'Revival' by Stephen King

Jamie Morton was born in Maine way back in simpler times, when everyone went to church every Sunday. All the neighbours knew each other, knew what each and every child got up to and when there was gossip, the adults knew if it was true or not.

Then, Pastor Charles Jacobs started working in their small church. He was young, married to a beautiful woman and had a baby boy. He was also just what the town needed, in the way of spiritual guidance.

The parents loved his sermons.

The children loved his wife, Patsy.

Everyone adored his son, who tagged along with anyone who would let him play with them.

The Pastor and Jamie forged a close bond when Jamie was just a child, where the pastor showed him things that could be done with electricity - something which was unusual for a man of such strong faith. But, Jamie had the same fascination; which became stronger when his brother, Conrad, lost his voice and the Pastor used something experimental on him once and it came back!

Then disaster struck when Patsy and their young son were killed in a freak car accident. Pastor Jacobs went off the rails and delivered a sermon that nobody in that small community would ever forget; long after he had left.

However, during Jamie's life in the drug-filled music industry, he stumbled upon Pastor Jacobs again and again - however, he was no longer a Pastor. He was a travelling  miracle-working - harnessing electricity to cure people of all kinds of things.

But then, Jamie was cured from a Heroine addiction by Charles Jacobs; and it wasn't long afterwards he noticed that with the cure, came some dreadful after-affects. It all started to make him wonder if it was worth it ... then people he knew - people he'd seen cured at these gatherings of Charles' - were starting to flip out. Jamie started to conduct his own investigation.

What he discovered wasn't good.

Brushing With Fame

Today I went to the Logan Car Show.  Yep, I thought to go to see if my cousin's gorgeous Mustang was going to be in it. 

But I couldn't find it.

Instead, I came across the most delightfully creepy and beautiful car ever to be written about... yes... I came across a 1958 Plymouth Fury.

It was red.

It was gorgeous.

It was creepy.

And yes... I squealed: 'Oh my God! Christine!' to the people sitting by her; at which they laughed and said the owner probably didn't call her that, but yeah, I had the right car.  He wasn't there at the time I showed up first off to talk to about her.

But he was by the time I was leaving.  And we got talking about Stephen King books and how they were turned into movies; and how a lot of his books weren't very good movies.  Some of the people sitting there asked why, I told them that once a writer signs over their books to have them made into a movie, the whole screen-writing part of it and directing part of it is out of their hands.  Unless they're asked to come in and help with creative issues (which sometimes happens) the books and movies are totally different from each other due to the way they're portrayed.  

I did hear some news though:  they are thinking of remaking 'Christine'.  However, it's going to be different from the 1983 disaster of a movie that was made.  Not so many cars are going to be destroyed due to the technology that's around now.  They will be able to have only a couple of cars they'll use and better ways of making things happen.

The best part of today was that I got to sit in the Plymouth Fury!  What a car!  Autumn Red, original in every way, beautiful bench seats, automatic transmission and ... every bit the way I thought it would be.  However, the Christine in the movie had a few things that this Plymouth Fury didn't.  Which makes me wonder:  exactly which year did they use in the movie?  They said it was a 1958 Plymouth Fury, but they showed a 4-door car, with locks on the tops of the doors when in 1958, they only made 2-door cars and there were no locks on the tops of the doors... really strange.  But I guess that's what made the movie so different from the book, and what made the whole mystique of the car to the world and fans who want to get close to those particular cars.

So, have you ever 'met' a car (or anything else for that matter) which has made it into a book which has been playing on your mind as a character?  Was it worth it when you did finally meet that Darlek, Sith Lord, Vulcan or Luke Skywalker or even that particular piece of city you've seen in 'The Da Vinci Code'?  For me, meeting this car today was one of my biggest dreams come true.  As I said, it was creepy and beautiful at the same time... and the one thing I didn't call her - and would never call her - was a rustbucket... why would I?  A 1958 Plymouth Fury is just a thing of beauty, don't you think; especially a red one?  Until my next post, happy reading.

And here's a collage of the day!

