Stephen King's Biography
Stephen King is a famous American author, known for over sixty novels and two hundred novellas, short stories, and screenplays. His works have received the Bram Stoker Awards and the World Fantasy Awards. For his dedication to the horror genre, blending thriller, detective, drama, mystery, and fantasy, readers have unofficially crowned him the "King of Horror."He is considered one of the most adapted writers in history. Many films have been made based on his works, including "The Shining," "The Green Mile," "1408," "It," "Carrie," "Pet Sematary," and dozens of others.
Childhood, Youth, Family
Stephen Edwin King was born in the fall of 1947 to Donald Edwin King and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury in Portland. His home state, Maine, known for its dense pine forests and fogs, later became the setting for most of his novels.His father was a ship captain in the merchant fleet, and his mother was a pianist. Doctors told her she couldn't have children, so the couple decided to adopt a child. That's how the adopted boy David Victor King joined the family. Two years later, it turned out that Nellie Ruth was pregnant, and soon Stephen was born.
The sons couldn't save their marriage. One day, Donald left the house "for cigarettes" and never returned. When the boys asked where their father was, Nellie shrugged it off: "The Martians took him!" although she had a hunch about where her husband had gone. Later, when King became a famous writer, journalists found Donald. After leaving, he lived his entire life in Pennsylvania with a Brazilian wife who bore him four children.
Leaving thoughts of her runaway husband behind, Nellie asked relatives for help and then got a job. She worked as a saleswoman and a maid, took on any job to feed her growing boys. They often moved from city to city until they settled in West Durham.
Stephen was a sickly child from an early age, suffering severely from measles, then enduring terrible pain during the piercing of his eardrums—a procedure needed to get rid of accumulated infectious fluid. Due to his poor health, he repeated the first grade for two years.
To distract her son from gloomy thoughts, Nellie advised him to start putting his thoughts on paper and inventing his own characters. Stephen was fond of reading comics and loved watching horror movies. Although he later had nightmares, he liked living with the feeling of fear when control over emotions was completely lost. His favorite books included stories about Spider-Man, the Hulk, and Ray Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles." Stephen's first writing attempt at age seven was a fanfic about the adventures of Captain Casey from a popular comic at the time. His mother noticed Stephen's literary talent but advised him to create his own character. Thus, Mr. Rabbit Trick was born. Stephen wrote four stories about him and received his first earned dollar from his mother.
Inspired by the film "The Pit and the Pendulum," based on the story by Edgar Allan Poe, King wrote a new novella and printed forty copies of it on a hectograph.
Stephen was about fourteen when he discovered a collection of sinister stories by H.P. Lovecraft titled "The Lurking Fear." Later, the writer said that at such an age, these kinds of books help people "in a state of severe sexual insecurity, and the imagery of the author's stories has something Jungian about it."
Debut Novel
In 1959, Sting began publishing the newsletter "Dave's Rag." Together with his brother, he sold it to acquaintances and friends. His brother reported news he managed to gather, while Steve wrote reviews of movies he watched and published his stories.After finishing school, the young man planned to volunteer for the Vietnam War but gave in to his mother's persuasion, who was worried about his poor eyesight and overall health.
King enrolled in college and simultaneously worked at a textile mill, packaging finished products. His most vivid memory was the hordes of rats in the local basement (which he later described in the story "Night Shift").
Despite his family's poverty, Stephen managed to graduate from college and then the English Literature Faculty at the University of Maine. With a bachelor's degree, King taught English at Hampden Academy, worked as a janitor in the evenings, and wrote in his free time. Money was barely enough to live on, and his writing career was not taking off—publishers repeatedly rejected his stories.
The idea for his debut novel came to him while cleaning a women's locker room, pondering the struggles of teenage girls. That evening, he began writing a story about a schoolgirl with supernatural abilities.
King threw the first draft of the manuscript in the trash, deeming it unsuccessful. However, his wife Tabitha retrieved the pages, read them, and insisted that he continue working on it. "There's something here," she said.
