This was by design. He didn’t want people to know he was the son of the famous author, Stephen King. His father has written more than 65 novels and 200 short stories.
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From Carrie to Fairy Tale, many of those titles have become as familiar to readers and moviegoers everywhere as Kindle and popcorn.
Stephen King is known primarily for writing horror, but this is a fantasy story with a bit of the macabre. King says Fairy Tale was born during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is classic Stephen King, with a true teen hero exploring a parallel world.
If you haven’t read my review of Fairy Tale, it’s right here:
How could this writer fairly assess his talent if he used his father’s name?
Granted, Owen and Stephen’s wife Tabitha have succeeded with their books. But how could they know for sure their book’s popularity was not connected to the King himself? Especially when Owen wrote Sleeping Beauties with his father.
Sleeping Beauties was mesmerizing, but I didn’t love all of Tabitha’s books. Small World, The Trap, and The Book of Reuben were excellent.
Admittedly, I picked up Small World because it was written by Stephen King’s wife, but I found it intriguing.
Castle Rock Kitchen Amazon cover with PowerPoint Creation design.Photo bythe author.
Castle Rock Kitchen
Yes, I am a huge King fan.
I just received my copy of Castle Rock Kitchen by Theresa Carle-Sanders, “Wicked good recipes from the world of Stephen King.”
I can’t wait to try some recipes like “Gramma’s Crab Cake Brunch” and “Killer Mac and Cheese.” In fact, I’ll likely make those for the same meal.
Mr. King says in the book’s Foreword, “I was born in Maine, grew up in Maine, and expect to be buried in Maine. Before that happens, I’ll continue to eat in Maine, and many of the things I’ve eaten are presented (under different names in most cases) in this lovely little cookbook.”
Before moving on, I suggest you try the “New England Boiled Dinner.” This was a reasonably inexpensive dinner when I was a kid, and I still enjoy it. If you have a large family to feed, you can’t go wrong with this for a Sunday dinner. Most use ham, but I prefer a smoked shoulder for added flavor. I’ve even made it with Kielbasa. My sister used to make it with bologna. Either way, it’s delicious.
I am anxious to try the recipes “Pancakes with the Toziers” (from It) and “Whopper Spareribs” (from The Tommyknockers).
Back to “The Man No One Knew Was a King”
If you’re a fan of the macabre, you are familiar with some of this king’s work. NOS4A2 was adapted as a TV series, a massive success on Netflix, and it will be again. Yes, season 2 is coming.
NOS4A2 Season 1 Trailer | 'A Fight For Their Souls' | Rotten Tomatoes TV
So, if you think Vic killed Charlie Manx and destroyed Christmas Land, you should have known better! Season 2 will return on 21 June 2023.
If you haven’t seen season one, you have six months to get caught up.
NOS4A2 Season 2 Trailer | Rotten Tomatoes TV
Another massive movie on Netflix was the collaboration with his father, based on the novella, In the Tall Grass.
Becky and Cal, a brother and sister, are headed to San Diego. Becky is dealing with morning sickness, and Cal pulls over somewhere in the heart of Kansas so that she could do that outside the car. Cal hears a small boy calling from the grass and goes in to help him. Then, Becky must follow, and the rest is history or her story. Watch the trailer.
In the Tall Grass | Official Trailer | Netflix
Full Throttle is a book of short stories by Joe Hill. I really enjoyed most of these stories, and you will too.
FULL THROTTLE by Joe Hill | Author Talk
Another big project by Joe Hill on Netflix is Locke & Key, which originally started as a comic book series.
Locke & Key | Official Trailer | Netflix
Locke & Key Season 2 | Teaser Trailer | Netflix
Unfortunately, season 3 is the final chapter. If you haven’t watched it, you have something to binge-watch tonight.
Locke & Key 3 | Final Season Trailer | Netflix
By now, everyone knows how talented Joe Hill is. However, if you have yet to read Heart-Shaped Box, you probably have yet to realize the extent of his true talent.
The Amazon blurb says, “…what UPS delivers to his door in a black heart-shaped box is no imaginary or metaphorical ghost, no benign conversation piece. It's the real thing.
And suddenly the suit's previous owner is everywhere: behind the bedroom door . . . seated in Jude's restored vintage Mustang . . . standing outside his window . . . staring out from his widescreen TV. Waiting—with a gleaming razor blade on a chain dangling from one bony hand. . . .
A multiple-award winner for his short fiction, author Joe Hill immediately vaults into the top echelon of dark fantasists with a blood-chilling roller-coaster ride of a novel, a masterwork brimming with relentless thrills and acid terror.”
The Heart-Shaped Box is pure, unadulterated horror at its finest, and no one does horror like a King.
Watch for the work-in-progress (WIP) from Joe Hill, King Sorrow. Joe says, “Out in early 2024 maybe? As I mentioned in the last note, it's another big one. I think (touch wood) I've got a sense for what the novel after might be, and that one should be much shorter. But we'll see. The story is the boss -- I'm just the hired help.”
Boys, ain’t that the truth? If you’ve ever written a long story, hell, even some short stories, you know the story dictates how things will go.
Joe Hill could have ridden his father’s name into the limelight, yet he chose to use a pseudonym. I think he has more than proven himself worthy of being a King.
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About the author.
Stephen Dalton is a native of Old Town, ME, and a retired US Army First Sergeant with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland. He is a Certified US English Chicago Manual of Style Editor. Top Writer in Business, Sports, Travel, Food, Fiction, Transportation, Creativity, Short Story, and a NewsBreak Community Voice Pro.
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