Editing Tabitha King (section)

== Career ==
As of 2006, King had published eight novels and two works of non-fiction.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ketner|first=Lisa|title=Tabitha King Fans Meet Author|newspaper=Sun Journal|date=October 17, 1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Anstead|first=Alicia|title=Tabitha King in the Limelight|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4x8zAAAAIBAJ&pg=2016,161652&dq=tabitha-king&hl=en|access-date=August 11, 2012|newspaper=Bangor Daily News|date=March 16, 1993}}</ref> She published her first novel, ''Small World'', through [[Signet Books]] in 1981,<ref>{{cite web|last=Donovan|first=Mark|title=For Years, Stephen King's Firestarter Was Wife Tabitha; Now She Burns to Write, Too| url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20079300,00.html| website=People| access-date=August 11, 2012}}</ref> and in 2006, ''Candles Burning'' was published through [[Berkley Books]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Sullivan|first=James|title=Drama Queen|url=http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2006/06/04/drama_queen/?page=full|access-date=August 11, 2012|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=June 4, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Copeland|first=Blythe|title=Stepping Out of a Big Shadow|url=http://www.writersdigestshop.com/digital-issue-writers-digest-june-2007|access-date=August 11, 2012|newspaper=Writer's Digest|date=June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023024927/http://www.writersdigestshop.com/digital-issue-writers-digest-june-2007|archive-date=October 23, 2012}}</ref>  The paperback rights for ''Small World'' were bought by New American Library for $165,000.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Guckenberger |first1=Katherine |title=Tabitha King novel fails to shine |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110543252/tabitha-king-novel-fails-to-shine-kath/ |access-date=October 1, 2022 |work=Journal and Courier |date=May 10, 1981 |pages=56}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Stephen King and Tabitha King: All About Their Decades-Long Romance |url=https://people.com/all-about-stephen-king-tabitha-king-relationship-7629516 |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=People.com |language=en}}</ref> ''Candles Burning'' was written predominantly by [[Michael McDowell (author)|Michael McDowell]], who died in 1999, and the McDowell family requested that King finish the work.<ref>{{cite book|last=Drew|first=Bernard A.|title=Literary Afterlife: The Posthumous Continuations of 325 Authors' Fictional Characters|year=2009|publisher=McFarland & Company|isbn=978-0-7864-4179-2|pages=169|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c91Vrl20Y4sC&q=%22tabitha+king%22&pg=PA169}}</ref>

In 2023, she was the executive producer of the independent horror film ''[[The Sudbury Devil]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hubbard |first=El Rob |date=2023-12-21 |title=366 UNDERGROUND: THE SUDBURY DEVIL (2023) |url=https://366weirdmovies.com/366-underground-the-sudbury-devil-2023/ |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=366 Weird Movies |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Partnership with Stephen King ===
Prior to her husband's commercial success, Tabitha worked extra shifts at [[Dunkin' Donuts]] to help provide for their family and assisted in Stephen's editorial process during her little spare time.<ref name=":0" /> As Stephen King recalled the origin of his [[debut novel]], ''[[Carrie (novel)|Carrie]]'': "Two unrelated ideas, adolescent cruelty and telekinesis, came together." It began as a short story intended for ''Cavalier''; Stephen tossed the first three pages in the trash but Tabitha recovered them, saying she wanted to know what happened next. He followed her advice and expanded it into a novel.<ref>King, Tabitha, Introduction to ''Carrie'' (Collector's Edition) Plume 1991</ref> She told him: "You've got something here. I really think you do."<ref>{{Cite book |last=King |first=Stephen |title=[[On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft]] |year=2000 |pages=75–77}}</ref>

This began a practice that continues today: Tabitha and Stephen review each other's drafts and also those of their children.<ref name=":0" />

