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 "...when you find a book that has both a good story and good words, treasure that book." - Stephen King, Hearts in Atlantis |
News & Information Upcoming & Current Releases
July 28, 2010 After an extensive rewrite, my review of The Drawing of the Three is now ready for all to see! Enjoy it! July 27, 2010 Hooray! My new review of Misery is now up for your reading pleasure! We hope to have a new critique of The Drawing of the Three up sometime in the next day or so. And yes, work on It continues, just slowly. There's so much to say. July 25, 2010 While I continue the long, involving work on my It critique, please take a moment to check out the new review of The Eyes of the Dragon. Not only is the review new, but this is the launching platform for the new look of the Charnel House critique pages. I think the design is simpler, more appealing, and easier to read, and I hope you too, too. Thanks for reading; more reviews soon! July 21, 2010 You've all been very patient, and here is your reward: THREE brand-new book critiques for your edu-tainment! Both Thinner and The Bachman Books get complete re-writes, and, for the first time ever, Skeleton Crew is reviewed on Charnel House. Hooray and huzzah! Now, enjoy these while I bury myself in research and try to figure out how to review my favorite novel without going mental. July 18, 2010 The trade paperback of Under the Dome hit the New York Times bestseller list today, debuting at #4. In its first week, Under the Dome has the highest peak of any of King's paperbacks since 2006's Lisey's Story! This being its first week, we can only hope it will go higher. King has not had a #1 paperback since 2001's Black House; the closest since has been Cell at #2, also in 2006! July 16, 2010 Congratulations to Stephen King, whose "Morality" just won the 2009 Shirley Jackson award for Best Novelette. If you haven't read this terrific story, it is NOW AVAILABLE as the backup tale in King's most recent publication, Blockade Billy - available now in stores everywhere! (Also online! For cheap!) Additionally, new reviews of both Firestarter and The Talisman are NOW UP! Peruse, and let us know what you think! July 13, 2010 Check out our BRAND-NEW critique of Cycle of the Werewolf, up now for your enjoyment! July 10, 2010 We may have skipped a few days here in the House, but that doesn't mean we're slacking. Today, we bring you two brand-new sparkly reviews: The Running Man and Different Seasons! We are closing in on bringing Stephen King's entire first decade of output up to date. Right now, we're working on new critiques of Firestarter, Cycle of the Werewolf and The Talisman, and then we can launch into the mid-80s to the mid-90s. We're very excited about this ongoing project, and hope you are, too! Keep watching this space!
July 7, 2010
 At current, no word on a mass-market paperback (or whether the mass-market release will arrive in one of those irritating "tall" mass-market paperbacks that are hard to hold and read). Also out now: the tenth anniversary edition of On Writing, featuring a subdued, scholarly cover that looks more "literary" than any of the past covers:
 If you've never read On Writing, it is absolutely essential King, and this is a wonderful edition to have. If you have read it, this edition includes a new reading list in addition to the one King provided at the end of the first printing - eighty or so books King has enjoyed and learned from over the past decade. Additionally, if you've been following the book-critique updates, today brings a revision and expansion of that of The Gunslinger! Enjoy!
July 6, 2010
July 6, 2010
June 30, 2010
June 29, 2010
New reviews, count em!
Enjoy! We'll be updating these as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. Some books require more intensive re-reads, so if some are being held up, that's why. June 27, 2010 SPOTLIGHT ON: James Cole
From time to time on Charnel House, we like to point out an important figure in the King community who has gone on to do great things in the field and beyond. Today, our spotlight looks at director and artist James Cole. Cole, as you may know, was one of the original Stephen King "Dollar Baby" directors, buying the Recently, I had the privilege to view a new film written by Cole, the very moving (and semi-autobiographical) The Night Before. Directed by Jay Holben - who had previously directed the very popular short Dollar Baby film "Paranoid," based on King's poem - The Night Before tells the story of three boys sharing a hospital room the night before their respective procedures. It's sweet and sentimental without being syrupy, and even (though the premise doesn't seem to promise this) really funny at times. Plus, there's a lot of talk about the Marvel superhero Daredevil, so that worked for us here at the House, too. The