Caroline Bicks' 'Monsters in the Archives' dissects Stephen King's writing process through archival research
Caroline Bicks, a professor at the University of Maine holding the Stephen E King chair, spent a year delving into Stephen King's archives in Bangor. Her publication, 'Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear With Stephen King', scrutinizes drafts from five of his novels, such as 'Carrie', 'The Shining', and 'Pet Sematary', uncovering King's unique 'biblio-magic'—the way his word selections elicit responses from readers. Bicks illustrates King's editing techniques through typewritten drafts and annotations. In 'Pet Sematary', he advocated for the term 'clitter' and chose 'rattly' to depict a child's breathing. During the 1970s, King juggled multiple jobs due to financial issues. His archive, overseen by two archivists, includes numerous drafts from his wife's Olivetti typewriter. The book is available from Hodder & Stoughton for £24.99.
Key facts
- Caroline Bicks is the Stephen E King professor at the University of Maine
- Bicks spent a year examining Stephen King's archives in Bangor, Maine
- The archive contains drafts of five novels including 'Carrie', 'The Shining', and 'Pet Sematary'
- King's archive is maintained by two professional archivists in a climate-controlled environment
- Early drafts were typed on Tabitha King's portable Olivetti typewriter
- In 'Pet Sematary', King defended his word choice 'clitter' as 'a very soft, ghostly clatter'
- King and his wife Tabitha were financially struggling in the 1970s, working multiple jobs
- The only copy of 'The Dead Zone' manuscript was accidentally taken at an airport and retrieved cross-country
- Early 'Carrie' drafts featured physical monstrosities while later versions focused on consciousness
- The book 'Monsters in the Archives' is published by Hodder & Stoughton for £24.99
Entities
Artists
- Caroline Bicks
- Stephen King
- Tabitha King
- Sissy Spacek
- Jack Nicholson
- Stanley Kubrick
- Ruth King
- Shakespeare
Institutions
- University of Maine
- Harvard
- Hodder & Stoughton
- The Guardian
- guardianbookshop.com
- Dunkin' Donuts
- Allstar Picture Library Limited
- Alamy
Locations
- Bangor
- Maine
- United States