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Stephen King:

Fact or Fiction: how well do you know the KING of HORROR?

By Rachel LeComptePublished 4 years ago 5 min read
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It's Stephen King! He doesn't need an intro. A household name since the early 80s, and a staple in the horror community. The creator of IT has brutally carved himself into the hearts and minds of people all over the world. From cosplayers, to cartoonists, there isn't an artist alive who hasn't paid homage to The King.

How much do we know about Him, though?

In case you haven't deduced how this little game is going to work:

Only 5 of the factoids below are true.

All answers will be provided at the bottom.

ENJOY ... or Cringe

1.) 'Carrie' Was Inspired By The Sight Of Pads

Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. The one true god of Castle Rock, Maine, wrote in his book On Writing describing the moment he got the idea for Carrie.

He was working as a janitor; while cleaning a women's restroom, he began emptying the sanitary napkin bin when he asked himself,

What would go through a girl's mind if she knew nothing about her body and started her period? (Paraphrased, of course).

Umm, gross.

2.) King Collected Rejection Letters On A Railroad Spike

All authors have a period of paying dues, including The King of Horror, and during that time he took pleasure in stabbing his rejections through a railroad spike he found walking home from school one day. It was a bit of a routine, the pile became the pyre fueling a future legend's passion for story-telling.

Seems Legit.

3.) A Real Life Encounter with a Corpse Inspired 'The Body'

Life for elementary aged kids these days is a far cry from the latchkey brood raised in the 50s. A young Stephen King found himself exploring rural Maine on most days. He mentioned once that he saw a bloated corpse of a man lying face down in a drying creek during one of these adventures when he was just eight years old.

Could this be how writers are born?

4.) He was Abused by a Childhood Babysitter

Nodding again to King's book On Writing he stated early on that his fascination with the dark began when he was younger than six years old. His single mother had limited options for child-care and often had to settle for whoever was willing watch her boys for next to nothing. He gives thanks mostly to a babysitter who would regularly whop him on the head before locking him in the closet to cling to the tiny sliver of light coming through the bottom of the door. The crack of light fascinated a young Stephen King, and that's where he learned the art of the daydream.

5.) His Father's Name was Richard Bachman

Most fans of Stephen King know that his father abandoned he and his brother when King was just two years old. He revealed once that his father's name was, in fact, Richard Bachman, and uses his name as a pseudonym to write some of his darker pieces.

Revenge?

6.) He actually wrote WESTERNS and SCI-FI as a kid

In the 90s King sat for a one on one interview stating that he wrote what he liked to read. As such, if he was reading a western novel or a sci-fi comic those were the type of stories he would produce. King has also stated in print on several occasions that he writes the kind of stories he wants to read but rarely sees. Which is probably how The Dark Tower Series was born.

Speculation or Verification?

7.) Stephen King is a Recovering Addict

Most writers have their demons. Stephen King is no exception. In the beginning of his career, the world's favorite horror story-teller depended on a wide variety of substances like, Nyquill, Alcohol, Cocaine, and Pills just to get through the day. Creativity like his comes at a price.

King has been quoted saying,

"I was a high-functioning alcoholic and drug addict."

And honestly, who could fault the guy? His stories have been shelter for many lost, stressed and depressed souls. A burden like that can only be lightened by a chemical flight.

Don't you agree?

8.) 'Pet Semetary' was Inspired by the Passing of a Friend's Child

People shy away from the death of children. That's why you see so many movies focusing on children in perilous situations. Easily the most infamous story, is Pet Sematary;a novel which focuses on the power of grief and the lengths we would climb to end that pain.

In an interview Stephen King explained his need to explore agony and the kind of silent disturbia that human nature runs away from. After watching a friend grieve the loss of their young child, he thought, anyone going through this would literally take any chance to end this pain and bring their baby back.

Wow. Talk about dark thoughts.

9.) 'Haunting of Hill House' was Inspired by 'Rose Red'

If you're like me, you noticed the similarities between the King Classic and the Netflix Nightmare.

  • A house that wants you dead so your soul can feed it forever.
  • A house that has secret rooms that appear when needed or sometimes unwanted.

BUT.

They're basically the same thing.

King even said the show was terrifying.

Patting himself on the back, maybe?

10.) James Patterson and Stephen King Hate Each other

Easily the two greatest fiction authors of the modern era. Patterson the creator of villains you cannot hate. King the father to monsters that bring a smile to your face. Each of their works have spun into blockbuster hits which have immortalized their creators. But these suspense masters do not get on very well at all. Male egos being what they are, its rumored they won't be in the same room or even award ceremonies together.

Fact Or Fiction: Answers!

1. True 2. True 3. False

4. True 5. False 6. True

7. True 8. False 9. False

10. False

I could revisit each paragraph, but honestly, those kinds of articles bore me to tears. If you're thirsty for more info about The King of Horror, who by the way, considers himself a SUSPENSE writer, you can always find interviews on youtube. But I highly recommend his book ON WRITING, as well as his short story collections. His forwards are always informative.

How well did you do?

Whether or not you guessed correctly everytime, I think we all came here for the same reason:

Stephen King is the man.

And you can never read too much about the guy.

Thank You For Reading!!!!

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About the Creator

Rachel LeCompte

Just a single mom screaming with her pen.

Slide the tip in, baby, see how it feels.

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