Stephen King

Writer

Since the early 1970s, Stephen King has been America's most famous horror writer. His books are a mainstay of paperback bookracks everywhere, and have spawned a multi-media franchise that includes movies, TV shows, video games and comic books. King is famously fecund, turning out a novel a year and sometimes more. His string of bestsellers began with Carrie (1974), and his early horror novels include Salem's Lot (1975), The Shining (1977) and The Dead Zone (1979), all of which have been adapted for film or television. Since conquering the horror market, King has written novels in other genres and experimented with various publishing methods, including issuing installments of The Green Mile (1996) and beginning the Internet-first publication of The Plant in 2000 (commercially unsuccessful, installments were suspended after five months). King's other books include: The Stand (1978); Firestarter (1980); Cujo (1981); Pet Sematary (1983); Insomnia (1984); Misery (1987); Delores Claiborne (1992); Bag of Bones (1998); and Cell (2006).

Extra credit: King also writes under the pseudonym Richard Bachman... King is one of the members of the Rock Bottom Remainders, a rock band made up of published writers and including Dave Barry and Amy Tan.