Stephen King is back and ready to make your hair stand on end with 'Under the Dome,' a complex novel about society and humanity with that signature King touch. PopEater is proud to exclusively premiere an interview in which King discusses 'Dome.' "There's a saying that people have in Alcoholics Anonymous, which is 'You're only as sick as your secrets.' Some of the people in this book are pretty sick indeed, and let's put it this way, I think readers are going to be engaged, but I don't think they're going to be totally surprised by some of the things people are holding back because we have them in our own lives," King says in the interview. Watch It After the Jump!Hot Photos
Stephen King 'Under the Dome' -- Exclusive Interview
Stephen King is back and ready to make your hair stand on end with 'Under the Dome,' a complex novel about society and humanity with that signature King touch. PopEater is proud to exclusively premiere an interview in which King discusses 'Dome.' "There's a saying that people have in Alcoholics Anonymous, which is 'You're only as sick as your secrets.' Some of the people in this book are pretty sick indeed, and let's put it this way, I think readers are going to be engaged, but I don't think they're going to be totally surprised by some of the things people are holding back because we have them in our own lives," King says in the interview. Watch It After the Jump!"I saw it as a chance to write about the serious ecological problems that we face in the world today. I don't want to get real heavy about this ... but the fact is we all live under the dome. We have this little blue world we've all seen from outer space, and it appears that's all there is," King says in the interview.
Explaining how the book came to fruition, King says he tried to write 'Dome' in 1976, but that it got put on the back burner until three years later -- but even then, King wasn't ready. "It's kind of like a baseball player saying 'I missed a really fat pitch and I'd really like to have another chance.'"
During a plane trip to Australia three years ago, King got that fat pitch, and the inspiration to revisit the 'Dome' concept returned.
"The image that caught my mind was the idea of these people giving a press conference to the outside world ... and from what you see there's nothing between them and the cameras until somebody reaches out and knocks on, you know, thin air," King explains.
The acclaimed author of more than 50 books says it "was great to be working on a big canvas again," explaining that he ultimately writes "two kinds of books. I do books that are like murals, they're big and they're populated with all kinds of characters, and then [I] do the close-up books like 'Misery.' ... If you're going to write a book that people are going to love ... you just can't phone it in."
The world and the environment was a key factor for King's inspiration, the author says. "I saw it as a chance to write about the serious ecological problems that we face in the world today. I don't want to get real heavy about this ... but the fact is we all live under the dome. We have this little blue world we've all seen from outer space, and it appears that's all there is," he says.
Get info on Stephen King's upcoming comic book project, 'American Vampire' @ ComicsAlliance.
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Tuesday 27 October
By ThisIsNuts!
I agree King's 'old' books were great. (The Shining!) But then he went off the edge with stupid scenarios like 'Tommyknockers'... that ended my love affair with King's novels. It seemed he tried to spins crap out as fast as he could, without a lot of depth or even concern with his product. For me, it has to be a little believable, or it isn't fun. And certainly not scary! Hope his new book is the old King.
Tuesday 27 October
By bond
i thot it was just me!!! maybe we've "matured" and the things Mr. King writes about no longer scares us? still and all, i will take nothing from him. when i loved him, I did.
Tuesday 27 October
By mary
King took a lot of time off writing because he was in a near fatal accident. At the time he said he might never write again, so I'm really glad to see he's done another book, and one that is predicted to be so good. I've missed reading his "new" books.
Tuesday 27 October
By lg
I agree with you, Bob. From what I've heard, the writers do okay when they are first published, but then they get tied to a contract which results in nothing but the author cranking out novels as fast as the contract says.
Writing is a mood thing. It's difficult to get into the writing mood when you have a deadline hanging over your head.
Thursday 29 October
By Anita Kasunic
I jumped off the Kingtrain after "it".
Tuesday 27 October
By GoHeat
Well said!
Tuesday 27 October
By John Johnson
You would think AOL would care enough to install spam filters. Guess not.
Tuesday 27 October
By DUUCKEEE
You are crazy. If an author censored himself, what kind of author would he be? I have no respect for anyone who is afraid of words. If you don't like mature novels, then don't read them. But going online saying he has stooped to a new low is blasphemy. He has been graphic since the 70's.
Tuesday 27 October
By birdge12
Mature writing does not mean cram as many four letter words into a book as possible. You can have complex and interesting writing without swearing. It is the sign of a small mind that always has to resort to foul language to express a point. And it's not censoring yourself as a writer, it's finding a better way to tell your story.
Tuesday 27 October
By hi
wrong wrong wrong, birdge.
it's dialogue; it doesn't reflect on King's personality or his skills as a writer, it reflects on the character speaking.
I was in my hospital's pediatrics waiting room and a father decided it was okay to drop the F-bomb repeatedly in front of his daughter. if I were to write about the event, would I be considered an immature author because the character used the F-bomb in the course of the story? no.
people are vulgar, and King's writing reflects that as he realistically depicts his characters. if a character doesn't speak with proper grammar, it doesn't mean the writer is poor, it just means the writer is aware of how people speak.
if you're going to criticize an author's writing, don't criticize his characters or their actions unless the depiction is just plain off.
Tuesday 27 October
By birdge12
Correct me if I'm wrong, but King writes fiction right? He is not giving testimony, he is making up what the characters say. I understand if a character's personality warrants course language, but I also think there are ways to portray that without peppering dialogue with swears. From what I remember, King can create extremely elaborate descriptions. So I think he can convey a rough-around-the-edges character without making every other word a curse.
Wednesday 28 October
By chloedog68
How old is your grandaughter? Is she old enough to even read King?
Thursday 29 October
By Alan Wallace
Sharrie: With all due respect, real people don't say things like, "gosh-darnit! That unpleasant woman killed my baby!' King writes as he always has, with dialogue that rings true. If this type of language offends you, there are plenty of books out there with characters who never face anything that would bring a real, visceral, emotional outburst. Just like changing the channel on the T.V. you have done the right thing to seek out more pastoral reading material. Please don't condemn an excellent author just because all of his characters weren't raised in church.
Sunday 01 November
By Peanut
King didn't stoop low, he was using dialogue that was real to the people he was writing about. If he censored his writing, it would not only not ring true it would be like putting a pair of shorts on Michaelangelo's David -you don't do that to art.
Tuesday 27 October
By gina
I agree! When I read his books I can see what he is writing in my head. Only a few authors that I have read (and I read a lot I have over 500 books in my house) have that ability. Can't wait to get this one.
Tuesday 27 October
By Amy
I agree. King's work is excellance. I get what he is saying in his books because I've read them all and I plan on reading this one as well. I don't understand what people mean, "the old King?" His works have always been a stretch of the imagination. I think he is one of the best fiction writers of our time and deserves to be recognized for this.
Tuesday 27 October
By Ellen
I agree! And, if you ever got the chance to meet him--you will find that he is a very nice guy and quite down-to-earth. He is the best and I will continue to buy his books. I have quite a collection.
Tuesday 27 October
By Ashley
I agree completely, Stephen King is my absolute favorite, always has been! I love his style of writing, he has that way of making you see things exactly the way he wants you to. He doesn't just pound out stories as fast as he can, he waits til the stories come to him, a true writer!
Thursday 29 October
By Bill
Beth,
You're absolutely right. The Dark Tower is genius work along with his other stories which work the Tower within. It's good to know there are others who feel the same way.
Thursday 29 October
By Pam
iagree with Beth-i have loved stephen Kings writing for quite a few years now. I have read all of his books and have all in first editions, except for the first dark tower book. I am very much looking forward to his new book and have ordered it through the publisher-collecters edition of course. He is the greatest!
Pam