King completed the novel but received 30 rejections from publishers. Finally, in 1973, Doubleday accepted the manuscript and offered a $2,500 advance—a sum that seemed enormous to King. The family couldn't afford a home phone, so the publisher had to send a telegram to deliver the good news.
"Carrie" was published in 1974. Initially, sales were not very good, but when the paperback rights sold for $400,000 (half of which went to King), his life changed forever. He was able to quit teaching and fully dedicate himself to writing. King's second novel, "Salem's Lot," quickly followed and was published in December 1975.
"The Shining"
After releasing his second book, King traveled to Colorado with his family. They stayed at the famous Stanley Hotel in the town of Estes Park. It wasn't tourist season; the hotel was preparing to close for winter, and the King family found themselves the only guests in the vast Victorian building.On the very first night, King had a terrifying dream about his three-year-old son running through the empty corridors of the hotel from an inexplicable threat. Waking up in a cold sweat, the writer went out onto the balcony to smoke a cigarette. Looking at the majestic mountains, he already knew: he had the plot for a new novel.
But the main inspiration came, paradoxically, from his own problems. At that time, King drank heavily, and his relationships with his family were becoming increasingly strained. He feared that alcohol could turn him into a monster, hurting his own children. These fears materialized in the character of Jack Torrance—a writer slowly descending into madness in the confined space of the Overlook Hotel.
Working on the novel was difficult. King wrote it while battling his own demons. He later admitted that Jack Torrance was himself, what he might have become if he hadn't overcome his addiction. The story was so personal and painful that sometimes he had to stop and take breaks. The novel also reflected other fears of the writer: the fear of harming his own children, the fear of losing control over himself, and the horror of confined spaces. The Overlook Hotel became a metaphor for all the dark sides of the human soul.
The book was finished in 1977. King wrote it while on the edge—between sobriety and alcoholism, between love for his family and destructive impulses. Perhaps this internal struggle made the novel so piercing and honest.
"The Shining" became more than just a ghost story—it was a deep exploration of personal disintegration, addiction, and fatherhood. Critics call this novel one of the most psychologically authentic works in King's oeuvre.
In 1980, director Stanley Kubrick adapted "The Shining" into a film. Over time, the film gained an unofficial cult status, but King remained dissatisfied. He believed that the film missed the main point—the story of a man's struggle with his own demons, turning a deeply personal drama into a spectacular but superficial horror. "Three hours of watching an anthill in the forest would bring more emotions to viewers," the writer fumed.
Richard Bachman
In 1977, readers saw another King novel, "Rage", on bookstore shelves under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.Publishers at that time believed that a "normal" selling author shouldn't release more than one book a year, but King was quite prolific. Moreover, he wanted to find out if he could replicate his success without his already well-known name, which led him to this trick.
Under this pseudonym, he also wrote works like "The Long Walk" (written in 1966, published in 1979), "Roadwork" (1981), "The Running Man" (1982), and "Thinner" (1985). Bachman's books differed from King's usual works: they were darker and more pessimistic, with fewer supernatural elements, consistently focusing on psychological tension and social issues.
The revelation occurred in 1985. A bookseller and literature enthusiast, Steve Brown, noticed similarities in the writing style of King and Bachman. He conducted an investigation and discovered copyright documents in the Library of Congress, where Stephen King was listed as the author of Bachman's books.
King responded to the situation with humor. He even wrote a mock obituary for Bachman and later published a collection of his works titled "The Bachman Books," including a foreword about the "life and death" of his alter ego. After the revelation, only one novel was released under the Bachman name—"The Regulators" (1996), presented as a "manuscript found in the late author's archive." This novel was intended as a companion book to "Desperation," released in the same year.
