New E-book: Mile 81

[DanishCollector]

According to Miss Mod at King's MB, there will be an announcement of a new King project this Monday. Something inside me feels it could be news about the Afterlife comic project, or it could perhaps be Discordia round 2 (although I doubt it) or something else entirely.

[Ari_Racing]

I doubt it'll be Discordia II. Looking forward to know more.

[herbertwest]

well... GHOSTS BROTHERS tickets go on sale on monday, so... it is something else?

[DanishCollector]

It's not about Ghost Brothers, it's about a brand-new project of some sort. My bet is Afterlife but we'll see

[mae]

Another new novel? :excited:

[Bev Vincent]

We're still waiting for Scribner to announce The Wind Through the Keyhole. I doubt they'd go farther downstream than that.

[Ari_Racing]

Yes, I imagine it'll have to be with a comic, because I think it's the first time we know of the next two novels to be published.

[jhanic]

We're still waiting for Scribner to announce The Wind Through the Keyhole. I doubt they'd go farther downstream than that.

I hadn't heard that Scribner was going to co-publish The Wind Through the Keyhole. I've only heard that it will be a Donald M. Grant publication.

John

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

... and Hodder in the UK.

[Ari_Racing]

I seriously doubt that Hodder and Scribner WON'T publish DT 4.5

[jhanic]

Hodder has already announced that they would be publishing Wind (I already have a copy on pre-order from Amazon.co.uk.) Nothing from Scribner (yet!).

John

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

I can't find WIND on Amazon.com.uk John. What exact title did you use to find it? I'd like to pre-order one also.

[jhanic]

My mistake--I pre-ordered 11.22.63, not Wind. Sorry. I guess I'm getting more forgetful in my old age!

John

[Bev Vincent]

I can't imagine Scribner not publishing Wind. I'm assuming they haven't announced it because they don't want to step on 11/22/63.

[CRinVA]

Hm..... so I went to the Official SK Message Board to see if anything was posted. Ms Mod actually says to keep an eye on the SK Home Page for an announcement "the week of" July 11th so perhaps it will not be today but tomorrow or the next day! Food for thought!

[DanishCollector]

Ah, true, I forgot that; damn I've been bursting with excitement all day.

[Darkthoughts]

The only announcement from the SKMB that will have me jumping for joy would be the third Jack Sawyer tale being written, published...even started!! :D

[Randall Flagg]

Perhaps it is the Scribner announcement that the book hits the streets 4/3/2012

http://books.simonandschuster.com/Wind-Through-the-Keyhole/Stephen-King/9781442346970?cp_type=ea&custd=360362&mcd=ea&view_pc_site=1

[jhanic]

Here's the link for the Scribner hardcover:

http://books.simonandschuster.com/Wind-Through-the-Keyhole/Stephen-King/9781451658903

John

[Ari_Racing]

I don't think it's the announcement. Mainly because it was not announced yet on sk.com official website.

[herbertwest]

You're right... it isnt... as she is talking about my book!




(kidding.)

[DanishCollector]

I knew it! Herbert is Stephen King:)

[ICry4Oy]

Don't see it on sk.com yet but it must be TWTTK because Cemetery Dance sent the preorder email out.

[DanishCollector]

But it isn't exactly a new project.

[ICry4Oy]

True.

[Ari_Racing]

Scribner announced today a NEW eBook coming from King, September 1st of this year! Called Mile 81, the ebook will be novella-length - 80 pages - at a price of $2.99

http://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/book_images/cvr9781451665604_9781451665604.jpg

The official website:
http://books.simonandschuster.com/Mile-81/Stephen-King/9781451665604

[biomieg]

Ooooh I like it!

[Ari_Racing]

The announcement:

http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/showthread.php?12780-New-E-book-Mile-81&p=627343#post627343

[DanishCollector]

Me too but so far I can't find much info about it. What it's about. It isn't on King's site yet so I'm wondering if this new e-book is the announcement after all...mayhap there's something else coming?

