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In the Tall Grass

3.57 of 5 stars 3.57 · rating details · 1,626 ratings · 357 reviews

Mile 81 meets “N” in this collaboration between Stephen King and Joe Hill, now available from Simon & Schuster Audio.As USA TODAY said of Stephen King’s Mile 81: “Park and scream. Could there be any better place to set a horror story than an abandoned rest stop?” In the Tall Grass begins with a sister and brother who pull off to the side of the road after hearing a you...more

Audio CD, Short story

Published October 9th 2012 by Simon & Schuster Audio (first published August 1st 2012)

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Oct 09, 2012 Trudi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: joe-hill, stephen-king, short-stories, horror, on-my-kobo, epic-creep, survive-this, 2012-reads, october-country

Well, well, well, what do we have here? A bona fide horror story my friends and Constant Readers, sprouted from the father/son imagination team of Stephen King and Joe Hill. This story is not without its problems (and won't be suited to everyone's tastes). It is ghoulish and a tad gory, and depending on your sensibilities you may be disgusted, even offended. But before it goes there it is a magnificent piece of storytelling steeped in dread and what I like to call, epic creep. One reviewer has l...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Anthony Vacca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-book

Halloween fun for the whole family!

Learn why I never get out of the car whilst driving through Kansas!

Learn why man must step up their game if they are to win the battle against nature!

Learn what tastes like sardines and the last salty sip of a martini!

Learn what the true meaning of family really is!

Learn at least three new dirty limericks!

Learn what happens to hippies who try to act like Ken Kesey and his merry band of douche bags.

Learn what Scott Smith's The Ruins would have been like if two g...more

11 likes · like · see review

Nov 14, 2012 Gunner McGrath rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-in-audio, first-reads, short-stories, horror

The premise of the story is simple and classic King: two siblings, driving across the country, hear a lost child calling for help from within a field of tall grass. They decide to investigate, but there's something supernatural and malicious going on in this particular field. It's a nasty story, suspenseful and gruesome, and though not the most offensive stuff King's ever written, it's close. Of course, that's exactly the kind of story most people would hope for from these two authors. It's defi...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Adam Light rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, my-personal-favorites, the-king

I have to say that this was a big surprise for me. After reading some of the other short stories King and Hill have given is lately, it was refreshing to find myself immersed in a good old fashioned HORROR story. I agree with other reviewers that it was predictable, and derivative of a couple of Kings other stories, but overall it was a fun read for me.

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Dec 11, 2012 Pat rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Ok, this is where I say I have read a lot of Stephen King books and even one Joe Hill book and really liked them 'but' (you had to know that was coming), I thought this short story was 'only okay'. I liked the premise of the story and someone else wrote that it started out as old school horror/creepy, and I agree. It took a turn into horror/gory and again I was okay with that. But something seems to have missed the mark and I guess I cannot quite say what it was. Maybe the story was too short an...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: short-stories

I don't really know what to say. A part of me feels off giving this three stars but I liked it. It wasn't great, but I didn't completely hate it either. The premise was enough to hold my attention and keep me going. For that reason this wasn't one I could put down. The idea of being lost in tall grass and not be able to find my way out is a creepy thought.

The story started out well enough, and I really wanted to know how it was going to end. Then as I neared the end, King and Hill stepped over...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Jared rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, ew.
I've always loved these two authors. Being in each other's immediate family, Stephen King and Joe Hill have two entirely different writing styles; King's is more direct and hard-hitting, while Hill's is slower-paced and atmospheric. In the Tall Grass combines both of their skills and talents, producing a spine-tingling tale that left me feeling both satisfied and a bit ill. Now, don't get me wrong; both authors have been known to produce both conceptually and physically unsettling tales...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Bunny added it · review of another edition

My Thoughts:

I’m not sure what to say about this one guys, if I’m being honest. It started out fantastic, old school horror. You know, creepy with out really giving you too much – making you dread what was on the next page. Then, at some point, the book just kind of takes a turn and not only gives you what you have been dreading, but kind of takes it a step further. No, takes it a step too far. Gives you something you wouldn’t dream of, in this case even kind of makes you gag a little.

