of weapons that the Good Man, John Farson could provide them. A few will live and many will die, and no reader will ever forget the intensity of the struggle or its heart-wrenching outcome. You must not miss the shattering conclusion that will alter the balance of power in Mid-World in unthinkable ways. You have been warned.

Thanks to Sebastian Rahm

Some reviews

Posted: March 4, 2010, 22:42

Here are three reviews I have just published.

Shooter Jennings and Stephen King team for 'Black Ribbons'

Posted: March 1, 2010, 13:11

Here are some info about the collaboration:

The effect of "Black Ribbons" is heightened considerably by King's droll, seemingly off-the-cuff riffs, full of righteous indignation and underlying humor as he rails against mounting government oppression and champions the importance of the voice of the individual to counter it. The album's conceit is that Will O' the Wisp is about to be shut down by the forces of conformity; he's making his last stand playing music by Hierophant, the fictional name Jennings has given the .357s for this project.

"It's a tremendously spooky idea," King, who had admired the .357s music he'd heard, said in a separate interview about his reasons for volunteering his services. "He sent me a draft, and it was just about perfect. I altered a few things and expanded some of it, but he knew exactly what he wanted. . . . To me, it was brilliant, the way the talk and the music weave in and out. I haven't heard the final version, but I heard a rough mix I thought was pretty good, even though I'm not in love with the sound of my own voice."

Not only hasn't King heard the finished version of the album, he and Jennings have never met, nor spoken by telephone. Jennings, a longtime fan of King's writing, originally reached out to the author by e-mail, which is how their whole collaboration was conducted. King recorded his bits at a studio in Florida and sent the digital files back to Jennings, who inserted them into the music he'd crafted at his home and at album producer Dave Cobb's home studio in Silver Lake.

Read the full story here.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

King on music

Posted: March 1, 2010, 13:11

Stephen King's scary list: commercial radio, contemporary country music:

What scares horrormeister Stephen King?

How about terrestrial radio?

The prolific author has always been a passionate music fan, even moonlighting as a rock star on occasion as a part-time member of Dave Barry’s ad hoc literary rock band, the Rock Bottom Remainders. But over time King found less and less that caught his ears when he would spin the radio dial, which is part of what led him to take on a key role in Shooter Jennings’ ambitious new concept album, “Black Ribbons,” a project that's explored in a full Calendar feature in Saturday's paper.

“I'm a big alt-country fan, but I got to a place in my own musical listening where I was starting to not listen anymore,” King said when he called the other day to talk about volunteering his voice as narrator of Jennings’ atmospheric tale of a late-night radio talk show host who is the last voice of freedom in an increasingly restrictive society.

“I didn’t buy much music anymore, then I got an XM radio and discovered this show, ‘Outlaw Country,’ hosted by Mojo Nixon, and to me that sounded like the way rock 'n' roll used to sound back in the day when I was a kid. It didn’t sound like country, it didn’t sound like rock, it sure didn’t sound like the country that’s on the radio where I come from.”

“Shooter was one of the artists they played, and I liked the thing he was doing, the playfulness of it,” King said. “I still don’t remember how he got my e-mail…but he sent me a note saying ‘I have this idea — would you be interested?’”

“He had visualized the last disc jockey in the world doing this kind of pirate radio thing — he’s going to be shut down, and he knew he was going to be shut down," said King, noting that he owns two radio stations himself: "one rock, one talk." "So on his last show he’s playing cuts from his favorite group, which was this [Hierophant] group Shooter had envisioned, and he’s playing all the songs on their record.... I heard that and said, ‘I want to be part of it.’”

King sounds like he’s having a great time with his role as a deejay named Will O’ the Wisp on “Black Ribbons,” which comes out Tuesday. Jennings, the son of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, had gotten the idea “to make a record that’s carried by one voice,” and as a longtime fan of King’s writings, he quizzed friends and associates for six months until one of them produced an e-mail address so he could send off his pitch.

In fact, the whole collaboration between Jennings and King was conducted by e-mail. The two still haven’t met, or even spoken by phone. “We’ve exchanged pictures of our children and [my] grandchildren,” King said. “I hope we get to meet one of these days.”