Night Before is now available on Amazon.com, and I promise you, it's worth it. If for nothing else but to see the work of two creative people in the world of Stephen King achieve something beyond that world, The Night Before is important and worthy. June 25, 2010 You ARE qualified to deal with this: new critiques of Rage and Night Shift are now up! June 23, 2010 The Overlook is once again at home with the dead: my revised critique of The Shining is now live! June 21, 2010 As part of my ongoing campaign to make Charnel House the best destination for Stephen King reviews and critiques, I have been looking over my book pages and I've been working on bringing the early reviews up to my current standards. During this overhaul, I'll also be adding reviews of books I haven't, for one reason or another, ever written, including Skeleton Crew, Secret Windows, Song of Susannah and The Dark Tower. For now, check out revised critiques of Carrie, 'Salem's Lot, Cujo, and Pet Sematary. Thanks for reading, folks! June 13, 2010 Simon & Schuster is sponsoring a new Blockade Billy contest! From the site: First prize: Ten lucky winners will receive a limited edition Blockade Billy poster, a copy of Blockade Billy, and a copy of Under the Dome. Runners Up: Twenty lucky winners will receive a limited edition Blockade Billy poster and a copy of Blockade Billy. In addition, Blockade Billy is now available on audio, read by Craig Wasson (actress Mare Winningham narrates the accompanying story, "Morality.") Get the unabridged book on CD or instant download! June 6, 2010 Blockade Billy made its debut on the New York Times Bestseller List this week, arriving onto the charts at #9. While this is not the lowest debut of a Stephen King hardcover on the charts, it's certainly among them. While King's earliest hardcovers struggled on the charts - Carrie, 'Salem's Lot, and Night Shift failed to crack the Hardcover Bestseller charts at all. The original version of The Stand debuted at a very low #13. Since The Dead Zone hit #1, though, nearly all King hardcovers have enjoyed stays - however brief - at or near the top of the charts. The lowest charter since The Stand ('78) was Wizard & Glass, which was published by a small press and its distribution to bookstores was limited; it managed to achieve #12. The relatively minor showing of Blockade Billy shouldn't be much of a surprise, really. On Scribner's end, while Under the Dome was aggressively marketed, Blockade Billy has almost been treated as an afterthought. The low price point - $15.00 - should be driving people to snatch this book up, but so far, people seem to be staying away. I'm not sure how many people are even aware of it; at a number of bookstores I visited, the book was not even up on display, as is customary with King novels. Perhaps part of this has to do with the fact that Blockade Billy was so successful in limited edition form. Not only did hardcore King fans purchase it through Cemetery Dance, but because it was so well-promoted through them, its printings actually sold out. My hope is that three factors boost Blockade Billy further up the charts in the upcoming weeks: 1. Father's Day is coming up. I'm buying it for my Dad, I know that. 2. Baseball season. With a bit more marketing synergy, this could really take off. 3. The Times Bestseller list itself. People are going to see Blockade Billy there and be aware that a new King book is out. My big hope is that this will be a self-perpetuating thing; Blockade Billy is a wonderful little book, deserving of a success story. May 30, 2010 My review of Lilja's Library: The World of Stephen King, by Hans-Åke Lilja, is now up! It's a great book, you guys, so don't miss it. I got an early review copy and all I can say is, if you love Lilja's site, you're going to love this book. It's available for pre-order from Cemetery Dance right now! Go! Get it! May 25, 2010 In a neat little bit of synthesis with the publication of their version of Blockade Billy, Scribner announced the released date and gave us the paperback cover of Under the Dome:
 The release date appears to have moved from August to July 6, 2010. Judging by the price point, it appears that this will be a trade paperback release, as opposed to a mass-market paperback, likely enjoying the same staggered release structure as King's Dark Tower books. No word yet on an upcoming mass-market paperback, but I would be surprised if they didn't release it for Christmas. More details as I get them. May 25, 2010 In case you missed the limited "gift" edition of Blockade Billy from Cemetery Dance, you can now get the mass-market hardcover of King's newest novel(la) IN STORES NEAR YOU. This wonderful short novel, reprinted by Scribner, also features the terrific previously uncollected short story, "Morality," another excellent reason to purchase this book! Go get it now!
