NEWS -

Tonight's the Night...

Posted: July 1, 2013, 05:00
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Follow me through the 8th and last season of Dexter week by week. I will give you my thoughts on each episode as they air and in 12 weeks we’ll all know how the story of Dexter ends. But don’t read this if you haven’t seen he episodes. There will be SPOILERS!

Read the review here.

Today's topic

Posted: June 29, 2013, 00:45
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If you missed it, today’s big topic is the letter King wrote to defend the changes that were made when Under the Dome was transferred from the book to the TV series. Some fans agree with King and some don’t and no matter how you see it, King fans are sometimes very hard against adaptations that don’t follow the book. Anyhow, this got me thinking and I suspect that all these changes was the reason CBS didn’t want King fansites reviewing the pilot in advance. Lilja’s Library as well as other King sites didn’t get screeners with the excuse that only the bigger publications would get them and I think that was because the bigger publications would be less likely to see those changes. A King site would probably mentioning them, something CBS tried to avoid for as long as possible. What do you think?

Read King’s letter here and my review here.

Preview of King on CBS Sunday Morning

Posted: June 29, 2013, 00:04
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Stephen King will be on CBS Sunday Morning this Sunday, June 30th. CBS Sunday Morning airs from 9am to 10:30am EDT.

The piece features an interview with Anthony Mason filmed in Bridgton, Maine (the inspiration for Chester's Mill) and a walk around the set of Under The Dome On CBS. Here is a preview.

King about differences in TV series

Posted: June 28, 2013, 12:23
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This message was posted on King's official site addressing the fans who are having some problems with the changes that have been made in the TV series version of Under the Dome compared to the book.

For those of you out there in Constant Reader Land who are feeling miffed because the TV version of Under the Dome varies considerably from the book version, here’s a little story.

Near the end of his life, and long after his greatest novels were written, James M. Cain agreed to be interviewed by a student reporter who covered culture and the arts for his college newspaper. This young man began his time with Cain by bemoaning how Hollywood had changed books such as The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity. Before he could properly get into his rant, the old man interrupted him by pointing to a shelf of books behind his desk. “The movies didn’t change them a bit, son,” he said. “They’re all right up there. Every word is the same as when I wrote them.”

I feel the same way about Under the Dome. If you loved the book when you first read it, it’s still there for your perusal. But that doesn’t mean the TV series is bad, because it’s not. In fact, it’s very good. And, if you look closely, you’ll see that most of my characters are still there, although some have been combined and others have changed jobs. That’s also true of the big stuff, like the supermarket riot, the reason for all that propane storage, and the book’s thematic concerns with diminishing resources.

Many of the changes wrought by Brian K. Vaughan and his team of writers have been of necessity, and I approved of them wholeheartedly. Some have been occasioned by their plan to keep the Dome in place over Chester’s Mill for months instead of little more than a week, as is the case in the book. Other story modifications are slotting into place because the writers have completely re-imagined the source of the Dome.

That such a re-imagining had to take place was my only serious concern when the series was still in the planning stages, and that concern was purely practical. If the solution to the mystery were the same on TV as in the book, everyone would know it in short order, which would spoil a lot of the fun (besides, plenty of readers didn’t like my solution, anyway). By the same token, it would spoil things if you guys knew the arcs of the characters in advance. Some who die in the book—Angie, for instance—live in the TV version of Chester’s Mill…at least for awhile. And some who live in the book may not be as lucky during the run of the show. Just sayin’.

Listen, I’ve always been a situational writer. My idea of what to do with a plot is to shoot it before it can breed. It’s true that when I start a story, I usually have a general idea of where it’s going to finish up, but in many cases I end up in a different place entirely (for instance, I fully expected Ben Mears to die at the end of ’Salem’s Lot, and Susannah Dean was supposed to pop off at the end of Song of Susannah). “The book is the boss,” Alfred Bester used to say, and what that means to me is the situation is the boss. If you play fair with the characters—and let them play their parts according to their strengths and weaknesses—you can never go wrong. It’s impossible.

