The Kings

On September 12^th of this year (2025), we will be getting another Stephen King movie adaptation, The Long Walk. The Long Walk is based on King’s 1979 novel of the same name. Also, last year (2024) was the 50^th anniversary of Stephen King’s first novel, Carrie (though not his first published story, that would be the short story “The Glass Floor” in Startling Mystery Stories in 1967). Carrie would be the start of a long and prolific career that continues to this day. However, Stephen is not the only person in the King family to write for a living. Both of Stephen King’s sons, Joe Hill and Owen King, have writing careers of their own, although neither has written as much as their father…yet.

As mentioned, Stephen King’s first published novel was Carrie, a work he almost threw away after writing a few pages, but was rescued by his wife Tabitha, who encouraged him to finish the novel. The success of Carrie enabled King to quit his job as a high school English teacher and devote himself full time to his writing career. And write he did, sixty-seven novels (one of which is coming out in May) and twelve short story collections later and Mr. King is still going. That is not to mention the screenplays, teleplays, and nonfiction works. Here at the Mercer County Library System, we have many of Stephen King’s works. I have already mentioned Carrie twice now, a novel that combines adolescent cruelty and telekinesis to sensational result. Carrie has been adapted twice into film and MCLS has both the 1976 version and the 2013 version. Let’s fast forward to 1987 when King published Misery, a novel about a romance novelist who is injured in a car wreck and held captive by his “number-one fan.” MCLS of course has Misery available as a book, ebook (through Libby), and eaudiobook (also through Libby). We also have a Spanish language version of the book. Like Carrie, Misery was adapted into film in 1990 and MCLS has the DVD in our collection. Let’s fast forward again to 1996, when Stephen King published the serial novel, The Green Mile. The Green Mile was originally published in six parts and later republished as one work, and yes, we do have the book and eaudiobook (through Libby) in the system. We also have the screenplay in our system, because like Carrie and Misery, The Green Mile was also adapted into film. 

A film that is available in our collection as a Blu-ray and DVD. In 2000, King would publish his most popular nonfiction work. A part style manual, part memoir called On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. On Writing is available at MCLS as a book, ebook (through Libby), and eaudiobook (through Libby). In 2011, Mr. King published 11/22/63, a novel about an English teacher going back in time to prevent the Kennedy assassination; this novel is available in MCLS as a book, ebook (through Libby), eaudiobook (through Libby), and book on CD. This novel has not been adapted into film, however it has been adapted into a television series (also available in MCLS on DVD). Mr. King’s most recent book, You Like it Darker, was published in May 2024 and is a collection of his short stories. Fun fact, one of the short stories is a sequel to his 1982 novel, Cujo. Also, Mr. King will be coming out with a new book soon, the novel, Never Flinch, will be published in May 27, 2025. At seventy-seven years old, Stephen King is not slowing down.

Stephen King is not the only King with writing talent. His son has a great career of his own. Joseph Hillström King writes under the pen name, Joe Hill. Hill is the author of such novels as Heart-Shaped Box, Horns, NOS4A2, and The Fireman. Hill also has an upcoming novel called King Sorrow, which will be published on October 21, 2025. Heart-Shaped Box is available in the MCLS as a book and ebook (through Libby). Horns is available as a book, ebook (through Libby), and eaudiobook (through Libby). Like his father before him, Mr. Hill’s work has been adapted to film, and yes, we do have Horns, the 2013 film starring Daniel Radcliffe, available as a DVD.

Both NOS4A2 and The Fireman are available in MCLS as a book and eaudiobook. Again, like his father, Hill also has some short story collections. MCLS currently has 20^th Century Ghosts and Strange Weather available as books and eaudiobooks. Joe Hill is also a talented comic book author. His best-known work, Locke & Key began publication with IDW in 2008. Locke & Key would go on to win an Eisner Award and British Fantasy Award.

Also, the audiobook version of Locke & Key (which we have in our system as a book on CD) won an Audie Award. Winning an Audie Award is pretty remarkable for a comic book. Joe Hill’s stock is so high in the comic book world, he curates his own imprint for DC Comics called Hill House Comics. MCLS has several volumes of Locke & Key in our collection. We have more of Joe Hill’s work in comics and graphic novels in the MCLS collection, including Wraith (where Hill shares the backstory of the villain from his NOS4A2 novel), Plunge, and Basketful of Heads (excellent title!).

Owen King’s body of work is not as long as his brother’s or father’s, but that may be because he also works as a television film producer. Owen King produced a 2020 miniseries adaptation of his father’s epic novel, The Stand. Owen also helped his father write a new ending for that miniseries. One of Owen’s more popular works, Sleeping Beauties, was also co-written with his father. In this novel, all women, except one, fall to a sleeping disease, which leaves men alone to their increasingly primal urges. Sleeping Beauties is available at MCLS as a book, ebook, eaudiobook, and book on CD.

MCLS also has one of Owen’s other novels, The Curator. The Curator is about a city nicknamed “The Fairest” that is not what it appears to be. The Curator is available as a book, ebook, eaudiobook, and book on CD. Like his big brother, Owen is beginning to conquer the comic book space. Owen is writing a comic book called Self-Help which will be published by Syzygy Publishing, an imprint of Image Comics.

The future looks bright for the King writing dynasty, with father Stephen King leading the way with an over 50-year career. As long as the Kings keep offering their readers their best work, MCLS will offer our patrons as much King as we can shelve.

-Shanna, Lawrence Headquarters Branch