Eight Reasons

Released November 25th, 2025.

A collection of thriller/suspense/horror stories.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/4gYSDoM

Here is the forward for the book, which explains: Why Eight Reasons?

As I grow older and realize just how precious life is, I try to eat healthily. You know the deal, right? Drink less alcohol, watch the carbs, and lose some weight. And I do—especially with a wife who wants me to outlive her. So now that I’m taking much better care of myself than I did in my younger days, I’ve noticed that my cravings for fast food have increased significantly. Now I can’t have it, I want it more. Sound familiar? My mouth waters just thinking about a greasy hamburger and fries.

Writing is somewhat similar. I’ve always needed at least 100,000 words to tell the story I want. However, occasionally, I feel the urge to write a short story that gets to the point more quickly. Who was it that said, “Less is more?” The fewer words used, the more impact they carry, theoretically. So sometimes, I feel compelled to write something between 10,000 and 15,000 words—just for fun, my fun.

The issue with short stories is that once they are written, what should an author do with them? I understand that my publisher requires a specific word count to make the effort worthwhile—I get it. The number of magazines accepting short stories has declined over the years, so my tales mostly just linger, waiting for an audience.

My stories, much like my children, mean a great deal to me. Sure, I write for my enjoyment, but what’s the point of spending countless hours creating something if no one gets to read it? Over the years, I have found much joy in reading numerous short stories, particularly those penned by my more famous namesake, who, let’s be honest, is such an incredible talent that he can make a shopping list sound exciting.

Out of the blue, a while ago, my good friend and fellow author Alicia Dean proposed that thirteen writers release thirteen stories of around 13,000 words every Friday the 13th. What a fantastic idea, I thought, and I was deeply moved to be asked to be one of them. Now I had a vehicle for those short stories that wanted to be written, and off I went.

Six of the following stories were offerings for the wonderful Friday the 13th series, and two were not. I will give a short background before each story, explaining why and how each came to be, as I am often asked about my stories’ genesis.

Many moons ago, when I created my website (Stephen-b-king.com), I wrote a brief introduction. In it, I shared how much I loved discovering a book that captivated me so fully that I had to stay up late for just one more chapter, even though I needed to get up early for work the next day. I hoped, and still do, that I could craft stories that would evoke the same feelings in my readers. So, here are eight reasons to stay up beyond bedtime. Be warned; some are scary. I advise you to ensure the doors and windows are locked and do not, under any circumstances, read these tales alone by candlelight.

So I hope you, dear ever-patient reader, enjoy my version of fast food as a brief respite from all that healthy reading. As for me, this anthology now has over 100,000 words, so I’m happy, too.