Logan Car Show 2015

Creepy Books

There's books in life that creep just about anyone out; and I gotta say I own a quite a few of them (well, when you take into account that I'm a Stephen King fan, there's more than a few!).  But there's more than just the scare factor that can be named as creepy.  Sometimes, there's something about a book, where you just can't read it, to make you steer clear of it completely.
In my collection, I have quite a few books that can do that.  However, if you asked me which books I can lay my hands on can do it and why, I'd be able to show you about five or six for some of the right reasons and some interesting ones.  And that's what we're going to talk about today.

When I was young, Mum bought me a book call 'The European Tale Fram'.  It was a big book about a Polar Bear taken from the wild and pulled into captivity.  The illustrations are gorgeous, the way it's told is breath-taking and it's in hard cover too.  However, it the first thing I mentioned that really put me off - the illustrations.  I have tried to read this book a number of times and have found the eyes of the people in the book stare right into my soul... and it's not what a painting does normally in an art exhibition.  These eyes are creepily too real.  I have never liked it and to this day have never finished reading this book; but I haven't gotten rid of this book either as it's worth a bit of money now.

Another one I've got in my collection and won't sell or give away is 'Ghosts & Boggles'.  It's a very old-fashioned book about these two things and it's out of print.  Mum and Dad bought it for me to read when I was young and I loved it.  Its illustrations were creepy, but they didn't scare me the same way that 'Fram' did.  These illustrations are all in black and white and the stories were fantastic.  Mum covered it in the plastic that libraries used to use in schools to protect it; and it's still got the plastic on it today and is in the same condition it was in all those years ago when I received it.  It's a creepy book but I love it.

Then, you have the creep-you-out, make-you-leave-your-lights-on kinda horror that I've read in the past and still do read that I collect now.  I have a book on my shelf by Irish writer, John Connolly called 'Nocturnes'; and it's a signed copy.  I have yet to read it but it sits on my shelf waiting for me to pick it up and read it at the right time.
Along with John Connolly's book - actually the shelf above - I have a shelf full of Stephen King novels.  However, there's books there I have attempted to read and put them down because they got just too darn creepy!  There's 'Night Shift' and 'Just After Sunset'.  Both books are full of short stories or novellas and both books go from spooky to downright creep-you-out kind of creepy.  I get the feeling that when I read one of Stephen's books that he's sitting next to me whispering the story in my ear and I somehow can't get away from him... strange but true.  And this kind of creepy is the kind of thing that is difficult to turn into a movie all because the script-writers and directors miss the point; even if it is a creepy thing.

So, what creepy books do you have in your collection?  Are they ones you've read and been spooked by, or do you just collect them because they're there?  Until my next post, happy reading!        

Crook as a Chook

I'm not a well person right now.  Over the weekend, I caught a cold off another volunteer at the art gallery I volunteer at and today I was told by the doctor to take it easy and rest, drink lots of fluids and relax.... well, okay, can do!
So, this is what I'm going to do:  I'm going to begin a Get Well Read-a-thon for myself.  Seeing I've only got a good dose of the common cold, I'll read as many books as it takes to get rid of it.  If I need to be well-rested, that's what I will do.  I will be needing a list of books... so here are the ones I hope to get into over the next week or so:

Finishing off: 

'The Drawing of the Three' by Stephen King

Get Well Reading Pile:

'The Wastelands' by Stephen King
'Wizard & Glass' by Stephen King
'Generation Dead' by Daniel Waters 
'The Devil and Miss Jones' by Kate Walker
'The Big Questions: The Universe' by Stuart Clark
'The Big Questions: Philosophy' by Simon blackburn
'Dandelion Wine' by Ray Bradbury

Now, these books are written down in no particular order, which means, they will be picked up in no real order either... however, once I finish off the first book up the top there, I'll be onto the Get Well Reading Pile.
So, while you're crook with a cold or the flu, do you read?  Or is sleep the only thing on your mind?  Until my next post, happy reading.

Series Reading

I've been reading other blogs lately that everyone either loves reading books in a series or they don't.  There's no middle of the road, it's a love or hate relationship.  Actually, I don't think it's that at all.  There's some series that click with people and some that don't.  