Blockade Billy on Amazon.com
May 20, 2010 A new interview with FearNet has come to light - some interesting stuff about Haven and the sequels/prequels/midquels King is planning. Not much more than a morsel, but still neat! May 17, 2010 Today, Lilja's Library offered a first glimpse at Scribner's version of Blockade Billy. As previously reported, it does not come with a dust jacket, and instead features a glossy cover with the original Cemetery Dance artwork by Glen Orbik printed directly on it. This edition will be in stores and available online on March 25th. If you are still interested in the limited-edition first worldwide printing from Cemetery Dance, scant few copies remain, so ACT NOW. May 14, 2010 With all the focus on Blockade Billy, we might have been neglecting King's upcoming novella collection, Full Dark, No Stars. A cover recently emerged (see below), and now we have some intriguing new details! These descriptions come from Amazon.com.uk's Full Dark, No Stars page. 'I believe there is another man inside every man, a stranger...' writes Wilfred Leland James in the early pages of the riveting confession that makes up '1922', the first in this pitch-black quartet of mesmerising tales from Stephen King, linked by the theme of retribution. For James, that stranger is awakened when his wife Arlette proposes selling off the family homestead and moving to Omaha, setting in motion a gruesome train of murder and madness. (96 manuscript pages) In 'Big Driver', a cozy-mystery writer named Tess encounters the stranger is along a back road in Massachusetts when she takes a shortcut home after a book-club engagement. Violated and left for dead, Tess plots a revenge that will bring her face to face with another stranger: the one inside herself. (82 manuscript pages) 'Fair Extension', the shortest of these tales, is perhaps the nastiest and certainly the funniest. Making a deal with the devil not only saves Harry Streeter from a fatal cancer but provides rich recompense for a lifetime of resentment. (25 manuscript pages) When her husband of more than twenty years is away on one of his business trips, Darcy Anderson looks for batteries in the garage. Her toe knocks up against a box under a worktable and she discovers the stranger inside her husband. It’s a horrifying discovery, rendered with bristling intensity, and it definitively ends 'A Good Marriage'. (63 manuscript pages) Like DIFFERENT SEASONS and FOUR PAST MIDNIGHT, which generated such enduring hit films as The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me, FULL DARK, NO STARS proves Stephen King a master of the long story form. According to Lilja's Library, there will also be an Afterword! So awesome! May 7, 2010 With absolutely none of the fuss and fanfare the cover for Under the Dome received, the art for King's upcoming novella collection, Full Dark, No Stars whispered onto Simon & Schuster's official site.
 I think it's a terrific, evocative cover, very much in line with most of what Scribner has done with King's stuff. As a reminder, here's a list of the four novellas in this upcoming collection: In addition, for those of you who didn't rush out and grab the awesome limited edition of Blockade Billy from Cemetery Dance, the Scribner mass-market hardcover reprint will be available on May 25th, which will not only include the short novel, but also the terrific short story "Morality". This has already been a great year to be a King fan, and things will only escalate from here! May 2, 2010 Hello all! I've been away from CH (and the world) for the past two weeks on vacation. Let's see what we missed while I was off:
Not only is Kevin Quigley a good writer, he has also managed something that is almost impossible today in his book Wetware ... He has managed to find an angle to King’s work that hasn’t been explored in a book already. He has found a subject for his book that feels new and unexplored. Don't forget, you can still order Wetware through Cemetery Dance! Hooray! April 27, 2010 My book, Wetware, has been officially announced on Cemetery Dance!!!! Check it out! So exciting! April 20, 2010 Just did a major overhaul on the Chart of Darkness section, a portion of Charnel House that focuses on King's history with the New York Times bestseller list. New stuff includes more accurate publication dates, new information about chart histories, and some new fun facts and trivia. It's fun! Check it out!
April 20, 2010
April 15, 2010 You can order it here: http://www.cemeterydance.com/sh/quigley01.html. If you order now, shipping is only $1 if you purchase ANYTHING else from Cemetery Dance. OMG! It's a deal! Seriously, I put a bunch of effort and work into this little book, and I hope you all like it. It will not be my last book on King, just you wait. Things are just getting started.
April 15, 2010 Don't get me wrong; I'm excited to have a mass-market version of Blockade Billy available - I'll certainly be buying it - but I also want the first printing, higher-quality, dust-jacketed CD version. Read the new press release here!
April 13, 2010 Stephen and Cemetery Dance have made an arrangement with Scribner to make available a less expensive hardcover edition of Blockade Billy, with an on-sale date of May 25th, the same date the audiobook goes on sale. The Scribner edition will be available in all U.S. retail outlets. Both the Scribner book and the Simon & Schuster audiobook will feature a bonus short story. In the meantime, an eBook edition of Blockade Billy should go on sale through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony on April 20th. WHAT THIS MEANS Essentially, Cemetery Dance put out an astounding limited edition of a brand-new Stephen King story. It's sumptuously designed, wonderfully illustrated, and comes with that exciting Blockade Billy baseball card. It's a real treat of a limited edition, and those who ordered through Cemetery Dance are getting the true first edition of the book. As we've seen in the past, though, limited editions of Stephen King books sell fast and sell out, leaving many clamoring for the book. In the past, this happened with The Gunslinger, when Donald M. Grant put out a limited edition, then a second printing before reaching an agreement with Viking/Plume to publish an audiobook and then a trade paperback. In this case, in order to satisfy demand for Blockade Billy, Cemetery Dance and Scribner are working together to make sure everyone gets their hands on this terrific story. Keep in mind that Cemetery Dance's is the first printing AND first edition, and it's the one with the illustrations, the baseball card, and the knockout production design. (You can order that here, but supply is EXTREMELY limited, so act soon.) Scribner's will be a little cheaper and come with a bonus short story (chances are likely that it will be the excellent tale "Morality," which appeared in Esquire magazine early last year. Read my review here.) Either way, Blockade Billy is a terrific story that King fans don't want to miss. Again, remember that neither Blockade Billy nor "Morality" will be appearing in King's novella collection, Full Dark, No Stars later this year. This is just a happy surprise for everyone.
