Stephen King has a new book coming out soon titled You like it darker and includes a collection of short stories. One of these stories is called “The Answer Man” and it took the horror author almost 50 years to finish it!
During an interview with NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly, King explains that he started writing the story when he was 30 and finished it when he noticed he was 75!
Speaking about what happened and why it took so long to finish and publish the story, he explained: “Well, I lost it. What happens to me is that I write stories and they usually get done, but they don’t always get done.
“And the ones that don’t get done end up in a drawer and I completely forget about them. And about five years ago, these people started collecting all the finished things and all the unfinished things and putting them in an archive.”
This collection process for the archive took a deep dive into every nook and cranny of his workspace, including “desk drawers, wastepaper baskets under the desk, every seat.” It was during this time that the author’s grandson came across six pages of the story.
King explained, “My nephew John Leonard found this particular story, which was written at the UN Plaza Hotel in the 1970s, I believe. And he said, “You know, that’s pretty cool.” You should really finish it.”
“And I read it and said, ‘You know, I think I know how to finish it now.’ So I did. And I don’t think I ever decided it was a bad story. I just left that particular hotel and forgot about it.
As a die-hard King fan, it’s truly amazing to be able to read this story that King began writing so long ago. I also love the story of how it came back to light!
King went on to talk about what it was like for him to reconnect with the story, saying he found himself communicating with his past self as he wrote it. He described it as “calling into a canyon of time and listening to the echo come back.”
The story follows “a young man who is out driving and ponders his career as a lawyer, deciding whether to join his parents’ established firm in Boston or carve out his own path. In the midst of this contemplation, he sees a man sitting at a street-side table under an umbrella, and is offered a deal: pay $25 and have three of his most pressing questions answered. But is there really anyone who wants certain answers about their future?”
This isn’t the first time King has revisited an old story. He initially wrote 75 pages of what would become Under The Dome in the 1970s, but that manuscript was lost. He got on board with the idea later and wrote that story 30 years later.
He also had the idea for 11.22.63 in 1972, but did not follow through with it because at that time, the trauma of John F. Kennedy’s assassination was too fresh in his mind and he was unable to do so. do the proper research required for the book due to his employment as a full-time teacher. He simply didn’t have time.
Via: CinemaBlend
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
