Stephen King Comes to Tally


Last September, I flew up to the New Yorker Festival in hopes of participating in the Stephen King book signing. As you may recall, my bubble was burst when the bookstore limited admission to the signing to 100.

Fast forward to this weekend. My persistence in getting a ticket for Mr. King's presentation during the Seven Days of Opening Nights Festival paid off early Saturday morning when I checked the FSU online box office to discover that seats were available (note: tickets went on sale Feb. 14 and apparently sold out quickly; more seats later became available).

Mr. King read an upcoming piece, based (loosely) on his experience of being hit by a van. The story wasn't the usual physical horror associated with King's classic reads. There weren't any possessed girls or debilitating diseases, but an internal horror - the agony and challenge one experiences when their life is forever altered.

Afterwards, he stayed for a book signing. My friend Angie and I stood in line for about an hour and when we left, there was still a line out the auditorium.

I usually stumble my words when meeting authors, but I think I spit out something coherent.

QK: "Mr. King, I flew up to the New Yorker last fall to hear you."
SK: "Oh, yeah. What did you think?"
QK: (Should I share my disappointing experience with him? No.). "Well, I'm really glad you made it to Tallahassee. Thank you."
SK: "This is much better. Warmer and more laid back."

Can't believe I had a conversation with Stephen King! Better yet, I finally have in my possession a signed copy of "Cell" - AND, made out specifically to me.

Again, thank you Mr. King. You made my day.

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