[WeDealInLead]

Hopefully there will be a collection coming out in the near future with UR and this in it.

[DanishCollector]

There will...Riding the Bullet was also an e-book original and was collected in Everything's Eventual.

[Ricky]

For those of us without Kindles or iPads, is it possible to just download as a PDF, save it to the computer, etc.?

[Ben Staad]

For those of us without Kindles or iPads, is it possible to just download as a PDF, save it to the computer, etc.?

I hope we can download as a PDF. My reading comprehension and eyes enjoy reading print on paper much better!

[Bev Vincent]

Even if you can't, you can download the free Kindle app on your PC and read it that way.

[ICry4Oy]

I hope we can download as a PDF. My reading comprehension and eyes enjoy reading print on paper much better!

YES! Same here.

[jhanic]

Even if you can't, you can download the free Kindle app on your PC and read it that way.

Bev, for non-tech types like me (I don't even own a cell phone), where do we get this app?

John

[Ari_Racing]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311

[Bev Vincent]

What he said! :thumbsup:

[Darkday]

Scribner announced today a NEW eBook coming from King, September 1st of this year! Called Mile 81, the ebook will be novella-length - 80 pages - at a price of $2.99
I wonder if this means 80 pages on a Kindle, or 80 conventional pages.

[jhanic]

Thanks, Ari (and Bev too!)

John

[Ari_Racing]

Well...more news today. This was posted an hour ago at the official website:


The project announcement has been postponed until Monday morning. (7/18/11)

[jhanic]

Somebody obviously forgot to tell Scribner!

John

[DanishCollector]

If it's even about Mile 81. But we'll see.

[Bev Vincent]

At Mile 81 on the Maine Turnpike is a boarded up rest stop, a place where place where high school kids drink and get into the kind of trouble high school kids have always gotten into. It’s the place where Pete Simmons goes when his older brother, who’s supposed to be looking out for him, heads off to the gravel pit to play “paratroopers over the side.”

Pete, armed only with the magnifying glass he got for his tenth birthday, finds a discarded bottle of vodka in the boarded up burger shack and drinks enough to pass out.

Not much later, a mud-covered station wagon (which is strange because there hadn’t been any rain in New England for over a week) veers into the Mile 81 rest area, ignoring the sign that says “closed, no services.” The driver’s door opens but nobody gets out.

Doug Clayton, an insurance man from Bangor, is driving his Prius to a conference in Portland. On the backseat are his briefcase and suitcase and in the passenger bucket is a King James Bible, what Doug calls “the ultimate insurance manual,” but it isn’t going to save Doug when he decides to be the Good Samaritan and help the guy in the broken down wagon. He pulls up behind it, puts on his four-ways, and then notices that the wagon has no plates.

Ten minutes later, Julianne Vernon, pulling a horse trailer, spots the Prius and the wagon, and pulls over. Julianne finds Doug Clayton’s cracked cell phone near the wagon door – and gets too close herself. By the time Pete Simmons wakes up from his vodka nap, there are a half a dozen cars at the Mile 81 rest stop. Two kids – Rachel and Blake Lussier –and one horse named Deedee are the only living left. Unless you maybe count the wagon.

With the heart of Stand By Me and the genius horror of Christine, Mile 81 is Stephen unleashing his imagination as he drives past one of those road signs...

Includes an excerpt from 11/22/63

>>> Source (http://www.stephenking.com/promo/mile_81/)

[jhanic]

This sounds a bit similar to a story King said he contemplated--a women's room at the airport where the women go in, leaving their significant others outside waiting for them, but none ever come back out!

John

[DanishCollector]

Sounds very intriguing but the promo reveals too much, IMO

[DanishCollector]

Shades of From a Buick 8

[mikeC]

Sounds awesome. glad it's not about eminem...

[Brainslinger]

Looks very interesting! I agree the promo gives away a bit too much.

