Veronica Sheridan's Reviews > Carrie / 'Salem's Lot / The Shining

I am not exactly certain why these books are tripled together, but I will avoid writing reviews of "Carrie" and "The Shining" in favor of the novel by an at-the-time unknown author named Stephen King. " 'Salem's Lot", which I read on publication in 1975, not only scared the wits out of me, but inspired me to become a fiction author! There are books I've read since which are better, but none have so inspired me. No one can guess while reading the opening chapters what form of horror novel this is, but after a few more I began to suspect that the mysterious Kurt Barlow of "Barlow and Straker Antiques" is an ancient vampire looking to start a new colony. That is all the spoiler I would give, and I do so because this came before "Interview with the Vampire" a few years later, and thus launched the "empire of the vampire" novels that have arisen in its wake. It also inspired my entire family to become Stephen King fanatics surpassing even my interest! I have been writing stories since reading this book, and I have published three of them on Kindle and am still working on a novel I began shortly after reading " 'Salem's Lot." Caution: unlike many such promotions that are/are not accurate, this one WILL scare the bejesus out of you.