Question 2 of 21

What was the title of King's first published novel?

... King wrote plenty of short stories and took odd jobs as he struggled to launch a writing career. The success of his first novel, "Carrie," gave him the financial freedom to devote himself to writing full-time.

Question 3 of 21

To what has Stephen King compared his writing?

... In an interview with Time magazine, King famously described his writing as the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and fries.

Question 4 of 21

In what King classic did readers first meet "Captain Trips"?

... In "The Stand", a mutating virus known as "Captain Trips" wipes out much of the population. The disease carries a "99.4 percent" infection and fatality rate.

Question 5 of 21

Stephen King was reportedly so disappointed with the movie version of this book that he remade the film himself in 1996.

... King was so unhappy with Stanley Kubrick's 1980 version of "The Shining" that he adapted the book into a TV miniseries for ABC in 1996. He believed that Kubrick chose to ignore the evilness of the hotel itself, choosing to transfer the evil to the character played by Jack Nicholson.

Question 6 of 21

What King title features the classic quote, "Sometimes dead is better"?

... In Pet Sematary, Jud Crandall famously says, "Sometimes dead is better," referring to the infamous cemetery that brings buried bodies back to life as much scarier versions of their former selves.

Question 7 of 21

Who is Misery Chastain, from King's 1987 novel "Misery"?

... When writer Paul Sheldon plans to kill off the character Misery Chastain, his "number one fan" Annie Wilkes holds him prisoner and forces him to rethink his plans.

Question 8 of 21

In the film "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994), which was based on a Stephen King novella, what are the two things that Warden Samuel Norton believes in?

... In "The Shawshank Redemption", Warden Samuel Norton greets new inmate Andy Dufresne with the quote, "I believe in two things: discipline and the Bible … Here you'll receive both."

Question 9 of 21

What is the name of the band that Stephen King plays in?

... For more than 20 years, Stephen King has played in a band called the Rock Bottom Remainders. In addition to King, the 16-member group features such famous writers as Dave Barry, Amy Tan and Matt Groening, creator of "The Simpsons".

Question 10 of 21

What King story served as inspiration for the 1986 film "Stand By Me"?

... "Stand By Me" was based on a story called "The Body," which was loosely based on King's own life. When the film was released, King declared it one of the best adaptations of any of his books so far.

Question 11 of 21

Fact or fiction: The concept of "Ka," or fate, which plays a central role in "The Dark Tower" series, dates back to the ancient Egyptians.

... Fact: The concept of Ka in King's "The Dark Tower" may have been inspired by the ancient Egyptian concept of Ka, which referred to the soul or spirit. In "The Dark Tower", Ka binds groups of people into ka-tets, or groups ruled by fate.

Question 12 of 21

What is the name of the evil killer clown in Stephen King's "It"?

... Pennywise the clown terrorizes the neighborhood children in "It". The ageless, evil clown was also known as "It" or Bob Gray.

Question 13 of 21

In the King novel "Christine", who is the title character?

... In Christine, Arnie Cunningham picks up a used car dubbed "Christine" by its former owner. The vehicle starts to show signs of jealousy, resulting in one of literature's most famous car-human love triangles.

Question 14 of 21

Complete this quote from "The Shining": "Wendy? Darling? Light, of my life? I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just going to...."

... As Jack Torrance descends into madness in "The Shining", he turns violent toward his wife, advertising his plans to "bash [her] brains in." While the movie made Jack out to be evil, the book reveals that the evil lies in the hotel itself.

Question 15 of 21

Complete this King quote on the art of writing: "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: _________."

... King tells aspiring writers that putting in time reading and writing are the two most important things to do in their quest to become writers. King himself claims to read 70 to 80 books each year simply for the pleasure of reading.

Question 16 of 21

Fact or fiction: In 1999, King was struck by a van while walking near his home. King later bought the van for $1,500.

... Fact: While walking along the road reading a book, King was struck by a vehicle in 1999 and severely injured. When he got better, King bought the van for $1,500 and attacked it with a baseball bat before sending it to the junkyard.

Question 17 of 21

Where does "The Green Mile" take place?

... At Cold Mountain Penitentiary, prisoners and guards refer to death row as "The Green Mile."

Question 18 of 21

What is the name of King's son, who is also a well-known horror writer?

... King's son writes under the name of Joe Hill, and is perhaps best-known for his novel "Heart-Shaped Box". King's wife, Tabitha, and son, Owen, are also writers, while his daughter, Naomi, is a minister.

Question 19 of 21

In "Stand By Me" (1986), the boys memorably ponder whether this cartoon character could beat up Superman.

... In "Stand By Me" (1986), the boys debate who would win a fight between Mighty Mouse and Superman. Teddy settles the matter when he says, "Boy, you don't know nothing! Mighty Mouse is a cartoon. Superman's a real guy. There's no way a cartoon could beat up a real guy."

Question 20 of 21

Finish this quote from "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994): "Get busy ________, or get busy __________. "

... In "The Shawshank Redemption", it's time to get busy living, or get busy dying.

Question 21 of 21

What is the name of the vampire in "'Salem's Lot"?

... When a vampire named Barlow and his assistant Straker move to town, people begin to die in "'Salem's Lot". Some readers may notice that King pays tribute to "Dracula" author Bram Stoker with his character names. Combining Barlow and Straker creates a near anagram of Bram Stoker.

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