`Stephen King’s Secret Pen Name Exposed 40 Years Ago`

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From the early 1980s until about halfway through that decade, the well-known author Stephen King kept a hidden aspect of his writing life under wraps. Despite being widely recognized as one of the most popular writers of the time, churning out bestsellers like “Firestarter,” “Cujo,” and “Christine” every year, there were other books he was penning in secret. In addition to his mainstream success, King was also publishing dark, original works under a different name: Richard Bachman.

King enjoyed success as Bachman, even selling the film rights for one of his novels without revealing his true identity – but all secrets have a way of coming out, and it was exactly 40 years ago this week that he was unmasked for his secretive publishing career.

To mark this peculiar and extraordinary milestone, I’ve prepared a unique edition of “The King Beat” for an immersive journey into the complete narrative of Richard Bachman. We’ll explore the reasons behind his secret persona and uncover how the truth was ultimately revealed. Alongside this fascinating tale, there’s an exclusive offer you won’t want to miss, which will enhance your personal Stephen King library even more! So let’s dive right in!

It Was 40 Years Ago This Week That Stephen King Got Outed As Richard Bachman

Just like a grocery bag collapsing while you’re trying to carry it home in the rain, that’s the situation with Bachman recently.

On February 9, 1985, a quote from Stephen King was the highlight of an article titled “Pseudonym Kept Five King Novels A Mystery” published by Bangor Daily News. This marked the end of a secretive publishing phase that started in 1977 with the release of the controversial book Rage, which was later taken out of print at King’s request. In total, five novels written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman were published before the revelation, including Rage, The Long Walk, Roadwork, The Running Man, and Thinner. The credit for unmasking the author went to Steve Brown, a bookstore clerk from Washington DC who discovered the real author by investigating the copyright holders of the novels.

Why did Stephen King use a pseudonym during his initial phase of immense success? This question has had different answers throughout time. Initially, King stated that he adopted the pen name Richard Bachman due to an overproduction issue. In simpler terms, he was writing books at such a rapid pace that publishers were reluctant to release them all too swiftly for fear of overwhelming or saturating the market.

Later on, Stephen King himself admitted that there were other reasons behind publishing multiple books under a pseudonym. In an essay titled “Why I Was Bachman,” published in the 1985 collection The Bachman Books, he confessed that the deception mirrored his fluctuating confidence in his own talents. Despite achieving best-seller status with novels like Carrie, Salem’s Lot, and The Shining (which gained even more success due to film and TV adaptations), King questioned if his popularity had reached a level of self-perpetuation: were his books selling based on their inherent quality or because of his reputation?

In the realm of Stephen King’s literary production, the novels attributed to Richard Bachman constitute some of the bleaker pieces, and they are significant as they were among the first that he completed writing. The novel “The Long Walk” is acknowledged as the initial work he penned, having begun it during his freshman year at the University of Maine. After revealing his true identity, King “killed off” Bachman, referring to it as a case of “pseudonym cancer.” However, this character hasn’t completely vanished; instead, in 1996, King published a pair of novels with mirrored themes, crediting himself for one (“Desperation”) and acknowledging Bachman as the author of the other (“The Regulators”). Roughly a decade later, in 2007, King rediscovered an unpublished novel titled “Blaze” that he had written previously and published it under the name Richard Bachman.

Previously hinted, the world of Richard Bachman caught attention when producer Rob Cohen acquired the film rights for “The Running Man” without realizing the author’s hidden identity. However, by the time Arnold Schwarzenegger’s movie was released in 1987, the cat was out of the bag. So far, only two of Bachman’s novels have graced the silver screen – “The Running Man” in 1987 and “Thinner” in 1996. But hold onto your hats, fans! In the upcoming months, you’ll get to witness writer/director Edgar Wright’s remake of “The Running Man,” starring Glenn Powell and touted as a truer adaptation than the ’87 version, and filmmaker Francis Lawrence has wrapped up production on the first big-screen adaptation of “The Long Walk” – promised to be an intense cinematic journey.

To this day, “The Regulators”, “Blaze” and “Road Work” are among the few Stephen King novels that haven’t been turned into films or TV shows yet. However, if the upcoming adaptations of Bachman’s works prove to be blockbuster hits, it could potentially prompt a shift in this situation. Each of these titles has previously been in pre-production as a movie or television project, so it might only be a matter of time before they make their way onto our screens as live-action productions.

Looking To Pre-Order Stephen King’s Never Flinch? Barnes & Noble Has A Deal You Should Check Out

That’s enough looking into the past; let’s take a brief gander into the immediate future, shall we?

Within just a couple of months, fans can anticipate reading Stephen King’s latest work as “Never Flinch” hits the shelves. This novel is the newest addition to the adventures of detective Holly Gibney, following titles such as “Mr. Mercedes”, “Finders Keepers”, “End Of Watch”, “The Outsider”, the novella “If It Bleeds” and “Holly”. The story revolves around a dangerous stalker and a lethal mission of revenge, making it an exhilarating read. Pre-orders have been available for some time now (the book was officially announced last October), but if you haven’t yet purchased the novel, there’s currently a limited-time offer that might interest you.

For a brief period, Barnes & Noble premium and loyalty program members can take advantage of an exclusive offer on forthcoming books due to the store’s ongoing pre-order promotion. By using the code “PREORDER25” on eligible titles scheduled for release in the near future, you’ll receive a 25% discount on your total purchase (and if you’re a premium member, enjoy an extra 10% savings). This offer encompasses physical books, eBooks, and audiobooks, but to emphasize, we’re focusing on Stephen King’s works in this article.

Slated for publication on May 27th, the book titled “Never Flinch” by Stephen King offers two intertwined narratives that heavily utilize the investigative prowess of Holly Gibney. In one storyline, she is tasked with serving as a bodyguard for a women’s rights advocate dealing with a threatening stalker, while in another, she assists the police in tracking down an individual seeking revenge on 14 specific targets due to a perceived miscarriage of justice. Pre-orders for the hardcover, eBook, or audiobook version can be placed at Barnes & Noble.

Apart from the reduced-price edition of “Never Flinch,” Stephen King enthusiasts can anticipate new paperback versions of several King books like “Holly,” “Misery,” “Firestarter,” “The Dead Zone,” “You Like It Darker,” and “Full Dark, No Stars.” These are scheduled to be released in the upcoming months. Interestingly, the Barnes & Noble coupon is expected to be applicable for these titles as well. As a bonus, you can also pre-order a discounted copy of “The End Of The World As We Know It,” an upcoming collection featuring multiple authors writing short stories set within the universe of King’s epic supernatural pandemic novel “The Stand” (set to hit stores on August 19).

The pre-order special offer concludes on February 7, 2025. To grab this opportunity, remember that delaying your decision might cause you to miss out on it since it’s an offer that doesn’t allow much time for contemplation.

Wrapping up for this week on The King Beat, but rest assured there’s always more news about Stephen King! Join me here at TopMob next Thursday for a new installment filled with updates on the prolific author. In the meantime, explore the complete history of King in film and television through my series Adapting Stephen King, or catch up on all the upcoming Hollywood projects based on his works using our guide Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV.

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2025-02-06 20:07