April 10, 2010 Cemetery Dance Publications’ beautiful hardcover of Blockade Billy is a limited edition, and we all know what that means - there won’t be enough copies to go around. Because of high demand from devoted readers and obligations to libraries, and — alas—contrary to pre-order invitations from online retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, it won’t be possible to ship copies of the limited edition to retail bookstores. Don’t blame Amazon! Don’t blame Barnes & Noble! Together with Cemetery Dance, Stephen is exploring ways to make the novella available to all his Constant Readers as soon as possible, at least by the time the Simon & Schuster audiobook goes on sale. More definite word on this should come shortly. But if you want that one-of-a-kind authentic William "Blockade Billy" Blakely baseball card which has time-traveled all the way from 1957, place your order online with Cemetery Dance. You heard them - the limited edition is nearly SOLD OUT. If you want the limited edition - which is beautifully made, extensively illustrated, and comes with that really neat bonus baseball card - order from Cemetery Dance now. This first print run not only has higher production values than most mass-market books, it's also limited and will become a sought-after collectible in years to come. And don't forget: the story itself is terrific, one of King's best recent tales.
April 08, 2010
April 08, 2010 Cemetery Dance's official Blockade Billy website clarified some questions people have been asking about the publication. First, that the first printing of Blockade Billy is only 10,000 copies - that's the lowest debut print run of a new King hardback since the 1970s. Four days into the sale, Cemetery Dance had sold half their entire stock - that's how fast it's going. Second, the limited first edition will NOT be available in stores. That includes brick and mortar stores like Barnes and Noble and Borders as well as online stores like Amazon. Further, the second limited printing will also not be available in stores. The only way to get these limited "gift" printings will be from Cemetery Dance directly. In order to answer further questions about this terrific little book (which, by the way, let's not lose sight of the story: read my review of the book, as well as the brand-new review from Lilja's Library), Cemetery Dance has posted a Q&A on their website:
Q: What makes this book collectible? April 06, 2010
April 03, 2010
"1922"
"Big Driver"
"Fair Extension"
"A Good Marriage" As you'll see, the upcoming Blockade Billy is not among the tales in Full Dark, No Stars, and it is still available from Cemetery Dance ... but not for long. It is selling CRAZY fast, so if you want to read Blockade Billy, you should get it NOW. This is a big year for Stephen King, and Blockade Billy is such a great place to start!
March 31, 2010
March 29, 2010 Cemetery Dance Announces Blockade Billy, a BRAND-NEW BOOK by Stephen King, available NOW: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Cemetery Dance Publications Announces Blockade Billy by Stephen Includes an Authentic William "Blockade Billy" Blakely Baseball Card BALTIMORE -- March 29, 2010 -- Cemetery Dance Publications, the world’s leading independent publisher of collectible horror and suspense books, has just announced Blockade Billy by Stephen King, an original, never-before-published novella that only the King of Horror could have dreamed up. The Cemetery Dance exclusive hardcover will ship mid-April. "I love old-school baseball," Stephen King said, "and I also love the way people who've spent a lifetime in the game talk about the game. I tried to combine those things in a story of suspense. People have asked me for years when I was going to write a baseball story. Ask no more; this is it."
Cemetery Dance and Stephen King kept Blockade Billy under tight wraps so it could be a surprise publication for the beginning of the baseball season. Even diehard baseball fans don't know the true story of William Blakely, but in just a few weeks readers will be holding this dark tale in their own two hands.
"As a lifelong baseball fan -- and long suffering Orioles' fan -- I can't think of a better way to open the 2010 season than publishing Blockade Billy," said Cemetery Dance Publisher Richard Chizmar. "Stephen King and I have corresponded about baseball and books for almost 20 years now... So to combine the two is a dream come true for me."
Chuck Verrill, King's agent, said: "Any time a Red Sox fan, an Orioles fan, and a Yankees fan can cooperate on something, the result is bound to be fantastic." For a very limited time only, Cemetery Dance Publications will include an authentic William "Blockade Billy" Blakely baseball card with every copy of the trade hardcover. Please visit http://www.BlockadeBilly.com or http://www.CemeteryDance.com for more information.