I love horr...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Ginger Dawn rated it 3 of 5 stars

In the Tall Grass
By Stephen King, Audio recording read by Joe Hill
Reviewed by Ginger Dawn Harman

I recently purchased this audio recording to listen to while I stained our deck. I was rather excited to hear a horror tale with lots of suspense. I was immediately captured by the story line while the main characters, Cal and Becky DeMuth, are driving across the country and they hear a lost child calling for help from within a field of tall grass. The child’s mother whom is also lost warns the siblin...more In the Tall Grass
By Stephen King, Audio recording read by Joe Hill
Reviewed by Ginger Dawn Harman

I recently purchased this audio recording to listen to while I stained our deck. I was rather excited to hear a horror tale with lots of suspense. I was immediately captured by the story line while the main characters, Cal and Becky DeMuth, are driving across the country and they hear a lost child calling for help from within a field of tall grass. The child’s mother whom is also lost warns the siblings to turn back and save themselves. The brother and sister immediately become separated and become part of this gory twisted tale. With clever use of limericks, Stephen King creates a bit of tension between the hunted and hunter. Readers should be aware that the overuse of the word, “f*ck” was not only distracting but diminished the story line.

It's a revolting, suspenseful and shocking plot which has true Stephen King imagination. The description of eating the baby’s flesh was compared to the taste of sardines and a bit salty! Furthermore, the characters were developed and very compelling. Through gripping dialog the reader feels the anxiety of the situation of being “lost.” Joe Hill does an excellent job with the voice recording. His articulation and playful voice pitch changes creates a fear in the reader. I was disappointed with how short this novella was. It lasted for an hour and a half or 75 kindle pages if downloaded.

If you are a gore horror fan this short will fit the bill. However, as a Stephen King fan, you might be disappointed. It does not offer the same level of care that his other works have and left me saying, “What the f*ck did I just listen to.” Again I feel the overuse of one single word is not only distracting but takes away from the readers’ experience. Yet, that was the only fault that I found. It is a clever tale, with much left to the imagination. With vividness and those creepy things that make you jump at night, this is the story for you.

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Mar 20, 2013 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: holby-tv-reading-challenge-2012, kindle

This short was a lot better than Riding the Bullet, which I read previously. It drew me in more, literally. The story is about a haunted field and two siblings who drive past it and get lured in. It's gross, like really gross and in true Stephen King style, it freaked me out a little.

The small child calling for help at the start remind me of that child from Doctor Who ("Are you my mummy?") And of course you would go and help if a small child is calling you in distress. And thats what pulls you i...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Craig Hansen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While hardly his strongest work of short fiction, IN THE TALL GRASS was at least average or slightly above, by Stephen King standards. Which, of course, is still several rungs above the best works by many other authors.

King's son, Joe Hill, is credited with the assist on this one and it's hard to determine what parts were authored by whom, they do such a good job of blending their styles together. That's a plus.

Of course, the real treat any main draw for me was the preview of King's forthcoming...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Kevin Gamin rated it 4 of 5 stars

My wife and I listened to the audiobook format of this novella while driving home from visiting family Christmas night. Before I get into the book itself, I would like to say that I enjoyed Stephen Lang's reading of the story and would be interested in hearing more of his audiobook work.

One of the traits I enjoy about Stephen King's writing is that he writes very compelling characters. They're very much human beings, some good, some bad, all with their faults and personality quirks from how thei...more My wife and I listened to the audiobook format of this novella while driving home from visiting family Christmas night. Before I get into the book itself, I would like to say that I enjoyed Stephen Lang's reading of the story and would be interested in hearing more of his audiobook work.

One of the traits I enjoy about Stephen King's writing is that he writes very compelling characters. They're very much human beings, some good, some bad, all with their faults and personality quirks from how their lives have treated them. The characters of Becky and Cal DeMuth are no exception. I found myself liking them as people before they even reached the field of tall grass where most of the story takes place. They are also, not surprisingly, both New Englanders. This isn't a bad thing at all. In fact, I find it a little amusing.

Another trait of King's is how he can build a sense of impending dread throughout his stories. As Becky and Cal discover more and more about the tall grass and the supernatural/otherworldly power which controls it and whoever enters the field, I as a reader/listener found myself feeling despair for the brother and sister protagonists as it became more and more clear that the ending of this story was not going to be happy one. This is a third trait of King's: He is not afraid to go down that dark road which we "Constant Readers" both fear to travel yet can't resist when King is our guide. We know there's a good chance we'll get our hearts broken, if not scared out of our chest, but that's part of the fun and the thrill.

One thing I could not tell from my initial listen of this story is how much of it came from Stephen King's mind and how much from Joe Hill's. They are a father/son combination, so the overlap may be pretty seamless as a result, but I think a larger part of this is because I'm not familiar enough with Hill's writing and style to recognize it. My wife had a couple ideas of where Hill's ideas came forward but I don't want to go into detail since that would spoil some of the story. I think I will need to check out more of Joe Hill's work before coming back to this story and see if I have a better understanding of what is from the father and what is from the son.

