Stephen King to Headline PEN Canada Benefit

Stephen King
(Photo credit: Shane Leonard)

Toronto, April 16, 2013 – Thirty-nine years, 50 books, and 350 million copies into his literary career, Stephen King will discuss the writing life with his son, first-time novelist Owen King on the opening night of the 34th International Festival of Authors.

In his only scheduled Canadian appearance, Stephen King and his son, Owen King, will headline PEN Canada’s annual benefit to take place on Thursday, October 24th, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. in the Fleck Dance Theatre at Harbourfront Centre, Toronto. Award-winning mystery writer Louise Penny will moderate the discussion.

Owen King
(Photo credit: Danielle Lurie)

“We are thrilled that Stephen and Owen King are supporting the work of PEN,” said Charlie Foran, President, PEN Canada. “The evening promises to be a rare glimpse of an intimate father-son conversation about life and art.”

Stephen King will present his new novel, Doctor Sleep, which returns to the characters and the territory of his first best-selling hardcover novel, The Shining, including the now middle-aged Dan Torrance. Owen King will present his debut novel, Double Feature, which explores the creative life and the complicated relationship between a B-movie actor and his filmmaking son.

Tickets to the event are $100 with all proceeds going to PEN Canada. Advance tickets will be available to PEN Patrons and the International Festival of Authors Patrons at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16th by calling the Harbourfront Centre Box Office at 416-973-4000. Tickets for the general public will be available on Thursday, April 18th at 1:00 p.m. by calling the box office or by visiting www.readings.org. For information on how to become a PEN Canada Patron call 416-703-8448. For information on how to become a Patron of the International Festival of Authors call 416-973-4760.

About the authors

Owen King is a graduate of Vassar College and the MFA program at the Columbia University School of the Arts. He is the author of Double Feature: A Novel and We’re All in This Together: A Novella and Stories. His writing has appeared in Fairy Tale Review, Guernica, One Story, and Prairie Schooner, among other publications. Owen has also taught creative writing at Columbia University and Fordham University and is a working screenwriter with a script in development by the producer of Winter’s Bone. He is married to the novelist Kelly Braffet.

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 1973, he began teaching high school 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, providing him the means to leave teaching and write full-time. He has since published over 50 books and has become one of the world’s most successful writers.

Stephen 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 locally for their philanthropic activities.

Louise Penny is the New York Times and Globe & Mail bestselling author of the Chief Inspector Gamache crime novels of which How the Light Gets In is the most recent, set in Quebec and translated into 25 languages. Her books have won the American Anthony, Agatha, Barry and Macavity awards, the Canadian Arthur Ellis and the British Dagger. CBC Television is turning her works into a series of films. Louise lives with her husband Michael outside a village in southern Quebec.

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Media Contacts:

Sasha Chapman, Event Chair, sasha[at]sashachapman.com or 416-971-5004 ext. 240

Tasleem Thawar, Executive Director, PEN Canada, tthawar[at]pencanada.ca or 416-703-8448 ext. 24

PEN Canada is a nonpartisan organization of writers that works with others to defend freedom of expression as a basic human right, at home and abroad. PEN Canada promotes literature, fights censorship, helps free persecuted writers from prison, and assists writers living in exile in Canada. http://pencanada.ca

International Festival of Authors

Each October, the IFOA presents a wide range of readings, round table discussions, on stage interviews, book signings and a number of special events featuring the most exciting authors in contemporary literature. Administered by Authors at Harbourfront Centre, this year’s 34th annual IFOA takes place from October 24 to November 3, 2013. www.readings.org