Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King (b. September 21, 1947) is an American author of over 200
stories including over 50 bestselling horror and fantasy novels. King was the
2003 recipient of The National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished
Contribution to American Letters, and his numerous literary awards place him
among the most-honored horror authors in recent history.
King evinces a thorough knowledge of the horror genre, as shown in his 1981
nonfiction book Danse Macabre, which chronicles several decades of notable works
in literature, cinema, television and radio. He has also written stories outside
the horror genre, including the novella collection Different Seasons, The Green
Mile, The Eyes of the Dragon, Hearts in Atlantis and his self-described "magnum
opus," The Dark Tower series. In the past, Stephen King has written under the
pen names Richard Bachman and (once) John Swithen.
King was born in Portland, Maine. When King was two years old, his father,
Donald Edwin King, deserted his family. His mother, Nellie Ruth (née Pillsbury),
raised King and his adopted older brother David by herself, sometimes under
great financial strain. The family moved to Ruth's home town of Durham, Maine,
but also spent brief periods in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Stratford, Connecticut.
As a child, King apparently witnessed a gruesome accident — one of his friends
was struck and killed by a train. Some commentators have suggested this event
may have inspired King's dark, disturbing creations, but King himself dismisses
the idea, noting that he has no memory of the event: his family told him that
after leaving home to play with the boy, King returned, speechless and seemingly
in shock. Only later did the family learn of the friend's death.