I blame it mostly on success. The richer and more famous my favorite author became, the less he seemed to care. The ideas went stale. The endings disappeared entirely. It was as if the millionaire author was on drugs, which apparently he was. New England’s best storyteller was just cranking it out, and worse, his readers were sucking it up. In retrospect, we should have done something. Like that woman played by Kathy Bates in the film version of Misery, we should have locked our hero up and let him catch his breath, regroup, start over, find his chi. Maybe if we had stopped buying millions of books or stayed away from all the bad movies, maybe we could have saved him, and he could have saved us, in return, from Dean Koontz and all the wannabee horror writers who followed.
This whole sordid affair came back to me the other day like a body that won’t stay buried. I was reading about Stephen King’s son who was "outed" recently in the New York Sunday Times. Joe Hill, aka Joe King, as you certainly know by now, lives right here in Seacoast, New Hampshire, along with Dan Brown and the rest of us great writers. I knew that secret years ago when one of his neighbors whispered it. He’s supposed to be a nice guy and nice guys have the right to live in peace and quiet. Now Joe Hill is a horror writer too, or at least he’s finally getting a book published after years of failed attempts.
I wish Joe Hill luck with his novel Heart Shaped Box. He is today about the age his father was in 1980. I would not want to be in his shoes. His dad is a tough ax to follow. But my own horror novel days are over. All I can find on TV now are hi-def rotting corpses, forensic exams, murdered children, bug-devoured bones. We can’t blame Stephen King for this any more than we can blame Poe, Shakespeare or whoever wrote Beowulf. Violence and gore have always been part of great literature – and part of the worst. One recent TV episode of Bones featured the very realistic decapitated head of a murdered woman that the detectives kept chopping up and cutting into throughout the show. I’m glad I don’t have little kids who are watching this junk. I was traumatized when Bambi’s mother died.
Funny thing is, back in 1980, it was Stephen King himself who condemned horror flicks like Friday the 13th as "immoral". "My feeling about horror," King told a group of us English teachers back then, "is that you ought to care about the people who are involved in whatever’s horrible, and they should have a fighting chance to get out."
Wise words from a great man. And I did get out. But sometimes, when the moon is full and the coyotes howl, I miss those great King novels and blood-stained days.
Little Engine That Could July 4 - 6, 2008 LINCOLN -- Hi everyone!! We are trying to get the word out that the Little Engine That Could will be at the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln, NH on July 4,5 & 6, 2008. People can purchase tickets right online at our website.
The train is a full-sized repli...
Art in Nature July 4 - 10, 2008 RYE, NH -- Celebrate art, nature and science during this week-long event. We will explore inspiring and creative ways of connecting to the environment through hands-on workshops, programs and activities for all ages. You can learn about organic sculptur...
Zoo Farm July 5 - 6, 2008 CANDIA -- Enjoy all day zoo admission; unlimited pony, tractor and horse-drawn hay. rides; and a bag of grain for each child. All for just $16.00 per person!
So pack your lunch and spend the day with us at the farm. We look forward
to seeing you! For...
Freedom Rocks July 5, 2008 The Freedom Rocks Festival is one that truly incorporates a gamete of musical talent. Everything from metal bands, garage, funk, alternative, retro and classic rock perform on stage. Ranging music styles and artists come together to form a festival fill...
Tommy Gallant Jazz Festival July 6, 2008 This 13th annual celebration of joyous creativity which Tommy Gallant helped initiate, has become a staple item on our summer menu. Don't miss this venue of jazz greats organized by UNH Jazz Master Dave Seiler.
Sammie Haynes July 6, 2008 ROCHESTER -- The Governor's Inn presents a beautiful late afternoon in the garden (or under the patio in case of rain) Great food and drinks and company
HARVEY REID July 6, 2008 SOUTH BERWICK -- Maine songwriter and stringed-instrument virtuoso Harvey Reid will appear in concert This is Harvey's only local concert this summer. It takes place outdoors in the beautiful garden at the historic Hamilton House in South Berwick, Maine...
Theatre Camp July 7 - 11, 2008 KIDS THEATRE CAMP, July 7-11, 9 AM to 12 NOON, Ages 6-9
Now in its eighth year, this popular week-long camp features creative drama, movement, and visual arts activities, with a final performance at 6:30 PM on Friday, July 11.
Limited to 14 campers. ...
PPAF Summer Theatre Academy begins July 7, 2008 We believe that every child has an innate sense of creativity and imagination. Our Summer Theatre Academy is geared toward developing confidence and advancing performance skills so that every child can be a star. Students will not only learn theatrical ...
NHTP Teen Camp Starts July 7, 2008 TEEN THEATRE CAMP, July 7-19, Ages 13-17
This intensive camp will focus on a theme from classic dramatic literature. (Teen Camp 2007 featured William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night). Participants will learn acting, directing and design skills along with...