The new Stephen King Desk Calendar rocks! I’m usually not real big on calendars, which is probably why I haven’t understood why everyone starts asking if a new SK calendar is coming out each year. However, this years offering by the Stephen King Library is great!
The book is spiral bound so that it can lay flat on a desk. It has a great 3D cover that is a collage of King stories.
This year, Duma Key and Just After Sunset both turned 5. Night Shift turned 35, Christine 30, Dolores Claiborne 20, Bag of Bones 15, and many more. This Calendar is a celebration of these wonderful books! It is a weekly hodge podge of Stephen King related articles. It’s like owning a small pile of books about Stephen King. I love the behind the scenes stuff, the articles and trivia. In fact, it’s more fun than a book of just article, or just trivia. . . it’s a lot of stuff mixed together and arranged around great illustrations and a weekly desk calendar.
Naturally the calendar includes important King dates and reminders of this day in history. For instance, February 9 includes the notes, “Bangor Daily News prints story of revealing true identity of Richard Bachman, 1985.”
How about this, “Bev shoots IT with the silver slugs, July 25, 1958.” Or, On April 17, “Annie Wilkes ‘Hobbles’ Paul Sheldon 1987, Misery.” Or, On August 18, “First meeting of the Free Zone to elect representatives, 1985.”
Famous authors birthdays are also included. Charles Dickens was born February 7, 1812. Important dates to the King universe are scattered throughout – such as Andy McGee’s birthday, or a note when John Lennon was shot. You might also find some sports trivia dates . . . October 27, “In 2004, Red Sox win first World Series since 1918.”
I liked The Stand 25th Anniversary Trivia. Here’s one, “According to the novel, how old Is Mother Abigail?” (108 years old) There is also a Night Shift Anniversary Trivia page. Here’s one, “In I Am The Doorway” the protagonist is a retired astronaut who has become a pathway for aliens. How do they aliens manifest and take control of his body?” (Eyeballs appear like a rash on his fingers that allow the aliens to view our world and then slowly take over the man’s body.)
Also included is a Dolores Claiborne 20th Anniversary Trivia, as well as trivia from several other books.
I really enjoyed Peter Brett’s, “Pet Sematary, Now and Then” and Kevin Quigley’s, “Divorce And Departure: Duma Key Five years later.” Also, Robin Furth’s “Mid World Anniversaries” was great!
My favorite article was by Brian James Freeman, “Publishing a Stephen King Anniversary Edition.” He discusses what was involved in putting together the special 25th anniversary edition of IT. All kinds of stuff we never think about. In particular, there w ere problems with the books size and how much they could actually include. Freeman takes us from idea to sales, all of it a great ride.
EXCERPT: Twenty Years Later. . .
The book also has several touching stories. Here’s one from Carolle M. Bendle:
“I always started the school year in my advanced class by handing out index cards, asking what books students had read over the summer. Most were returned blank with excuses like, “Summer Job,” but there was one I received covered front and back. Discovering we shared a fondness for certain authors – Stephen King, in particular – Jason syly asked if I would read some of his poetry. His life and heart were in them.
Completely on a whim, I wrote the letter to Stephen King on my 40 year old typewriter and enclosed Jason’s poems. Never dreaming that what we called the “SK Adventure” would actually happen... a few weeks later I got “the phone call.” ...
