Keys to the Kingdom – An Introduction

“The gate is the key to the kingdom.” – Stephen King, Joyland

Way up in the north-eastern most part of America, there exists an unmistakable old Victorian home. You might have seen it if you ever visited the small town of Bangor, Maine, where it stands out in its uniqueness even against the backdrop of many other Victorian houses that line West Broadway. It is a red house, not too red, not fire engine red. No, it is a house more like the color of dried blood. A castle, in all its stately grandeur, resembling the kind of gothic tales once told by the likes of Shirley Jackson or Daphne du Maurier; it is a house that seems to whisper, “Whatever walks here walks alone.”

At the precipice of its lawn lies a black iron gate in the shape of a spider’s web. Two bats are perched upon its center, as if to guard the home of their master. This is the gate to the house of Stephen King, one of the greatest living writers of the American novel – of which, he has written over 60.

Stephen King at the gate of his Bangor home in November 1982.

Since his debut novel Carrie in 1974, Stephen King has written more books, including short story collections, than years he has been alive. His books have sold over 350 million copies. His stories have been adapted into over 70 films and television shows. For such an author, one becomes more than a writer, but an icon. In an era in which many authors might be slowing down, King is enjoying a renaissance in popularity, and thankfully continues to share with us more stories than ever. These days, it seems it is Stephen King’s world. And us? Well, we’re just lucky to be living in it.

There are Stephen King tours where readers can visit the spots that inspired his stories. There are Stephen King bookstores.  Stephen King podcasts. Stephen King fan sites. There is a Stephen King encyclopedia. Most recently, Google has added a Stephen King Library feature to their Google Assistant app (as well as Alexa) in which you can answer a series of questions, and it will provide you with the Stephen King book that is perfect for you.

In the world of Stephen King, there are many players. Some of whom work very closely with him. Others he has never even met. But each player is like a key that unlocks a different door within the King kingdom, each the lord to their own respective piece of the Stephen King universe.

Keys to the Kingdom will be this Constant Reader’s humble attempt at profiling key players within the world of Stephen King. These interviews will be comprised of questions from myself, but perhaps more importantly, from you too. At the end of each column, I will reveal who we will be interviewing next month, and I encourage you to email me any questions you’d personally like asked. I will try to incorporate as many of them as possible.

And so, as we stand here at the gate, black bats staring us down, let us go boldly towards that tower. That house that we might have known would be red. That castle that holds within it our favorite Constant Author, indefinitely clacking away at his keyboard. That kingdom with its many doors to its many rooms, each providing us with a piece of the puzzle that makes up the Stephen King universe.

Next month: Bev Vincent, author of The Road to the Dark Tower, The Stephen King Illustrated Companion, and more takes a break from co-editing Flight or Fright with Stephen King to answer our questions. And yours! Email me your questions for Bev at sechrestthings@gmail.com.

Keys to the Kingdom is a Suntup Editions exclusive series of articles in which Jason Sechrest interviews key players from the world of Stephen King. Jason Sechrest began his career at 15 years old as a full-time staff writer for Femme Fatales magazine. His recent writing credits include the Cemetery Dance column “What I Learned From Stephen King,” as well as his own horror fiction. He tweets at @JasonSechrest and posts often on his Facebook page. His official site can be found at JasonSechrest.com.