"Rage" and Its Self-Ban
King wrote the novel "Rage" while still in high school, around 1965. The plot follows high school student Charlie Decker, who brings a weapon to school, kills two teachers, and takes his classmates hostage.The tragic connection between the book and reality began in 1988. Jeffrey Lyne Cox, who took hostages at his school in California, claimed he was inspired by King's novel. In the following years, several similar incidents occurred: in 1989, Dustin Pierce took hostages at a Washington school, in 1996, Barry Loukaitis held students hostage in Moses Lake, and in 1997, Michael Carneal opened fire at a Kentucky school.
In each case, attackers were found with a copy of "Rage," and they admitted the book influenced their actions. After the Kentucky incident, King made an unprecedented decision: he requested the publisher to cease printing the novel. Since then, "Rage" has not been officially reprinted.
In his 2013 essay "Guns," King wrote:
Today, "Rage" is one of King's rarest books. Old editions sell for large sums at auctions, but the author himself asks not to seek out the book. According to him, the novel was written by an angry young man who didn't understand all the consequences of his creation.I withdrew 'Rage' not out of a sense of censorship or shame. I did it because I realized the book could be dangerous for unstable minds. Maybe my book didn't make these kids kill, but it could have served as a kind of catalyst.
“It”
Stephen King conceived the idea for “It,” one of his most famous works, in 1978. The inspiration came during a walk (of course, it was in Maine), where King crossed a bridge over a river. He recalled an old fairy tale about a troll living under a bridge. This led him to think about a creature hiding in dark places and scaring children.He began working on the novel in 1981. King aimed to write “a great novel about childhood, a work that would explore not only supernatural horrors but also the very real fears and traumas of childhood.”
The setting, the fictional town of Derry, borrowed features from Bangor, Maine, where King lived. Many locations in the novel have real-life counterparts: a water tower, a sewer system, and a bridge where key events occur.
In creating the character of Pennywise, King based it on his observation: children hate clowns, they fear them. He was inspired by serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who worked as a clown at children's parties.
Writing the novel took four years (1981-1985). King admitted that this was one of the most challenging periods of his career. He was still battling a cocaine addiction, the volume of material grew uncontrollably, and the complex narrative structure required meticulous attention to detail.
King used an unusual structure in the novel: the narrative constantly shifts between two timelines, the characters' childhood and adult life, to show how the past affects the present.
Many elements of the novel have an autobiographical basis. The fears and experiences of the child characters are based on King’s own childhood experiences. The writer Bill Denbrough reflects some traits of King himself, and the descriptions of bullying are based on real incidents from King's school life.
The novel was published in 1986. It won the British Fantasy Award and was nominated for the World Fantasy Award. Since then, “It” has been considered one of the defining works in the horror genre of the 1980s and remains one of King's most popular books.
The book impresses with its volume: about 1100 pages with a complex structure featuring multiple timelines and a blend of various genres. It is simultaneously a horror story, a coming-of-age drama, and a historical chronicle of the town. King explores the nature of fear and the phenomenon of collective memory.
Some aspects of the novel sparked controversy. Certain scenes, especially in the childhood timeline, were criticized for being overly explicit. Nonetheless, the novel’s impact on culture is hard to overestimate. Pennywise has become one of the most recognizable figures in horror literature. The novel was adapted into two successful screen versions: a 1990 mini-series and films from 2017-2019.
"The Stand"
One of King's most epic novels was published in 1978, and the idea began in 1975 when the young writer watched a news report about a chemical weapons leak at a military base. Several sheep were the victims, but Stephen wondered, "What if such a leak led to a global catastrophe?"Initially, King planned to write something like "The Lord of the Rings" set in contemporary American reality, an epic tale about the battle between good and evil after an apocalypse. He began working on the novel under the working title "The Dark Man."
The novel progressed with difficulty—the scale of the story kept expanding. King stopped several times, unsure how to handle the multitude of characters and plot lines. It was especially challenging to devise a plausible reason for the survivors to start gathering in groups.
