Stephen King please read!

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John Fife

New Member
Mar 27, 2016
3
17
51
Hi Stephen,
Throughout my life I have been very near to you and found you to be quite the inspiration to better things in my life. I don't say this as a wild fan but as a person who has lived a full life living in Maine, growing up and joining the military, retiring from the military and now exploring some ideas to being the next Stephen King.

I moved to Maine at the age of 7 and lived there until I was 15 and being the most influential times of a person I miss those years of my life and will forever. When I said you have been near me most of my life I was not lying. I went skiing with a friend when I was 12 and found myself in a convenient store in Bangor Maine and you were standing behind me with a 12 pack of Genesse Cream Ale. I let you go in front of me because I was in shock that Stephen King was standing next to me. I asked you if you were Stephen King and you said "All day long kid!" You had a huge black beard and looked like a lumber jack.

I lived on US Route 1 in Abbott Maine when "Pet Sementary" was released and I remember my Mom telling me how much that hit home to her when she was reading it and the logging trucks used to race down those streets.

I used to get sent to a gifted and talented school for art in Dover Foxcroft Maine and had to take a bus from my primary school, Piscataquis Community High School, to this special school in Dover. On the way to my gifted-talented class in Dover our school bus was held up due to a traffic jam in the city. I turned to look at the Cause of the traffic jam and it was the "The Creep" throwing newspapers from a breadvan which I waste no time reminding my friends when we watch the beginning of "Creepshow"

My soccer coach graduated from the high school you taught at because I remember him telling the story of you showing up to work in a corvette once "Carrie" got published. I never really believed that story until I read your book, "On Writing, a memoir of the craft" and you spoke of the the same incidence. I drove by your Bangor house with bats on the iron gates, and I remember your son Joey showing up to one of our prom dances in Guilford Maine. We met and he was a really cool guy.

I have retired from the military after 22 years. I have served 14 years of war and suffered alcoholism, PTSD, depression and an overall hatred for humanity. I read your book "On Writing" and was immediately impressed to read and learn from a master such as yourself. I will say I was disappointed to read in the FAQ section that you stopped reviewing exercise submissions from your "On Writing" book. I found this website through that book intrigued to have my story reviewed by Stephen King but understand that there is a statute of limitations on everything.

I have never made it back to Maine since I was 15 even though I plan to in the future. I plan on taking the info I read in your book "On Writing" and apply it to my first book. I just want you to know that you and I have always been close in life even though you only met me once in a convenience store. The books you write have always been my favorite and I intend to be the next Stephen King in writing or at least that is my goal.

Wish you and your family all the best and I hope to meet you again in person and talk the small talk.

John
 

Robert Gray

Well-Known Member
Hi Stephen,
Throughout my life I have been very near to you and found you to be quite the inspiration to better things in my life. I don't say this as a wild fan but as a person who has lived a full life living in Maine, growing up and joining the military, retiring from the military and now exploring some ideas to being the next Stephen King.

It is nice to meet you. While I don't know about anyone being the next Stephen King, I think celebrated author John Fife has a nice ring to it. :D If you ever want to get together or take a turn at being a reader for the other, let me know. We aspiring types have to stick together. If there are enough of us in Maine, particularly if you make it back (and I think there are), we could get a pretty good encouragement and deadline circle going.
 
Last edited:

Joan Sybil Voss

New Member
Mar 28, 2016
1
6
59
Would love to read a sample of your writing John. Hope Stephen answers your letter! P.S.: I wrote to him many years back, asking what he thought of the idea of taking one of those correspondence writing school classes. Believe it or not, I received a reply. It was probably written by his secretary but he told me not to bother; reading a lot and writing a lot were key. I've taken his advice seriously! I haven't written anything macabre yet, but I did publish an adult novella, which is pretty ridiculous considering I love horror ! That's why I'd love to read your stuff, so bring it on ! .. hope to hear back from you :) Joan Sybil Voss, Salem, Wisconsin
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
Would love to read a sample of your writing John. Hope Stephen answers your letter! P.S.: I wrote to him many years back, asking what he thought of the idea of taking one of those correspondence writing school classes. Believe it or not, I received a reply. It was probably written by his secretary but he told me not to bother; reading a lot and writing a lot were key. I've taken his advice seriously! I haven't written anything macabre yet, but I did publish an adult novella, which is pretty ridiculous considering I love horror ! That's why I'd love to read your stuff, so bring it on ! .. hope to hear back from you :) Joan Sybil Voss, Salem, Wisconsin
Joan, I edited out your address and the title of your book. You can contact John privately through our Private message system and make your request.

