European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 16, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse Of Phon King promoting hit latest film car i Eya with Toma of the Moyi � in. It s no mystery by Josh Pachter special to the stars and stripes y of say you be re o every word slept King s Ever written both As himself and this just revealed Richard Bachman identity and you re still not satisfied you say that Travis Mcgee and the boys of the 87th precinct have become real people to you Over the years and now you find yourself wondering about John d. Macdonald and de Mcbain the men it write the books you say you re a mystery Buff but a dozens of new titles turning up at the Library and in the slurs and stripes Bookstore every month you need some advice about which you d be better off ignoring if you be been looking for recommendations from a like yourself and for behind the scenes information about your favorite authors and characters you re Sun to be intrigued by the dozens of fan magazines or fanzines that have sprung up Over the past Tew Yean some of them Deal with specific writers othe Scovera broader Range of topics. In both cases they re easily Ava Ilab e by subscription Here s a sampling of the bes of both types the specially fanzines the 87th precinct report is a quarterly newsletter devoted to the crime novels of de Mcbain. Laid out to suggest a police bulletin a typical Issue includes an update on current Mcbain projects from Evan Hunter who writes mainstream novels and screenplays under his own name and police priced rats As Mcbain reviews of recent Mcbain novels a Puzzle or quiz a chatty Roll Call column by editor publisher Russ Hultgren and assorted other features. Readers who correctly solve the puzzles or answer to quiz questions will receive a certificate naming them a citizen of the 87th precinct. Wilh All its rights Prate it and says Evan Hunter i m delighted with the Job Russ doing and constantly amazed that people want Tonc More about me and my for those who do a year s subscription costs $8 when mailed to Apo or addresses. Send your Check to Russell Hultgren. 4235 Merryman Road Annn Polis. Md., 21401. The bibliophile is in impressive twice yearly Magazine for John d. Macoonald s legion of fans. By Gary Taylor United press International t he wine color Carpel must hide careful look fails to detect the dark blotches that horror master Stephen King writes should be there. Even so those in search of ghosts and Gore Are not satisfied with looks alone. Ten years ago. King haunted the 76-year-old Stanley hotel in Esles Park colo., Tor a month As he researched what would become the shining. There is no doubt this is the room he wrote of. The huge claw foot tub is their. In the Book an old woman s Corpse lies in the water and rises when people enter. The four poster bed is there and the writing desk and the walk in closet Are right out of King s pages As Well. Standing in the bathroom one can envision a maniacal Jack Torrance chopping a Hole in the door clicking his head through and with that crazed Jack Nicholson smile saying Here s Johnny today the Stanley stands As a gleaming three Story 100-room georgian Structure that is faded somewhat from its Days As a luxury summer resort for the Rich. The darkest hours in the magnificent hotel s history followed publication of the Book in 1976. But Only those who believe in sorcery might connect fiction with reality. Hotel owner Frank Norr Nali says there was genuine concern in 1976 when he first got wind of the Book. The former Cleveland businessman says it occurred to him some people might shy away from the hotel because in was a Model or the Book. But he quickly Learned the Book gives the hotel recognition although sometimes from thrill seekers seeing macabre laughs. Room 217 is rented All the time Normal says. We thought about making every room 217." Normal fondly Calls the so called Stephen King room no. 217" despite there being no such number in the hotel. The room was 217 when King stayed there 10 years ago but in a hotel reorganization it was renumbered 340. In the shining the room is called no. 237. It s 217 to me says Normal Ever the businessman. It goes for $90 a night in season. From anywhere in the room a guest can hear the old elevator across the Hall clanking to life As it brings someone up ust like in the Book. Footsteps creak on the 1909 Pine flooring in the Hall. Some employees try to keep up the unseemly fiction that King started. Hotel sales manager Harry Graham used to work the night audit shift a couple ofttimes a week. If anyone does t believe there Are ghosts Here let them work the night audit in february when it s quiet he said. I would hear conversations All the time coming from an office that was locked. When i opened the door to see the voices would Stop. When i closed the the shining door it would Start again. It was human he says he got so used to the voices he could not work without them Ono voice heard by Graham might have been that of Stanley hotel builder . Stanley the Newton. Mass. Inventor of the Stanley Steamer car. He died at 91 in 1940 after spending most Summers from 1905 to 1940 in Estes Park. Things happen Here that Are easier to Blama on . Than to explain logically. It s pretty spooky when you re in the hotel All alone in says concierge Bob Hellis. Before 1982 the hotel had no heat. It closed in Winter just like the fictional Overlook hotel in King s Book. Hellis 69, says before 1982 he would watch Over the hotel in Winter and walk the Halls Wilh Kristie his German Shepherd. Kristie would Stop in her tracks and wag her Tail. I always believed that was or. Stanley petting her he . S wife. Flora used to play a Steinway grand piano for guests. It still sits in the music room and. Some say. When All is quiet Flora returns to play it. I he lights go on and loud music comes from the room he says. There is no one in the room and ii is not a player Graham says one couple which has returned to the hotel every year for Many years once had their bed Snake while they slept. They took it As a gesture of appreciation from . For their Long patronage. In the Pas two decades the hotel has become run Page 14 the stars and stripes monday 8