I've been loaned a trilogy of books by Peter F Hamilton.  He's a great sci-fi writer.  He's not complicated and gets right into the story.  However, his books are the size and weight of doorstops!  I found one of The Dream Trilogy series and not the other two; and one of my friends has the other two.  So, we put our heads together and thought to share.  Well!  My friend zipped through all three books and then handed them onto me.  I jumped in and only read to chapter two of book one and found it was such a mammoth read I couldn't get any further (sorry Geoff!).  But really, do books have to be so physically huge to carry the story along?

I have easily followed Raymond E Fiest's 'Magician' series along; and I stumbled upon that one by mistake while holidaying in Cairns one time.  I bought it at a second-hand store where the money went to build shelters for beaten women.  This one book led to another, and then another - then the next thing I knew I was buying the whole five of the series.  And you know?  I've still got those books in my collection to read.  I just can't part with them.

I've read 'Lord of the Ring's and 'The Hobbit' before it; however couldn't get into any other works by Tolkien, which is a pity as I do love his works.

Peter Straub and Stephen King both worked on a two-parter book together called 'The Talisman' and 'Black House'.  I bought the first one in Cairns (in the same place as I bought 'Magician') and found a copy of the next one at a garage sale to buy and keep as the libraries didn't like how slow I read at the time.  I still have these two books; and really I must read them again as the storyline is brilliant!

Even Stephen King has done a great, well-known series called 'The Dark Tower Series'.  Now, I was late in getting in on this one; but I'm there.  To start with I was given 'The Drawing of the Three' but it fell apart on me and I had to throw it out.  So, I ended up buying the first one - 'The Gunslinger' and tried reading it.  But my head wasn't really in it.  So, I kept it (as it was brand new I don't give away those books; especially when I want to read them) and was given 'Wizard and Glass' by my brother; which I also kept (and is the fourth book).  Eventually, Mum bought me 'Song of Susannah' and I found 'The Wind Through the Keyhole' (the latter was bought on Thursday this week).  So, I'm slowly getting the whole series together.  I only need three more books and I'm set to read them at my leisure.  The one mistake I've made with reading a series is reading them back to back; as they get a little too much.  So, I'll read one, then read something in between, then read the next one.

So, what is your favourite series to read?  Be it from childhood or from now?  Please do leave a comment and let us know.  Until my next post, happy reading!

A Shameless Promotion

About a month or so ago, I was offered by Bibliotastic to have my worked published in an anthology.  They told me there'd be only a certain number of words and I jumped at the chance; immediately picking out six of my favourite vampire stories from my files and sent them away to two of the best writers I knew to help me with editing.  

After about a fortnight of e-mailing files and stories and finally sitting down to the whole book in one file of editings, I had to sit down for a week and read through all the comments and fix-ups.  And finally, it's happened, my book 'Graveyard Shift' has been published under my Real Life name.  I'm so pleased about this that I wanted to share this day with you all; as it has only just been put up onto the net now!

Now, I'd like to shamelessly promote my first book 'Graveyard Shift' by Lynda Parker to you all.

Graveyard Shift by Lynda Parker 

Happy Birthday Stephen King

Today, it's the King of Horror's birthday.  Yes, this man has been scaring the crap out of all of us faithful followers for a good part of our lives for a long time now; and I don't think he intends to stop.  

I've been a big fan of his - as you all know - for a long time.  And last year's post on his birthday, you'll see how much I do enjoy his work ( and I did find a great photo for that post too!).  Even though I have only read 'Blockade Billy' recently, I'm looking forward to reading more of his work soon.

So, Happy Birthday, Mr King.  I hope you have a great day and keep us entertained - in one way or another - for years to come!

SK's Birthday Post from 2010

Horrific Reading Time!

I find that I read a lot more towards the end of the year; and this year is no acception.  This is especially in October when All Hallow's Eve is around, and my selection of reading become a little darker.  I tend to get my nose into horror, suspense and vampire romance just for kicks.

