Stephen King

Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine, in 1947. He is an

American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, and
fantasy novels. His books have sold more than 350 million copies,
many of which have been adapted into feature films, miniseries,
television series, and comic books. King has published 61 novels
and six non-fiction book. He has written approximately 200 short
stories.
When King was two years old, his father left the family. King's
mother raised Stephen and his older brother, David, by herself,
sometimes under great financial strain. He had a difficult
childhood, marked by repeated moves from one city to another.
As a child, King apparently witnessed one of his friends being
struck and killed by a train, though he has no memory of the
event. His family told him that after leaving home to play with the
boy, King returned, speechless and seemingly in shock. Only later
did the family learn of the friend's death. Some commentators
have suggested that this event may have psychologically inspired
some of King's darker works.
He attended Lisbon Falls High School, then he attended courses
at the University of Maine in Orono. In June 1970 he obtained a
degree in literature, a certificate from a high school teacher and a
diploma for elocution and dramatic art. In 1971, he married
Tabitha Jane Spruce, with whom he had three children. He lived
in a caravan for a while and worked in an industrial laundry, then
became an English teacher at Hampden Academy, Maine.
At that time, Stephen King led a hard life, full of shortcomings,
which would lead him to alcoholism. He started writing Carrie, but
because the novel didn't advance at all, he threw it in the trash.
However, his wife, who did not doubt his talent, recovered the
manuscript and convinced him to complete it.
Stephen King broke all sales records and received numerous
awards, including the prestigious Medal for Outstanding
Contribution to American Literature by the National Book
Foundation. In 2006, his annual income was estimated at $ 40
million.