There’s only one element of my novel that absolutely had to be the same in the novel and the show, and that’s the Dome itself. It’s best to think of that novel and what you’re seeing week-to-week on CBS as a case of fraternal twins. Both started in the same creative womb, but you will be able to tell them apart. Or, if you’re of a sci-fi bent, think of them as alternate versions of the same reality.

As for me, I’m enjoying the chance to watch that alternate reality play out; I still think there’s no place like Dome.

As for you, Constant Reader, feel free to take the original down from your bookshelf anytime you want. Nothing between the covers has changed a bit.

Comic Con will be Under the Dome

Posted: June 28, 2013, 11:22
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On Sunday, July 21, fans are invited to join the cast and producers of this summer’s critically acclaimed series Under the Dome at Comic-Con 2013.

SUNDAY, JULY 21:
UNDER THE DOME
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM
Hashtag: #DomeSDCC

The dome has descended upon Chester’s Mill and there is no way in or no way out! Get a sneak peek of what’s in store for the town and its residents as they become sealed off from the rest of the world in this summer’s critically acclaimed series based on the bestselling book by Stephen King, from Amblin Television. Stars Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Mike Vogel (Bates Motel) and Rachelle Lefevre (Twilight) will be joined by executive producers Brian K. Vaughan (Lost) and Neal Baer (Law & Order: SVU). Norris, Vogel and Lefevre will participate in an exclusive autograph signing following the panel at the CBS Interactive Booth at 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM on the convention floor.

The Dark Man winner is...

Posted: June 28, 2013, 08:11
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The Dark Man contest is over and here are the correct answers.

1. What is the release date for The Dark Man?
- July 30, 2013

2. On facebook I posted this question “How would you like to win a copy of The Dark Man?” from what facebook page did I share the cover? (you might have to scroll down a bit for this one...)
- Lilja Says

3. How expensive is the most expensive edition of The Dark Man?
- $1750

The winner and lucky owner to be of a copy of the slipcased Trade Hardcover of The Dark Man when it’s released from Cemetery Dance is Casey R. Kelly! Congratulations!

Under the Dome episode 2

Posted: June 27, 2013, 11:28
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“The Fire” – While the residents of Chester’s Mill face the uncertainty of life in the dome, panic is heightened when a house goes up in flames and their fire department is outside of the dome, on UNDER THE DOME, Monday, July 1 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Click for a larger image

Tribute to Richard Matheson

Posted: June 26, 2013, 13:06
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Tribute to Richard Matheson
June 25th, 2013 12:26:18 pm

We've lost one of the giants of the fantasy and horror genres. From THE BEARDLESS WARRIORS,
his brilliant (and largely unread) World War II novel, to THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN and
all the wonderful TWILIGHT ZONE scripts and stories, Matheson fired the imaginations of three
generations of writers. Without his I AM LEGEND, there would have been no NIGHT OF THE
LIVING DEAD; without NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, there would have been no WALKING DEAD,
28 DAYS LATER, or WORLD WAR Z. Matheson wrote the script for Steven Spielberg's
extraordinary film, DUEL, and created one of the most brain-freezingly frightening haunted
house novels of the 20th century in HELL HOUSE. He fired my imagination by placing his
horrors not in European castles and Lovecraftian universes, but in American scenes I knew
and could relate to. "I want to do that," I thought. "I must do that." Matheson showed the
way. In addition to that, he was a gentleman who was always willing to give a young writer
a hand up. I will miss his kindness and erudition. He lived a full life, raised a fine family,
and gave us unforgettable stories, novels, TV shows, and movies. That's good. Nevertheless,
I mourn his loss. A uniquely American voice has been silenced.