This year, I put my name down for a book spiral.  This is where I'm sent a whole series of books to read in one hit; then I pass them onto the next person on the list on Bookcrossing it's such a great thing to get into and a wonderful way to get yourself reading a lot of books without having to search your Mt To Be Read for inspiration.  And this book spiral is called 'The Midnight Breed' spiral; a vampire romance one, with a bit of action kicked into it for a change.  It's hot and saucy, but it's got the violence that's expected from the traditional vampires with their own kind of legend spun in for fun.

Another book I may get my nose into is 'Spooky South' a collection of short stories that have been collated and retold by an author from the Southern States in America.  What a great book this will be for Halloween too.

So, what kind of spooky reading to you get into at this time of year?  Or do you stick to your normal reading routine? 

Just After Sunset by Stephen King

Each story in this book has one thing in common: they all happen within a time span of just after sunset. That is the time between the sun dipping below the horizon, the streetlights coming on and the daytime creatures and night creatures switching shifts... yeah, you know the time. And Stephen King has thought about that time and written up a good lot of stories that are guaranteed to keep you up well past your bedtime reading them; then make you rethink about turning off your light.

I bought this book some time ago and immediately read some of the stories. However, I didn't go from beginning to end; I read them all over that place - picking and choosing the ones that had interesting titles. Now, this isn't how I normally read short story books; and I'm glad I decided to read it this way because it gave me a great idea at how good this book is. The further I got into it, the creepier the stories got! So, if you like to gradually get scared more little by little, this is definitely the book for you!

Stephen King is the one of the best-selling writers and story-tellers of our generation. He's been scaring the life out of us since the early 1970's with such favourites as 'The Stand', 'IT', 'Carrie' and 'Christine'. His more recent works have still pulled the same fans ('Hearts of Atlantis', 'Bag of Bones', 'From A Buick 8' and 'Cell') and doesn't intend to stop writing. He lives in Bangor, Maine with his wife, Tabitha. His official website is on the sidebar for more information.

Spooky October Halloween Reads!

In the last month, I've gotten my nose into a few really great reads; and not just any reads, spooky reads. I thought to share with you these titles as good or bad recommendations. So, here goes:

'Twilight' by Stephenie Meyers was my first read. I began it in late September and finished it in a week. I found it very light on, but still an interesting look into vampire lore; with a different take on how they act and what they are all about. Some of the older lores have been brought into it, yet some of the ones she wrote about are newer. A good light read for a teenager or Young Adult. My second book was the next book in the series: 'New Moon'. This one is thicker and has a few more story twists. The way she has established Bella's depression in the early stages of the book was brilliant; how the chapters didn't have to be written and they just had the month names on them was well-done. It took me a little longer to get into though as new characters were introduced and themes from the first book were being brought forward.
'Single White Vampire' by Lynsay Sands. Well, I've just written a review about this below. So, I won't say too much about it; except that it's typical Lynsay. It's funny, romantic and darkly wonderful all the way through. It also points out the dangers of being a vampire loving a human.
'Bloodline' by Maggie Shayne. I received this book from a friend of mine in Bookcrossing when I met up with her and her Mum here in Brisbane. However, I have never heard of this author; and so was willing to give this one a try. The storyline was great, the subplots were good enough to make this book stand alone and I enjoyed the way it bounced from first person to third quite easily without confusing me too much. However, it was Lilith who was the downer. She pulled the story down with her internal thoughts and groanings about everything from not trusting Ethan to The Farm. If you can put up with this in a character, by all means, read it, if not, well, I'd skip it.

So, there they are, my Spooky Reads for October. Join me next year around this time when I'll be reviewing another lot of spooky reads again. And next month, I'll try and read more different books to pick up the pace and feel of the book reviews.

Bookcrossing Meet-up in Brisbane.

Today, I was in Brisbane City to meet-up with some Bookcrossers and to have a talk about books. We met up outside the Treasury Casino and - after escorting one their husbands into the place so he could play Keno - we were off to have coffee and to control release books to each other. These are the books I received.