Cemetery Dance Publications is widely-considered the world's leading specialty press publisher of horror and dark suspense. Now celebrating over twenty years in business, Cemetery Dance magazine has won every major genre award and the Cemetery Dance Publications hardcover imprint has published over 200 affordable and collectible Limited Edition hardcover books from the genre's most acclaimed authors. These authors include Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Ray Bradbury, William Peter Blatty, Peter Straub, Graham Masterton, Richard Laymon, Michael Slade, Douglas Clegg, Jack Ketchum, William F. Nolan, Joe R. Lansdale, and hundreds of others, along with the best new writers in the genre.
IN ADDITION!!! Cemetery Dance Publications Announces WETWARE: ON THE DIGITAL FRONTLINE WITH STEPHEN KING, by Kevin Quigley
WETWARE: On the Digital Frontline with Stephen King About the Chapbook: Stephen King has long been at the forefront of experimental publishing. As the world grows more digital each day, King has consistently remained on the edge of breakthrough trends and technology, finding new ways to publish and interpret his stories. King's digital journey has been strange and fascinating. Wetware is your guide. From the prehistory of King’s involvement with digital media such as the Dark Half video game and F13 to his online release of the lost work, The Cannibals, Wetware covers it all — in a concise and engaging pocket history. Explore the controversy surrounding King's online serial publication, The Plant. Relive the groundbreaking excitement of King's landmark e-book publication, Riding the Bullet. If you ever engaged in interactive fiction with The Mist, were intrigued by the Kindle-only release of "UR," or terrified by the motion comic "N.," Wetware is essential reading. To read more about Wetware or order your copy today, visit the Wetware purchase site on Cemetery Dance today! About the Author: Kevin Quigley's website, Charnel House has been a premiere Stephen King resource for nearly fifteen years. Charnel House was the first website to feature full-length reviews of every Stephen King book; today, it also includes up-to-date King news, a section focused on books about King, and a comprehensive listing of unpublished and uncollected shorter works. Quigley is also the author of two previous chapbooks on King — Chart of Darkness and Ink In the Veins — and co-wrote the upcoming Stephen King Illustrated Movie Trivia Book. In addition to his works on King, Quigley is also the author of several novels, and has recently published a collection of poetry, Foggy At Night In the City. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his partner, Shawn.
February 26, 2010
STEPHEN KING HAS MAJOR DARKNESS IN MIND FOR 2010. Under the Dome, published in November 2009, reached more readers then any other King hardback novel published in the UK in the last decade.
Its publication, with a winning marketing campaign, demands a worthy successor for 2010, and Hodder & Stoughton are delighted to announce the acquisition from US agent, Chuck Verrill, of Full Dark, No Stars.
The November publication month that has proved so successful for Under the Dome and Just After Sunset will again provide a perfect position to launch this volume of four all-new novellas for Christmas 2010.
These darkly thrilling stories are all linked by the theme of retribution, and are a showcase for the power of King’s inimitable imagination – satisfying established readers whilst enticing new ones. Visceral, immediate and featuring just a few characters, this is the other side of King’s writing; contrasting intimate portraits after the huge canvas that was Under the Dome. I want it NOW! February 24, 2010
February 19, 2010
February 18, 2010 Steve has told me it's okay to say that one of the novellas is about Hemingford Home. This is very interesting news for King readers. Hemingford Home, Nebraska, played a big part in The Stand - it was where Mother Abagail lived and where the first groups met her before traveling to Boulder. It was also somewhat important in It, as the adult home of Ben Hanscomb. It will be interesting to see how this new novella - whose title we don't yet know - fits in with the existing backstory. More news as it develops! To follow the thread on King's message board, click here! February 17, 2010 February 14, 2010 "Night of the Tiger" has still never been collected by King in an anthology of his own work, which makes Tails of Wonder and Imagination important. The story has only been published a handful of times - since 1978, it has appeared in only four collections, most recently in Horrorstory, Volume Three in 1992. King stated in Nightmares & Dreamscapes that he would not be including early work in any subsequent short story collections - a statement he seems to have retracted with Just After Sunset's inclusion of "The Cat From Hell." As King has more lately been rediscovering his "lost" work, there is hope that "Night of the Tiger," a terrific little circus story, will make its way into something upcoming. For those curious about this early King work, along with other short pieces by giants and other talented people in the speculative fiction field, Tails of Wonder and Imagination: Cat Stories is recommended. My short fiction page is also now updated!
