November 12, 2009
King recently did a book signing in Dundalk, Maryland, during which he revealed several tantalizing bits of information! Namely:

This last is huge news for Tower freaks. The mod on King's message board shed some clarity, stating that

"Stephen has given me permission to pass along that he has an idea for a new Dark Tower book, the working title of which will be THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE. He has not yet started this book and anticipates that it will be a minimum of eight months before he is able to begin writing it."

According to Zach Dionne at GQ, the book is a "mid-quel," focusing on minor characters and events that take place between Wizard & Glass and Wolves of the Calla. Which I, for one, am all for. Updates as I get them! Until them, watch the book signing!

November 10, 2009
DOME DAY IS HERE!!!

Under the Dome is released TODAY! Stephen King's newest novel - his third longest - hits stores and online retailers today. Watch this space for a review SOON. In the meantime, check out this terrific short interview with King from Borders.com.

DOME DAY IS HERE!!! Run! Buy! Read! Hooray!

November 9, 2009
In preparation for Dome Day (TOMORROW!!!), we have this fun retrospective by Time.com, in which King discusses his ten longest novels. It's a quirky way to look at King, and it's a fun article. DOME DAY TOMORROW!!!

November 6, 2009
Here at Charnel House, our very favorite Stephen King site on the web is Lilja's Library. It is constantly updated, features fantastic interviews and reviews, and has a site design that Charnel House envies to the point of insomnia. But that's beside the point.

Hans-Ake Lilja has written a terrific new book on Stephen King, titled Lilja's Library: The World of Stephen King. Charnel House is proud to present one of its first reviews, written by Stephen King expert George Beahm (author of The Stephen King Companion). Please check out this glowing guest review of Lilja's Library, and then pre-order your own copy!

When you're done there, check out Lilja's Library, the website, which now features a review of Lilja's book by King expert Stephen Spignesi. We're jam-packed with experts today!

November 2, 2009
My review of "Premium Harmony" is now up! While you're at it, have a look at my recently-updated Stephen King Short Fiction page, with new listings for "Morality," "Mostly Old Men," "Ur," and "Premium Harmony," as well as a newer publication of King's seminal poem, "The Dark Man" (featured in Bev Vincent's terrific The Stephen King Illustrated Companion, a book everyone into King NEEDS). Enjoy!

"Premium Harmony," King's new short story appearing in The New Yorker is ready to read online NOW. Hooray!

October 29, 2009
WOW! Exclusive trailer for Under the Dome on Entertainment Weekly. TODAY ONLY! And don't forget to pick up EW tomorrow for a 4,000-word excerpt of Under the Dome. DOME DAY APPROACHES!

October 28, 2009
Out of left field, King will be releasing a new Castle Rock story in an upcoming issue of The New Yorker. Titled "Premium Harmony," this story will be featured in the November 9th edition ... something to whet your appetite for the main course of Under the Dome, coming just a day later! Exciting news!

Thanks to KingdomSearch on Twitter for the info - if you are not following him, you should: @KingdomSearch!

October 21, 2009
Amazon.com is now offering pre-sales of Under the Dome for nine dollars. Quite a change from the hefty $35 price tag! Check it out!

We've also stumbled across a map of the town actually under the dome:

Click on the picture to bring up a much bigger and clearer image!

Also! Today at 3:00, there will be new interactive content over at the Under the Dome widget area. Full details to come!

And lastly: we here at Charnel House mainly focus on King's major arcana - novels, short stories, poetry, produced screenplays, and nonfiction. A movie review section is planned for 2010, but that's still off in the future. We're basically concerned here with the stuff that flows out of King's own pen. But! If you are not reading the comic-book adaptation of The Stand, you really, really should start. The essential information:

October 16, 2009
King's new narrative poem, "The Bone Church," is now available now, in this month's November 2009 issue of Playboy. It is also available online, with the Phil Hale illustrations intact!

October 15, 2009
As excited and thrilled as we are about the release of Under the Dome, we're almost as tickled by the release of three premiere books about King coming this year. Following his terrific Road to the Dark Tower companion, Bev Vincen't The Stephen King Illustrated Companion, will look at King's entire career, focusing on King's "most iconic works." Released through Barnes & Noble, this book is

An interactive approach to King's greatest works, The Stephen King Illustrated Companion features a wealth of unseen memorabilia from the author's desk and insightful text that reads between the lines to uncover King's own compelling biography. Supplemented with rare and previously unpublished ephemera from King's archives, such as hand-edited manuscript drafts, revealing letters between King and his editor, and personal mementos from his career, this unique companion volume tangibly illuminates the writer's works and life in a way never done before.

The Stephen King Illustrated Companion is out NOW!

And let's not forget our friend Lilja's Lilja's Library book, which is essentially his masterful website (my favorite King site) in book form. That will be coming later this year (and I will be supplying a review!). Pre-Order your copy here!

