I love Joe Hill ~ BUT ~

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EMTP513

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2012
503
1,923
Am I the only one that is REALLY bothered by this line from 'Afterword'?

SK when thanking people. "My son, the novelist Joe Hill, pointed out several consequences of time-travel I hadn't considered. He, also, thought up a new and better ending. Joe, you rock."

I totally agree that Joe rocks ~ I'm reading 'Horns' at the moment and have ALL his other books. 'Heart-Shaped Box' is brilliant! Wonderful writer. However ~

When I'm reading Joe Hill, I want it to be Joe Hill. When I'm reading Stephen King, I want it to BE Stephen King! I will forever wonder what Stephen's ending was. He might think Joe's ending was better ~ but was it really? I have loved SK for many years and enjoy every single one of his books, including the endings. He needs NO help. I know he actually 'writes' the entire book, even if he's encouraged to change parts of it ~ but, to me, it's just not the same. I wish I didn't know this.

Having said that, I love the book. Just wish I knew Stephen's ending. :)

Opinions?

Oh great. I thought he was referring to his son, Owen. That was in the book Doctor Sleep though.
Incidentally, that's why I stopped reading one and kept reading the other.
Also it makes me angry that he played a game when from the very second I saw his face on the back of the book it was dead-effing-obvious he was Stephen King's son. I'm talking about when everyone else either was oblivious to the fact or were pretending to be unaware.
It made me furious, because I can't stand being played for no reason. My first thought when he failed to mention it is 'Who the hell do you think YOU'RE kidding? Because it damn sure ISN'T me.'
I'm sorry, I just think that if you look almost EXACTLY like your dad - and could have been mistaken for him at that age - that it's 200 kinds of stupid to act like you're NOT related to him.
Okay, so it's a pet peeve but I also hate when people lie to me. A lie of omission instead of commission.
It just seemed unnecessary to do it because it was obvious from the word go that he was related to Stephen King. I have no idea why nobody knew it, especially if they looked at the photo on the back of the book Heart-shaped Box.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
Oh great. I thought he was referring to his son, Owen. That was in the book Doctor Sleep though.
Incidentally, that's why I stopped reading one and kept reading the other.
Also it makes me angry that he played a game when from the very second I saw his face on the back of the book it was dead-effing-obvious he was Stephen King's son. I'm talking about when everyone else either was oblivious to the fact or were pretending to be unaware.
It made me furious, because I can't stand being played for no reason. My first thought when he failed to mention it is 'Who the hell do you think YOU'RE kidding? Because it damn sure ISN'T me.'
I'm sorry, I just think that if you look almost EXACTLY like your dad - and could have been mistaken for him at that age - that it's 200 kinds of stupid to act like you're NOT related to him.
Okay, so it's a pet peeve but I also hate when people lie to me. A lie of omission instead of commission.
It just seemed unnecessary to do it because it was obvious from the word go that he was related to Stephen King. I have no idea why nobody knew it, especially if they looked at the photo on the back of the book Heart-shaped Box.
I'm sorry that you feel that Joe 'lied' to you. Incidently, Joe used his REAL name for his published works- Joe HILL-strom King. Joe didn't 'play' anyone.
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
It's amazing to me just how quickly a thread goes off-topic!

John

h30333054


So speaking of Joe Hill, at our local library we had Horns, NOS4A2, Heart Shaped Box, and some story about Ghosts? - I was surprised they had so many of his books.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
Oh great. I thought he was referring to his son, Owen. That was in the book Doctor Sleep though.
Incidentally, that's why I stopped reading one and kept reading the other.
Also it makes me angry that he played a game when from the very second I saw his face on the back of the book it was dead-effing-obvious he was Stephen King's son. I'm talking about when everyone else either was oblivious to the fact or were pretending to be unaware.
It made me furious, because I can't stand being played for no reason. My first thought when he failed to mention it is 'Who the hell do you think YOU'RE kidding? Because it damn sure ISN'T me.'
I'm sorry, I just think that if you look almost EXACTLY like your dad - and could have been mistaken for him at that age - that it's 200 kinds of stupid to act like you're NOT related to him.
Okay, so it's a pet peeve but I also hate when people lie to me. A lie of omission instead of commission.
It just seemed unnecessary to do it because it was obvious from the word go that he was related to Stephen King. I have no idea why nobody knew it, especially if they looked at the photo on the back of the book Heart-shaped Box.
Just curious here- why are you not upset that Steve downright lied and lied about being Richard Bachman? Or maybe you are and I just don't now it yet. Please note that I am not attacking you or making light of your feelings. I'm just curious. I'm just not getting why you are so upset with Joe. When I found out that he was Stephen and Tabby's son I just chuckled to myself and thought 'Good for you! You made it on your own without using your parents name to make things easy for you. Right on!' Just wondering....
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Just curious here- why are you not upset that Steve downright lied and lied about being Richard Bachman? Or maybe you are and I just don't now it yet. Please note that I am not attacking you or making light of your feelings. I'm just curious. I'm just not getting why you are so upset with Joe. When I found out that he was Stephen and Tabby's son I just chuckled to myself and thought 'Good for you! You made it on your own without using your parents name to make things easy for you. Right on!' Just wondering....
...I'm curious as well....I never thought anyone was being underhanded or inappropriate....
 