February 1, 2010
Foggy At Night In the City is the first collection of verse and poetry by novelist and critic (and webmaster) Kevin Quigley. Inside you will find stories of love and hate, of airships and footraces, of life and death. Alternately light and dark, sunshine and shadows, Foggy At Night In the City is an eclectic anthology that will pique your curiosity and challenge your perceptions. Folks, this new collection of poetry and verse represents nearly two decades of work. The poems might have come hard for me, and some of them take you to dark, dark places, but I think you'll like them. To reiterate: Foggy At Night In the City is an actual book, one that you hold in your hand and whose pages you physically flip through. Two Ways To Get It
Bonus Material: Six Poems The first 50 purchasers of Foggy At Night In the City will receive a bonus PDF from me - a small collection titled Six Poems, featuring six pieces I didn't feel fit in the main volume. "Fantasies Of A Maniac," "No Show," "There Must Be Something Good for Dinner Tonight," "A Place With Picnic Tables," and "Fissure" represent the best work from my earliest days of writing through my more inward-looking recent poetry. Three of these poems are flat-out horror stories, including the award-winning "Fantasies Of a Maniac." I've stayed away from horror verse in later years; it's a pleasure to share it now. If you have purchased Foggy At Night In the City, email me here, and I will send you Six Poems. Sorry, Six Poems does not come separately. The Foggy Future As we roll out publication on this book, there's still more to come. In the upcoming weeks and months, I will hopefully be publishing Foggy At Night In the City on several ebook platforms. The Kindle is the first, with the Sony Reader, the Nook, and of course the iPad - I am in negotiations now to get this book in the hands of electronic readers as soon as possible. Keep an eye out! The Final Word Foggy At Night In the City is available from both the publisher and Amazon for the amazing price of $7.95. It is a large-sized paperback, also known as "trade" or "quality" paperback, and features thirty-five pieces of poetry and verse, along with an introduction. And that's not to mention the bonus PDF, bringing the total number of pieces up to forty-one works. Even if you generally aren't a poetry reader, I urge you to give Foggy a try - quite a few of these pieces read more like prose. I have tried to make this volume as accessible as possible, without sacrificing the work. Thank you for your time and consideration, and thank you for taking a chance on pioneering authorship.
January 28, 2010 January 27, 2010 In AudioBook News: "Ur," the ebook previously only available for the Kindle and iPhone, will soon be available on audiobook! Read by Holter Graham, this story is due out on February 16th on both CD and digital download. Visit the official website here or read my review of the story here. But that's not all! A source I can't disclose (Borders.com) has revealed that a whole passel of new audiobooks is on its way - and some of the choices are amazing. Different Seasons (as four separate works), Roadwork, Firestarter, Cujo, The Running Man, and The Long Walk are scheduled for release in April, while The Dark Half, Christine, The Eyes of the Dragon, The Tommyknockers, and It - yes, It! - are coming in May. To which I say WHEE! No news as to whether the Different Seasons stuff is going to be the original Frank Muller recordings, but I hope so. Because those were boss. And finally! Today, King's message board reported that Stephen King has already finished two new books. Yes, TWO. Based on King's prior statements that neither The Wind Through the Keyhole nor Doctor Sleep have even begun - and that the third Talisman book is still a ways off - these are likely two books we have never heard of before. And that, Constant Readers, excites me to my core. More as it comes, kids. More as it comes.
January 14, 2010 One exciting bit of news for those of you with bad backs and weak wrists: Under the Dome will be released in trade paperback (aka "quality" or "large" paperback) this August! No news on a mass-market release as yet, but we here at the House are researching like ferrets. Ferrets who research. August! August! August! And speaking of trade paperbacks: it seems as if Scribner now has the rights to Danse Macabre. It's coming back in trade form on February 23rd, with a cover reminiscent of that of On Writing. No news on new content, but one can hope! Check it out!
