Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine, in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth (Pillsbury) King. He made his first professional short story sale in 1967 to Startling Mystery Stories. In the fall of 1971, he began teaching English classes at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels. In the spring of 1973, Doubleday & Co. accepted the novel “Carrie” for publication, the sales of which allowed him to leave teaching and write full-time. He has since published more than 50 books and has become one of the world’s most successful writers.
King lives in Maine and Florida with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. They are regular contributors to a number of charities, including many libraries, and have been honored for their philanthropic activities.