And last but CERTAINLY not least: Knowing Darkness: Artists Inspired By Stephen King. Folks, I can't overstate how important this book is to King enthusiasts. And art enthusiasts. And horror enthusiasts. Pretty much anyone who would read this site NEEDS this book. It fills a niche in the realm of books about King, and fills it so comprehensively that it is impossible to imagine any book doing it better. It's gigantic, stuffed with illustration both old and new, and features amazing interviews with the artists who have been inspired by Stephen King. This book is worth every penny. Check it out and place your order here.

You may have noticed a new section at the top of the page, under the listing for new King books. I've decided to focus on important upcoming books about King, as well, featuring links to places to find out more or purchase. I hope you like!

A short but revealing interview with King about Under the Dome has been published by the Science Fiction Book Club. Have fun!

October 10, 2009
The first review of Under the Dome has been reviewed, and it is GOOD! This wildly favorable review states, "[Under the Dome is] easily the best novel King has produced to date," and while that remains to be seen, the excitement is getting palpable!

October 05, 2009
Seriously, just look at this cover:

And you can click on it, to see it major huge! MAJOR HUGE!

I am severely impressed by this cover. Oh man, why can't November be here now!??!

You (and I) asked for it; here it is: An additional 60 pages of The Cannibals. Download and read for free! It's AWESOME!

October 04, 2009
I've gotten more of a look at the upcoming Knowing Darkness: Artists Inspired By Stephen King. More confirmation that this book is going to be absolutely beautiful:

See what I mean? This sucker weighs THIRTEEN POUNDS! It's awesome and you need it. Here's how you get it!

September 21
The publicity push for Under the Dome has begun in full force! Let's review, shall we?

This is all terrifically exciting stuff. If I weren't already super thrilled for this book, I am now. Check back on the 25th for more information. Dome Day draws near!

Happy birthday, Stephen King!!! King turns a sprightly 62 today, and we here at Charnel House wish him the very best day and year to follow!

Don't forget also: the first aspect of the cover art for Under the Dome will be released today. Further information as it comes in!

September 16, 2009
The news just keeps coming! King will be following up his recent Tin House poem ("Mostly Old Men") with a new poem in this November's Playboy. Playboy.com states that in "The Bone Church," King, "in the tradition of Coleridge & Kipling, the horror master of Maine offers up a narrative poem filled with madness & mayhem." A narrative poem, huh? I am ALL FOR THAT!

I don't know what King's recent resurgence in the art of poetry is coming from, but I'm in. It seems that in recent years, he's been taking on old forms and playing interestingly with them, and I applaud him for it. Bring it on!

September 15, 2009
Continuing the trend set by the publication of Blaze, King has just released an excerpt from his unfinished and unpublished manuscript, The Cannibals - the story that inspired King's upcoming novel, Under the Dome. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!!!! Not only are you going to be able to read the story, but you'll also see the actual manuscript: The Cannibals is presented in a .pdf format reproducing King's actual typed pages, with cross-outs and corrections, giving readers a rare glimpse into King's creative process - one that will culminate in the publication of Under the Dome. This is one of the coolest and most exciting treats King has ever offered us. Kids, you're in for some awesome fun here. Click here to read your excerpt from The Cannibals.

September 07, 2009 We here at Charnel House were fortunate enough to get our hands on the new Centipede Press publication, Knowing Darkness: Artists Inspired By Stephen King. A big part of me wants to say that I have no words, because it's so hard to describe something like this.

There has been a gap so big in the world of Stephen King criticism and appreciation that one scarcely knew it existed. Books almost without number have been written about King's novels and short stories, and the film and television adaptations they've spawned. But no book has ever taken an in-depth look at the art inspired by King, and I am here to tell you that the wait has been worth it.

There will be a much more in-depth review to come, but my first impressions are overwhelmingly positive. This book is packed with pictures - illustrations from King's hardcovers and paperbacks, limited and foreign editions. There are illuminating interviews with King mainstays such as Berni Wrightson, who delves into depths about his art and the stories behind when it spins from King's text. There are extended looks at lauded artists such as Michael Whelan and Ned Dameron (whose beautiful illustrations for The Waste Lands are reprinted here in full color), but it also focuses on far more unsung heroes such as Bob Giusti (whose cover art for It and Misery remain striking and memorable) and Rob Wood (who did the covers for Gerald's Game and Dolores Claiborne, two covers I personally love.) And all the art is here. All of it.

Folks, a book like this is rare and special. It's terrific for collectors who buy limited editions for the art within, but it's also made for folks who simply like the books they buy at the store. The paperback images that invited me in when I was a teenager and just getting into King are all here, present and accounted for, and flipping through this book is like looking at a timeline of my own past. This book is an unqualified success, one of the very best ever written about the phenomenon of Stephen King. Take a look at the website and learn more ... but I urge you to pre-order if you haven't already. I can guarantee you, it's worth it.