Moderator

Ms. Mod
Administrator
Jul 10, 2006
52,243
157,324
Maine
Oh great. I thought he was referring to his son, Owen. That was in the book Doctor Sleep though.
Incidentally, that's why I stopped reading one and kept reading the other.
Also it makes me angry that he played a game when from the very second I saw his face on the back of the book it was dead-effing-obvious he was Stephen King's son. I'm talking about when everyone else either was oblivious to the fact or were pretending to be unaware.
It made me furious, because I can't stand being played for no reason. My first thought when he failed to mention it is 'Who the hell do you think YOU'RE kidding? Because it damn sure ISN'T me.'
I'm sorry, I just think that if you look almost EXACTLY like your dad - and could have been mistaken for him at that age - that it's 200 kinds of stupid to act like you're NOT related to him.
Okay, so it's a pet peeve but I also hate when people lie to me. A lie of omission instead of commission.
It just seemed unnecessary to do it because it was obvious from the word go that he was related to Stephen King. I have no idea why nobody knew it, especially if they looked at the photo on the back of the book Heart-shaped Box.

Joe had very good reasons for not using Joe King when he first started publishing and the publishers he submitted to had no idea what he looked like. He wanted to get published on the merits of his work, not because he was Stephen King's son. I completely understand that. If it was me, I'd always be wondering if it was whether I really was good enough to be a published author or whether the publisher just took me on because they knew the name and association would sell the books. By the time it came out that he was Stephen's son, he'd already won awards for his work so there was no doubt that his success was because of his talent not his dad's. Owen took a different route, but that was his personal choice and it's worked out fine for him.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
I loved Heart Shaped Box, I let NOS4 slip right through my hands because the beginning scared me, I haven't read the others because I can't find them. I think he's amazingly talented. And incredibly handsome. And I bet he's got a great tushie.
...that automatically seals the deal for me on a writer...if their azz can crack walnuts, then a reading I shall go....
 

EMTP513

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2012
503
1,923
Joe had very good reasons for not using Joe King when he first started publishing and the publishers he submitted to had no idea what he looked like. He wanted to get published on the merits of his work, not because he was Stephen King's son. I completely understand that. If it was me, I'd always be wondering if it was whether I really was good enough to be a published author or whether the publisher just took me on because they knew the name and association would sell the books. By the time it came out that he was Stephen's son, he'd already won awards for his work so there was no doubt that his success was because of his talent not his dad's. Owen took a different route, but that was his personal choice and it's worked out fine for him.

His picture is on Heart-shaped Box, and it was on there from the minute he published it. Some people look so much like their parent that they could be almost a twin of them.
My nephew looks like my brother-in-law that way. Like a carbon copy or twin of Larry. Unfortunately so, but never mind.
I don't see how someone who published that book, and included the picture on the back, would miss it.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
His picture is on Heart-shaped Box, and it was on there from the minute he published it. Some people look so much like their parent that they could be almost a twin of them.
My nephew looks like my brother-in-law that way. Like a carbon copy or twin of Larry. Unfortunately so, but never mind.
I don't see how someone who published that book, and included the picture on the back, would miss it.
Joe started out writing short stories. Those don't require a photo when they are submitted for publication. Those stories are collected (mostly) in 20th Century Ghosts which was published after Heart Shaped Box.
 

Moderator

Ms. Mod
Administrator
Jul 10, 2006
52,243
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Maine
His picture is on Heart-shaped Box, and it was on there from the minute he published it. Some people look so much like their parent that they could be almost a twin of them.
My nephew looks like my brother-in-law that way. Like a carbon copy or twin of Larry. Unfortunately so, but never mind.
I don't see how someone who published that book, and included the picture on the back, would miss it.
Heart-Shaped Box wasn't his first book, though, and I think his identity had been discovered at that point. He'd published Twentieth Century Ghosts before that as well as some short stories.