Stephen King

Casting news for Good Marriage

Posted: June 24, 2013, 12:15
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Daily Dead just reported this exciting casting news for A Good Marriage

It has been revealed that Theo Stockman (pictured below) is part of the cast, playing the son in the family the story revolves around. According to THR, he’s “a man who made a name for himself in the advertising world and is enjoying his newfound success.” Stockman has appeared on a number of TV shows, including 30 Rock, CSI and Nurse Jackie. He’s also known for his Broadway work, including his appearance in American Idiot.

My weekend with Dexter

Posted: June 24, 2013, 12:14
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I have spent the weekend with Dexter. You know the guy who works as a forensics expert for Miami police during the day and moonlights as a serial killer during the night. Well, on June 30 the 8th and last season premiers but I was lucky enough to get a press kit this past Thursday and to my joy it didn’t just include the first episode but the first four episodes of season 8. Off course I had no intention to hold of seeing them. Instead I saw them all this weekend and even though I’m no closer to figuring out how it will all end I loved every minute of it. The only downside is that now I have to wait until July 28 for a new episode…

Click for a larger image

Click for a larger image


Thanks to Ari

New review book

Posted: June 19, 2013, 12:11
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Twenty-First Century King
by Bev Vincent

About the Book:
Since the turn of the century, Bev Vincent, author of The Stephen King Illustrated Companion and The Road to the Dark Tower, has been reviewing the works of Stephen King. These reviews have been published in a variety of venues, including Onyx Reviews, The Essential Stephen King, FEARnet, the Conroe Courier, and Cemetery Dance magazine.

Twenty-First Century King collects these reviews for the first time, starting with Riding the Bullet, King's first published work after his near-fatal accident in 1999. The twenty-one reviews (amounting to nearly 21,000 words) cover works of non-fiction, collections, collaborations, pseudonymous works and novels, including five books from the Dark Tower series.

Order here and check out an interview with Bev from the Lilja & Lou Podcast.

Golden Years re-released

Posted: June 19, 2013, 11:11
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Did you know that King did a TV series called Golden Years? Well he did. Back in 1991 CBS aired 7 episodes before the series was canceled. Needless to say the ending of the series was very disappointing so for the VHS release (back then most releases were on VHS) they did a different ending that, even if it gave you something close to a closure was pretty bad. Most releases was also shortened from 416 minutes to 236.

The original series with seven episodes has been released on a DVD from The Netherlands but that’s the only place I have seen it. My guess is that this re-release is the shorter version. Here is a trailer…

Rachelle Lefevre at HuffPost Live

Posted: June 18, 2013, 07:51
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So, for those of you that didn’t catch it live, here’s the “HuffPost Live” segment with actress Rachelle Lefevre who plays Julia Shumway in Under the Dome. Rachelle was great even though my own performance was somewhat mediocre. I totally misjudged the lightning you need for a thing like this and like the host Jacob Soboroff says, it looks foggy in Sweden :-) The sound acted up as well but in the end I managed to ask Rachelle my question and I’m happy I got the chance to join in! I appear about 9.5 minutes into the segment.

Rachelle Lefevre interview tonight!

Posted: June 17, 2013, 23:46
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OK so this evening HuffPost Live will be sitting down with actress Rachelle Lefevre who plays Julia Shumway in Under the Dome for an interview and they invited me to join them…and I will. We’ll be live 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT so check us out here!

President Obama not Under the Dome

Posted: June 17, 2013, 11:20
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Apparently CBS originally used a speech delivered by President Obama in the pilot for Under the Dome but then got concerns about using actual audio in this specific fictional context and decided to edit it out.

Audio from a President Obama speech delivered in the wake of Hurricane Sandy had been used in an episode of CBS ‘s Under The Dome but has since been cut, the network confirms. “The audio of the President in the final scene will change,” said CBS in an official statement. “The scene cleared broadcast standards, but both Amblin TV and CBS had concerns about using actual audio in this specific fictional context.” The Stephen King adaptation premiering June 24 follows the residents of a small town that becomes isolated from the outside world by an invisible barrier. The Obama clip had been briefly integrated into fictional news reports on the events within the show at the end of the episode. The version sent to critics for review two weeks ago was not final. CBS and Amblin Entertainment opted to edit out the audio on Thursday.

