From an accomplished lawyer, judge, coach, and community servant comes a fast-moving tale of colorful characters in a small, blue-collar, coal mining town deep in the hills of Kentucky. Tales of a Small-Town King traces the struggles to find upward mobility in Appalachia, all while navigating the unique culture smothered by isolation, expansive poverty, drugs, crime, and political corruption. The product of a hard-working band of Greek immigrants, with mentoring from his Uncle Miklos, Takis Tsegellis rises as the town’s favorite son – hopscotching through varied career and community projects along the way – only to ultimately leave in disgrace, however, rejected by the town he spent 40 years trying to help. Now, as he returns to town to give the eulogy at his Uncle Miklos’s funeral, he must confront his unresolved love and hate for his hometown, and his ambition to topple it, all while discovering that his family and career were never the American dream he hoped them to be. He may finally reach the mountaintop he’s always sought, just not as the person he’s always been.

This book provides a comprehensive reading of a space/place-based experience from the birth of the American horror genre (nineteenth century American Romanticism) to its rise and evolution in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Exploring a series of narratives, this study focuses on the role of space and place as key elements for successful articulation of horror. The analysis, therefore, employs different theoretical premises and concepts belonging to human geography, which, while being part of the larger discipline of geography, predominantly directs its attention towards the presence and activities of humans. By connecting such theoretical readings with the continuously evolving American horror genre, this book offers a unique insight into the academically unexplored trans-disciplinary spatially based reading of the genre.

“The Stephen King companion to end all Stephen King companions . . . An indispensable insider’s guide” to his influences, stories, adaptations, and more (Publishers Weekly). The Stephen King Universe is a vast expanse of grotesque horror, dark magic, and fearsome wonder. Conjured from on man’s imagination, it is an ever-expanding kingdom of twisting, dark pathways—a place where one might easily get lost without guidance. The Complete Stephen King Universe is the only definitive reference work that examines all of Stephen King’s novels, short stories, motion pictures, miniseries, and teleplays, and deciphers the threads that connect all of his work. This ultimate resource includes in-depth story analyses, character breakdowns, little-known facts, and startling revelations on how the plots, themes, characters, and conflicts intertwine.

Many readers know Stephen King for his early works of horror, from his fiction debut Carrie to his blockbuster novels The Shining, The Stand, and Misery, among others. While he continues to be a best-selling author, King’s more recent fiction has not received the kind of critical attention that his books from the 1970s and 1980s enjoyed. Recent novels like Duma Key and 1/22/63 have been marginalized and, arguably, cast aside as anomalies within the author’s extensive canon. In Stephen King’s Contemporary Classics: Reflections on the Modern Master of Horror, Philip L. Simpson and Patrick McAleer present a collection of essays that analyze, assess, and critique King’s post-1995 compositions. Purposefully side-stepping studies of earlier work, these essays are arranged into three main parts: the first section examines five King novels published between 2009 and 2013, offering genuinely fresh scholarship on King; the second part looks at the development of King’s distinct brand of horror; the third section departs from probing the content of King’s writing and instead focuses on King’s process. By concentrating on King’s most recent writings, this collection offers provocative insights into the author’s work, featuring essays on Dr. Sleep, Duma Key, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Joyland, Under the Dome, and others. As such, Stephen King’s Contemporary Classics will appeal to general fans of the author’s work as well as scholars of Stephen King and modern literature.

This analysis of the work of Stephen King explores the distinctly American fears and foibles that King has celebrated, condemned, and generally examined in the course of his wildly successful career. Stephen King: America's Storyteller explores the particular American-ness of Stephen King's work. It is the first major examination to follow this defining theme through King's 40-year career, from his earliest writings to his most recent novels and films made from them. Stephen King begins by tracing Stephen King's rise from his formative years to his status as a one of the most popular writers in publishing history. It then takes a close look at the major works from his canon, including The Shining, The Stand, It, Dolores Claiborne, and The Dark Tower. In these works and others, author Tony Magistrale focuses on King's deep rooted sense of the American experience, exemplified by his clear-eyed presentation of our historical and cultural foibles and scars; his gallery of unlikely friendships that cross race, age, and class boundaries; and his transcendent portrayals of uniquely American survival instincts, fellowship, and acts of heroism from the least likely of sources.

This companion provides a two-part introduction to best-selling author Stephen King, whose enormous popularity over the years has gained him an audience well beyond readers of horror fiction, the genre with which he is most often associated. Part I considers the reception of King's work, the film adaptations that they gave rise to, the fictional worlds in which some of his novels are set, and the more useful approaches to King's varied corpus. Part II consists of entries for each series, novel, story, screenplay and even poem, including works never published or produced, as well as characters and settings.

Dive deep into the mind of Stephen King, the undisputed King of Horror, with "Crafting Fear: Stephen King's Path to Literary Success." This immersive exploration delves into the life, career, and craft of the legendary author, revealing the journey behind his unparalleled success. Go beyond the captivating tales and explore the man behind the myth. Discover how King's early life, personal struggles, and profound love for stories shaped his writing. Uncover the influences that fueled his imagination and learn about his formative years, from early writing attempts to the breakthrough success of "Carrie." Witness the evolution of his writing style, from small-town Americana to the intricate multiverse of "The Dark Tower," and uncover the secrets behind his unparalleled storytelling ability. Delve into the secrets of his craft with in-depth analysis of his writing techniques, psychological insights, and the impact of his narratives on the reader's experience. Explore the lasting impact of King's work on the literary landscape, the cultural phenomenon surrounding his novels, and the influence he's had on generations of writers. Discover the legacy of a master storyteller who continues to captivate and inspire readers worldwide. "Crafting Fear" is more than just a biography, it's a captivating journey into the heart of a literary icon, unveiling the secrets to his enduring success and the enduring power of fear in human experience.

Monsters live in your house, in your body and in your mind. This compilation of nine quick short stories by T. Kulp takes the reader to everyday places where monsters live.Reflections: Edgar is an artist going blind. As he races to finish his master piece and rejoin the artist community that banished him, ghosts from his past begin sabotaging his work. Will he finish his masterpiece before the ghosts finish their ultimate plan for revenge?Abbots Manor: A quiet town has a secret and it isn't the murder that just happened there. A private investigator arrives to get answers but no one is talking. No one makes any noise in this quiet town for a good reason.Signature: Joey Russo, the school jokester, vandalizes Jenny's book not knowing he just signed his life away. Can she save him from his mistake before a dark faerie comes to claim his life? What will she give up to save him? Six more stories show the reader that no where is safe from the monsters within and around us. Each story is accompanied by T. Kulp's story notes where he talks about the inspiration for the story and a view into his creative process.