'Angel's Pain' and 'Bloodline' by Maggie Shayne were in the books that were given to me. However, I haven't heard of the author; but I will give her a try. By the look of the blurbs on the back, they sound brilliant. Then, there were other paranormal romances/thrillers that were given to me as well, such as 'Dark Seduction' by Brenda Joyce, 'Witch Fury' by Anya Bast and 'Nekropolis' by Tim Waggoner; however, I've only heard of the latter author and I will give these others a try.

Other books I received today were 'Fatal Flaw' by Roger Maynard; which is about the 2002 murder on Norfolk Island. 'Jericho Falls' by Christopher Hyde, 'Fear Itself' by Jonathan Nasaw and 'Sovereign' by Simon Brown (this last one is a book 3 of a trilogy; so I'll be looking around for the first two before reading it). A P.D James 3-In-One book was given to me as well as 'Don't Fall Off The Mountain' by Shirley MacClaine and a short story collection called 'Seaserpants' by various authors. What a meet-up and what a great lot of books to get my nose into!

My Birthday Books!

I had my birthday on Monday; which means, I received a lot of books! Yep, my Mum organised a big surprise for me and so a lot of my online friends bought up big on my behalf and sent me plenty of books off my Wish List on Bookcrossing; and now, I have a nice collection of books to get my nose into. I thought it would be good to share some of the title with you.

'The Gargoyle' by Andrew Davidson. This is a debut novel; and what novel! I've just begun reading it and have found it hard to get my nose out of its pages! I had it on my Wish List for a long time; and am thrilled to have received it on Monday. It will be some time before I let this one out of my sight!

'The Colorado Kid' by Stephen King. I'm a very big fan of this writer; and have been since I was in high school and he was scaring the be-jesus out of me there. So, when this book came out, I really wanted to see what he could do as a crime writer. From what the critics have said on the first few pages, SK is pretty good as a horror and as a crime writer both.

'The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul' by Douglas Adams is the last installation of the Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy - Trilogy In Four Parts. I've wanted to read this book for some time; but haven't been able to find here in Australia; which was unfortunate. And I also received this one on Monday.

'Swallowing Darkness' by Laurell K. Hamilton. I haven't heard of this author before; however, from the blurb on the back, I'm sure to enjoy this book. It's sci-fi fantasy, with magic, faeries, Kings, Queens, murder and mystery all wrapped up into it... hmmmm... I'll most definitely have to get my nose into this one soon!

Along with these, I also received: 'The World According to Garp', 'Dinner at the Homesick Restuarant', 'Face to Face', 'Vulture's Gate' and 'Belly Dancing for Beginners'. There are a few more parcels to arrive as some of my Bookcrossing friends got them off a little late - but I don't mind, it's the thought that counts - so I have made a thank you blog ('My Birthday Presents' blog) so that I can thank them all personally with photos and they all get a personal note of thanks and gratitude; and best of all, it's permanent. I don't intend to delete the blog after its use is over. I'll be turning it into a Bookcrossing Thank You Blog for any gifts and goodies I receive from them.

From A Buick 8 by Stephen King

For the last twenty-two years, at the back of the state police barracks in Pennsylvania, there's a terrifying secret being held in Shed B. It lures its victims in scared and terrified. However, look beyond the gorgeous chrome fenders, silver grille and exotic exhaust system; you'll find that nothing on this car works; this is because the power of the Buick 8 is not under the bonnet.
This car - this particular Buick - has lured curious officers to watch its horrifyingly memorable displays; from blinding lightshows to feeding time. Go on, take a look at it; because this particular car is an absolute work of art; it's really something that's out of this world... but don't get too close or you may be next.

I bought this book at a second-hand shop and immediately got my nose into it; finding it as mesmerising as 'Christine' and a bloody good story. I don't wish to let this one go as I want to read it again and again as the years go by.

I find that Stephen King is a writer who gets better with each book he puts out. When we think he's topped his books, he goes and amazes us one more time and does what we think is impossible and pulls out another best seller. He is one of the highest paid horror writers around and no wonder; he's a brilliant storyteller to boot! I have already talked about his life and works earlier; however there is a link to his official website on the sidebar.

