NEWS -

Listen To The Shining Opera

Posted: November 8, 2016, 15:31
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This past May, the Minnesota Opera presented the world premiere of The Shining. The opera was an immediate sensation, selling out completely and earning critical raves. In cooperation with the Minnesota Opera, Classical Minnesota Public Radio is now pleased to present the complete streaming audio of The Shining, as performed live during that premiere run. This exclusive listening opportunity will be available for a limited time only: through Nov. 30.


Head over to their site to listen.

Thanks to Lou Sytsma

Hearts in Suspension Out Now!

Posted: November 8, 2016, 09:07
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So, King’s latest book was released yesterday (my review is on its way) and this time it’s a special book. Hearts in Suspension is an Essay Collection released by University of Maine. Here is all the info you need about it.

This publication marks the 50th anniversary of Stephen King’s entrance into the University of Maine at Orono in the fall of 1966. The accelerating war in Vietnam and great social upheaval at home exerted a profound impact on students of the period and deeply influenced King’s development as a writer and as a man.

King’s fictional treatment of this experience in his novella “Hearts in Atlantis” (reprinted in this volume) tracks his youthful avatar, Peter Riley, through the awakenings and heartbreak of his turbulent first year at UMaine. In his accompanying essay, “Five to One, One in Five,” written expressly for this volume, King sheds his fictional persona and takes on the challenge of a nonfiction return to his undergraduate experience. The stereoscopic combination of these narratives, told with King’s characteristic blend of canny insight and self-deprecating humor, create a revealing portrait of the artist as young man and a ground-level tableau of this highly charged time.

In addition, twelve fellow students and friends from King’s college days contribute personal narratives recalling their own experience of those years. These recollections—engaged, irreverent, and affecting—bring dimension and texture to the collective witnessing of a formative time in their lives and a defining moment in the country’s history.

This book also includes four installments of King’s never-before-reprinted student newspaper column, “King’s Garbage Truck.” These lively examples of King’s damn-the-torpedoes style, entertaining and shrewd in their youthful perceptions, more than hint at a talent about to take its place in the American literary landscape.

A gallery of period photographs and documents augments this volume.

You can order your copy here.

Ep. 64 - Feeding Fuel to Firestarter

Posted: November 6, 2016, 23:24
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Welcome to the Stephen King Podcast Constant and New Listeners!

NOTE - SPOILER ALERT!!! We discuss the leaked DT Trailer from 04:14 to 18:57 - so skip ahead if this is something you don't want to hear!!!!!!!!!!

Join your hosts - longtime Constant Readers - Hans Lilja of Lilja's Library and writer/podcaster - Lou W. Sytsma.

Welcome to Episode 64 of The Stephen King Podcast!

Apologies for the delay Constant Listeners. Technical problems and a clunky solution made putting the audio together an exercise in frustration. Apologies if the audio sounds a bit wonky but it is what it is. Enjoy!

This week we continue following in the footsteps of Stephen King Revisited and take a look at a work that is often over-looked when the top King novels are mentioned - Firestarter.

Firestarter (1980)

Historical Essay - by Bev Vincent
Richard’s Thoughts - by Richard Chizmar
Guest Essay by Ian Rogers

We talk about the book, the movie, and the TV sequel.

And that plus the latest Stephen King News!

We hope you enjoy this episode and, as usual, we want to hear from you.
Good or bad, we want it all!

You can leave us comments, questions, topic suggestions at:
1) FaceBook - Lilja's Library
2) Audio Message - Speak Pipe widget on the right hand of the podcast page (send voicemail)

In this podcast:
1) 00:00 - Intro
2) 00:30 - Podcast Setup
3) 01:25 - News From The DeathRoom
NOTE - SPOILER ALERT!!! We discuss the leaked DT Trailer from 04:14 to 18:57 - so skip ahead if this is something you don't want to hear!!!!!!!!!!
4) 41:07 - Review - Firestarter
5) 1:20:24 - Podcast Signoff
6) 1:21:34 - Outro



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Intro Music - Don't Fear The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult

Outro Music - Stand By Me - Ben E. King
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The Dark Tower Film Postponed

Posted: November 3, 2016, 16:41
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Entertainment Weekly reported today that the filmversion of The Dark Tower, originally set to premier February 17 now has been pushed forward to Summer 2017.