Episode 19 - We Buddy Up With Writer Bev Vincent

Posted: June 17, 2013, 00:06
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Episode 19 - Lilja & Lou Buddy Up With Bev Vincent & His Dark Tower Companion - of the Lilja & Lou Podcast is now out.


This one features an in depth interview with writer Bev Vincent and his recent King book - The Dark Tower Companion.  Be sure to check it out as there are lots of NEW Dark Tower goodies you are probably not aware of. Bev discovered these goodies during interviews with Ron Howard, Akiva Goldman, & Stephen King.


We hope you will all enjoy this episode and as usual we want to hear from you, good or bad, we want it all!


You can leave us comments, questions, topic suggestions at:


1) FaceBook - Lilja's Library


2) Twitter - @LiljaLouPodcast - please use the hashtag #LiljaLouPodcast


3) Audio Message - Speak Pipe widget on the right hand of the podcast page (send voicemail)



In this podcast:

1) 00:56 - Lilja and Lou Intro.


2) 01:45 - In The Death Room: Stephen King News


3) 12:34 - Reviews from The Night Shift: The Dark Tower Companion with writer Bev Vincent


4) 51:16 - Preview for next podcast and Signoff


 


Intro Music - Don't Fear The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult


Outro Music - Stand By Me - Ben E. King


 


Listen here or on iTunes.


 


RSS Feed - RSS.



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Hand-drawn Dark Man illustration

Posted: June 14, 2013, 23:44
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Cemetery Dance decided to try something a little different for the Deluxe Lettered Edition of The Dark Man. Each copy of the Lettered Edition from Cemetery Dance Publications includes a hand-drawn Dark Man illustration by Glenn Chadbourne that will be tipped into the front of the book. Read and see more here.

King's report from Under the Dome

Posted: June 14, 2013, 14:49
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The new issue of EW (out today) might be worth checking out...

For more on Superman’s history and his most recent reincarnation — Plus, Stephen King’s report from the set of his new CBS series, Under the Dome — check out this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly, on newsstands Friday, June 14.

Ghost tour

Posted: June 14, 2013, 13:13
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Looks like Ghost Brothers of Darkland County will be in a different format when it tours...

It's being done as a radio play format, i.e. instead of a play with sets as it was done in Atlanta, the actors will read their lines and sing the songs as though it was being broadcast to a radio audience and will be backed up by a live band. That is necessary because the tour is being done very quickly from one city to the next and this will save production time and costs to not have to do the stage set ups.

Special feature

Interview with Stephen King 2007
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

Interview with Stephen King 2008
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

Stephen King in London, UK 2006
Stephen King in London, UK 2006 (in Swedish)
Stephen King in Hamburg, Germany 2013
Stephen King in New York, USA 2017

King calendar

Out Now!:
Stephen King: Not Just Horror (US ed.)
March 2024:
Shining in the Dark (Turkish ed.)
Spring:
The Extra Hour (short in CD #79
2024:
Stephen King: Not Just Horror (Czech ed.)
2024:
Stephen King: Not Just Horror (German ed.)
May 21, 2024:
You Like It Darker
2024:
Stephen King: Not Just Horror (Greek ed.)
2024:
Salem’s Lot
2025:
Welcome To Derry

Latest interviews

Angelina Kekish
February 16, 2021
Aaron Haye
February 15, 2021
Eli Roth
October 5, 2020

Latest reviews

Stephen King’s Maine: A History & Guide
April 11, 2024
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
September 28, 2023
Holly
September 5, 2023

Release list

A complete and updated list of evereything upcoming or rumoured, with or without release dates.

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King's best book

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