The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub

Jack Sawyer and his mother have arrived at a closed-down, sleepy seaside town where it seems everything is hibernating or hiding. While Lily Cavanaugh - known as 'the queen of two decades' worth of B-movies - drinks herself slowly to death in a dive of a hotel room, Jack is left to wander around the remnants of the old carnival where he meets Speedy Parker. Speedy tells him of another world where Jack is needed to search for the Talisman to help his mother. The other world is called 'The Territories' where violence, surprise and titantic struggles between good and evil will reach across the mythical landscapes. Jack begins to find himself in The Territories more and more; but will he arrive back in time to save his mother with the Talisman?

Peter Straub was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 2 March, 1943, the first of three sons of a salesman and a nurse. Neither of his parents wanted him to become a writer; instead they wished him to be either an athlete or a minister. All Peter wanted to do was read. By the time he had reached the first year of primary school, he could read as he had memorised his comic books and told the neighbourhood kids the stories from his front steps. His first grade was interrupted as Peter was involved in a major car accident where he spent most of this year in a wheelchair after many broken bones and surgical operations. However, once back on his feet, he acquired a severe stutter and this haunted him until his early 20's. Because he had learnt at a young age that the world was dangerous, he had become jumpy and restless and physically uncomfortable and - until he began writing horror - prone to nightmares. He read more than ever and found that books took him out of himself. As if scripted, the rest of his life followed. He got a scholarship to Milwaulkee Country Day School and was the darling of his English teachers. He discovered Jack Kerouac and Jazz music and the alto saxophone player, Paul Desmond. He went to the University of Wisconcin and emerged in 1965 with an honors degree in English; then an MA in Columbia a year later. Peter has become the writer we know and love today through his hard work and dedication to writing. A link to his website is on the sidebar. I just can't put everything from his bio here as there's so much info.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Robert Neville lives from day to day trapped in his house. He spends the nights sleeping lightly, making sure the doors are all locked and that garlic is strung around all the windows and doors. If the days are cloudy enough, he doesn't venture outside either as they'll be out there. It's the strong sunlight that really gets them; but he'll work out a way to find more people like him - more humans, not vampires - and start over the human race. Robert is the sole survivor of a pandemic where the symptoms resemble vampirism.
One day, during his routine of hunting for supplies, he meets Ruth; a seemingly uninfected woman and takes her in. However, one night he wakes to find her gone and that she left a note confirming his worse fears.
As well as this story, this book has a collection of other shorter stories in it that are guaranteed to make the hairs on your neck stand up and make it hard to get to sleep. Yep, this is Stephen King country. For all fans of horror, you'll love this one.

Richard Matheson is the New York Times bestselling author of I Am Legend, Hell House, Somewhere in Time, The Incredible Shrinking Man, A Stir of Echoes, The Beardless Warriors, The Path, Seven Steps to Midnight, Now You See It . . . , and What Dreams May Come. A Grand Master of Horror and past winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement, he has also won the Edgar, the Hugo, the Spur, and the Writer's Guild awards. He lives in Calabasas, California.

(bibiography: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/I-Am-Legend/Richard-Matheson/e/9780312865047 )

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King

While walking along a popular hiking path in a national forest one weekend with her recently divorced mother and her bickering brother, Trisha McFarland decided to veer off and get away from them for a moment. She didn't think that she'd get lost; however in her panic to get back onto the path unnoticed, she finds another one that leads to the ungergrowth and further away from where she first began, and her family.
At first, it's just the midges and mosquitoes that hang around trying to drink her blood and sweat. Then, the hunger. The only thing that keeps her losing all perspective is the Red Sox baseball games on her Walkman and the performances of her favourite player: Tom Gordon. But when the reception starts to fade, Trisha begins to imagine that Tom is right there with her. And as darkness falls, the girl knows that she's been followed the whole time by something; it keeps just out of her sight... but it's been there since she took the wrong path - waiting patiently for the right time to strike.

This is the typical Stephen King book with all the stress and suspence you'd expect; however, it a lot thinner than his traditional ones. I love it and will most definitely read it again; as it's been a while. Scroll down a bit and you'll find a link to his bio on his official website; along with other authors that I've included there from this blog.