We don't allow self promotion on the main board nor any creative writings posted directly to site unless otherwise authorized by site. If you have a blog, you can link to your work in the self promotion part of the board.
 

mjs9153

Peripherally known member..
Nov 21, 2014
3,494
22,165
....another fine first post...as to being the next SK?.....that mold has been broken, there will never be another like him....just be the best of yourself.....there are enough cookie cutter writer-folk out there.....
Zackly..I know lots like him,I think even you Gnt,but I find Koontz a faint imitation of the King..just my opinion..find your own foothold and stick to it! :)
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Zackly..I know lots like him,I think even you Gnt,but I find Koontz a faint imitation of the King..just my opinion..find your own foothold and stick to it! :)
...Dean has some thematic similarity but beyond that, he is a writer of his own style...never has tried to copy King...however, there are many who simply reheat Unca Steve's leftovers...and I found my foot!...who knew it was at the end of me laig all this time...
 

mjs9153

Peripherally known member..
Nov 21, 2014
3,494
22,165
...Dean has some thematic similarity but beyond that, he is a writer of his own style...never has tried to copy King...however, there are many who simply reheat Unca Steve's leftovers...and I found my foot!...who knew it was at the end of me laig all this time...
Oh,I know Gnt,I tried to like his books,had four or five of them,but I just found them too formulaic,and to me,like he was kinda Kinging it..haha..just my opinion,am glad you like them,everyone has their tastes,just not for me.. ;)
 

staropeace

Richard Bachman's love child
Nov 28, 2006
15,210
48,848
Alberta,Canada
Hi Stephen,
Throughout my life I have been very near to you and found you to be quite the inspiration to better things in my life. I don't say this as a wild fan but as a person who has lived a full life living in Maine, growing up and joining the military, retiring from the military and now exploring some ideas to being the next Stephen King.

I moved to Maine at the age of 7 and lived there until I was 15 and being the most influential times of a person I miss those years of my life and will forever. When I said you have been near me most of my life I was not lying. I went skiing with a friend when I was 12 and found myself in a convenient store in Bangor Maine and you were standing behind me with a 12 pack of Genesse Cream Ale. I let you go in front of me because I was in shock that Stephen King was standing next to me. I asked you if you were Stephen King and you said "All day long kid!" You had a huge black beard and looked like a lumber jack.

I lived on US Route 1 in Abbott Maine when "Pet Sementary" was released and I remember my Mom telling me how much that hit home to her when she was reading it and the logging trucks used to race down those streets.

I used to get sent to a gifted and talented school for art in Dover Foxcroft Maine and had to take a bus from my primary school, Piscataquis Community High School, to this special school in Dover. On the way to my gifted-talented class in Dover our school bus was held up due to a traffic jam in the city. I turned to look at the Cause of the traffic jam and it was the "The Creep" throwing newspapers from a breadvan which I waste no time reminding my friends when we watch the beginning of "Creepshow"

My soccer coach graduated from the high school you taught at because I remember him telling the story of you showing up to work in a corvette once "Carrie" got published. I never really believed that story until I read your book, "On Writing, a memoir of the craft" and you spoke of the the same incidence. I drove by your Bangor house with bats on the iron gates, and I remember your son Joey showing up to one of our prom dances in Guilford Maine. We met and he was a really cool guy.

I have retired from the military after 22 years. I have served 14 years of war and suffered alcoholism, PTSD, depression and an overall hatred for humanity. I read your book "On Writing" and was immediately impressed to read and learn from a master such as yourself. I will say I was disappointed to read in the FAQ section that you stopped reviewing exercise submissions from your "On Writing" book. I found this website through that book intrigued to have my story reviewed by Stephen King but understand that there is a statute of limitations on everything.

I have never made it back to Maine since I was 15 even though I plan to in the future. I plan on taking the info I read in your book "On Writing" and apply it to my first book. I just want you to know that you and I have always been close in life even though you only met me once in a convenience store. The books you write have always been my favorite and I intend to be the next Stephen King in writing or at least that is my goal.

Wish you and your family all the best and I hope to meet you again in person and talk the small talk.

John
This is one of the most interesting intros I have read on this site. You are soooo welcome to join our humble home. Big hello from Edmonton, Alberta.