BEHIND EVERY GREAT MAN THERE'S A WOMAN (JUST ASK STEPHEN KING)
Some years ago, I recall reading the story behind the publication of Stephen King's bestselling first novel, "Carrie."
Seems the then unpublished Mr. King was teaching school by day while pounding out horror fiction at night in a dingy trailer he shared with wife Tabitha and their two children. I well know the grind -- the utter exhaustion and deprivation -- of attempting to court the Muse while putting in a 40 hour plus week punching the time clock at a job I absolutely despised. It's a miserable proposition and I have the utmost respect and empathy for all those who rise to the challenge.
Getting back to Mr. King and "Carrie" -- seems he'd been hammering away at his wife's old Olivetti (for you youngsters, that's an outdated contraption once known as a "typewriter"), working on a short story about a girl with telekinetic powers he planned on submitting to the men's magazine, "Cavalier." Three pages into his story, the well abruptly went dry. It happens even to the best of writers.
Truth be told, Mr. King hadn't thought much of the idea to begin with. Had only undertaken the task at the behest of a friend who suggested the author try his hand at a story featuring a female protagonist. Tossing the three pages he'd written into a nearly overflowing wastepaper basket, the author decided to call it a night.
The following day -- his stalled attempt at a short story about a girl with telekinetic powers all but forgotten -- Mr. King planted himself in front of the typewriter; once again ready to do battle with the blank page.
"You need to finish this."
It was Mr. King's wife, Tabitha. In her hands were the three rumpled manuscript pages he'd consigned to the oblivion of his wastepaper basket the night before.
While Mr. King was off teaching English at his day job, Mrs. King had rescued the discarded typescript from the trash and was convinced the idea was a winner. More importantly, she convinced her husband -- a soon-to-be bestselling author -- it was too.
The rest, as they say, is history. "Carrie" went on to become a runaway bestseller, earning Stephen King over $400,000 for the paperback rights. He quit his day job, embarking on a career that would not only redefine the horror genre, but elevate it to the level of legitimate literary fiction.
Thank you, Tabitha King!
And that brings me to my own story -- or rather backstory. My girlfriend Marie had been laid up with a nasty bone bruise on her foot. We have one of those long-distance relationships. Though seperated by a significant stretch of real estate, we spend quite a bit of time on the phone.
During our nightly conversations, I'd rack my brain for some decent Netflix suggestions -- anything that might help alleviate her boredom while housebound. Marie is a voracious reader. Having dispatched with my rather meager literary output in nothing flat (even my old Las Vegas CityLife pieces), she was constantly encouraging me to write something new for her to read.
There was an old manuscript I'd shelved nearly 10 years earlier. A story I'd written and rewritten -- draft after agonizing draft -- over the course of some 30 (yes, thirty!) years. Somehow, it never seemed to gel. Against my better judgement, I sent Marie the Word file for "The Siren of Neptune's Beach" -- warning her not to get her hopes up.
Next evening, during our regularly scheduled phone conversation, Marie could barely contain her excitement. She'd been up all night reading, finishing the manuscript in one sitting. What's more, she absolutely loved it!!! Loved it? ... ADORED it!!! Couldn't possibly heap enough superlatives upon it ... it simply had to be published!!! Marie made me promise to go back and read my manuscript again.
I did.
She was right (as she usually is).
Perhaps I'd been too burnt-out and bleary-eyed when I perused the final draft almost 10 years ago. Now it's as clear to me as a spectacular full moon hovering over a forlorn, long-forgotten stretch of beach where time stands still.
Whether "The Siren of Neptune's Beach" sells one copy, a million, or none at all, no matter.
This book belongs to you, Marie <3 ...
"The Siren of Neptune's Beach" now available on Kindle ... 📱
https://a.co/d/gR189QE
Seems the then unpublished Mr. King was teaching school by day while pounding out horror fiction at night in a dingy trailer he shared with wife Tabitha and their two children. I well know the grind -- the utter exhaustion and deprivation -- of attempting to court the Muse while putting in a 40 hour plus week punching the time clock at a job I absolutely despised. It's a miserable proposition and I have the utmost respect and empathy for all those who rise to the challenge.
Getting back to Mr. King and "Carrie" -- seems he'd been hammering away at his wife's old Olivetti (for you youngsters, that's an outdated contraption once known as a "typewriter"), working on a short story about a girl with telekinetic powers he planned on submitting to the men's magazine, "Cavalier." Three pages into his story, the well abruptly went dry. It happens even to the best of writers.
Truth be told, Mr. King hadn't thought much of the idea to begin with. Had only undertaken the task at the behest of a friend who suggested the author try his hand at a story featuring a female protagonist. Tossing the three pages he'd written into a nearly overflowing wastepaper basket, the author decided to call it a night.
The following day -- his stalled attempt at a short story about a girl with telekinetic powers all but forgotten -- Mr. King planted himself in front of the typewriter; once again ready to do battle with the blank page.
"You need to finish this."
It was Mr. King's wife, Tabitha. In her hands were the three rumpled manuscript pages he'd consigned to the oblivion of his wastepaper basket the night before.
While Mr. King was off teaching English at his day job, Mrs. King had rescued the discarded typescript from the trash and was convinced the idea was a winner. More importantly, she convinced her husband -- a soon-to-be bestselling author -- it was too.
The rest, as they say, is history. "Carrie" went on to become a runaway bestseller, earning Stephen King over $400,000 for the paperback rights. He quit his day job, embarking on a career that would not only redefine the horror genre, but elevate it to the level of legitimate literary fiction.
Thank you, Tabitha King!
And that brings me to my own story -- or rather backstory. My girlfriend Marie had been laid up with a nasty bone bruise on her foot. We have one of those long-distance relationships. Though seperated by a significant stretch of real estate, we spend quite a bit of time on the phone.
During our nightly conversations, I'd rack my brain for some decent Netflix suggestions -- anything that might help alleviate her boredom while housebound. Marie is a voracious reader. Having dispatched with my rather meager literary output in nothing flat (even my old Las Vegas CityLife pieces), she was constantly encouraging me to write something new for her to read.
There was an old manuscript I'd shelved nearly 10 years earlier. A story I'd written and rewritten -- draft after agonizing draft -- over the course of some 30 (yes, thirty!) years. Somehow, it never seemed to gel. Against my better judgement, I sent Marie the Word file for "The Siren of Neptune's Beach" -- warning her not to get her hopes up.
Next evening, during our regularly scheduled phone conversation, Marie could barely contain her excitement. She'd been up all night reading, finishing the manuscript in one sitting. What's more, she absolutely loved it!!! Loved it? ... ADORED it!!! Couldn't possibly heap enough superlatives upon it ... it simply had to be published!!! Marie made me promise to go back and read my manuscript again.
I did.
She was right (as she usually is).
Perhaps I'd been too burnt-out and bleary-eyed when I perused the final draft almost 10 years ago. Now it's as clear to me as a spectacular full moon hovering over a forlorn, long-forgotten stretch of beach where time stands still.
Whether "The Siren of Neptune's Beach" sells one copy, a million, or none at all, no matter.
This book belongs to you, Marie <3 ...
"The Siren of Neptune's Beach" now available on Kindle ... 📱
https://a.co/d/gR189QE
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