NEWS -

Odds & Ends In Germany

Posted: April 24, 2025, 13:41
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Today I’m happy to let you know that my German publisher, Buchheim Verlag will continue to release my books. They have now bought the rights to Stephen King: Not Just Horror, Stephen King: Stories From Five Decades of Storytelling and Stephen King: Odds & Ends.

Earlier this year they released Shining in the Dark in German.

Top 5

Posted: April 23, 2025, 10:39
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I recently spoke to Five Books and gave them my top 5 when it comes to King books. As you all know it’s hard to rank all of King’s books but I did my best and right now this is my top 5. Ask me tomorrow and you might get others.

Carrie Officially Ordered And Sue Snell Cast

Posted: April 10, 2025, 20:22
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Mike Flanagan’s TV series version of Carrie has now been officially ordered by Prime Video.

Summer H. Howell is said to be in talks to play Carrie White and Siena Agudong has been confirmed to play Sue Snell.

The first season (no word on if there will be more) will have eight episodes and filming is said to start sometime this summer in Vancouver.

Welcome to Derry Tease

Posted: April 7, 2025, 09:37
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Here is the lasted "Coming Soon" teaser from Max and 1:08 into it we get a short teaser for Welcome to Derry. This confirms that it's still set for 2025 but don’t give us an exact date. We also get to hear Pennywise's laugh...

The Long Walk Walks In On September 12

Posted: April 1, 2025, 21:11
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Deadline reports that Lionsgate today at their CinemaCon presentation revealed that The Long Walk will premier September 12. They aslo showed a trailer so look for that one soon.

This is my favorite Stephen King novel, I read it 27 years ago. The rights hot bought and then came back up. Roy Lee my producer brought it to me. For me, it was the conceit that was very interesting. You can imagine yourself in the shoes of these young men. World building –the heart of the movie for me is about these young men, their comraderies, the love that forms. This isn’t a try to knock each other out competition, but how we can hold each other up competition.
- Francis Lawrence

If you can’t be the hero, there’s nothing better than being the villain.
- Mark Hamill

Deadline also described the trailer:

In the trailer, a villainous Hamill fires the starting gun and says, “Walk until there is only one of you left.” The boys set out, walking and talking, even joking, Surrounded by tanks on the long dusty road, they realize their situation is truly grim as friends are injured and killed and their ranks dwindle. “You walk as long as you can,” says Hamil in voiceover. “For some, the heart will stop, for other the brain, and the blood will flow … There’s one winner and no finish line.”

Thanks to Herbert West

Darren Aronofsky Directs Cujo?

Posted: March 19, 2025, 08:14
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Darren Aronofsky who have done movies like The Whale and Mother are in talks to direct Netflix adaptation of Cujo. Roy Lee who’s involved in the upcoming The Long Walk and also was part of the two IT movies and the new Salem’s Lot is producing.

King Sorrow & More To Come From Joe Hill

Posted: March 17, 2025, 15:48
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Joe Hill's UK edition of King Sorrow is now available to order signed from Waterstones and I must say that the cover looks great.


I'm reading the book as we speak and trust me, you don't want to miss this one.

In his recent newsletter Joe also mentions that he's almost finished with yet another book and that he aims for one new book / year for a few years to come.

I’m in the home stretch on a new novel and have (possibly unfounded) hopes of finishing by the end of the month. It always takes longer than I think it’s going to. Still: I remain optimistic that I might be able to stay on track for a book a year for the next few years. Wouldn’t that be cool?

Joe Hill’s Abraham’s Boys Becomes A Feature Film

Posted: March 9, 2025, 00:11
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Joe Hill’s short story Abraham’s Boys from the collection 20th Century Ghosts has been turned into a feature film staring Titus Welliver (Bosch). In April it will premier on the Overlook Film Festival. Hill will be there and for a wide-ranging career conversation to discuss the methods behind the madness which animate his exquisite body of work.

February's Derry Monthly Is Out!

Posted: February 25, 2025, 00:51
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Latest issue of Derry Monthly is out. This time focus is on all the books coming this year and next…and off course there are news about upcoming movies and a 40 year anniversary.