[Ben Mears]

With the heart of Stand By Me and the genius horror of Christine, Mile 81 is Stephen unleashing his imagination as he drives past one of those road signs...

>>> Source (http://www.stephenking.com/promo/mile_81/)

Interesting that SK's own website would reference the movie name (Stand By Me) over the actual name (The Body) of his story.

[CRinVA]

It is Mile 81 according to the "official" sk site. There is a small synopsis included. Intriguing to say the least. While the blurb says with the heart of Stand By Me and the genius horror of Christine, but I see some From a Buick 8 in there! Also it will contain an excerpt from 11/23/63! I'll definitely be buying this ebook and reading with my pc version of kindle!

[SkippyD023]

Found this interesting and thought I would share.

I was reading Dreamcatcher tonight and Mile 81 is mentioned, "Pulling out of the Mile 81 rest area..."

[Randall Flagg]

Nice catch!

[mae]

http://www.liljas-library.com/article.php?id=2445

In the US iTune store you can get a short preview of Mile 81.

[Ari_Racing]

Can't access the US iTunes.

Fuck!

[Lilja]

You can if you get an US account Ari.

Lilja

[Ari_Racing]

Yes, but I'm unable to do it. It doesn't take my paypal account, so I can't register :(

[Lilja]

You don't have to add paypal or a credit card to creat an account.

Lilja

[Ari_Racing]

How's that? When I tried it requires that!
:S

[Lilja]

Maybe they have changed that now. You didn't need to earlier.

Lilja

[Bev Vincent]

StephenKing.com is proud to announce a bold partnership with Klout.com and Scribner to bring our users an early giveaway of Stephen's new e-book, Mile 81. After submitting their information on the page located at this link (http://www.stephenking.com/promo/mile_81_giveaway/), a select number of entrants will be chosen at random to receive a free digital copy of Mile 81 six days before its release on September 1st. Good luck!

[Lilja]

It's only open to people living in the US though :-(


The giveaway will not require fans to be a member of Klout and is open to all users of StephenKing.com within the United States who are 18 or over.

Lilja

[jhanic]

I've entered.

John

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

It's only open to people living in the US though :-(


The giveaway will not require fans to be a member of Klout and is open to all users of StephenKing.com within the United States who are 18 or over.

Lilja

They don't know where you are from just by your email address. The file will be sent electronically to that email address.

[Lilja]

Yeah but they the rules are crystal clear. The contest is only open to people in the US.

Lilja

[you ever seen a ghost?]

i'm not gonna tell.

-justin

[Lilja]

Haha, thanks!

Lilja

[Ricky]

I entered as well.

[herbertwest]

It's only open to people living in the US though :-(


The giveaway will not require fans to be a member of Klout and is open to all users of StephenKing.com within the United States who are 18 or over.

Lilja

They don't know where you are from just by your email address. The file will be sent electronically to that email address.

In the worst case, proxies exists... just saying.. means less "competition" if non-american enters it! ;-)


KLOUT is everywhere though recently.. even though it's truly useless and just a "score"..

[Lilja]

So, the Mile 81 contest is over, did anyone of you get a copy?

Lilja

[Ben Staad]

So, the Mile 81 contest is over, did anyone of you get a copy?

Lilja

I just checked and I didn't receive an email :(

[Lilja]

Well, it might be to early for the mails still so there might be a chance.

Lilja

[Ben Staad]

I'm not sure if it is to early. Since I am not a "computer" guy I think I always forget that these things don't just happen automatically...I think someone has to push a button first :)

[Lilja]

Might be. I think though that Klout is located in San Fransisco and the day hasn't started there yet :-)

Lilja

[jhanic]

No email for me.

John

[Ricky]

If they sent them out, I didn't get one either.

[Bev Vincent]

One of my friends on Facebook posted that she won a copy.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

From the Mod at SKMB

"We had a little over 1,000 entries but had to eliminate approx. 200 of them because they didn't come from the U.S."

[Ben Staad]

I Pm'ed Ms. Mod and she thought they "may" do the drawing later today. This was at 11:44 EST...

