Quotes From King's UMass Lowell Speech

photo credit HERE

Stephen King spoke Friday at to about 125 writing students at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Here are some quick notes from several articles:

• When asked what scared him, King offered, "Spiders, snakes...my mother-in-law."  

• What People Want To Know: "A lot of times when people come to see me I think they're really just wanting to see if I'm really that (messed) up," www.lowellsun.com

• In your face writing: King told the audience of about 125 that his goal was to write stories that sizzle with emotion. "I'm a confrontational writer. I want to be in your face. I want to get into your space. I want to get within kissing distance, hugging distance, choking distance, punching distance. Call it whatever you want. But I want your attention." www.independent.ie 

• Who's really writing?  "I've always wondered who I am when I write," King said, "because once I'm doing it, I'm not in the room with myself." www.omaha.com 

• About Doctor Sleep: "People used to ask me, years later after 'The Shining,' what ever happened to that kid? ... I'd say 'I don't know.' But it started to kind of kick around in my brain, you know?" Because Torrance can read minds, King said he was intrigued by the idea of having the character work in a hospice as someone who helps people cross over from life to death." sunjournal.com

UMass Lowell students participate in a Q & A with author Stephen King Friday at the UML Inn & Conference Center. Sun/Bob Whitaker (Photo Credit: HERE)

The Lowell Sun reported some details of a 500 page manuscript.

Many of his best book ideas occur come to him as mutated observations of real-life happenings, King explained, including a recently completed 500-page manuscript that focuses on a suicidal police officer six months into his retirement, who receives a letter from a gloating killer. 

"I wanted to write it as a short story, and end it with the cop putting the gun in his mouth. But now, instead of a 12-page short story, I've got a 500-page manuscript -- because the thing just grew." www.lowellsun.com

I wonder if this is part of Joyland. . . but I think that book is much smaller.

The Sun also reports King as saying, "What I'm working on now is a novel that's about three-quarters done, and if I'm very lucky I will be able to finish it."