The solution came unexpectedly: King incorporated a mystical element into the narrative, shared dreams of the survivors that drew them either to the benevolent Mother Abagail or the demonic Randall Flagg.
The first version of the novel, published in 1978, was significantly shorter than planned. The publisher insisted on cutting approximately 400 pages for financial reasons—a thicker book would be more expensive, which might deter readers.
In 1990, when King was already an acclaimed master, he released the complete version of "The Stand," restoring the deleted fragments and adding new scenes. This version was 329 pages longer than the first. Additionally, he updated some cultural references and time markers, shifting the setting from the 1980s to the 1990s.
King considers "The Stand" one of his most important works. It introduced the character Randall Flagg, who later appeared in other books, becoming one of the key antagonists in King's universe.
The novel touches on themes that have always concerned the writer: the struggle between good and evil, the strength of the human spirit, the danger of technological progress, and the importance of personal choice. In a way, it's King's most "American" novel—the characters' journey across an empty country becomes a metaphor for the search for a new American identity.
"Misery"
The creation story of "Misery," one of King's most intense novels, is closely tied to his personal experiences and reflections on fame and the relationship between writers and readers.The idea for the novel came to King in 1984 during a flight from New York to London. He dozed off on the plane and dreamed of a woman holding a writer hostage and forcing him to write a book. Upon waking, he immediately began taking notes.
According to King, the novel became a metaphor for his cocaine addiction. Annie Wilkes, the obsessive fan who holds writer Paul Sheldon captive, symbolized his dependency on cocaine. Just as Annie demanded new books from Paul, the drug demanded that King continue using it.
King wrote "Misery" during his struggle with addiction. Stephen recalled, "I was like Paul Sheldon, chained to the bed by addiction, but I kept writing because it's the only thing I know how to do."
The novel also reflected King's experience with fans. By then, he was already famous and received numerous letters from readers. Some of them were quite frightening. He was particularly struck by a letter from a fan who threatened to commit suicide if King didn't write another book about Christine (the car from the eponymous novel).
Working on the book was difficult. King admitted that some scenes were so dynamic and morally complex that he had to take breaks. The amputation scene was particularly challenging, for which he studied amputation methods practiced in the 19th century.
The novel was published in 1987 and immediately became a bestseller. Critics noted it as one of King's most psychologically intense novels. The book won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel.
In 1990, the famous film adaptation was released with Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes (for which she won an Oscar). King himself praised the film, calling it one of the best adaptations of his works.
"Misery" is often called one of King's most personal novels—and for good reason. It reflected his fears: the fear of losing the ability to write, being trapped by his own success, becoming a slave to addiction (both narcotic and creative), and the fear of obsessive fans. King later said that working on "Misery" helped him overcome his own demons and better understand the nature of addiction.
Drug Addiction
Stephen's addiction problems began in the late 1970s when he had already made a name for himself. It started with alcohol, and then he began using cocaine. By his own admission, the illegal drug helped him write faster and more, coping with the pressure from publishers and readers.The peak of his addiction was in the early 80s. During this period, novels like "Cujo," "The Tommyknockers," and "Pet Sematary" were written. King admitted that he barely remembers writing "Cujo": he worked in a state of constant intoxication. His desk at the time looked like this: beer cans, cocaine, nasal drops (due to nasal septum damage), cigarettes, antacid tablets (for stomach issues), and medicine bottles. His family tried to help him. In 1987, his wife Tabitha staged an intervention: she gathered family and friends and dumped the contents of a garbage bag collected from his office in front of King: beer cans, cocaine packets, cigarette packs, tranquilizer pills, codeine cough syrups, and more. She gave him an ultimatum: either he goes to get help, or she leaves and takes the children.
This became a turning point. King agreed to undergo treatment. He attended meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous and went through rehabilitation. Since 1988, he has remained sober.
After recovering, King feared he wouldn’t be able to write without drugs. However, his first "sober" book, "Needful Things," proved otherwise.
