Stephen King (b. 1947) is known as the “King of Horror” and is one of the highest-selling authors of all time. Over the decades, his novels have contributed significantly to the genres of horror, fantasy, supernatural, gothic, and post-apocalyptic fiction. Raised in Durham, Maine, he later attended the University of Maine at Orono, where he met his wife, Tabitha, in a writing workshop and graduated with a BA in English. He and Tabitha had three children, and King initially struggled as a writer, selling short stories and teaching high school English to make ends meet. His experiences with this job inspired the premise for Carrie, his first successful novel. Other popular novels of his include ’Salem’s Lot (1975), The Shining (1977), The Stand (1978), Pet Sematary (1983), It (1986), Misery (1987), and The Green Mile (1996). His memoir On Writing is considered one of the most helpful contemporary works for aspiring writers. Over the years, King has been very open about his struggles with addiction, and it is important to note that Needful Things was the first novel that he wrote after undergoing rehabilitation for cocaine and alcohol addiction.