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Press release for Full Dark, No Stars

Posted: February 26, 2010, 11:45

Here is Hodder & Stoughton's press release for Full Dark, No Stars

STEPHEN KING HAS MAJOR DARKNESS IN MIND FOR 2010 UNDER THE DOME, published in November 2009, reached more readers then any other King hardback novel published in the UK in the last decade.

Its publication, with a winning marketing campaign, demands a worthy successor for 2010, and Hodder & Stoughton are delighted to announce the acquisition from US agent, Chuck Verrill, of FULL DARK, NO STARS.

The November publication month that has proved so successful for UNDER THE DOME and JUST AFTER SUNSET will again provide a perfect position to launch this volume of four all-new novellas for Christmas 2010.

These darkly thrilling stories are all linked by the theme of retribution, and are a showcase for the power of King’s inimitable imagination – satisfying established readers whilst enticing new ones. Visceral, immediate and featuring just a few characters, this is the other side of King’s writing; contrasting intimate portraits after the huge canvas that was UNDER THE DOME.

For further information about FULL DARK, NO STARS please contact Kerry Hood on 020 7873 6l73. And for more information about Stephen King visit www.hodder.co.uk and www.stephenking.co.uk

Cover

Posted: February 26, 2010, 00:18

Here is the variant cover for issue #4 of Soul Survivors.

Jae Lee steps aside

Posted: February 26, 2010, 00:09

Jae Lee steps aside for a new artist on the upcoming Gunslinger series

February 24, 2010 - Marvel is proud to announce that Eisner Award-winning Sean Phillips (Incognito, Criminal, Marvel Zombies) has joined the New York Times best-selling Dark Tower creative team! Philips joins the acclaimed team of Peter David, Robin Furth and Richard Isanove in the select group of creators entrusted by Stephen King himself to bring the adult adventures of his most personal creation to life in Dark Tower: The Gunslinger! Philips exclaims, "Well, I've bought the hat and the gun and holster. And I've got the lead pencil right here that'll do the job!"

Phillips' fellow Dark Tower collaborators couldn't be more pleased with their new teammate. "Here's to the beginning of our new Dark Tower adventure! Sean is a wonderful artist, so I can't wait to see his depictions of Mid-World. We will all miss Jae [Lee], but we're really lucky to have Sean. Peter and Richard will continue their amazing work, so I think Roland is ready to saddle up and move forward to the Mohaine Desert. Readers, bring plenty of sunscreen. You're going to need it" said Robin Furth.

Peter David added, "I'm very much looking forward to seeing Sean's depiction of Mid-World and the superb manner in which he'll be telling Robin's stories. Jae left him sizable boots to fill, but I have every confidence that Sean is more than up to the challenge, and I'm looking forward to dialoguing his peerless pencils."

"The past four years spent in Midworld have been the most enjoyable and creatively fullfiling of my professional life. Jae has taken me further than I thought possible in the artistic field and I am ecstatic to now have Sean along for the ride. I'm sure he'll quickly feel at home within our little functional family, with the wise guidance of Robin, Peter's perfect prose and under Ralph's despotic thumb" explained Richard Isanove.

Ruwan Jayatilleke, Marvel's Senior Vice President, Development & Planning, Print, Animation and Digital Media, said, "Marvel is absolutely psyched to have Sean Phillips join the Dark Tower creative team. Though Jae's artistry will be missed, Sean's gift of phenomenal storytelling and visual fireworks will keep the Dark Tower: The Gunslinger compelling, stunning, and true to its canon. Fans will have much to rave about in the coming months."

A bold new chapter in Stephen King's Dark Tower saga begins in Dark Tower: The Gunslinger #1, as Sean Phillips brings you a vision of Gilead like you've never seen before!

DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER #1 (of 5)
Written by ROBIN FURTH & PETER DAVID
Art & Cover by SEAN PHILLIPS & RICHARD ISANOVE
Variant Cover by JAE LEE & RICHARD ISANOVE
Parental Advisory …$3.99
ON-SALE MAY 2010

Vampre covers

Posted: February 24, 2010, 00:24

Here is the cover for issue #3 and the variant cover for isseu #1 of American Vampire

Thanks to Herbert West

Variant cover for issue #5

Posted: February 24, 2010, 00:21

Here is the cover for issue #4 of Battle of Jericho Hill.