In his memoir "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft," King openly discussed his struggle with addiction. He admitted that the scariest part was realizing that his children saw him in such a state.
"The Dark Tower"
The creation of "The Dark Tower" is the story of Stephen King's longest and most ambitious project, spanning over 30 years.The idea came to King in 1970: he read Robert Browning's poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came." The second inspiration was Sergio Leone's film "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"—King wanted to combine the atmosphere of a western with fantasy elements, and he realized that his main character would inevitably resemble a young Clint Eastwood.
In 1977, King began writing the first book of the series—"The Gunslinger." The first line of the novel, "The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed," came to him while he was sitting by the sea in Maine. He considers this line one of the best in his work.
The first novel of the series was serialized in "Fantasy and Science Fiction" magazine from 1978 to 1981. "The Gunslinger" was released as a standalone book in 1982, with a limited print run.
There were long gaps between the publications of the subsequent parts:
- "The Drawing of the Three" (1987)
- "The Waste Lands" (1991)
- "Wizard and Glass" (1997)
- "Wolves of the Calla" (2003)
- "Song of Susannah" (2004)
- "The Dark Tower" (2004)
- "The Wind Through the Keyhole" (2012, takes place between the 4th and 5th volumes)
"The Dark Tower" is unique in that it ties together many other works by King. It features characters and references to novels like "The Shining," "The Stand," "Hearts in Atlantis," "The Talisman," "Desperation," and many others. King himself calls this series his "Lord of the Rings," the central work of all his writing.
In 2003, King revised the first volume, adding about 35 pages and correcting inconsistencies with the later books.
Stephen King himself appears as a key character in the series, making it partially a metanovel. Many readers find parallels between Roland's journey and King's own battle with cocaine addiction, which he overcame.
The Accident
The accident Stephen King experienced on June 19, 1999, became one of the most dramatic moments in his life and nearly ended tragically. On that summer day, King was taking his usual walk near his home in Maine. He was walking along the roadside of Route 5 in the town of Lovell. Around 4:30 PM, a Dodge RAM van driven by Bryan Smith veered off the road and hit the writer.The impact was severe. King was thrown 14 feet (about 4 meters) into a ditch. A complex fracture of the right hip, multiple fractures of the right leg (broken in nine places), hip and head injuries, broken ribs, a damaged lung, not to mention numerous cuts and bruises—it's a miracle he survived.
A local paramedic was the first to arrive at the scene, and later admitted he was sure King wouldn’t survive. Stephen was rushed to Central Maine Medical Center. Over the next 10 days, doctors performed five surgeries. Initially, there was talk of amputating his right leg, but the surgeons managed to save it. King spent three weeks in the hospital, followed by months of rehabilitation.
The driver, Bryan Smith, despite having a significant history of traffic violations, was not drunk. He explained the incident by saying his dog, which was in the car with him, distracted him. It was later discovered that he had vision problems. Smith received a six-month suspended sentence and a temporary license suspension. A year later, he died of a drug overdose, precisely on King's birthday—a coincidence that would fit well in one of the writer's novels.
King bought the van that hit him, intending to smash it with a sledgehammer once he fully recovered. However, his agent convinced him to abandon the idea, and the vehicle was sent to the scrap press.
The accident had a significant impact on King's work. A similar incident is mentioned in the novel "From a Buick 8," and his rehabilitation experience is reflected in the novel "Lisey's Story." After the accident, he accelerated work on the "The Dark Tower" series, fearing he might not finish his life's main work.
Additionally, it became harder for him to sit for long periods at his desk, his writing slowed, and he developed chronic pain and memory issues. Despite this, King returned to work. The first book he wrote after the accident was "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft," part memoir, part guide for aspiring authors.
New Works
With the dawn of the new millennium, the writer continues to regularly release new novels.- “Dreamcatcher” (2001). A story about four men facing an alien invasion. The novel was written during recovery from a 1999 accident, reflecting the author's trauma and painful experience.
