Stephen King, one of the most famous American authors of all time, has decided to help the next generation of writers. King has donated $6,500 to a local elementary school in his home state of Maine to help children there publish their books!
Stephen King’s Big Donation
Just like everyone else, Stephen King spent most of 2020 inside, thanks to the pandemic. However, even then, the famed horror author found a way to help up-and-coming authors. One day while at home, King came across quite a special Kickstarter, one based in his home state of Maine. The Kickstarter, started by children and staff at Farwell Elementary School, saught money to publish two books written by students. Over the past four years, students of the school’s Author Studies Program, some of whom are now in middle school, have worked together on the book over four years. In that time, the students plotted and authored everything: the plot, characters, even the final manuscripts.
The results? Two books: an original and a sequel! “The first book, Fletcher McKenzie and the Passage to Whole, is about a small boy from Maine, who experiences the adventure of a lifetime during the Covid-19 pandemic,” the Kickstarter read. “The sequel, Fletcher McKenzie and the Curse of Snow Falls, is also completed and ready for publication.” Well, King must have loved the concept, as he immediately donated the entire Kickstarter amount, $6,500, to the school from his non-profit, the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation. The author started the non-profit with his wife Tabitha back in 1986 and, since then, they have helped out thousands of people, mainly in Maine.
Now, as you might imagine, the students of Farwell Elementary School cannot stop talking about their megastar patron!
Fulfilling Elementary Student’s Wish
Sadly, King could not visit the school himself, due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, that has not stopped the kids from feeling incredibly thankful! “The kids talk in the hallway about this, they talk to me about it, they talk to their teachers about what they’re doing, and it’s really wonderful to see this much effort and support put behind their writing,” said Farwell Elementary School Principal Amanda Winslow.
“It’s very exciting to see that Stephen King is actually noticing us and wanting to help out,” seventh-grader Lilly Baulie said happily. Meanwhile, others, like fifth-grader Hailey LaBrecque, also love their newfound fame. “I’ve been in [the program] for the last four years, and only the people in my school have ever gotten to read what I’ve written,” LaBrecque said. “It’s really cool to think that [now], pretty much anyone can read anything you write.”
Thanks to King, many of the Author Studies Program students say they will continue to pursue writing as a viable career. “I learned that I could write a lot better than I thought,” opened up fifth-grader Liam Martin. Interested in reading these fascinating novels by young authors? Well, the books are due out in April nationwide, so make sure to hit your local bookstore and pick up a copy from the young Maine authors!
Sources: MSN, People Magazine