Thanks to Sebastian Rahm

UR winners selected...

Posted: February 22, 2010, 12:32

The UR contest is over and here are the five lucky winners and also the right answers:

Read the complete text

New Dollar Baby

Posted: February 18, 2010, 09:06

Here is a trailer for a new Dollar Baby, this time based on in the Deathroom.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

More info about the next book

Posted: February 18, 2010, 09:04

Here are some new info from King's board about Full Dark, No Stars:

Steve has told me it's okay to say that one of the novellas is about Hemingford Home.

Interview with Marc Guggenheim

Posted: February 17, 2010, 22:18

Here is an interview with Marc Guggenheim who's adapted N. for the upcoming comic.

Here is also the cover for issue #3.

Thanks to Daniel Taylor

Full Dark, No Stars next

Posted: February 17, 2010, 08:48

Today it was announced that King's next book will be a collection of 4 previously unpublished novellas. The title is Full Dark, No Stars. Here is what's posted on King's board:

I have been given permission to announce that Steve's next book titled FULL DARK, NO STARS, is a collection of 4 previously unpublished novellas and is expected to be released in November (possibly 9th, but that is subject to change). We will announce more details as they become available.

Thanks to Brian Freeman

King on Leno

Posted: February 17, 2010, 00:27

Here is an article by King called Stephen King Talks About 'The Jay Leno Show'.

Thanks to Sonia Rodríguez Riveiro

Bag of Bones heading for TV

Posted: February 8, 2010, 22:48

Mick Garris confirmed that he is looking to turn Bag of Bones into a a miniseries for a major network now instead of a feature movie.

N. covers

Posted: February 8, 2010, 22:40

Here are the covers for issue #1 and 2 of N..

Thanks to Sebastian Rahm.

Latest on Haven

Posted: February 5, 2010, 20:53

Here is the latest news about Haven:

SyFy announced it has cast Emily Rose ("John From Cincinnati") as the lead in its upcoming series "Haven," which the network said will premiere later this year.

Based on the Stephen King novella "The Colorado Kid," "Haven" will begin production in the spring in Canada.

Rose will play FBI agent Audrey Parker, who investigates a murder in the small town of Haven, Maine, and finds herself caught up in a web of supernatural activity among its citizens.

Rose has had several key recurring roles since appearing as Cass on "John From Cincinnati." She played Lena Branigan on "Brothers and Sisters," Trish Merrick on "Jericho" and Tracy Martin on "ER." She was also the lead in the USA pilot "Operating Instructions."

E1 Entertainment is producing "Haven," which is co-financed by Universal Netwowrks Intl. and is the first series to be produced for SyFy's international outlets (except in Scandinavia and, ironically, Canada). E1 is handling international distribution.

Scott Shepard ("The Dead Zone") is the series' showrunner, with Lloyd Segan, Shawn Piller and E1's John Morayniss and Noreen Halpern exec producing. Pilot scribes Sam Ernst and Jim Dunn also are exec producers.

Thanks to Bev Vincent.

New column

Posted: February 5, 2010, 20:52

King has a new column in issue 1089/1090 (released 2/12/10) called Hey, Jay - Good Night, and Good Luck and in it King tells us why Leno's 10p.m. failure is good for TV.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

A quote from Frank

Posted: February 1, 2010, 23:03

Here is something that I just had to share with you all. This is what Frank Darabont, screenwriter and director of The Shawshank Redemption and The Mist had to say about my book after he read it:

"Hans-Ake Lilja, the most dedicated Stephen King fan I know, takes the reader on a joyous, wide-ranging journey through King’s world and influence. Part scholarly in its approach, but in greater part a fan's love letter to King, it is an absolute must for the Stephen King completist."

Stephen to appear in Charlotte County, FL

Posted: February 1, 2010, 16:24

Stephen will be appearing at the Cultural Center of Charlotte County (FL) on Saturday, March 20th to host the Charlotte County Library Big Read Kickoff Event. This is not a book signing.

Tickets (400 will be available) are being distributed by a random lottery drawing. For more information about the event and to fill out the email form for the lottery drawing, please visit their web site.

