Owen King
American writer (born 1977)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Owen Philip King (born February 21, 1977) is an American author of novels and graphic novels, and a television film producer. He published his first book, We're All in This Together, in 2005 to generally positive reviews, but his first full-length novel, Double Feature, had a less enthusiastic reception. King collaborated with his father, writer Stephen King, in the writing of the women's prison novel Sleeping Beauties.
February 21, 1977
Owen King | |
|---|---|
| Born | Owen Philip King February 21, 1977 Bangor, Maine, U.S. |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Author |
| Spouse |
Kelly Braffet (m. 2007) |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Joe Hill (brother) |
| Website | www |
Early life

King was born in 1977 in Maine to parents Tabitha and Stephen King.[1][2][3] He has two older siblings, Naomi King and Joseph Hillström King. He was raised in Bangor, Maine, showing an interest in writing during high school.[4] King attended Vassar College and Columbia University, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts degree.[5]
Career
King published his first book, We're All in This Together, a collection of three short stories and a novella, in 2005. His short fiction has been published in various journals, such as One Story and Prairie Schooner.[6] His debut novel, Double Feature, was published in 2013.[7]
Sleeping Beauties, a writing collaboration between Owen King and his father, Stephen King, was published in September 2017 and is set in a women's prison in West Virginia.[8] King is working with filmmaker Josh Boone on adapting the Clive Barker novel The Great and Secret Show for television.[9]
In 2020, he co-wrote and produced the CBS All Access Mini-series adaption of his father's novel The Stand.[10][11]
In June 2024, Syzygy Publishing, an imprint of Image Comics, began publishing the first five issues of Self Help, a serial comic book co-written by Owen King and Jesse Kellerman.[12] A graphic novel collecting issues 1-5 is expected to be published by Simon & Schuster in February 2025.[13]
Initial reception of works
The reception for King's collection We're All in This Together was positive, with both the Los Angeles Times and Independent giving it positive reviews.[14][15]
King's first full-length novel, Double Feature, was called "overwritten" in a review in The New York Times.[16]
King's graphic novel Intro to Alien Invasion reception was mixed, with Publishers Weekly opining that the comic was unable to consistently transcend its "B movie source material,"[17] while Booklist called the spoofing of B-list material "highly successful".[18]
Personal life
King is married to writer Kelly Braffet (born 1976) and lives in New Paltz, New York.[19]
Awards
- John Gardner Award[5]
- Fink Award[20]
- Nominated for a "National Magazine Award"[21]
Bibliography
Literary
- Collections and novels
- We're All in This Together: A Novella and Stories (July 5, 2005)
- "We're All in This Together"
- "Frozen Animals"
- "Wonders"
- "Snake"
- "My Second Wife"
- Double Feature (March 19, 2013)
- Sleeping Beauties (September 22, 2017), co-written with Stephen King
- The Curator (March 7, 2023)
- Short stories
- "My Second Wife" (2001), The Bellingham Review #48, Spring 2001
- "Wonders" (2002), Book Magazine #22, May/June 2002
- "Frozen Animals" (2003), Harper Palate, Vol. 3 #1, Summer 2003
- "The Cure" (2006), One Story #85, December 20, 2006
- "Nothing is in Bad Taste" (2008), Subtropics #5, Winter/Spring 2008
- "Home Brew" (2011), Prairie Schooner, Vol. 85 #2, Summer 2011
- "The Idiot's Ghost" (2011), The Fairy Tale Review #7, The Brown Issue
- "The Curator" (2014), Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet #31, Dec. 2014
- "Confederate Wall" (2015), Subtropics Issue 19, Spring/Summer 2015
- "Positive Comments" (2018), Ploughshares/Emerson College, Kindle Single
- Graphic novels
- Intro to Alien Invasion (September 15, 2015), co-written with Mark Jude Poirier, drawings by Nancy Ahn
- Sleeping Beauties (February 2020), co-written with Stephen King, adapted by Rio Youers, illustrations by Alison Sampson
- Anthology contributions