- “Lisey's Story” (2006). One of King's most personal novels, exploring the nature of creativity and the writer's relationship with his wife. The story of a famous writer's widow confronting her husband's frightening secrets after his death.
- “Under the Dome” (2009). A large-scale narrative about a small town suddenly cut off from the world by an invisible dome. The novel explores human behavior in extreme situations and criticizes the abuse of power. One of King's longest novels, showcasing his skill in creating a web of interconnected characters.
- “11/22/63” (2011). A story about a teacher traveling back in time to prevent Kennedy's assassination. Considered one of King's best late novels, it features a meticulously crafted historical atmosphere and deep reflections on the nature of time and the consequences of our actions.
- “Doctor Sleep” (2013). A sequel to “The Shining,” focusing on an adult Danny Torrance. The novel explores themes of inherited trauma and overcoming addiction. Critics noted it as a rare successful sequel.
- “Revival” (2014). A dark tale about a preacher obsessed with electricity and its impact on the protagonist's life. One of King's most pessimistic novels, inspired by Lovecraft's works.
- The “Mr. Mercedes” Trilogy (2014-2016). A detective series about a retired cop facing off against a psychopathic killer. A rare instance where King writes in the crime thriller genre without supernatural elements.
- “The Outsider” (2018). A mix of detective and horror, starting as a criminal investigation and evolving into a supernatural thriller. King skillfully combines the realism of police life with elements of terror.
- “The Institute” (2019). A story about children with superpowers held in a secret facility. A return to the theme of good versus evil through the lens of child characters, characteristic of King's early work.
- “Billy Summers” (2021). A noir thriller about a hitman trying to complete one last job. Demonstrates King's mature skill in crafting complex characters and tense storytelling.
- “Fairy Tale” (2022). An epic fantasy about a boy entering a parallel world.
- “Holly” (2023). A spin-off of the "Mr. Mercedes" trilogy, focusing on private detective Holly Gibney. Combines detective elements with an attempt to comprehend the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stephen King's Personal Life
Stephen King met his future wife, Tabitha Jane Spruce, in 1967 while still a university student. It was symbolic that the future king of horror and his queen met among books, in the university library. Stephen worked there, and Tabitha Spruce was reading poems at a literary seminar. The young couple noticed each other immediately – both wrote, both loved literature, and both dreamed of creative careers."She looked incredibly beautiful in her purple dress," King later recalled. Their first date took place in a pizzeria, where they talked for hours about books, poetry, and their literary ambitions. Tabitha also wrote, mainly poetry, and Stephen was impressed by its depth.
They married on January 2, 1971. The wedding was modest, as both were poor students. The newlyweds spent their honeymoon in a small trailer loaned to them by friends. In those days, Stephen worked at an industrial laundry, and Tabitha at Dunkin' Donuts. Money was desperately scarce, but they were happy. The early years of marriage were a time of struggle and hope. They lived in a rented trailer, ate cheap canned food, but continued to believe in each other's writing talent. Tabitha supported her husband when publishers rejected his manuscripts repeatedly. She was the one who saved "Carrie," King's debut novel, which he threw into the trash can in a fit of burnout. Tabitha retrieved the manuscript, read it, and insisted her husband continue working on it.
When success came to King, life changed but not their relationship. Tabitha remained Stephen's main reader and critic. She stood by him during the toughest times, especially during his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. In 1987, it was Tabitha who organized the intervention that helped King start his recovery journey.
Their marriage withstood all tests – fame, money, harmful habits. They raised three children – Naomi, Joe, and Owen. Two of them, Joe and Owen, also became writers. Joe writes under the pseudonym Joe Hill. Naomi serves as a minister at a Unitarian Universalist church in Plantation, Florida, and lives with her beloved, Thandeka. Their sons have given King five grandchildren.
