The Stephen King Project

I read my first Stephen King book at far too young an age. I don't remember exactly how old I was, but I couldn't have been much more than 10 or 11. Definitely young enough that his stuff scared the pants off me. After reading 'Salem's Lot, I didn't want to go outside after dark for weeks. Weeks!

I remained an avid fan (or constant reader, as he likes to call us) for a long time, but did finally drift away. I don't know when, but I think it was around The Tommyknockers? Which doesn't mean I read everything that he wrote up to that point, but most of the early stuff I have covered. I still stopped in from time to time after that, but I wasn't passionate about him. I was, however, very happy in about 2002/2003 when Katie told me I absolutely had to read The Dark Tower series, which I had avoided for whatever reason.

And it is The Dark Tower that brings me back around to the Project. The movie is coming out soon - very soon! - and I am very excited!! Idris Elba - so much yes. So I decided I should reread the series before the movie comes out. I've made it through three of them and what I realized while doing so was how much I still love Stephen King. I love his writing style and I love his world that he has created. I love the obvious references to other books and when random things pop up and I figure them out. I know it's silly, but I was pretty young when I read both Carrie and Night Shift and I thought it was awesome that Carrie's mom worked at the same laundromat where The Mangler was. So don't get me started on the kids from IT in 11/22/63. So great!

But I digress. The Project.

The Stephen King Project consists of me rereading OR reading the entire Stephen King canon (bibliography? What is the right word here?), mostly in chronological order. I say mostly because I've already read the first three Dark Tower books out of said order. Plus when it's time to read The Stand, I'm going with the expanded version even though it didn't come out until later because I actually just reread the original last year. I also may have to bump up the rest of the Dark Tower series depending on how I'm doing by August.

I had originally thought to have a summer of only Stephen King, but after I finished Carrie, I felt having a little space between each book might serve me better, so I am trying to read something else in between each book. I don't intend to write about every book either, because there is already so much out there. Unless I have something really great to add, it just doesn't seem necessary. As I said, though, I finished Carrie and it's still great. It's also still the best movie adaptation of his books (yes, I like The Shining, but it's not as good as Carrie and also it has Shelley Duvall and what the fuck? Also in the WTF category are all the women in the made for TV version of The Stand. Seriously.).

I am now in the midst of 'Salem's Lot. Foolishly, I thought that because I am now a grownup and because I have read the book several times, it would be okay to start it on a day when my husband was out of town and I was completely alone in the house as our daughter is at sleep away camp. I was wrong. When it was time to go to bed last night, I could barely function. I made the dog sleep in our room (she usually sleeps downstairs). I kept music playing when I was trying to go to sleep. I refused - REFUSED - to look at the window for fear of someone scratching to get in. Every little noise that the cats made all night woke me up. Really, I should have put the damn thing in the freezer and called it a night.

Which clearly proves that the book is still amazing and the man is a genius. And that I need to finish it before my husband travels again because nothing else of Stephen King's scares me as much as 'Salem's Lot.

At least I don't think it does.

Maybe I should just free up a permanent space in the freezer.