- Bottom of the Ninth: Great Contemporary Baseball Stories edited by John McNally (Southern Illinois University Press, 2003)
- "Wonders"
- When I Was A Loser edited by John McNally (Free Press, 2007)
- "Sports"
- HANG THE DJ: An Alternative Book of Music Lists edited by Angus Cargill (Faber & Faber, 2008)
- "Spit it Out! The Top Ten Stutter Songs"
- The Late American Novel: Writers On The Future Of Books edited by Jeff Martin & C. Max Magee (Soft Skull, 2011)
- "Not Quite as Dire as Having Your Spine Ripped Out, But…"
- Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on their Unshakeable Love for New York edited by Sari Botton (Touchstone, 2014)
- "Hot Time in the Old Town"
- The Good Book: Writers Reflect on Favorite Bible Passages edited by Andrew Blauner (Simon & Schuster, November 10, 2015)
- "Never Quite As Simple: On Luke 2:19"
- Detours edited by Brian James Freeman (Cemetery Dance Publications, December 31, 2015)
- "The Curator"
- Small Blows Against Encroaching Totalitarianism (McSweeney's Publishing, September 4, 2018)
- "The Idea of Reasonable Debate"
- The Darkling Halls of Ivy edited by Lawrence Block (Subterranean Press, May 2020)
- "That Golden Way"
- Minor Characters edited by Jamie Clarke (Roundabout Press, April 15, 2021)
- "Rabbit"
- Joe R. Lansdale's The Drive-In: Multiplex Edited by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene (Thunderstorm Books, Fall 2023)
- "Behind Screen 4"
- Introductions/Afterwords
- 25 Years in the Word Mines: The Best of Graham Joyce by Graham Joyce (PS Publishing, September 2014)
- Foreword by Owen King
- The Great and Secret Show by Clive Barker (Gauntlet Press, 2016)
- Introduction by Owen King
- The Devil's Own Work by Alan Judd ((Valancourt Books, January 6, 2015)
- Introduction by Owen King
- Westlake Soul by Rio Youers (Short, Scary Tales Publications, October 2020)
- Introduction by Owen King
- The World Lansdalean: The authorized Joe R. Lansdale Bibliography by Joe Lansdale (Short, Scary Tales Publications, 2021)
- Foreword by Owen King
Web articles
- "Singing Along To A Murderous Threat, NPR song of the day: "You Rascal You" by Hanni El Khatib" (December 15, 2011)
- "A Gallery of Drama, NPR song of the day: "Change the Sheets" by Kathleen Edwards" (2/3/2012)
- "Tear For Tear, Without Peer, NPR song of the day: "Look the Other Way" by Justin Townes Earle" (April 17, 2012)
- "Interview with Tom Bissell" (April 17, 2012) The Rumpus
- "The Biggest Thing Ever, an excerpt from Double Feature" (12/3/2012) Guernica
- "Interview with Erin McKeown" (February 15, 2013) The Rumpus
- "Book Notes: Double Feature" (March 19, 2013) Largehearted Boy
- "Role Remix: Steve Buscemi" (March 19, 2013) Grantland
- "(Title, If Any)" (4/1/2013) The Weeklings
- "Best Guess: Owen King interprets the Exhibit Song Book, an exchange with singer/songwriter Jenny Owen Youngs" (7/11/2013)
- "Interview with Peter Squires" (July 25, 2013) The Rumpus
- "Matters of Faint Import, Vol. 1: "The Dress Code of Mumford & Sons" (September 24, 2013) The Weeklings
- (w/James Jackson Toth, Elizabeth Nelson Bracy, and Timothy Bracy)
- "Review of People Park by Pasha Malla" (11/4/2013) Publishers Weekly
- "Matters of Faint Import, Vol. 2: "Holiday Special" (December 24, 2013) The Weeklings
- (w/James Jackson Toth, Elizabeth Nelson Bracy, and Timothy Bracy)
- "The Heiress, Review of Havisham by Ronald Frame" (January 1, 2014) Los Angeles Review of Books
- "Director's Cut, Review of Mount Terminus by David Grand" (April 27, 2014) The New York Times Book Review
- "Nine Librarian-Approved Headlines For The Rest Of The Season" (July 18, 2014) Just A Bit Outside
- "Baseball's Greatest Hit" (July 29, 2014) Just A Bit Outside
- "Spinners 5, Gades 0" (9/4/2014) Just A Bit Outside
- "No, Pitchers Don't Have To Look Like Pitchers" (4/7/2015) Just A Bit Outside
- "JABO Book Club: Alison Gordon's Foul Balls, A Conversation with Rob Neyer" (5/8/2015) Just A Bit Outside
- "Baseball Language and The Players" (May 26, 2015) Just A Bit Outside
- "Big Brother: A Conversation with Andrew Ervin" (6/3/2015) The Brooklyn Rail
Editor
- Who Can Save Us Now?: Brand-New Superheroes and Their Amazing (Short) Stories (July 15, 2008)
- "The Meerkat"