Stephen King the Man

Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947. After his parents were separated--he was raised by his mother. Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham Maine and then Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1970, with a B.A. in English. Stephen is of Scots-Irish ancestry, stands 6'4" and weighs about 200 pounds and has worn glasses since was a child.  He and Tabitha Spruce married in January of 1971. The Kings have three children: Naomi Rachel, Joe Hill and Owen Phillip.

Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines--many of these were later gathered into the Night Shift collection.   In the spring of 1973, Doubleday & Co. accepted the novel Carrie for publication. Stephen learned from his editor that the major paperback sale would provide him with the means to write full-time--Carrie was published in the spring of 1974.  The Kings moved southern Maine, and Stephen wrote his next-published novel, originally titled Second Coming and then Jerusalem's Lot, before it became 'Salem's Lot, in a small room in the garage.

Over the past 30 plus years Stephen King has written hundreds of books, short stories and some poems--he is known as the “Master of Horror”. Many of his books have been made into movies such as: Carrie, Salem’s Lot, the Shawshank Redemption, and Green mile. Many don’t know that Carrie was made into a Broadway play; however, it was shut down after the first night due its graphic content.   He has made cameos appearances in several of his film adaptations—Creepshow and The Stand are just a few.  1982 Stephen made his directorial debut, as well as writing the screenplay, for the movie Maximum Overdrive. In 1985 Stephen King received: The 2003National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Stephen and Tabitha provide scholarships for local high school students and contribute too many other local and national charities.  Stephen and Tabitha currently reside in Bangor Maine