[jhanic]

So there's still a chance. It's not like I can't afford to come up with $2.99, but I like the idea of getting it ahead of the regular release.

John

[Bev Vincent]

I guess the person who posted about in on FB got their copy as an pre-existing Klout member then.

[Ben Staad]

I guess the person who posted about in on FB got their copy as an pre-existing Klout member then.

Who knows? Like John said it would be cool to win a copy ahead of the official release but really even I can swing $2.99!

[Lilja]

Just so you non US fans know. The second copy the winner gets is also blocked for us. :-(

Lilja

[iowabob]

Just received the following message:

"Congratulations, Robert! You are one of the winners of the Mile 81 E-Book Giveaway!"

:::gloat:::

[Cook]

Just received the following message:

"Congratulations, Robert! You are one of the winners of the Mile 81 E-Book Giveaway!"

:::gloat:::

Congratulations Robert !
I missed out completely on the drawing... Damn

[Ricky]

Congratulations!

(jealous)

[jhanic]

Congratulations, Bob! I guess I didn't win.

John

[Ben Staad]

Congrats Mr. Bob!

[costanza]

I was one of this seasons big winners too! w00t!

[herbertwest]

Just so you non US fans know. The second copy the winner gets is also blocked for us. :-(

Lilja

Really? I asked someone at Klout which told me that :
"Unfortunately, this Perk is only available to US residents only. There is a passalong aspect of the campaign, so if you are able to get in contact with someone who was invited to participate, they can share the invite with you. However, they are only limited to ONE share per person."

[mae]

http://www.fearnet.com/news/reviews/b23694_book_review_stephen_kings_mile_81.html

In an essay titled "The Horror Writer and the Ten Bears," Stephen King not only lists the ten best fears – "bears" – on which a horror writer can reliably base stories, but also the best markets for those writers. Though apocalyptically out of date – the essay first appeared in Writer's Digest in 1973 before being reprinted in Tim Underwood and Chuck Miller's Kingdom of Fear and King's own collection, Secret Windows – "Ten Bears" remains an interesting glimpse into the state of horror and King's own career immediately before Carrie appeared. In the essay, King specifically cites Doug Allen and Nye Willden of Cavalier magazine: "both … are warm and helpful, and if your story is good, they'll publish it."

It's no mistake, then, that "Mile 81," King's latest e-publishing venture, is dedicated to them. Most of King's early Cavalier stories – "Trucks," "The Boogeyman," "Gray Matter," "Suffer the Little Children," "The Mangler," "I am the Doorway," and more – are simple, classic horror stories, focusing on character over plot, and inexplicable elements King doesn't always bother to explain. (When King turned "Trucks" into Maximum Overdrive, did it help the story any to learn that the vehicles came to life because of a comet?) "Mile 81" works the same way, using the same basic devices, and it's similarly effective. Like King's recent "The Little Green God of Agony," "Mile 81" tries to be nothing more or less than a good, scary story, told well.

Superficially, King seems to be borrowing on his past. There's a nasty car at the center of "Mile 81," and though its powers are somewhat different than that of Christine or the Roadmaster in From a Buick 8, King is absolutely working with the same tools (a character even mentions Christine at one point). The car isn't really the point, but the supernatural elements never are; case in point, King published five novels between 1974 and 1980 that featured characters with wild talents, and all of them were significantly different stories. It all comes down to character, and beyond anything, "Mile 81" works as a prime example in how to create real, fleshed-out characters in just a few paragraphs. Some of the people who approach the car – their mistake – are only "onscreen" for a few pages, yet we understand their motivations, their habits, their irritations, and the reasons why they stop to investigate the inexplicable. We know them so well, and they all seem like such nice people, it's almost unbearable to watch them die. That's part of what distinguishes "Mile 81" from Christine and From a Buick 8: Christine was fueled by rage and the Buick by the very nature of mystery. The car here plays on basic human kindness to do its dirty work; it's the kindness of strangers (and sometimes concern for loved ones) that dooms almost everyone in this story.