Oh, and when I wrote the column I hadn’t seen The Monkey yet but since then I have and you can check out my review of it here

Stephen King Writes For The Dark Tower Movie

Posted: February 24, 2025, 16:03
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It seems King is more involved with the new Dark Tower movie / TV series than we have been aware of. IGN reports that at a roundtable interview for The Monkey they asked him if he would be interested in contributing new material to The Dark Tower as he did with the 2020’s The Stand and King revealed that he already is:

All I can say is it's happening. I am writing stuff now and I think that's all I want to say because the next thing you know, I'll stir up a bunch of stuff I don't necessarily want to stir up yet. I'm in process right now, and to say too much feels like a jinx.

The Long Walk Almost Done

Posted: February 13, 2025, 23:07
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The Long Walk doesn't have a release date yet, but it sounds like it won't be long before it does. When asked about how far along he is with the current cut, director Francis Lawrence answered:

"We're almost done. Actually, that's why I'm going to London, to do the score for it. So the cut is for the most part locked. I'm really happy with it. I think it's really unique.

It's one of — if not my favorite — Stephen King novels. It was something that actually crossed my desk years ago, not long after I finished Constantine. It was when I was doing I Am Legend, and I wanted to do it, but Frank Darabont actually scooped up the rights. People have tried to make it over the years, and never could. We just kind of cracked it; I worked with JT Mollner, who did Strange Darling. He wrote a great draft, and it came together really quickly. I had this window, and we hit the right season to shoot it, and we put together an amazing cast. The cast is so good and the performances are great. I'm super happy with it.”

King Writes A New Interpretation Of Hansel and Gretel

Posted: February 13, 2025, 20:43
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Stephen King and Hansel & Gretel, what a combination. Hodder Children’s Books will release the book in September this year. The synopsis states:

"In this book, Stephen King brings his signature voice to the classic fairytale of two brave children lost in an eerie and dangerous forest. Sendak’s hauntingly beautiful illustrations on every page draw readers into the deliciously daring world of Hansel and Gretel."

King had the following to say:

"When I was asked if I might be interested in writing a new interpretation of Hansel and Gretel, bending it to fit (loosely) with set and costume designs Maurice Sendak had created for the Humperdinck opera of the story, I was interested.


When I saw the pictures themselves, I resolved to give it a try. Two of his pictures in particular spoke to me. One was of the wicked witch on her broom with a bag of kidnapped children riding behind her. The other was of the infamous candy house becoming a terrible face.

I thought, ‘This is what the house really looks like, a devil sick with sin, and it only shows that face when the kids turn their backs.’ I wanted to write that! To me, it was the essence of this story and, really, all fairytales: a sunny exterior, a dark and terrible centre, brave and resourceful children. In a way, I have been writing about kids like Hansel and Gretel for much of my life."


Philippa Pride, King’s editor at Hodder & Stoughton, added:

"Imagine a collaboration between the world’s ultimate storyteller and the world’s most honoured children’s book artist – that is indeed a fairytale come true."

Pre-order here.

Hansel, Gretel & The King

Posted: February 13, 2025, 10:38
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Who doesn't like the story of Hansel and Gretel? Well, I assume King does as he has written a new introduction to the new edition being released by HarperCollins and Hodder Children's Books on September 2.

Pre-order here.

Thanks to Herbert West

40 years ago Bachman was exposed

Posted: February 9, 2025, 09:15
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Today it’s 40 years since Bangor Daily News released the news that Stephen King and Richard Bachman was one and the same and just like that we got five new books; Rage, The Long Walk, Roadwork, The Running Man and Thinner.

We also found out that the man posing as Bachman on the cover of Thinner was in fact Richard Manuel from Roseville, Minnesota, a suburb adjacent to St. Paul and Minneapolis where he worked with energy-efficient housing.

Manuel was a friend of King’s literary agent, Kirby McCauley and agreed to pose as Bachman and according to himself he kept the secret.

”I didn't tell anybody, I was sworn to secrecy. Some friends called and said 'Hey, Dick, there's a guy that looks like you who's writing books in New Hampshire.' Even my sister called and said that.”