Principal photography for the Nikolaj Arcel-directed film wrapped on schedule in late July, but the plan to have a completed film ready to screen six months later proved to be overly ambitious. Now, Sony Pictures and production company MRC have decided post-production can’t be finished in that timeframe and are about to inform theater owners of the change.

Sources close to the movie tell EW it’s a matter of needing deadline extensions on the visual effects, as well as more lead-up to promote the film.

Only four months from release, there’s still no trailer. And the film recently dropped out of EW’s PopFest a week before the fan gathering, with the studio indicating the footage set to be previewed wasn’t ready. Ever since, fans have been speculating that the movie might be wavering on its February target.

A new release date wasn’t available, the sources said, because a new weekend hasn’t been selected yet. A formal announcement is expected as soon as that’s settled.

Read the article here.

1922 Heading For Netflix

Posted: November 3, 2016, 08:33
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News of a Netflix adaptation of King’s 1922 surfaced from nowhere today and apparently they are already filming. No release date is set but a good guess is sometime next year.


Thomas Jane and Molly Parker are starring in the latest adaptation of a Stephen King story, Netflix's adaptation of the author's novella 1922.

Zak Hilditch will direct from the screenplay he wrote based on King's 131-page story telling of a man's confession of his wife's murder. The tale is told from from the perspective of Wilfred James, the story's unreliable narrator who admits to killing his wife, Arlette, with his son in Nebraska. But after he buries her body, he finds himself terrorized by rats and, as his life begins to unravel, becomes convinced his wife is haunting him.

Jane is playing Wilfred James, while Parker is playing Arlette. Dylan Schmid, Kaitlyn Bernard, Brian D’Arcy James and Neal McDonough also are starring. Ross M. Dinerstein is producing the film via his Campfire banner. The project is currently shooting in Vancouver.


Thanks to Lou Sytsma & Herbert West

The History Of A Cover

Posted: November 1, 2016, 22:38
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Vincent Chong who’s done the beautiful cover for the book Shining in the Dark: Celebrating Twenty Years of Lilja’s Library has posted the backstory to the cover as well as some sketches he did for it. A very interesting look at how a cover was created. Check it out over at his site.

You can pre-order the book here.

Shining in the Dark: Celebrating Twenty Years

Posted: October 31, 2016, 21:25
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Finally, I can reveal what I have been teasing about for quite some time now. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Lilja’s Library Cemetery Dance will publish the anthology Shining in the Dark: Celebrating Twenty Years of Lilja’s Library.

The anthology will contain 12 stories by 13 great authors that I have selected. Six of the twelve stories have not been published anywhere (some are actually written with this book in mind) before this publication and of the six that have, most have only been published in magazines. So, chances are that you’ll read them here for the first time.

Table of Contents:
"Celebrating 20 Years of Lilja's Library (An Introduction)” by Hans-Åke Lilja
"The Blue Air Compressor" by Stephen King
"The Net" by Jack Ketchum and P. D. Cacek
"The Novel of the Holocaust" by Stewart O'Nan
"Aeliana" by Bev Vincent
"Pidgin and Theresa" by Clive Barker
"An End To All Things " by Brian Keene
"Cemetery Dance" by Richard Chizmar
"Drawn to the Flame" by Kevin Quigley
"The Companion" by Ramsey Campbell
"The Tell Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
"A Mother's Love" by Brian James Freeman
"The Keeper's Companion" by John Ajvide Lindqvist
"Celebrating 20 Years of Lilja's Library (An Afterword)" by Hans-Åke Lilja

For pre-orders and more info about all the authors and stories in Shining in the Dark: Celebrating Twenty Years of Lilja’s Library head over to www.ShiningInTheDarkAnthology.com

King Reading On November 16

Posted: October 24, 2016, 23:58
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From King's site:

Princeton Reading November 16, 2016
Posted: October 24th, 2016 2:10:51 pm EDT

As part of the Althea Ward Clark W’21 Reading Series, bestselling author Stephen King and writer Eileen Myles read from their work on Wednesday, November 16, at 4:30 p.m. in the Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center. The event is free, however tickets are required. Tickets will be available to the public beginning October 28th — more details will be posted at their site on that date.
Please note that King will not sign books following the reading, however presigned books (mixed titles) will be available for purchase.

No word on what King will read but it'll probably be from Hearts in Suspension.