Overall, I gave this story four out of five stars, mainly because of what I stated in the previous paragraph. I may revise my rating once I am more familiar with Joe Hill's style, but my enjoyment of the story was very high and I definitely recommend it for anybody who enjoys Stephen King or the horror genre in general.(less)

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Dec 26, 2012 Bookworm rated it 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this short dose of horror and I hated to see it end. How I wish it were longer! King and Hill do a great job at drawing you in and making you hold your breath with anticipation. I was totally immersed while reading and pretty creeped out as well. I could almost see and smell the tall grass. There is gore and some nasty bits in here and this one is not for the faint of heart. Not a short story I will soon forget.

I'm glad I read this one and I recommend it to fans of horror. It one of th...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 02, 2012 Sam Quixote rated it 2 of 5 stars

A brother and sister driving across Kansas with the windows rolled down, hear a young boy calling for help in the middle of a field of Tall Grass. Stopping to investigate, they enter the Tall Grass, become separated, and get lost in the Tall Grass. Then they can’t get out of the Tall Grass because the Tall Grass is weird and you can never leave the Tall Grass once you enter the Tall Grass. Huh. Tall Grass, eh?

The premise is interesting: a field of Tall Grass that is somehow an evil living thing...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Armando Dela Cruz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: recommends, horror, suspense, kindle, favorites

As seen on my blog: FilmPolice

Stephen King has been on my shelf at the moment as I keep up with books that I wasn't able to read back then. And without noticing it, he has dominated my Kindle library as well. His latest, a collaboration with his son Joe Hill, In the Tall Grassis generally well-crafted with its classic narrative that is brewed with a modern and young feel to it, making a great blend for a swift and energenic read. King's mastered storytelling plus Hill's juvenile playfulness make...more As seen on my blog: FilmPolice

Stephen King has been on my shelf at the moment as I keep up with books that I wasn't able to read back then. And without noticing it, he has dominated my Kindle library as well. His latest, a collaboration with his son Joe Hill, In the Tall Grass is generally well-crafted with its classic narrative that is brewed with a modern and young feel to it, making a great blend for a swift and energenic read. King's mastered storytelling plus Hill's juvenile playfulness makes this gory and terrifying tale really enjoyable.

The setup is pretty simple. Two siblings named Cal and Becky DeMuth is drawn to a paranormal grassland and find many horrors therein. It's still a fascination to me how these simplistic premises spring a lot of psychological effects and consequential ends. The book starts off fleeting, pages just flew by both with its lightning pace and engrossing storytelling. This is sustained in the middle part of the book, and it does drag a little bit, but as mysteries begin to reveal, it goes for a climactic conclusion, one will definitely enjoy (regardless if one is a horror fan or not).

Mile 81 had a lot of similarities but think of this one as that title, minus Mangler. Other bookworms often compare it with Scott Smith's The Ruins and before you start raising one brow and furrowing the other, let me tell you that it's perfectly understandable how this comparison is accurate. King has proven that he still has that talent most visible in his novels like Carrie, The Shining and Cujo. But the reveal is his son, Hill and his edginess make In the Tall Grass a quick and entertaining read. His popular work called Horns is currently being developed for a screen adaptation starring Danielle Radcliffe (Harry Potter, The Woman in Black). King had tons of movie adaptations of his books, too, Hill, appearing to following his father's footsteps. With the father-and-son talent, it's no more correct to say that they both deserve the recognition that they're constantly receiving.

VERDICT: 3.5 out of 5 (buy this on Amazon for Kindle to get a free preview for Stephen King's Doctor Sleep [The Shining sequel] and Joe Hill's NOS4A2)
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Nov 16, 2012 Frank Errington rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stephen King, certainly knows a thing or two about writing a horror story and his son, Joe Hill, is rapidly making a name for himself in the horror genre.

The first time father and son worked together, the result was Throttle, inspired by Richard Matheson's classic Duel, which also went on to be Road Rage, a graphic novel series from IDW.