Some of King's other themes are at work here, chief among them is the triumph of belief over experience. Children and their unquestioning faith in the supernatural crops up all over King's canon ('Salem's Lot, It, Desperation) and they're put to good use here. In fact, Pete Simmons – our ten-year-old hero – sort of reminds us of Mark Petrie in 'Salem's Lot in his ability to believe in the uncanny … but also possessing the smarts and ingenuity to deal with the sudden reality of it.

A few lesser points: King's emerging comfort with technology as a way to color the world of the story (as with computer crosswords in Bag of Bones and mentions of Twitter in Full Dark, No Stars' "Big Driver"), as opposed to being the point of the story (like cell phones in Cell, or the pink Kindle in "Ur"), continues to keep these stories feeling like a reflection of the times rather than a reaction against them. Here, a policeman uses an iPad with no (direct) ill effects, and new verbs like "DVR-ing" provide casual verisimilitude. The number 19, important to the Dark Tower series, is again highlighted, which is either exciting or wearying, depending on the reader's level of Tower fatigue. Some very early scenes featuring young Pete Simmons seem a little forced, mostly regarding his internal slang (current parlance has "dope" meaning the exact opposite of what Pete thinks), but these are niggling nitpicks; Pete's a fun, interesting character to get to know, and we're rewarded for our time by discovering he's a pretty decent kid, too.

As for the method of publication, it really, honestly, doesn't matter. Read it on your Kindle, your iPad, your Nook, your phone. Wait for the print version, or the audio version. How you read this story is a non-issue. As always, what matters is whether the story is good, and "Mile 81" is: an engrossing, creepy, traditional horror story that pulls you along like the best of Stephen King's fiction.

[Brainslinger]

Wish I hadn't read that about Mile 81. Mainly the fact that a car is the main antagonist, of sorts.

Never mind. I'm sure I'll still enjoy the story as there's plenty else I don't know.

[Bev Vincent]

The story is another example about how King can create vivid characters with a few well placed brush strokes.

[herbertwest]

As an european... where the f**** can i buy MILE 81?

Amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.fr..... hodder's website... doesnt allow me to buy the story... any idea?

[jhanic]

I didn't really have a problem getting it for the Kindle PC from Amazon.com. What happens when you try?

John

[biomieg]

I'm also in Europe and I will try to download it tonight when I get home from work. I'll report back when I know more (John, sometimes these downloads are restricted to the US).

[Clacke]

As an european... where the f**** can i buy MILE 81?

Amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.fr..... hodder's website... doesnt allow me to buy the story... any idea?

It's ridiculous! I don't know what's going on! Even Waterstones, where I buy all my ebooks, have blocked me from buying it, saying I'm from outside the permitted territory to buy the download! (which I'm not - Unfortunately, we can only sell eBooks to customers within the UK and Ireland - I'm in Ireland!)

I eventually found it here: http://www.eason.ie/e_books/9781444732436
Easons are an Irish company so it didn't have any issues with me buying it. You could try it in France. It's credit card payment. It's the epub version,

EDIT: Have since found out that it'll only download to Irish IP addresses. (sorry, Darkday!)

[biomieg]

I am planning to try iTunes. I was looking forward to reading the story this weekend, I hope I can squeeze at least one download through the cracks in the system...