Christine by Stephen King

Arnie Cunningham is in love. But this kind of love isn't for a girl at Libertyville High, it's for a car; and her name is Christine. She is a blood-red, fat and finned, 1958 Plymouth Fury. From the first day Arnie clapped his coke-bottle glasses on her rotting wreck from the window of Dennis' Trans Am, he was gone! Body and soul. Dennis watched as his best friend from childhood changed from a bumbling square who was bullied every single day to a lean, tough and intimidating person that even he was afraid of crossing. The reason Dennis was so afraid wasn't because of what Arnie might do to him, it was what Christine will do to him. Anyone who had crossed Arnie in any way so far had ended up dead and Christine seemed to take on a life of her own when the sun went down. But how was Dennis and his new girlfriend going to stop Christine before she killed him with her love without being killed themselves?

This book was my very first Stephen King read. I was sixteen and Mum didn't approve of me reading romance novels all that much and I didn't like what was out there; but I wanted to read Stephen King. So, once I got into this, I ended leaving my reading lamp on more and more. However, I haven't left it out of my book collection just because I haven't read it recently. Strangely enough, the book is far bloodier than the film... but the film is downright creepy! And ironically, I ended up owning a red car when I finally did get into driving!

Stephen King has written over 30 books in his lucrative career as a horror writer. He's got a massive fan base of millions and his books have been translated in many languages and turned into as many films. He lives in Bangor, Maine with his wife, Tabitha.

The Stand by Stephen King

First came the plague - and they called it Captain Trips. This plague was so contagious and deadly it killed off a massive percentage of the population of the world. Some said it was the apocalypse, others figured out that they simply weren't going to get sick and decided that once they buried their dead, it was time to find others just like them. However, as a handful out of millions came out of the woodwork of wilderness and buildings of the larger cities, they sought to slowly build a new world from nothing. No television, no electricity, no gas and no government to run the countries of these new places.
But dark dreams began to warn the people of the Walkin' Dude. His red eyes pierced the night; seeing far distances and he himself appearing to be human, but somehow something wasn't quite right. The Walkin' Dude had many names, but they all knew he was evil. In the far west was his empire and it was growing fast. With the time of the real Apocalypse approaching, and the last massive struggle between good and evil, who will make a stand... and who will win the battle for the world.

I read this book when I was in high school in place of the set reading (because I couldn't get into 'To Kill A Mockingbird' and we had to read an American author so I chose Stephen King) and I was enthrawled from beginning to end. Years later, I read the unabridged version and found it had too much detail and there were a few things toward the end that I felt could have stayed in it; however they didn't.
I'm a huge fan of Stephen King and have been reading his books since I was in my mid-teens. My parents weren't always pleased that I enjoyed his work, but I have learned a lot about writing just from reading his words. Thank you, Stephen for your stories that scare me really good!

Stephen King is one of the world's most read and famous horror writers. Born in Portland, Maine in 1947, Stephen is the youngest of two siblings. He spent his time growing up traveling around Indiana and Conneticut and when he was eleven, his mother brought his brother - David - and himself back to Maine (Durham) for good.
His first publication was with Starling Mystery Stories in 1967 with 'The Glass Floor'. Throughout the early years of his marriage to Tabitha, he sold a lot of his stories to men's magazines. Many of the stories from these were gathered together into a book titled 'Night Shift' years later. In the Autumn of 1971, he took a teaching position at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. While teaching there, he continued to write books and stories. In the early Spring of 1973, Stephen's book 'Carrie' was accepted by Doubleday & Co and by Mother's Day he learned from his editor that he could leave teaching and write full time.
In the Autumn of 1974, the King's left Maine to live in Boulder, Colorado where Stephen wrote 'The Shining'. They returned to the Lakes District of Maine where he wrote 'The Stand' and 'The Dead Zone'.
Stephen King has written over 30 books during his life with millions of fans acros the globe who read them and visit his site regularly. Since he was in a horrible car accident in 1999, his fan base has increased and - I find - his writing has improved markedly.