Do you remember the Castle Rock -- The Stephen King Newsletter ? Let's go back to July, 1989 -- Vol. 5, no. 7. Back in the day, this would have cost $1.75. These days, closer to $5. By the way, I really like the newspaper format for a newsletter, this was very professionally done. In 1989 I was in Middle School -- the closest place to hell next to a concentration camp. In 1989 George Herbert Walker Bush was president. There was no Internet. And Stephen King was still King of the hill when it came to horror.
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Notes:
The paper was 12 pages long.
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The papers primary focus in this issue was the 1989 Horror Fest at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park Colorado with 300 attendees. As Ray Rexer said, it was raining "Church's and Cujo's" at the convention. The paper was full of photo's from the event. Don't I wish I could have gone -- but alas, I had to go to middle school.
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There was a short review of the audio version of Silence of the Lambs, letters to the editor with questions about books and movies. In fact, letters to the editor is interesting, since there was no Lilja's library back then ready to give us the world of Stephen King in a single blink. There was also a short story (part of a short story contest), this one titled "Lullaby Haven." The paper includes several book reviews, and an advertisement to make reservations for My Pretty Pony by a store named Time Tunnel in NJ. The cover price for My Pretty Pony was $50. My wife liked the ad for WZON's T-Shirts, "Creep Shirts" which say, "Welcome to the Rock and Roll Zone" with S.K.'s signature. There was also an article by Barry Hoffman on censorship.
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Classified ads were kind of an ebay of 1989. People both selling and looking for S.K. books. Want to buy the Dark Tower 2, mint condition -- $59. How about Startling Mystery #6 with King's first short story for $100? A Different Season's for $30. And M. Smith from Little Rock was looking for a first edition of Carrie. I wonder if he ever found it. Oh wait, Guy from Oakland wants to sell is entire S.K. collection, which includes every first edition, limited edition and magazine appearance. (I doubt it). He says his prices are very reasonable. I would buy it, but remember -- I'm on that middle school budget in 1989. Yep, $25 a week mowing grass. Crud.
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George Beahm's book The Stephen King Companion was due out in October. G.B. publishing was offering a thousand copies of the limited signed numbered editions for $35. (Any takers?) Or a deluxe edition in a slip case for $75. Gosh, I was born at the wrong time!
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There is a cool note that coming next issue Michael Collings will have an article on early Stephen King. Now, back then you would go, "oh, wow, I've got to make sure to get one of those." But today you say, "Man, how do I find that now?"
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Finally, a blackjack dealer from Las Vegas got to take Stephen King home from the Horror fest Convention for $46. Pretty cool, but the Stephen King he got to take home was a cardboard cut out.
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UNDER THE DOME CONNECTION?
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One writers submitted a short story for a contest that didn't win. He wrote a complaint that he was "violently angry" at the editor for declining his short story as one of the six finalist. He said that his story reveals a "shocking truth about Stephen King and his obsession with offing woodchucks."
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WHOA! Maybe someone needs to warp back in time and give this guy a medal. He nailed it! Anyone remember how UTD began? With a woodchuck getting knocked off. What are the chances? Ask Michael Collings to analyze that! And the poor dudes story still wasn't accepted into the finalist category. Put that under the heading: Even when you're right, life stinks.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
From Tom Cooper, Boca Raton Fl
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To the editor,
upon hearing that Misery will soon be made into a movie I was excited since it's one of my favorite books by King. Recently, I found myself mentally juggling the possibilities of who'd play Annie Wilkes and Paul Sheldon. I figured Castle Rock readers would have fun considering the possibilities as well.
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For Annie Wilkes, I was thinking about Rosanne Bar, but I don't know if she's ready for a major film yet, especially a King adaptation. My number one pick for Annie, hands down, is Louise Fletcher. My friends agree that there's probably no one better suited to play the role.
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For Paul Sheldon I think Richard Dreyfuss and Robin Williams should be considered, since we don't want a square jawed, uncharacteristic wall playing the role. My number one pick, however, is someone not even remotely related to suspense: Gene Wilder. My friends said he'd be an awful choice, but when given an extra moments consideration, you find that Wilder can put a lot of zest into his acting, spirit an actor will surely have to have for playing the part. Not to mention that he's an underrated actor.
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Who would you like to play the roles? Any word as to who will really play them?
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EDITORS REPLY:
For Annie Wilkes I like Glenn Close. She showed her true talents as the insaniac in Fatal Attraction. For Paul Sheldon lets be bold and try English actor Jeremy Irons. Those of you who caught Irons in his duel role as twins in Dead Ringers will have no trouble imagining him as the persecuted punctuator. As for who will actually fill the roles, no word as yet.
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(For those of you holding your breath, that was covered by James Caan and Kathy Bates, directed by Rob Reiner. Just didn't want to leave you hanging there.)
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