Cookie Jar On BBC

Posted: October 24, 2016, 00:48
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The BBC are adapting King's story Cookie Jar into a three part radio presentation for their Book at Bedtime slot on Radio 4. It is part of a season of Halloween themed stories called Friday Night Shorts which also includes The Rat King by John Connolly and The Mirror by Kate Mosse. The series kicks off with Cookie Jar at 22.45 (BST) on October 24th.


Thanks to Leon Russell

Charlie The Choo Choo In The Dark Tower Movie

Posted: October 21, 2016, 13:56
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It looks like the book Charlie the Choo Choo will actually be seen in the film version of The Dark Tower.

This was in the press release for the US edition of the book:
*As seen in the Dark Tower film, releasing in February 2017.*

And if we look at the cover for the UK edition there is actually a sticker stating that it will be in the movie.

The book is released November 22 in the US and December 1 in the UK and you can pre-order here:
US Edition
UK Edition

Charlie The Choo Choo Press Release

Posted: October 20, 2016, 09:20
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“If I were ever to write a children’s book, it would be just like this!”
—Stephen King, worldwide bestselling author

From the press release for Charlie The Choo Choo.


Charlie the Choo-Choo:

From the world of The Dark Tower

Written by Beryl Evans
Illustrated by Ned Dameron
*As seen in the Dark Tower film, releasing in February 2017.*


Click for a larger image

Engineer Bob has a secret: His train engine, Charlie the Choo-Choo, is alive…and also his best friend. From celebrated author Beryl Evans (a pseudonym for Stephen King) and illustrator Ned Dameron comes a story about friendship, loyalty, and hard work.

Fans of Stephen King’s acclaimed Dark Tower series will recognize Charlie the Choo-Choo as the picture book that shows up in Book Three, The Waste Lands, written by the character Beryl Evans. An Easter egg for devoted fans, a mock-up of the book was recently distributed at San Diego Comic Con, where over 500 fans gathered to claim one of 150 copies available. Now in its completion, fans across the country can bring Charlie the Choo-Choo to their home libraries.

Gerald's Game Shot In Downtown Mobile

Posted: October 20, 2016, 08:54
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Gerald's Game will be shot "90-percent in downtown Mobile.

Downtown Mobile is in for a fright greater than even the best Halloween revelers could muster, as the district will play home to the set of a Stephen King novel's film adaptation.

Executive Producer D. Scott Lumpkin, a Fairhope resident, confirms the project will be shot "90-percent in downtown Mobile."

"We are shooting Gerald's Game entirely in Alabama. From last week through the middle of November," Lumpkin, says via e-mail.

Gerald's Game is scheduled to forego a release in theaters, instead debuting as a Netflix Original.

Read more here.

Thanks to Dimitris Tso

Book About The Dark Tower Movie

Posted: October 18, 2016, 09:24
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A book with the title The Making of the Dark Tower: The Art of the Film will be released by Scribner in January 2017. Not much info about it has been released so we can only guess what it is but it sounds interesting. More info as soon as we get it.

Pre-order your copy here.

Thanks to Hans von Wirth

Gerald's Game Movie Cast

Posted: October 17, 2016, 23:13
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Looks like we have our Gerald and Jessie for Gerald's Game.


Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood have been set to star in Gerald’s Game, an adaptation of the Stephen King 1992 bestselling novel that Mike Flanagan will direct from a script he wrote with Jeff Howard. Netflix will release globally.

Also in the movie are Henry Thomas, Carel Struycken, Kate Siegel, and Chiara Aurelia.


Thanks to Lou Sytsma.

Harry Treadaway To Replace Yelchin In Mr Mercedes

Posted: October 14, 2016, 14:57
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Mr Mercedes series is moving forward. Harry Treadaway will replace the late Anton Yelchin as Brady Hartsfield. The series is slated for a 2018 debut on DirecTV and AT&T U-verse.


David E. Kelley's series adaptation of Mr. Mercedes is moving forward.

The forthcoming AT&T Audience Network drama has tapped Penny Dreadful grad Harry Treadaway to replace the late Anton Yelchin, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Treadaway will play Brady Hartsfield, a mentally deranged ice cream truck driver and IT worker who is secretly the Mercedes Killer. He will star opposite Brendan Gleeson, who will portray Detective Bill Hodges, a retired cop driven out of retirement when an old nemesis reappears.