[mae]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005COO1X6/

Amazon.com Review
Stephen King has said it himself: the short story is ailing in America. But with a new story that is part coming-of-age, part paranormal tale, he has helped give the form a boost--and us a reminder of how skillfully he works in a small space. In King’s worlds, peril and disaster often hide in the most ordinary things and places, and in Mile 81, danger lurks at an abandoned rest stop in the author's standard Maine setting. With expert pacing, King allows a short but life-changing journey to unfold for his young protagonist, and the most pedestrian details of the rest stop take on eerie significance with each quickly-turned page: a cut-up chain-link fence surrounding the place, a hollowed-out Burger King left fallow, a door of a filthy car hanging silently “open like an invitation.” Fans will recognize nods to Christine and From a Buick 8, but the destructive force in Mile 81 is even more savage, the horror more faceless and primal. And as one would expect, it’s not just a scary story--it reads, in ways, as parable, his characters at once archetypal and uniquely crafted. Although set in present day, Mile 81 feels timeless---it's a story about good people encountering the terror of the unknowable, and about the courage that innocents must summon in the face of it, when there is no one left to protect them. --Simone Gorrindo

[Darkday]

No luck so far. Amazon.co.uk says "Kindle titles for your country are not available at Amazon.co.uk. Please shop for Kindle titles at Amazon.com."

Amazon.com says "This title is not available for customers from your location in: Europe. Shop titles available for Europe".

I could complete the order at eason.ie, but the download link they sent me does not work, again due to geographic restrictions. Why didn't they check this before debiting my credit card?

Ordering via the Simon & Schuster website didn't work either.

I never had such problems with printed books. Brave new world.

[you ever seen a ghost?]

if anyone knows of a "printable" version, can you please e-mail me (justinpbrooks@gmail.com). when UR came out, there were printable versions (.pdf and .doc) formats floating around. i'm pretty stuck on reading hard copy versions of things. also, it is easier to highlight, make notes, etc.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance!

-justin

[Bev Vincent]

Here's my essay about King & eBooks at FEARNet: King of the eBooks (http://www.fearnet.com/news/b23723_news_from_dead_zone.html)

[biomieg]

Well, I couldn't get one through iTunes either. But a friend on the forum helped me out!

[mae]

I bought the story for my Kindle app on the iPhone but does anyone have a printable version they could share? Reading on the screen is just not my cup of tea at all.

[biomieg]

I just finished reading the story and I loved it! Well done, Mr. King!

[Tito_Villa]

How long is it Michaël?

[herbertwest]

No luck so far. Amazon.co.uk says "Kindle titles for your country are not available at Amazon.co.uk. Please shop for Kindle titles at Amazon.com."
Amazon.com says "This title is not available for customers from your location in: Europe. Shop titles available for Europe".
I could complete the order at eason.ie, but the download link they sent me does not work, again due to geographic restrictions. Why didn't they check this before debiting my credit card?
Ordering via the Simon & Schuster website didn't work either.
I never had such problems with printed books. Brave new world.



Same with me and it pisses me off!

[biomieg]

Tom, it has 42 numbered pages.

[herbertwest]

My contact at Hodder told me that i should be able to order it from their website... but maybe not before tomorrow

[Clacke]

Looks like Amazon.com have made the Kindle version available for download in Europe now.

[Bev Vincent]

How long is it Michaël?

About 17,000 words.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

I must say that I prefer the production values on the US version, rather than the UK one.

First Edition / First Impression Mile 81

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/563/Mile_81.jpg

[Niels]

Mr RT, what are those? Some kind of homemade thing? Because otherwise, me want.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

Mr RT, what are those? Some kind of homemade thing? Because otherwise, me want.

These were given out by the publishers to those not resident in the United States, to make up for the farcical way they handled the distribution of the ebook.

There will be a 750 Limited Edition out next week, but the 26 copy Lettered Edition will not be out until next year, as we are waiting on the slipcases.

[Niels]

Any idea how to get one? (I'm not US resident :D)

[herbertwest]

I am certain that this is homemade by MrRabbitTrick ;-)

[herbertwest]

Hodder's website still doesnt work with me... amazon.com neither
"This title is not available for customers from: Europe"

I am so getting tired of this...

[Ben Mears]

Not one of his better stories.

[herbertwest]

GOT IT you b*st*rd Adobe Digital Ebook !

On twitter someone gave me his details to login on Simon & Schuster's website, where i was able to download it and use it on my laptop!

[jhanic]

Congratulations!

John