December 19, 2009
December 5, 2009
December 1, 2009 Hey, you guys--I saw a lot of you Constant Readers while I was touring for Under the Dome, and I must say you're looking good. Thanks for turning out in such numbers, and thanks for all the nice things you've said about Under the Dome. There'll be another book next year. It's a good one, I think, but that's not why I'm writing. I mentioned two potential projects while I was on the road, one a new Mid-World book (not directly about Roland Deschain, but yes, he and his friend Cuthbert are in it, hunting a skin-man, which are what werewolves are called in that lost kingdom) and a sequel to The Shining called Doctor Sleep. Are you interested in reading either of these? If so, which one turns your dials more? Ms. Mod will be counting your votes (and of course it all means nothing if the muse doesn't speak). Meanwhile, thanks again for 2009. So what say you? Head to King's main site and cast your votes (the poll is near the bottom under the heading Visitor's Poll). I'm not suggesting you choose one book over the other, but I am saying that we last had a Dark Tower book in the 2000s, and The Shining came out so long ago. I mean, aren't you just a LITTLE curious as to what's happened to Danny? Just a smidge!? In other news, Under the Dome dropped to #2 in its second week on the New York Times bestseller chart, just below "James Patterson's" I, Alex Cross. The only consolation is that King actually writes the books that get him to #1. Oh, snap. November 25, 2009 And more on King's possible upcoming sequel to The Shining, a tentative book whose tentative title is Doctor Sleep. books.torontoist.com reports:
Last night at Toronto’s packed Canon Theatre, fans of Stephen King were treated to a 15-minute reading from the author’s new novel, Under the Dome, and nearly an hour’s worth of typically funny anecdotes and keen observations during an on-stage interview with director David Cronenberg. Then King dropped a fan bombshell on the crowd by casually describing a novel idea he began working on last summer. Seems King was wondering whatever happened to Danny Torrance of The Shining, who when readers last saw him was recovering from his ordeal at the Overlook Hotel at a resort in Maine with fellow survivors Wendy Torrance and chef Dick Halloran (who dies in the Kubrick film version). King remarked that though he ended his 1977 novel on a positive note, the Overlook was bound to have left young Danny with a lifetime’s worth of emotional scars. What Danny made of those traumatic experiences, and with the psychic powers that saved him from his father at the Overlook, is a question that King believes might make a damn fine sequel.
So what would a sequel to one of King’s most beloved novels look like? In King’s still tentative plan for the novel, Danny is now 40 years old and living in upstate New York, where he works as the equivalent of an orderly at a hospice for the terminally ill. Danny’s real job is to visit with patients who are just about to pass on to the other side, and to help them make that journey with the aid of his mysterious powers. Danny also has a sideline in betting on the horses, a trick he learned from his buddy Dick Hallorann.
The title for King’s proposed sequel? Doctor Sleep.
Perhaps sensing that he’d let the cat out of the plot bag a little early, King then told Cronenberg and the audience that he wasn’t completely committed to the new novel, going so far as to say, “Maybe if I keep talking about it I won’t have to write it.”
Let’s hope King doesn’t have too many interviews booked in the next six months. It's interesting that all the books we've heard rumblings on are all sequels, prequels, or midquels: with talk of The Talisman III resurging, the news of The Wind Through the Keyhole (a Dark Tower book set in between the events of Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla) and now Doctor Sleep, it's looking to be a pretty interesting near future for King and his fans. Also interesting: the official reports are that none of these projects have yet begun ... yet King has continued writing steadily since completing Under the Dome. Just what he's been writing remains a mystery.
November 22, 2009
November 12, 2009
This last is huge news for Tower freaks. The mod on King's message board shed some clarity, stating that "Stephen has given me permission to pass along that he has an idea for a new Dark Tower book, the working title of which will be THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE. He has not yet started this book and anticipates that it will be a minimum of eight months before he is able to begin writing it." According to Zach Dionne at GQ, the book is a "mid-quel," focusing on minor characters and events that take place between Wizard & Glass and Wolves of the Calla. Which I, for one, am all for. Updates as I get them! Until them, watch the book signing!
November 10, 2009 Under the Dome is released TODAY! Stephen King's newest novel - his third longest - hits stores and online retailers today. Watch this space for a review SOON. In the meantime, check out this terrific short interview with King from Borders.com. DOME DAY IS HERE!!! Run! Buy! Read! Hooray!
November 9, 2009
November 6, 2009 Hans-Ake Lilja has written a terrific new book on Stephen King, titled Lilja's Library: The World of Stephen King. Charnel House is proud to present one of its first reviews, written by Stephen King expert George Beahm (author of The Stephen King Companion). Please check out this glowing guest review of Lilja's Library, and then pre-order your own copy! When you're done there, check out Lilja's Library, the website, which now features a review of Lilja's book by King expert Stephen Spignesi. We're jam-packed with experts today!
November 2, 2009 "Premium Harmony," King's new short story appearing in The New Yorker is ready to read online NOW. Hooray!
