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A message from Stephen

While serving as an ambassador for reading, I made a statement that was construed by certain right-wing bloggers and commentators as a knock on the US military. That wasn't my intention. I like the troops just fine, and respect the hell out of their brainpower. I know that most of them read, because I send them books when they ask, and a lot do. I will continue to provide this service. It's the war our politicians--many of whom have never heard a shot fired in anger--have sent them to fight that I have a problem with. But that is neither here nor there. What concerns me is how many high school students either read poorly or choose not to read at all, unless forced to do it. Part of the reason is cutbacks in educational money that the national government used to provide. Part of the reason has to do with mistaken initiatives like No Child Left Behind, which teaches kids to pass tests but not to think or to rejoice in the language arts. Most teachers loathe the No Child program, and I don't blame them. Kids who read poorly do poorly on their SATs and have bad or barely acceptable grade-point averages. Many will be faced with entry-level jobs like clerking and handing out burgers from the drive-thru window. The best option for many is the armed services, because they see a chance to continue their educations and/or learn a marketable skill. Many will wind up in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some will die, because this is an entry-level position where kids wind up getting shot at. I love their courage, I wish they were there for a better reason, and most of all I hope that my remarks won't detract from the real problem: too many kids in America read for pleasure on the text-screens of their phones and hardly anywhere else."

Posted 14 May 2008

The Gingerbread Girl Audio Book

“The Gingerbread Girl,” previously only available in Esquire magazine, will be available May 6th in audiobook format through Simon & Schuster Audio. The story is narrated by Academy Award nominee Mare Winningham. Simon & Schuster Audio and Entertainment Weekly would like to give you a chance to win one of 50 audiobook copies of The Gingerbread Girl. Check back for more details about how to enter.

Click here for more info and an audio excerpt

Reposted 6 May 2008

The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #3 Now Available

Part 3 of The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home is now available in stores and online. See the Release Log below for more information.

Click here for The Long Road Home Release Log

Posted 6 May 2008

A message from Stephen

That a right-wing-blog would impugn my patriotism because I said children should learn to read, and could get better jobs by doing so, is beneath contempt. Noel Sheppard says, “Nice sentiment when the nation is at war, Stephen.” I guess he feels ignorance and illiteracy are OK when the country needs cannon-fodder. I guess he also feels that the war in Iraq has nationwide approval. Well, it doesn’t have mine. It is a waste of national resources. . . and that includes the youth and blood of the 4,000 American troops who have lost their lives there and for the tens of thousands who have been wounded. I live in a national guard town, and I support our troops, but I don’t support either the war or educational policies that limit the options of young men and women to any one career—military or otherwise. If you agree, find Sheppard on the internet, and send him an email:

“Hi, Noel—Stephen King says to shut up and I agree.”

Steve

Posted 5 May 2008

Dark Tower site receives accolades

We are proud to announce that AMC is featuring the new Dark Tower site as their Site of the Week. Check it out the feature here.

Posted 30 April 2008

Dark Tower Debuts At #1 With The Long Road Home!

Fans continue to show their support for Marvel comics Dark Tower series’ second arc, The Long Road Home. You can read more about it here.

Posted 22 April 2008

New Site Additions

As promised, the revision of Stephen’s web site is making progress. The newest section to be completed is The Dark Tower portion and it is accompanied by an option for a Dark Tower style option for the Message Board. Check them out and let us know what you think!

Click here to visit The Dark Tower Official Web Site

Click here to launch the StephenKing.com Message Board

(Choose "The Dark Tower (Fixed Width)" from the "Styles" drop down on the lower right-hand corner of the page.)

Posted 15 April 2008

Available in stores May 6th

“The Gingerbread Girl,” previously only available in Esquire magazine, will be available May 6th in audiobook format through Simon & Schuster Audio. The story is narrated by Academy Award nominee Mare Winningham. Simon & Schuster Audio and Entertainment Weekly would like to give you a chance to win one of 50 audiobook copies of The Gingerbread Girl. Check back for more details about how to enter.

Click here for more info and an audio excerpt

Posted 15 April 2008

The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #2 Now Available

Part 2 of The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home is now available in stores and online. See the Release Log below for more information.

Click here for The Long Road Home Release Log

Posted 2 April 2008

Stephen King and Joe Hill Collaborate on Novella for HE IS LEGEND

Gauntlet Press announces a new limited edition anthology which will include a short story co-written by Steve and his son, Joe Hill King. It is based on Richard Matheson's short story, Duel. Click here for more information about the anthology.

> Read the full Press Release

Posted 24 March 2008

New Site Preview

As those of you who frequent the Message Board know, we have been hinting for several months that the web site is going through its second major redesign. A lot has changed since the site first rolled out over a decade ago and version 3 is going to blow your socks off! Because of the sheer volume of material we will be offering and the complexity of the interactive features that are being designed, we will be launching the site in stages. The new Message Board was the first of those changes to go live but even that has new features in development. To whet your appetite for what’s to come, here are a few of the changes you’ll be seeing in the months ahead:
 
Big things are coming...

What to expect in 2008 on StephenKing.com
 
A fully redesigned and reengineered Official Web Site featuring:
 
The Library - A brand new searchable database of Stephen King books, audio books, short stories, movies and more.
 
Multimedia Section - Offering audio book samples, movie previews, exclusive video clips, fan art, downloads and more.
 
Community Features - Tell the world what you think of Stephen’s works with our new "my thoughts on this" comment system.
 
Updated Message Board - Offering new themes and style guides.
 
New Dark Tower Web Site coming in April - Combining the classic seven part epic with Marvel’s Dark Tower series, the redesign is just what the doctor ordered for the constant Dark Tower reader.
 
"Wally World" - Codename for a Dark Tower Interactive Flash Experience coming Summer 2008.
 
The Office - Step inside Stephen’s eclectic office and browse hundreds of artifacts and memorabilia in this Interactive Flash Experience coming Fall 2008.

>Click here to view a preview of the new site

 

Posted 14 March 2008