A Book that Almost Didn't Get Written

First Edition Cover courtesy Wikipedia

 
The Guardian has an interesting article on the genesis of Stephen King's first novel, Carrie, on the 40th anniversary of its publication. King talks about the confluence of ideas that made him start writing the novel back in the day when he was still working in a laundry. Of particular interest is the fact that King discarded the opening pages of the novel in frustration and decided not to go any further with it. It was King's wife Tabitha who rescued the pages from the wastebasket, read them, and urged her husband to continue telling the story.

The article also has a section detailing how other horror writers think the novel has influenced the horror genre.

Novelist and Guardian writer James Smythe comments:

One of the primary joys of Carrie for me – once I get past the astonishing jealousy that it was King's debut published novel, and that he was only 26 when it was published – is the structure. It was the first thing I can remember reading that showed me that a novel didn't simply have to be a linear single narrative. It uses so many different voices and ways of delivering the story that it's almost giddying; and it's astonishing assured and neat to boot.

To view the article, please click here.