October 29, 2009
October 28, 2009 Thanks to KingdomSearch on Twitter for the info - if you are not following him, you should: @KingdomSearch! October 21, 2009 We've also stumbled across a map of the town actually under the dome:
Click on the picture to bring up a much bigger and clearer image! Also! Today at 3:00, there will be new interactive content over at the Under the Dome widget area. Full details to come! And lastly: we here at Charnel House mainly focus on King's major arcana - novels, short stories, poetry, produced screenplays, and nonfiction. A movie review section is planned for 2010, but that's still off in the future. We're basically concerned here with the stuff that flows out of King's own pen. But! If you are not reading the comic-book adaptation of The Stand, you really, really should start. The essential information:
October 16, 2009
October 15, 2009 An interactive approach to King's greatest works, The Stephen King Illustrated Companion features a wealth of unseen memorabilia from the author's desk and insightful text that reads between the lines to uncover King's own compelling biography. Supplemented with rare and previously unpublished ephemera from King's archives, such as hand-edited manuscript drafts, revealing letters between King and his editor, and personal mementos from his career, this unique companion volume tangibly illuminates the writer's works and life in a way never done before. The Stephen King Illustrated Companion is out NOW! And let's not forget our friend Lilja's Lilja's Library book, which is essentially his masterful website (my favorite King site) in book form. That will be coming later this year (and I will be supplying a review!). Pre-Order your copy here! And last but CERTAINLY not least: Knowing Darkness: Artists Inspired By Stephen King. Folks, I can't overstate how important this book is to King enthusiasts. And art enthusiasts. And horror enthusiasts. Pretty much anyone who would read this site NEEDS this book. It fills a niche in the realm of books about King, and fills it so comprehensively that it is impossible to imagine any book doing it better. It's gigantic, stuffed with illustration both old and new, and features amazing interviews with the artists who have been inspired by Stephen King. This book is worth every penny. Check it out and place your order here. You may have noticed a new section at the top of the page, under the listing for new King books. I've decided to focus on important upcoming books about King, as well, featuring links to places to find out more or purchase. I hope you like!
A short but revealing interview with King about Under the Dome has been published by the Science Fiction Book Club. Have fun!
October 10, 2009
October 05, 2009
And you can click on it, to see it major huge! MAJOR HUGE! I am severely impressed by this cover. Oh man, why can't November be here now!??! You (and I) asked for it; here it is: An additional 60 pages of The Cannibals. Download and read for free! It's AWESOME! October 04, 2009
See what I mean? This sucker weighs THIRTEEN POUNDS! It's awesome and you need it. Here's how you get it!
September 21
This is all terrifically exciting stuff. If I weren't already super thrilled for this book, I am now. Check back on the 25th for more information. Dome Day draws near! Happy birthday, Stephen King!!! King turns a sprightly 62 today, and we here at Charnel House wish him the very best day and year to follow! Don't forget also: the first aspect of the cover art for Under the Dome will be released today. Further information as it comes in!
September 16, 2009 I don't know what King's recent resurgence in the art of poetry is coming from, but I'm in. It seems that in recent years, he's been taking on old forms and playing interestingly with them, and I applaud him for it. Bring it on!
September 15, 2009 September 07, 2009 We here at Charnel House were fortunate enough to get our hands on the new Centipede Press publication, Knowing Darkness: Artists Inspired By Stephen King. A big part of me wants to say that I have no words, because it's so hard to describe something like this. There has been a gap so big in the world of Stephen King criticism and appreciation that one scarcely knew it existed. Books almost without number have been written about King's novels and short stories, and the film and television adaptations they've spawned. But no book has ever taken an in-depth look at the art inspired by King, and I am here to tell you that the wait has been worth it. There will be a much more in-depth review to come, but my first impressions are overwhelmingly positive. This book is packed with pictures - illustrations from King's hardcovers and paperbacks, limited and foreign editions. There are illuminating interviews with King mainstays such as Berni Wrightson, who delves into depths about his art and the stories behind when it spins from King's text. There are extended looks at lauded artists such as Michael Whelan and Ned Dameron (whose beautiful illustrations for The Waste Lands are reprinted here in full color), but it also focuses on far more unsung heroes such as Bob Giusti (whose cover art for It and Misery remain striking and memorable) and Rob Wood (who did the covers for Gerald's Game and Dolores Claiborne, two covers I personally love.) And all the art is here. All of it. Folks, a book like this is rare and special. It's terrific for collectors who buy limited editions for the art within, but it's also made for folks who simply like the books they buy at the store. The paperback images that invited me in when I was a teenager and just getting into King are all here, present and accounted for, and flipping through this book is like looking at a timeline of my own past. This book is an unqualified success, one of the very best ever written about the phenomenon of Stephen King. Take a look at the website and learn more ... but I urge you to pre-order if you haven't already. I can guarantee you, it's worth it.
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In case you weren't aware, I wrote a book about Stephen King. No, it's true. Kevin Quigley, webmaster of Charnel House since 1996, has written a book about Stephen King. It's a fresh take on a unique path in Stephen King's career, and not only is it now available to purchase, it is now shipping!!!
King
It's here.
Foggy At Night In the City: It's midnight, but the hunched, frightened clocks refuse to strike. Cold rain has blasted the hot asphalt where lovers scramble and madmen skulk. It's foggy tonight in the city, outside curtains where lust meets violence, where indulgence becomes addiction, and where dreamers explore the dark terrain of the heart.