King pays tribute to J.D. Salinger

Posted: January 29, 2010, 23:29

King pays tribute to J.D. Salinger

Stephen King on J.D. Salinger: 'The last of the great post-WWII American writers'
by Stephen King
Categories: In Memoriam, Stephen King
I wasn’t a huge Salinger fan, but I’m sorry to hear of his passing — the way you’d feel if you heard an eccentric, short-tempered, but often fascinating uncle had passed away. Not as great a loss as Beverly Jensen (her marvelous The Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay will be published this summer), who wrote only one book before dying of cancer at the age of 49, or of Raymond Carver, who was barely into his 50s; Salinger was, after all, in his 90s.

But it is a milestone of sorts, because Salinger was the last of the great post-WWII American writers, and in Holden Caulfield — maybe the greatest American-boy narrator since Huck Finn — he created an authentic Voice of the Age: funny, anxious, at odds with himself, and badly lost.

Salinger’s death may answer one question that has intrigued readers, writers, and critics for nearly half a century — what literary trove of unpublished work may he have left behind? Much? Some? Or none? Salinger is gone, but if we’re lucky, he may have more to say, even so.

Decodes Movie Blurbs

Posted: January 27, 2010, 22:31

Here you can read King's column Decodes Movie Blurbs.

Thanks to willowlove

Time talks on video

Posted: January 27, 2010, 22:27

Here is the Times Talks from November 9 last year. The event took place in New York City and King was interviewed on a wide range of topics including Under the Dome.

Two books done

Posted: January 27, 2010, 08:52

I got an email from arielracing who asked if there are any new book planned/scheduled for publication in 2010 by King on his official board. And even though the moderator couldn’t go into details she said there where and also that King had already finished two new books!

UR

Posted: January 27, 2010, 08:49

Here is a site for the upcoming audio edition of UR where you can listen to an exerpt.

Costello interview

Posted: January 22, 2010, 12:40

Here's a part of an interview with Elvis costello from SEE Magazine

SEE: What is “The Shape”?

Elvis: “The Shape” is the name of a character that I’m portraying in a piece which is being constructed. It’s an unusual form. It’s a sort of a radio play, as it were, except it’ll be on record. It’s a collaboration between John Mellencamp and Stephen King, produced by my friend T-Bone Burnett, and a number of singers, some of whom are friends like Roseanne Cash and people that I’ve recently met through Spectacle like Neko Case, Cheryl Crow, likewise, and Kris Kristofferson. There are actually a number of people that have been on Spectacle but that’s purely, completely coincidental. But we happen to be all characters in this story, and “The Shape” is this sort of demonic, satanic I suppose, demonic rather than satanic, the provocateur character that nobody sees but whispers in everybody’s ear. Typecast again. But it’s interesting to do. I think some people got hold of the wrong end of the stick and imagined it was going to be a Broadway musical, but I think it would be pretty tough to imagine all those people showing up for Broadway.

SEE: A little, yeah.

Elvis: But this is another way to do it, I think it’s an interesting way to do it, get people into the studio and record. It’s kind of like a collage almost of dramatic performances, and a lot of the songs are written in character voices. I’ve written a number of songs where I’m not that person that’s singing, there’s even reprehensible characters in songs where I wouldn’t want to be that person. But here I’ve got a little more licence to go a bit further with that, because it’s somebody else’s character that’s been created and I have to sort of try and bring it to life in some way that made sense to me and I hoped that they liked it. People are trying different things. The record company relationship with artists is less dominant than it used to be. People are able to sort of try some different forms without being worried about losing radio play in Idaho. Nobody cares about that anymore. If there’s a good station in Idaho, then they can have a direct conversation with you. If there isn’t, then you’re not losing anything by doing something that’s interesting to you. It’s probably a good idea to give it a try, see what happens.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Issue #2 of American Vampire

Posted: January 22, 2010, 12:38

Here are some info about issue #2 of American Vampire:

AMERICAN VAMPIRE #2
On sale APRIL 21 € 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US € MATURE READERS
Written by SCOTT SNYDER AND STEPHEN KING
Art and cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
1:25 variant cover by BERNIE WRIGHTSON

It's been nearly 20 years since notorious outlaw Skinner Sweet was buried on boot hill. But when a group of grave-robbing collectors of Western memorabilia uncover his final resting place, they find much, much more than they bargained for. And: Pearl Jones was attacked and left for dead by a cabal of powerful Hollywood vampires. Now, a mysterious stranger comes calling and Pearl gets a second chance at life - and at revenge.
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers.