This time the two writers united for In the Tall Grass. Cal and Becky DeMuth were born nineteen months apart and were so close, their parents called them Irish T...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Vicki G rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Who cares if something is well written if it has no purpose - or SEEMS to have no other intention - than becoming a piece of writing filled with violence and darkness for the sake of violence and darkness itself?
If there was any other purpose than a slasher effect, I want to know what it was, preferably from the authors. Not people I wouldn't know if I passed them on the street. People of the Internet who've shown you nothing other than their words.
At least I know what the authors LOOK like.
I ca...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Jenna rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is my first written review on Goodreads, so bare with me*

Chapters.Indigo.ca website describes In The Tall Grass a mix between Mile 81 and "N". I have never read Mile 81 (but I did wiki it) and I have read "N" and honestly, that description is spot on. I'll skip the plot summary and say In The Tall Grass really does read like a Stephen King short story/novella - but quicker, which I love about it. The character descriptions are short and precise, and then the story takes off.

True to some of...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Nikki rated it 1 of 5 stars

I’ve pilfered King’s novels from my mother’s bookcase since the tender age of ten. To be perfectly honest he inspired a lot of my early childhood writing, and still does to some extent. That said, I have become gradually dissatisfied with his latest releases.

'In The Tall Grass’ was my breaking point (‘Mile 81’, and before that ‘Under the Glass Dome’ being the instigative *shove*). I saw none of King in this short tale, at all. It was tepid, predictable, and grossly overrated. The characters seem...more

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Oct 15, 2012 C. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Siblings Cal and Becky DeMuth are driving through Kansas on their way to California where Becky is planning on delivering the baby she doesn’t want. The radio is off, the windows are down, and as they pass an old church in the middle of nowhere, they hear a voice calling for help.

Cal and Becky stop to see what’s what and discover a boy and his mother are lost in a vast field of grass just off the highway. The boy is screaming for help, while the boy’s mother, who is obviously not with her son, i...more Siblings Cal and Becky DeMuth are driving through Kansas on their way to California where Becky is planning on delivering the baby she doesn’t want. The radio is off, the windows are down, and as they pass an old church in the middle of nowhere, they hear a voice calling for help.

Cal and Becky stop to see what’s what and discover a boy and his mother are lost in a vast field of grass just off the highway. The boy is screaming for help, while the boy’s mother, who is obviously not with her son, is screaming for him to be quiet before “he” finds them. Cal and Becky don’t know what’s going on, but people need help, and they’re going to do what they can.

So into the tall grass, they go, in search of the boy and his mother. Cal steps in first and the grass is so tall, and so thick, the siblings are immediately separated. And that’s when Becky and Cal realize just what it is they’ve gotten themselves into.

IN THE TALL GRASS is a novella written by the father and son team of Stephen King and Joe Hill and was originally published in two parts in ESQUIRE Magazine, their second collaboration, and it just further cements the fact that the Kings really know what they’re doing.

IN THE TALL GRASS is such a simple premise I can’t believe it hasn’t been written before. And the way they handle the characters and the situation, plus that wonderfully evil ending (I’m not 100% sure the denouement is necessary, but what’re you gonna do?) . . . I just loved it.

I did feel a certain aspect of the story was a little too TOMMYKNOCKER-ish and harkened back a few too many classic science fiction stories--and not just King stories, I’m talking even further back, but it’s not a bad thing necessarily; the plot device is so often used because it works. I just wished it hadn’t been the catalyst for the weird goings on in this case. I’d hoped for something else entirely original and unexpected. But in the end, I think it works, and it certainly doesn’t keep the story from being a great read.

IN THE TALL GRASS really highlights what makes horror so fun to read. King and Hill have taken a situation that, while certainly not all that common, is definitely one you wouldn’t expect to find this particular kind of horror in, but there it is. And the fact they pulled it off so well just goes to show, again, they really know what they’re doing and the imagination that runs through those genes is still a thing to behold. As a writer, IN THE TALL GRASS shows talent will win out over flash in the pan bandwagon stories any day. And as a reader, it shows there are still new horrors out there waiting to be discovered.

I like that thought. It gives me hope.

This story is horror for the sake of horror, it’s a story written for the joy of writing it, a story the authors clearly had a great time collaborating on. And for me it’s a story that shows horror is still alive and well. It’s the kind of story that makes me want to get back to work and dream up something amazing.

The ebook runs only about 75 Kindle pages and can easily be read in a day and it’s definitely worth the $4. IN THE TALL GRASS is a great horror story, and I definitely recommend it.
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Oct 12, 2012 Wendy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Now THIS is a ripping good yarn! I don't know how much of a hand Joe (King's son) had in this tale, but this is a classic short story by the master of short stories! If Joe is this good a write, I look forward to reading more of his work.

Like many other King fans, I love (most of) SK's books, but LOVE (most of) his short stories. When he limits himself in this form, only his sparest and most compelling prose shines forth.