The adaptation received a straight-to-series order in May with Yelchin and Gleeson attached. However, the Star Trek actor was tragically killed in a car accident the following month. He was 27 years old.

Kelley will serve as showrunner on the series, which is being produced by Sonar Entertainment. Jack Bender (Lost) is set to direct. The duo will executive produce with Temple Hill Entertainment's Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey. Mr. Mercedes is slated for a 2018 debut on DirecTV and AT&T U-verse.

Read more here.

Thanks to Lou Sytsma

Ron Howard on Directing The Dark Tower

Posted: October 13, 2016, 07:44
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Will Ron Howard step back behind the camera to direct film in The Dark Tower series? Here is his answer:

“I'm in the role of executive producer. [Director] Nick Arcel has done a terrific job on the [first] movie. I really... I've just recently seen a first cut, so he's still hard at work on it. But it's really impressive. He's done a great job. Stephen King is really happy with what he's read, and knows about. And we do hope to take it on into television and, you know, I love that world. I love that universe. So I can't make any commitments, but I've stayed with that project all of these years for a real reason, and I hope to be as close to it as I can be.”


Thanks to Lou Sytsma

The Dark Tower Trailer Leaked

Posted: October 10, 2016, 21:15
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An unfinished version of the trailer for The Dark Tower surfaced earlier today on Internet. Some of the FX was missing and the quality wasn’t the best but it gave you an idea of what to expect. Most links isn’t working any longer (removed by request of Sony) and for that reason I’m not posting any links here on Lilja’s Library but I’m sure you can find one by Google it.

Hearts in Suspension To Launch In Maine

Posted: October 5, 2016, 00:19
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Stephen King will launch Hearts in Suspension at the University of Maine. Tickets will be available from October 12.

Stephen King will launch his newest book, “Hearts in Suspension,” at the University of Maine on Nov. 7 with a reading of the book and discussion of his student days at UMaine during the turbulent Vietnam War era, followed by a conversation with his former classmates and friends who were at UMaine with him during this time and who co-authored the collection.

The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Collins Center for the Arts. Doors open at 6 p.m., with all ticket holders required to be in their seats by 6:45 p.m.

Tickets are free and available according to the following timeline: Members of the University of Maine community can register for one ticket each with a MaineCard at the CCA box office, during normal box office hours, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Oct. 12–14. Members of the public can register for two tickets per person online or at the CCA box office beginning Oct. 17.

Read more here.

Holly Gibney IS Back

Posted: September 29, 2016, 08:59
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Here is an interview with King from the 2016 National Book Festival where he confirms that Holly Gibney from The Bill Hodges Trilogy is back. King has said earlier that one of the characters would return and now she is. King is working on the book now but we don’t know anything about a release date…yet.

There is one in the process now that deals with one of the characters from the Mr Mercedes trilogy that's outright scary.




Thanks to Lou Sytsma

Special feature

King calendar

Out now!:
Stephen King: Stories From Five Decades of Storytelling (Italian edition)
April 15, 2025:
Letter Slot (Owen King)
April 15, 2025:
Jackknife (Joe Hill)
2025:
Shining in the Dark (German trade ed.)
May 27, 2025:
Never Flinch
may 2025:
Stephen King: Stories From Five Decades of Storytelling (Czech edition)
June 6, 2025:
Life of Chuck
July 2, 2025:
Stephen King: Not Just Horror (Greek ed.)
2025:
Stephen King: Not Just Horror (German ed.)
September 2025:
Welcome To Derry (TV series)
September 2, 2025:
Hansel & Gretel
September 12, 2025:
The Long Walk (movie)
2025:
Stephen King: Stories From Five Decades of Storytelling (German edition)
2025:
Stephen King: Stories From Five Decades of Storytelling (Portuguese edition)
2025:
Abraham’s Boys (Joe Hill)
2025:
Stephen King: Not Just Horror (Portuguese ed.)
October 21, 2025:
King Sorrow (Joe Hill)
November 7, 2025:
The Running Man
2025:
The Institute (TV series)

Latest interviews

Angelina Kekish
February 16, 2021
Aaron Haye
February 15, 2021
Eli Roth
October 5, 2020

Latest reviews

The Monkey
February 19, 2025
The Extra Hour
January 14, 2025
Lost (or Found) in Translation
October 17, 2024

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Stephen King is all over the world - here are some covers.

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