“Illuminating and original, Monsters in the Archives takes us deep into Stephen King’s private papers to show us how he crafted some of his most iconic, haunting books and took possession of so many of our imaginations.”

—AMY TAN, author of The Joy Luck Club

Coming 4.21.2026

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About the Book

After Caroline Bicks was named the University of Maine’s inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, she became the first scholar to be granted extended access by King to his private archive — a treasure trove of manuscripts that document the legendary writer’s creative process. She spent a year exploring King’s early drafts and hand-written revisions, and speaking with him about those changes, in pursuit of one question: Why does his writing continue to haunt us after we’ve closed the book?

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About the Author

Caroline Bicks is the Stephen E. King Chair in Literature at the University of Maine. Her academic books include Cognition and Girlhood in Shakespeare’s World and Midwiving Subjects in Shakespeare’s England; her popular writing has appeared in the Modern Love column of the New York Times and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and includes a humorous Bard-themed cocktail book, Shakespeare Not Stirred. She is the co-host of the Everyday Shakespeare podcast.

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Praise for Monsters in the Archives

“[A] compulsively readable mix of memoir, biography, and heady analysis of Stephen King’s iconic early works enhanced by access to early drafts and notes. Monsters in the Archives is a treat for fans of Stephen King as well as anyone who ever wanted more of a peek behind the curtain at the great and terrible authorial Oz.”

—PAUL TREMBLAY

“A personable, fascinating look at the creative process, one that soundly showcases King’s lifelong attention to craft and Bicks’s own belief in the power of facing one’s monsters.”

—Keith Rosson, author of Fever House and Coffin Moon

“These word-by-word comparisons of different stages of these canonical stories are a master class in craft—and a peek behind the curtain.
Thank you, Caroline Bicks.”

—Stephen Graham Jones, author of My Heart is a Chainsaw, and Don't Fear the Reaper

“It will be treasured by admirers of King’s novels and is a must read for anyone curious about how great books get written.”

—James Shapiro, Professor of English, Columbia University

“If you ever were afraid to go down into the basement after encountering a Stephen King story, Monsters in the Archives is for you: a massively enjoyable, fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of his previously unseen literary archive, with Caroline Bicks as your savvy guide. Indispensable reading for any fan of King’s work — and who isn’t one of those?”

— Elizabeth Hand, author of A Haunting on the Hill and Wylding Hall

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Everyday Shakespeare Podcast

Hosts Caroline Bicks and Michelle Ephraim are Shakespeare professors and close friends who love to bond over the ways Shakespeare’s plays help them through their everyday dramas.

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