King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth. He graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1970, with a B.S. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. . He met his future wife Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University of Maine at Orono, where they both worked as students. They married in January of 1971

Stephen made his first short story sale to a mass market men's magazine shortly after his graduation from the University. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many of these were later gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.

In the spring of 1973, Doubleday & Co. accepted the novel Carrie for publication, and that summer Stephen wrote his next-published novel, originally titled Second Coming and then Jerusalem's Lot, before it became 'Salem's Lot. During 1974 and '75, Stephen wrote The Shining, and The Stand,

. He put some of his college dramatic society experience to use when he did a bit part in a George Romero picture, Knightriders, and Creepshow, a film he scripted. Joe Hill King also appeared in Creepshow, which was released in 1982. Stephen King wrote and directed the movie Maximum Overdrive in 1985. Creepshow II was released in 1987. Many of his works have been adapted for the screen including Carrie, The Dead Zone, The Shining, Christine, 'Salem's Lot, Firestarter, Cujo, Pet Sematary, and Misery, as well as several others. The popular movie, Stand By Me, was adapted from his novella, "The Body" from Different Seasons. In 1992, Sleepwalkers was produced from an original screenplay by King.

The Kings have three children: Naomi Rachel, Joe Hill and Owen Phillip.

Stephen is of Scots-Irish ancestry, stands 6'4". He is blue-eyed, fair-skinned, and has thick, black hair, with a frost of white most noticeable in his beard, which he sometimes wears between the end of the World Series and the opening of baseball practice in Florida. Occasionally he wears a moustache in other seasons. He has worn glasses since he was a child.

Stephen is a regular contributor to the American Cancer Society, provides scholarships for local high school students through Hampden Academy and contributes to many other local and national charities.

King is god...