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Stephen King headed to FSU
Stephen King headed to FSU
By Mark Hinson
DEMOCRAT SENIOR WRITER
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Russo (“Empire Falls") has canceled his upcoming reading Feb. 21 as the literary star of this year's Seven Days of Opening Nights arts festival at Florida State.
But wait until you get a load of Russo's last-minute replacement.
Stephen King, who is possibly the most widely-read writer in the country, agreed to cover for Russo with an appearance as part of Seven Days on Feb. 26.
"(King) said he could make it on that date, and we just lucked up," FSU creative-writing professor and "The Godfather Returns" novelist Mark Winegardner said Friday. "We knew we were really asking a favor. ... There's a short list of writers who could step into Rick's shoes."
The sudden substitution left Seven Days organizers scrambling with logistics on Friday afternoon.
"All the Richard Russo tickets already sold will be honored at the King appearance," FSU Special Projects Coordinator Fran Conaway said. "But there are a huge amount of decisions yet to be made about ticket sales and locale."
King tickets are expected to go on sale early next week - most likely by Tuesday or Wednesday.
"We urge people not to start calling immediately because we're just not ready yet to handle it," Conaway said.
Russo, who last visited FSU in February 1998 before he won the Pulitzer, was forced to nix his Seven Days visit because of a family medical crisis. King and Russo both live and write in Maine.
"I've never met King, but he's good friends with him (Russo)," Winegardner said. "That helped."
"We're really excited that someone of King's caliber is coming to the festival, but we're also very sorry about losing Richard Russo," Conaway said.
"My friend (the novelist) Jonathan Lethem likes to joke that there's two kinds of famous," said Winegardner, who gave his wife credit with coming up with the idea of a last-minute writer substitute. "There's writer-famous and then there's famous-famous. Stephen King is one of the few writers who is definitely famous-famous."
King has also agreed to meet with graduate students from FSU's film school and Creative Writing Program.
"He will give an informal master class for our grad students - something he really didn't have to do," Winegardner said. King's lengthy list of best-selling books includes "Carrie," "The Stand," "The Shining," "The Dead Zone," "It" and "Pet Sematary." His writing has been adapted for numerous films including "Stand By Me," "Hearts in Atlantis," "Dolores Claiborne," "Cujo" and "Apt Pupil." Director Stanley Kubrick's screen version of "The Shining" released in 1980 is often cited by critics as being one of the best horror movies ever made.
The Seven Days festival kicks off Thursday with the Prism II: Special Edition II concert featuring various FSU bands and a finale by the Marching Chiefs. Other Seven Days concerts include jazz musician Pat Metheny (Friday), Philadanco dance troupe (Saturday), Momix dance company (Feb. 20), singer Al Jarreau (Feb. 21), writer-broadcaster Garrison Keillor (Feb. 22), folk singer Arlo Guthrie (Feb. 24), classical pianist-radio host Christopher O'Riley (Feb. 25) and country legend Willie Nelson (Feb. 28).
The shows by Keillor, Guthrie and Nelson have sold out. For ticket information on the other concerts, call 644-6500 or visit www.sevendays festival.org.
By Mark Hinson
DEMOCRAT SENIOR WRITER
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Russo (“Empire Falls") has canceled his upcoming reading Feb. 21 as the literary star of this year's Seven Days of Opening Nights arts festival at Florida State.
But wait until you get a load of Russo's last-minute replacement.
Stephen King, who is possibly the most widely-read writer in the country, agreed to cover for Russo with an appearance as part of Seven Days on Feb. 26.
"(King) said he could make it on that date, and we just lucked up," FSU creative-writing professor and "The Godfather Returns" novelist Mark Winegardner said Friday. "We knew we were really asking a favor. ... There's a short list of writers who could step into Rick's shoes."
The sudden substitution left Seven Days organizers scrambling with logistics on Friday afternoon.
"All the Richard Russo tickets already sold will be honored at the King appearance," FSU Special Projects Coordinator Fran Conaway said. "But there are a huge amount of decisions yet to be made about ticket sales and locale."
King tickets are expected to go on sale early next week - most likely by Tuesday or Wednesday.
"We urge people not to start calling immediately because we're just not ready yet to handle it," Conaway said.
Russo, who last visited FSU in February 1998 before he won the Pulitzer, was forced to nix his Seven Days visit because of a family medical crisis. King and Russo both live and write in Maine.
"I've never met King, but he's good friends with him (Russo)," Winegardner said. "That helped."
"We're really excited that someone of King's caliber is coming to the festival, but we're also very sorry about losing Richard Russo," Conaway said.
"My friend (the novelist) Jonathan Lethem likes to joke that there's two kinds of famous," said Winegardner, who gave his wife credit with coming up with the idea of a last-minute writer substitute. "There's writer-famous and then there's famous-famous. Stephen King is one of the few writers who is definitely famous-famous."
King has also agreed to meet with graduate students from FSU's film school and Creative Writing Program.
"He will give an informal master class for our grad students - something he really didn't have to do," Winegardner said. King's lengthy list of best-selling books includes "Carrie," "The Stand," "The Shining," "The Dead Zone," "It" and "Pet Sematary." His writing has been adapted for numerous films including "Stand By Me," "Hearts in Atlantis," "Dolores Claiborne," "Cujo" and "Apt Pupil." Director Stanley Kubrick's screen version of "The Shining" released in 1980 is often cited by critics as being one of the best horror movies ever made.
The Seven Days festival kicks off Thursday with the Prism II: Special Edition II concert featuring various FSU bands and a finale by the Marching Chiefs. Other Seven Days concerts include jazz musician Pat Metheny (Friday), Philadanco dance troupe (Saturday), Momix dance company (Feb. 20), singer Al Jarreau (Feb. 21), writer-broadcaster Garrison Keillor (Feb. 22), folk singer Arlo Guthrie (Feb. 24), classical pianist-radio host Christopher O'Riley (Feb. 25) and country legend Willie Nelson (Feb. 28).
The shows by Keillor, Guthrie and Nelson have sold out. For ticket information on the other concerts, call 644-6500 or visit www.sevendays festival.org.
Comments
Tickets to hear King speak as a last-minute addition to Florida State University's eighth annual Seven Days of Opening Nights arts festival will go on sale at 11 a.m. on Valentine's Day.
The best-selling author of such scary classics as "Carrie," "The Shining" and "Cujo," will give a talk at 8 p.m. on Feb. 26 in Ruby Diamond Auditorium. Tickets are $7 for students and $15 for the general public.
King agreed to step in as a substitute for Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Russo ("Empire Falls"), who canceled his appearance last week because of a medical emergency in his family.
"The best and most efficient way to purchase King tickets is online at www.sevendaysfestival.org or www.tickets.fsu.edu," FSU special-projects director Fran Conaway said.
Orders also can be placed by calling 644-6500 or in person at the FSU Fine Arts Ticket Office, corner of Copeland and Call streets.
All tickets purchased earlier for the Russo reading will be honored at the King appearance, which is open-seating. Those who wish to get a full refund for their Russo tickets should contact the Fine Arts Ticket Office.
I was hoping, but can't say I'm too surprised that they're sold out. *sigh* I should've looked into it as soon as it was announced. Tallahassee is only about 3 hours drive for me.
He then launched into the first-person narrative about a wealthy building contractor who is almost crushed to death when he's run over by a construction crane on a job site. The builder grapples regaining speech, thoughts of suicide, a deep hatred for a song by Reba McEntire and exactly what he may have done to his wife while recovering from his coma.
>> Full report
John