"My wife is the one person I couldn't live without," King admits. Today, after more than 50 years together, Stephen and Tabitha King remain one of the strongest couples in the literary world. They still live in Bangor, Maine, in a Victorian mansion with an iron fence shaped like bats and spiders. Tabitha is the first to read each of her husband's novels, and he dedicates every book to her. "Everything I've achieved in life, I've achieved because of Tabby," King says.
Stephen King Now
In 2024, the writer worked on a story about a teenage outcast with paranormal abilities. He can see the dead and predict the future but faces bullying at school. Another idea for a future novel involves the development and potential of neural networks and artificial intelligence.King plans to immerse his characters in an illusion created by AI, where everyone lives and acts according to their usual routine, but it's all just a dream implanted into the human mind. Reality will turn out to be much more horrifying.
Interesting Facts
- Since the early eighties, Stephen King has had a tradition of making cameo appearances in the film adaptations of his works. For instance, in "Creepshow," he portrayed the solitary death of Jordy Verrill, and in "Maximum Overdrive," he played a man withdrawing money from an ATM. Viewers appreciated his roles as a priest in "Pet Sematary" and as Mr. Bangor, a pharmacy druggist in "Thinner." The writer also stood out as the frontman of the "Gage Creed Band" in the miniseries "The Shining" and as the old biker Cleaner in "Sons of Anarchy."
- In 2023, Stephen King underwent hip replacement surgery because his right leg began to fail. The writer stated that it was all a consequence of the accident he was involved in at the end of the nineties.
- In 2024, King joined an activist community advocating for Joe Biden to withdraw from the election. Stephen claimed that the current president should, in the interest of the USA, announce that he would not run for another term. His statement was immediately commented on by Elon Musk, who wrote that even King is voting for Trump, although King never said such a thing and has always opposed the controversial Republican.
Important Life Events
- 1959: Became the publisher of the newsletter "Dave's Rag."
- 1966: Entered university, graduated with a degree in English Literature and Rhetoric.
- 1970: Daughter Naomi was born to Tabitha Spruce.
- 1971: Worked as an English teacher at a school. Married Tabitha Spruce.
- 1972: Son Joseph Hillstrom was born.
- 1974: Wrote and published the first novel "Carrie," which was adapted into a film two years later.
- 1975: Wrote and published the novel "The Shining," which was adapted into a film five years later.
- 1977: Son Owen Phillip was born. Wrote and published the novel "Rage."
- 1978: Wrote and published the novel "The Stand," which was adapted into a film twice.
- 1980: Wrote and published the novel "Firestarter," which was adapted into a film twice.
- 1982: Began the "The Dark Tower" series with the novel "The Gunslinger."
- 1983: Wrote and published the novels "Pet Sematary," "Christine," "Cycle of the Werewolf," which were adapted into films five times.
- 1986: Wrote and published the novel "It," which was adapted into a film three times.
- 1987: Wrote and published the novel "The Drawing of the Three" from "The Dark Tower" series.
- 1991: Wrote and published the novel "Needful Things," which was adapted into a film two years later. Published the third book "The Waste Lands" from "The Dark Tower" series.
- 1996: Wrote and published the novel "The Green Mile," which was adapted into a film three years later and won numerous awards.
- 2001: Wrote and published the novel "Dreamcatcher," which was adapted into a film two years later.
- 2004: Wrote and published the seventh book from "The Dark Tower" series with the same title.
- 2006: Wrote and published the novel "Cell," which was adapted into a film nine years later. The book "Lisey's Story" was also released.
- 2011: Wrote and published the novel "11/22/63," which was adapted into a film five years later.
- 2012: Wrote and published the last book "The Wind Through the Keyhole" from "The Dark Tower" series.
- 2014: Wrote and published the novel "Mr. Mercedes," which was adapted into a film three years later.
- 2018: Wrote and published the novel "The Outsider," which was adapted into a film two years later.
- 2022: Wrote and published the novel "Fairy Tale."
- 2023: Wrote and published the novel "Holly."
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