This story is described as "Mile 81" meets "N"; that brought up a bit of co...more

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Oct 11, 2012 BurningYourBooks rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bump-in-the-night, gods-and-monsters, hey-mr-thats-my-sister, audio-booked-it

3.5 Stars really.

There was a thing (there was a thing)
Inside a field (inside a field)
The prettiest thing (the prettiest thing)
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)

The thing in the field
And the folk on the ground
And the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around

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Oct 10, 2012 Michael Cremin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, sci-fi-fantasy-horror

Short story from the King boys: Daddy Stephen and Son Joe Hill. I have found, as have many others, that Stephen King's novels are just too goddamn long. Seriously: I love the man, have read all of his books, and enjoyed all of them, but there is a large swathe of Stephen King novels that could be 100 pages shorter. With that said, when he is on, he is on, and he (as well as sonny boy)are on with this one. Both Kings are masters of the short story. I read Joe Hill's anthology American Ghosts and...more

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Oct 10, 2012 D. Alexander Ward rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I missed this one when it was published in Esquire magazine but made sure to get it when it came out for ebook. Just about the length of a short novella, "In the Tall Grass" brings you everything you might expect from Stephen King, the undisputed master of contemporary horror and his son, Joe Hill. The tale is simple, disconcerting and... eventually pretty damn messed up. Part of it had me cringing. But it's a great, very quick read so I recommend it.
A bonus to the ebook edition was a little pre...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Colleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

I've been a Stephen King fan since I was in high school. I've been a Joe Hill fan since I heard of him. It wasn't until I finished Hill's Heart Shaped Box that I learned they were father and son. Then I heard they wrote some stories together that were only available via eBook, so I asked for a Kindle for Christmas. I bought and read In the Tall Grass on Christmas day, oh, yes I did.

Man, this story is the reason I don't go wandering in corn fields or tall grass. Freaked me RIGHT out. I don't hav...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, horror

I really enjoyed this short story and I agree that it harkens back to the days of Skeleton Crew and that is definitely a very good thing. I found the atmosphere and story line to be unsettling and creepy. Great story that could have been featured in an ultra-violent edition of Weird Tales. You can see the influence of Joe Hill. I clearly wasn't there, but I am betting that the younger King (who I really feel is the heir to the throne) pushed the envelope to make this story even darker and more s...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

This book is pretty hard for me to review. I felt like the first time I listened to this audiobook I missed something, because the ending came so aprubtly, so I listened to it again, but same thing. The story started out so strong, and I was really drawn into the story. The concept was so unique and it kind of reminded me of a sick, twisted version of Hunny, I shrunk the kids. There was so many ways this story could have gone, but it went in a way that was least expected, at least to me.

I'm stil...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-books-read

I began the collaboration by Stephen King and son, Joe Hill without knowing very much about it. I was immediately drawn into the story by the audio book reader, Stephen Lang, and by the end....it is really short, just (2) discs, I was pretty grossed out but I'm still recommending it to horror fans.

Obviously, "the tall grass" is significant, but the main characters in this story are a brother and a sister, Becky and Cal DeMuth; the two are very close. Becky is expecting a baby (unplanned), and sh...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Linda Munro rated it 3 of 5 stars

This seemed to be something that may have been written long ago by Stephen King and recently brought out of hiding, dusted off and sent to the publisher. It reminds me of something I have read somweher in my remote past, but the part of my brain that holds that particular memory seems to be presently covered in cobwebs (or maybe lost in the tall grass)!

As with many of King's books, he takes something quite common, in this case grass, or more specifically tall grass and makes it something horri...more

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Aug 29, 2012 J.J. rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm a huge fan of Stephen King. I started with The Gunslinger and was hooked. And while I'm not a huge fan of horror, I don't find his stuff that terrifying or disturbing. That being said, I didn't like this short story at all. In fact it kind of disgusted me. Maybe it just hits a little too close to home (one of the main characters is pregnant, and my wife is currently 8 months pregnant).

The first part was pretty great. Tense and creepy. But part 2 took a turn that I just didn't like and was q...more

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About Stephen King

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his parents separated when Stephen was a toddler, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family...more Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his parents separated when Stephen was a toddler, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of the elderly couple. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.

Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham 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 was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.

He and Tabitha Spruce married in January of 1971. He met Tabitha in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University of Maine at Orono, where they both worked as students. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.

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 or appeared in other anthologies.

In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching high school English classes at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.(less)

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15825932-in-the-tall-grass?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346688418l/15825932.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15825932-in-the-tall-grass?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]In the Tall Grass by Stephen King[/url]

In the Tall Grass

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