Thanks to Daniel Taylor

Interview with Vincent

Posted: January 22, 2010, 12:37

Here is an interview with Bev Vincent author of Stephen King Illustrated Companion that is nominated of an Edgar Award in the category Best Critical/Biographical

Tommy

Posted: January 19, 2010, 23:53

In the March/April edition of Playboy you'll find King's new poem entitled Tommy. The poem is described as 'An eerie yet touching reminiscence of childhood friendships and the ways innocence and experience intertwine.'

Thanks to Ross Warren

Advertising for Stand and DT

Posted: January 17, 2010, 22:14

Thanks to Bev Vincent

New column

Posted: January 17, 2010, 22:13

In the 1/22 issue of Entertainment Weekly King has a column called Decoding Movie Blurbs.

It's not yet online. It is pretty much what you'd expect it'd be about with that title.

Thanks to willowlove

The creative process behind a cover...

Posted: January 15, 2010, 12:35

Bev Vincent posted this on his board:

The somewhat controversial "Sunpire" (that is to say, Vampires fueled by the sun rather than killed by it) aspects behind Stephen King and Scott Snyder's upcoming Vertigo title "American Vampire" may have some would-be readers wary - especially in lieu of the "Twilight" films' sparkly motifs - but I gotta say, Rafael Albuquerque's art makes me forget all about that noise.

Over at Vertigo's Graphic Content blog, Albuquerque gives readers a rundown on his creative process behind building the cover image for the series' second issue.

It's a pretty interesting look at his approach to composing a striking cover, especially his closing remarks about color choice.

The best part is that, judging from the light sources in the image, fans won't have to worry about the series' fanged protagonist sparkling when the series hits in March.

You can also see more of how the cover was created here.

My thoughts

Posted: January 15, 2010, 00:49

Here are my thought about issue #3 of The Road of Trials.

Audio clip

Posted: January 15, 2010, 00:03

Here is a first audio excerpt from UR.

New cover

Posted: January 14, 2010, 23:58

Here is another cover for American Vampire.

UR on audio

Posted: January 8, 2010, 00:51

On February 12 UR will be released on audio and the narrator is Holter Graham.

Top 10

Posted: January 7, 2010, 01:03

King picks the top 10 TV shows in 2009.

Thanks to willowlove

The result is in...

Posted: January 7, 2010, 01:03

From King's board:

The voting closed at the end of the day on December 31st. The votes were 5,861 for Doctor Sleep and 5,812 for the new Dark Tower. I'll be letting Steve know the results but the final decision for which one gets written first is still up to his muse. He's working on another book at the moment (you know the drill--no, I can't say anything more about it until he gives the thumbs up) so it won't get started right away in any case.

Thanks to Bev Vincent.

Hear King

Posted: January 7, 2010, 00:55

Here is a clip from Shooter Jennings album Black Ribbons and it begins with King narrating.

The album is released on March 10.

King to narrate

Posted: January 6, 2010, 20:49

This interesting info surfaced on the Net today.

JENNINGS LANDS AUTHOR KING FOR NEW ALBUM

Rocker SHOOTER JENNINGS has found a thrilling narrator for his new concept album BLACK RIBBONS - best-selling horror author STEPHEN KING.

The novelist plays the voice of Will O' The Wisp, a radio talk-show host being phased out due to government censorship.
He talks of a doomsday future for America in between playing the music of Jennings' band, Hierophant.

The pair has yet to meet, but Jennings insists the collaboration has proved to be a success.

He says, "Once the idea of using him popped in my head, it kind of stayed and never varied. I wrote a script and I sent it to him, and then he took that and he rewrote it and changed it and added quite a lot of great stuff, so at the end of the day, that part of it was a collaboration. He was supportive of what I'd written and liked the voice that I had given the character. I sent it to him and a couple of weeks later, I had a package at my doorstep with a CD, a typed-out transcript and a picture of him doing it."

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