Quiz: How Well Do You Know Stephen King?
Stephen King has published dozens of novels, including works of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy. With the release of Stephen King’s collection If It Bleeds (Scribner), take this quick quiz to see how much you know about the popular horror novelist.
About Stephen King
The “King of Horror,” Stephen King is an author whose works include horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. King has published dozens of books, including novels and fiction collections, as well as non-fiction books. His books, many of which have been adapted into other media, have sold more than 350 million copies. He has also written some 200 short stories, most of which have been collected into anthologies. King has received Bram Stoker Awards, World Fantasy Awards, and British Fantasy Society Awards. In 2003, the National Book Foundation awarded him the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He has also received the 2004 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and the 2007 Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. In 2015, he was awarded with a National Medal of Arts from the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts for his contributions to literature.
How Stephen King Got His Start
Horror legend Stephen King published his debut novel, CARRIE, in 1974. King, then working as a high school English teacher, had written three novels before he started writing CARRIE. Even then, he was only three pages into the new book before he gave up—and threw the first three pages in the trash. His wife, Tabitha, rescued the pages and encouraged him to finish.
Retold many times over the years in multiple media formats, the original story revolves around a bullied high school student from an abusive religious household who uses her new telekinetic powers to wreak revenge on her classmates.
Doubleday bought the hardcover rights for $2,500. Shortly after, New American Library bought the paperback rights for $400,000.
With a print-run of 30,000 copies, the hardcover only sold 13,000 copies. A year later, CARRIE came out in paperback - and sold more than one million copies its first year.
List of Stephen King Titles
Carrie (1974)
'Salem's Lot (1975)
The Shining (1977)
Rage (1977) - published under the pen name Richard Bachman
The Stand (1978)
The Long Walk (1979) - under the pen name Richard Bachman
The Dead Zone (1979)
Firestarter (1980)
Roadwork (1981) - under the pen name Richard Bachman
Cujo (1981)
The Running Man (1982) - under the pen name Richard Bachman
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1981)
Christine (1983)
Pet Sematary (1983)
Cycle of the Werewolf (1983) - illustrated by Bernie Wrightson
The Talisman (1984) - written with Peter Straub;
The Eyes of the Dragon (1984)
Thinner (1984) - under the pen name Richard Bachman
It (1986)
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three (1987)
Misery (1987)
The Tommyknockers (1987)
The Dark Half (1989)
The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition (1990)
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991)
Needful Things (1991)
Gerald's Game (1992)
Dolores Claiborne (1992)
Insomnia (1994)
Rose Madder (1995)
The Green Mile (1996)
Desperation (1996) - twin novel of The Regulators
The Regulators (1996) - twin novel of Desperation, published under the pen name Richard Bachman
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997)
Bag of Bones (1998)
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999)
Dreamcatcher (2001)
Black House (2001) - sequel to The Talisman, written with Peter Straub
From a Buick 8 (2002)
The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003)
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004)
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004)
The Colorado Kid (2005)
Cell (2006)
Lisey's Story (2006)
Blaze (2007) - under the pen name Richard Bachman
Duma Key (2008)
Under the Dome (2009)
11/22/63 (2011)
The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole (2012)
Joyland (2013)
Doctor Sleep (2013) - sequel to The Shining
Mr. Mercedes (2014) - first novel in the Bill Hodges Trilogy
Revival (2014)
Finders Keepers (2015) - second novel in the Bill Hodges Trilogy
End of Watch (2016) - third novel in the Bill Hodges Trilogy
Gwendy's Button Box (2017) - written with Richard Chizmar
Sleeping Beauties (2017) written with Owen King
The Outsider (2018)
Elevation (2018)
The Institute (2019)
Later (2021)
Billy Summers (2021)
Gwendy's Final Task (2022) - written with Richard Chizmar
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This page was originally published May 2020.