Twenty-two years ago George Beahm published Stephen King Country, a book that took the reader to the places where King has lived—the places that have left a mark on him, just as he’s left his mark on them.
Beahm liked the book a lot, but the photos were in black-and-white and he wished they’d been in color. That book is now out of print so it’s time for a NEW version, complete with color photos (over a hundred) and a rewrite of the text. In short, a brand new book for King’s new fans.
Beahm has organized the contents chronologically, starting out with King’s childhood years in Durham, Maine, which inspired his early novels Carrie and ‘Salem’s Lot. The book ends in Sarasota, Florida where the beloved author spends the winter months. In between you’ll see where Stephen King saw movies as a young teenager (Lewiston); attended high school and worked at the Worumbo Mill, which inspired “Graveyard Shift” (Lisbon Falls); lived in a mobile home when he was writing Carrie, and got evicted by the landlord (Hermon); attended college at the University of Maine (Orono), and much more.
With the help of writer Dave Lowell, Beahm shot new photographs for the tome supplemented with photos by others.
Artist Glenn Chadbourne has contributed several pieces of art. Glenn, a Maine artist, is well known for illustrating Stephen King’s fiction for Cemetery Dance Publications and, in the U.K., PS Publishing. (He also drew the logo for King’s Haven Foundation, to help freelance artists in need.)
When George Beahm wrote The Stephen King Companion, now in its third edition, he wanted to provide a detailed overview of King’s life and work for obsessive fans who wanted as much information as possible. That book, nearly 600 pages, will soon be seven years out of date—it was published in 2015.
This new book, Stephen King’s Maine Haunts, was written for newcomers to Stephen’s kingdom. It’s not a guidebook; it’s an overview of his life that focuses on the places that he’s called home. The seasoned fan will also find this book enjoyable. It’s like revisiting the places you’ve known so well, familiar places where, like Stephen King, you’ll feel at home.
It’s the perfect holiday gift for anyone who loves King’s fiction. Order the 112 page paperback book HERE. A limited hardback edition will be released in a few weeks (more information to come).