King Wins National Magazine Award

"Harper’s Magazine received the award for King’s story, “Batman and Robin Have an Altercation” (subscriber only), published last September." SOURCE: www.mediabistro.com

Bryant Burnette wrote about the story,

"It's got excellent detail-based character writing, and like all great short stories it manages to feel like a complete world unto itself. It goes in unexpected directions, is by turns disgusting, moving, and frightening, and (in short) is yet another example of King being a generally awesome writer."

You can read Byrant Burnette's review at thetruthinsidethelie.blogspot.com

Harpers to publish short story

I posted last week that King would be publishing a new short story titled, "Batman and Robin have an altercation."  Lauren Walter has posted at Examiner, 

Stephen King has a new short story available on Tuesday, August 28, in the latest issue of Harper's Magazine. It’s King's first time featured in Harper's. The story features a middle-aged man and who has a weekly lunch with his Alzheimer’s afflicted dad. After three years of the same lunch and the same conversation, the man is saved from a violent assault by his father. (www.examiner.com)

Harpers gives this  introductory tease:

Sanderson sees his father twice a week. On Wednesday evenings, after he closes the jewelry store his parents opened long ago, he drives the three miles to Crackerjack Manor and sees Pop there, usually in the common room. In his “suite,” if Pop is having a bad day. On most Sundays, Sanderson takes him out to lunch. The facility where Pop is living out his final foggy years is actually called the Harvest Hills Special Care Unit, but to Sanderson, Crackerjack Manor seems more accurate. (www.harpers.org)

What does a man with Alzheimers have to do with "Batman and Robin have an altercation" ?  I don't know!  King's short story titles have been a little more daring lately -- example, Herman Wouk Is Still Alive.