More info about Richard Bachman can be found here.

Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream Being Filmed

Posted: February 8, 2025, 18:42
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According to The Post James Ashcroft will turn Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream into a movie. Not with Robert DiNero as the headline indicates. Question is if it’s a Dollar Baby or not…

Late last year, Ashcroft was browsing in a Los Angeles bookshop when he got an email.

It was from Stephen King, one of the world’s most famous writers and a master of horror stories.

Ashcroft had written to King some time earlier, saying how he admired the writer’s work, and wondering if there was any chance of collaborating on a project.

King said he loved The Rule of Jenny Pen, which had just premiered at a US film festival, and mentioned he had a novella Ashcroft might like to make into a movie.

The story was Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream, published last year to widespread acclaim.

“And the next day, his agent contacted mine,” remembers Ashcroft.

“And they said, ‘Stephen’s been saying no to everyone for about 18 months on this one, but he said if James would like to have a go at it, it’s his.’

“So he gave it to me for a dollar.”

(King is renowned for letting promising filmmakers adapt his shorter works for a dollar, while he retains the film rights.)

Stephen King: From Five Decades of Storytelling; Italian Edition

Posted: February 5, 2025, 13:56
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I’m happy to announce that the Italian edition of Stephen King: Stories From Five Decades of Storytelling (Stephen King: 5 Decenni Di Scrittura) is about to be released. In about 2 weeks the limited edition (199 copies) will be out and then in March the trade edition will follow.


The editions will have different covers (this one if for the limited) and the limited will include photos that’s not in the trade edition.

King On The KingCast

Posted: January 29, 2025, 13:36
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Today King returns to The KingCast and during the hour they cover a lot. Here are the most important things that they talk about.

The Talisman 3
There will be a lot of Nebraska in The Talisman 3.

King is using Peter Straub’s words in The Talisman 3.

King confirms that The Territories are The Mid World and The Mid World are The Territories.

Characters from both The Talisman and Black House are in The Talisman 3.

Never Flinch
King rewrote Never Flinch completely after his wife Tabitha said it didn’t work.

Other news
King had an idea for the last book about the character Travis McGee (he shares part of it in the episode) but the relatives of John D. MacDonald said they didn’t want King to do the book so it didn’t happen and won’t.

It was King’s idea to do the harlequin cover for Misery.

King don’t have trunk novels but he have some unfinished stories that he thinks aren’t good enough.

Check out the episode (#265) here.

Thanks!!!

Posted: January 27, 2025, 23:46
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Thanks to everyone who has congratulated me on the 29 years I have run Lilja’s Library - The World of Stephen King. It’s been a joy.

I’ve done things I have never thought I’d do. I’ve gotten to know people I never thought I would get to know or would have gotten the chance to know if it wasn’t for the site.

Some of you have asked if Lilja’s Library is my daily work, my livelihood. It’s not. It’s a hobby that I do because I love King’s books and stories.

Some of you have asked why I don’t have advertisement on the site or charge a fee for parts of the site. The simple answer to that is I don’t like advertisement myself (unless it’s for King stuff) and I don’t believe in charging for stuff online. I have never charged anything for any parts of the site and never will.

But if anyone feel they want to support the site or help me keep it going (it do cost to keep it up) there is the option to DONATE. Every dollar helps so if anyone wants to donate I’m grateful! Read how here.

With that I’d like to thank you for all your support during these 29 years.

THANKS!
// Lilja

Special feature

30th anniversary wishes

King calendar

2026:
Stephen King: Not Just Horror (Portuguese ed.)
2026:
Stephen King: Stories From Five Decades of Storytelling (Portuguese edition)
2026:
Stephen King: Stories From Five Decades of Storytelling (German edition)
2026:
Carrie TV Series
2026:
Stephen King: Not Just Horror (German ed.)

Latest interviews

Joe Hill
November 3, 2025
JT Mollner
September 18, 2025
Angelina Kekish
February 16, 2021

Latest reviews

The Running Man
November 14, 2025
The End Times
October 28, 2025
Welcome To Derry
October 26, 2025

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