Back in April of 1999 I found myself in jail. Which wasn't all that uncommon back then in my life, before my first child came into this world I was a bit of a hellion. This time was dramatically different for me. My father, my best friend, passed away while I was there. After a brief phone call to say goodbye, I was left to have to grieve alongside all the strangers in the block. It is difficult for yourself when you show weakness of any sort while incarcerated. Then thankfully that night the book cart came around. My eyes fell upon "The Stand" and I quickly grabbed it along with a couple other books that I can't remember the names of now. I read that book previously, but having the chance to be lost in one of Mr. Kings works again really helped me cope for my first few raw days of grieving. So thank you Mr. King for being such a brilliant author and delighting millions of people with your works.
Stephen King's books have gotten me through some tough times...
- Thread starter J.House
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Seems as if Mr. King has helped so many of us through hard times.
We welcome you here...this board can help you through tough times as well.
We welcome you here...this board can help you through tough times as well.
Welcome to the SKMB! 
You'll find yourself among people who understand here. Enjoy the board.
You'll find yourself among people who understand here. Enjoy the board.
Welcome. I've pretty much read Mr. King's books to escape from quite a few of the crappier stages of my life. His books have always been there. Turn the page, the windows opens, and I gladly jump thru it for a while. The volume of life around me gets turned down and for a few hours, all that matters is the story. Keep posting, hang around, there's some great folks here.
...that's pretty much it, to a tee.....
Thank you all for the welcomes. It was unexpected.
Hey J.House, I can relate to your post... In April of 2013 I was in jail for 5 months. My future was uncertain and I was facing 6-8 years in prison. I had been arrested with a car full of people who had drugs on them. Even though I didn't have anything illegal on my person, I was charged just the same. I ended up pleading-out to a lesser charge and taking probation. While I was in jail, we were "locked-down" for weeks at a time, only allowed to come out of our cells for an hour a day. I had a tattered-old copy of The Stand. I read it in about a week and loved it. Reading or talking on the phone were my only escapes from my situation. I was inside for my birthday too. My family had sent me some books as a gift. I got Wolves of the Calla and some other non-SK stuff. I read Wolves all night before my final court date. I was so happy to be going home. When I got home in my own room, in my own bed, I finished Wolves. My trade paperback copy means so much to me, I will never get rid of the book. I am proud to say that I have changed my life and do not do drugs or break the law anymore- in ANY way. I don't post that often here, but I felt compelled to share my story with you. SK has gotten me through good times, bad times, tough times, rough winters and lazy days. Welcome to the board and take care.
Glad you're here to share.
In Reponse to Jonesy85
Thank you for sharing Jonesy85. I too have turned my ways around, well I was on the run when my oldest was born and I had to go back to court with 5 burglaries hanging over my head on a witheld sentence. A max of 50 years, 10 from each count. After I seen my daughters first Christmas I decided it was time to change my ways completely. I walked my ass down to the jail and turned myself in. They ended up giving me 8 yrs and i did 5. I got out in November of 2005, and happy to say that I havent seen a cell since. Its been hard at times and since I had to basically cut everyone of my old asssociates and friends out of my life in order to maintain my freedom, I had a lot of free time on my hands to read aand what not. I wish i was better versed in sentence structure and grammar. I would love to attempt to write a fiction book someday... anyways thank you for the warm welcome. Stay Strong...
Thank you for sharing Jonesy85. I too have turned my ways around, well I was on the run when my oldest was born and I had to go back to court with 5 burglaries hanging over my head on a witheld sentence. A max of 50 years, 10 from each count. After I seen my daughters first Christmas I decided it was time to change my ways completely. I walked my ass down to the jail and turned myself in. They ended up giving me 8 yrs and i did 5. I got out in November of 2005, and happy to say that I havent seen a cell since. Its been hard at times and since I had to basically cut everyone of my old asssociates and friends out of my life in order to maintain my freedom, I had a lot of free time on my hands to read aand what not. I wish i was better versed in sentence structure and grammar. I would love to attempt to write a fiction book someday... anyways thank you for the warm welcome. Stay Strong...
Good for you.
And as far as sentence structure and grammar -- that's what editors are for! Write your book!
Welcome to the SKMB! Keep posting! I discovered sK when I was in a really bad place; I was grieving deeply about something, too. I won't go into how I know, but I know that no other author could've helped like sK did at that crucial, difficult time. A little while later I found this Board and I've been virtually living here ever since. Welcome home!
Hi J and Welcome to SK Land.
Thank you for intro; it was heartfelt.
This is a great MB; so many fun people who seem to have endless information and are very supportive and kind. We are glad you
are here.
Thank you for intro; it was heartfelt.
This is a great MB; so many fun people who seem to have endless information and are very supportive and kind. We are glad you
are here.
Hello J House
Welcome to SKMB
Audra Hilton Bloody hell, Audra; you always manage to scare the crap out of me.
I told this story in another thread about second reads and how they differ, but the last time I got a giant whole in my life a particular book seemed to find its way into my hand by its own volition. This book was The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, a story that had not spoken to me very clearly before, but has become something of a touchstone for me since.
Now, that story does not have anything to do with selfishness or cowardice (not that I can see), but just the same it taught me a great deal about these things and it helped me to turn what many people have called my "withering critical eye" upon myself.
Tough times are relative, and when I found myself at an emotional crossroads -- with a chance to do a selfless thing that might have saved something that was more valuable than I knew at the time -- I just didn't do it. I got all practical and sensible and stoic.
Or scared, if you like that better.
I got scared.
I got scared that I wouldn't be able to do the thing that needed to be done, and I kept making excuses to wait until, ultimately, the choice was taken out of my hands. I didn't like myself for a long time after that. The gods only give you so many chances, you know? And I won't claim to know how this happened, but reading The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon -- getting lost in the woods, alone -- opened my eyes to thing I had been missing.
It brought me to a deeper understanding of something I thought I knew about.
Alone.
I thought I knew what it meant to be truly alone, and I thought I had it down. I thought it wasn't any big deal and that it was actually preferable to the constant onslaught of other people's "baggage."
Wrong and wrong.
So wrong.
Not remotely accurate.
I'm a fool.
Now, that story does not have anything to do with selfishness or cowardice (not that I can see), but just the same it taught me a great deal about these things and it helped me to turn what many people have called my "withering critical eye" upon myself.
Tough times are relative, and when I found myself at an emotional crossroads -- with a chance to do a selfless thing that might have saved something that was more valuable than I knew at the time -- I just didn't do it. I got all practical and sensible and stoic.
Or scared, if you like that better.
I got scared.
I got scared that I wouldn't be able to do the thing that needed to be done, and I kept making excuses to wait until, ultimately, the choice was taken out of my hands. I didn't like myself for a long time after that. The gods only give you so many chances, you know? And I won't claim to know how this happened, but reading The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon -- getting lost in the woods, alone -- opened my eyes to thing I had been missing.
It brought me to a deeper understanding of something I thought I knew about.
Alone.
I thought I knew what it meant to be truly alone, and I thought I had it down. I thought it wasn't any big deal and that it was actually preferable to the constant onslaught of other people's "baggage."
Wrong and wrong.
So wrong.
Not remotely accurate.
I'm a fool.