Q 01/05

In which US state was Stephen King born and where are most of his stories set?

A) Maine

B) Massachusetts

C) Vermont

D) New Hampshire

Answer · why

A) Maine

He was born in Portland in 1947, grew up in Durham and lives in Bangor; Castle Rock and Derry are his invented Maine towns.

Q 02/05

What was Stephen King's debut novel, published in 1974?

A) Salem's Lot

B) Carrie

C) The Shining

D) Rage

Answer · why

B) Carrie

He threw the first three pages in the bin; his wife Tabitha fished them out and told him to keep going.

Q 03/05

Who rescued the first pages of King's debut novel from the wastebasket?

A) His wife Tabitha

B) His editor Bill Thompson

C) His mother

D) His brother David

Answer · why

A) His wife Tabitha

She wanted to know what happened next; the story had been meant for the men's magazine Cavalier.

Q 04/05

Where was King living, and what was his day job, when he wrote his debut novel?

A) A Bangor mansion, writing full time

B) A Portland flat, working as a janitor

C) A university dorm, studying journalism

D) A trailer in Hermon, teaching English at Hampden Academy

Answer · why

D) A trailer in Hermon, teaching English at Hampden Academy

He sold short stories to men's magazines on the side; Doubleday's Bill Thompson bought the manuscript in 1973.

Q 05/05

What was the hardcover print run of King's debut in April 1974?

A) 30,000

B) 60,000

C) 100,000

D) 250,000

Answer · why

A) 30,000

The 1975 paperback went on to sell four million copies after Brian De Palma's film.