(the rest is in the Calendar)
Here is the table of contents:
Dec 31, 2012 – Jan 6 — introduction / editor letter — Jay Franco
Jan 7 – Jan 13 — This Book Is a Weapon — matt bergin
Jan 14 – Jan 20 — Ever Relevant — Jay Franco
Jan 21 – Jan 27 — 35th ANNIVERSARY – THE STAND — excerpt — Stephen King
Jan 28 – Feb 3 — King’s Lord of the Rings — Myke Cole
Feb 4 – Feb 10 — A Most Generous King — Jay Franco
Feb 11 – Feb 17 — The Stand Trivia — Fotini Marcopulos
Feb 18 – Feb 24 — Irons in the Fire — Jay Franco
Feb 25 – Mar 3 — 35th ANNIVERSARY – NIGHT SHIFT — an excerpt — Stephen King
Mar 4 – Mar 10 — Night Shift TRIVIA — Fotini Marcopulos
Mar 11 – Mar 17 — It’s About Time — matt bergin
Mar 18 – Mar 24 — 30th ANNIVERSARY – CHRISTINE — an excerpt — Stephen King
Mar 25 – Mar 31 — 30th ANNIVERSARY – CHRISTINE — an excerpt — Stephen King
Apr 1 – Apr 7 — Christine TRIVIA — Fotini Marcopulos
Apr 8 – Apr 14 — A King’s Ranking — Jay Franco
Apr 15 – Apr 21 — A Birthday to Die For! — Samantha Etkin
Apr 22 – Apr 28 — 30th ANNIVERSARY – PET SEMATARY — an excerpt — Stephen King
Apr 29 – May 5 — Coming Back Wrong — Jeff Somers
May 6 – May 12 — Squeaky’s Return — Matt DeVirgiliis
May 13 – May 19 — Pet Sematary essay — Peter Brett
May 20 – May 26 — 20th ANNIVERSARY – DOLORES CLAIBORNE – an excerpt — Stephen King
May 27 – June 2 — Dolores Claiborne TRIVIA — Fotini Marcopulos
June 3 – June 9 — Mysterious Benefactor — Diane Ketcham
June 10 – June 16 — Nightmares & Dreamscapes trivia essay — Fotini Marcopulos
June 17 – June 23 — 20th ANNIVERSARY – NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES — an excerpt — Stephen King
June 24 – June 30 — Fear Does Not Exist in This Dojo – Jay Franco
July 1 – July 7 — Looking into The Eyes of The Dragon — Jay Franco
July 8 – July 14 — “Maine Man” — the editors
July 15 – July 21 — King the Scrivener — Justin Brooks
July 22 – July 28 — 15th ANNIVERSARY – BAG OF BONES — an excerpt — Stephen King
July 29 – Aug 4 — Bag of Bones TV Miniseries – The Sitelet — Jay Franco
Aug 5 – Aug 11 — The King films of 1983 — Dan Kimmel
Aug 12 – Aug 18 — Bag of Bones – Trivia – Fotini Marcopulos
Aug 19 – Aug 25 — Duma Key related trivia – Fotini Marcopulos
Aug 26 – Sept 1 — 5th ANNIVERSARY – DUMA KEY — an excerpt — Stephen King
Sept 2 – Sept 8 — Divorce & Departure – Kevin Quigley
Sept 9 – Sept 15 — A Discussion of: The Wind Through the Keyhole — Jay Franco
Sept 16 – Sept 22 — Dark Tower essay — Stephen Jewell
Sept 23 – Sept 29 — 5th ANNIVERSARY – JUST AFTER SUNSET – an excerpt — Stephen King
Sept 30 – Oct 6 — Just After Sunset trivia — Fotini Marcopulos
Oct 7 – Oct 13 — The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Carrie — Jay Franco
Oct 14 – Oct 20 — The Philosophy of Time Travel – Jay Franco
Oct 21 – Oct 27 — The ROAD RAGE Collaboration – Jay Franco
Oct 28 – Nov 3 — Top 5 Horror Websites – Jay Franco
Nov 4 – Nov 10 — Embracing It — Jay Franco
Nov 11 – Nov 17 — Inspiration Insight – Matt DeVirgiliis
Nov 18 – Nov 24 — 10th Anniversary of the Dark Tower: The Wolves of the Calla — Robin Furth
Nov 25 – Dec 1 — Insert Dead Pet Comedic Relief Here — Matt DeVirgiliis
Dec 2 – Dec 8 — A Love/Hate Relationship — Jay Franco
Dec 9 – Dec 15 – A discussion of documentary, ROOM 237 – Jay Franco
Dec 16 – Dec 22 – Publishing a Stephen King Special Edition – Brian James Freeman
Dec 23 – Dec 29 – Publishing a Stephen King Special Edition [continued] – Brian James Freeman
Dec 30 – Jan 5, 2014 – Last Night I dreamed of a Tiger – Jay Franco
FROM: brianjamesfreeman.wordpress.com
David's take: I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this. I approached it thinking I'd just thumb through it, but found myself reading it cover to cover with the same enjoyment I would have gotten from a Companion book about Stephen King. With writers like Jay Franco, Kevin Quigley, Robin Furth, Brian James Freeman. . . this is a home-run! I love it.
http://www.stephenkinglibrary.com/
http://www.facebook.com/StephenKingLibrary
http://www.bomcclub.com/
So where can I buy it? :-)
ReplyDeleteat the Stephen King library. Or I saw it on Amazon.
ReplyDelete