=== Reception ===
Reception to King's work has ranged from negative to positive.<ref>{{cite news |last=Robinson |first=Evalyne |date=November 27, 1994 |title=LOST SLEEP, LOST LIFE PROPEL PENS OF KINGS THE BOOK OF REUBEN |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/dailypress/access/85927257.html?dids=85927257:85927257&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+27%2C+1994&author=EVALYNE+C.+ROBINSON+Book+Reviewer&pub=Daily+Press&desc=LOST+SLEEP%2C+LOST+LIFE+PROPEL+PENS+OF+KINGS+THE+BOOK+OF+REUBEN&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131154751/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/dailypress/access/85927257.html?dids=85927257:85927257&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+27,+1994&author=EVALYNE+C.+ROBINSON+Book+Reviewer&pub=Daily+Press&desc=LOST+SLEEP,+LOST+LIFE+PROPEL+PENS+OF+KINGS+THE+BOOK+OF+REUBEN&pqatl=google |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |access-date=August 11, 2012 |newspaper=Daily Press |location=Newport News, VA}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Slater |first=Joyce |date=February 28, 1993 |title=Teenage basketball, teenage sex, and a tenor who ought to be stopped |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24373324.html?dids=24373324:24373324&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+28%2C+1993&author=Joyce+Slater.&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Teenage+basketball%2C+teenage+sex%2C+and+a+tenor+who+ought+to+be+stopped&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131232508/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24373324.html?dids=24373324:24373324&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+28,+1993&author=Joyce+Slater.&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Teenage+basketball,+teenage+sex,+and+a+tenor+who+ought+to+be+stopped&pqatl=google |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |access-date=August 11, 2012 |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hall-Balduf |first=Susan |date=March 21, 1993 |title=Books |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/77421210.html?dids=77421210:77421210&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+21%2C+1993&author=Reviewed+By+Susan+Hall-Balduf%2C+DETROIT+FREE+PRESS&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=BOOKS&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201030843/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/77421210.html?dids=77421210:77421210&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+21,+1993&author=Reviewed+By+Susan+Hall-Balduf,+DETROIT+FREE+PRESS&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=BOOKS&pqatl=google |archive-date=February 1, 2013 |access-date=August 11, 2012 |newspaper=Detroit Free Press}}</ref> ''Pearl'' received positive mentions from the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' and the ''Bangor Daily News'',<ref>{{cite news |last=Simon |first=Linda |date=March 19, 1989 |title=Hester's Liberated Daughter PEARL by Tabitha King |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/66420384.html?dids=66420384:66420384&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+19%2C+1989&author=Linda+Simon&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Hester%27s+Liberated+Daughter+PEARL+by+Tabitha+King+(New+American+Library%3A+%2418.95%3B+336+pp.)&pqatl=google |access-date=August 11, 2012 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Beaulieu |first=Janet |date=November 8, 1988 |title='Pearl' gleams as both a character and novel |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y6hJAAAAIBAJ&pg=2283,2860326&dq=tabitha-king&hl=en |access-date=August 11, 2012 |newspaper=Bangor Daily News}}</ref> while the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' panned ''Survivor''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fallik |first=Dawn |date=May 8, 1997 |title=TABITHA KING'S 'SURVIVOR' FAILS TO RING TRUE |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/11675087.html?dids=11675087:11675087&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+08%2C+1997&author=Reviewed+by+Dawn+Fallik%2C+Associated+Press.&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=TABITHA+KING%27S+%60SURVIVOR%27+FAILS+TO+RING+TRUE&pqatl=google |access-date=August 11, 2012 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The ''[[Arizona Daily Star]]'' criticized ''One on One'', calling King "a hack",<ref>{{cite news |date=May 2, 1993 |title=Tabitha King's 'One' is the work of a hack |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADSB&s_site=azstarnet&f_site=azstarnet&f_sitename=Arizona+Daily+Star%2C+The+%28AZ%29&p_multi=ADSB&p_theme=gannett&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EACE58DA8CDE3F7&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |access-date=August 11, 2012 |newspaper=Arizona Daily Star}}</ref> whereas ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', and the ''[[Rocky Mountain News]]'' gave the novel positive reviews.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Hajari |first=Nisid |title=Review: One on One |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,306020,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202043213/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,306020,00.html |archive-date=December 2, 2008 |access-date=August 11, 2012 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Skow |first=John |date=February 22, 1993 |title=Home Games |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,977784,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028032648/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,977784,00.html |archive-date=October 28, 2010 |access-date=August 11, 2012 |magazine=Time}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Graham |first=Mark |date=April 4, 1993 |title=THE 'OTHER' KING COMES INTO HER OWN |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=RM&p_theme=rm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4DC6E2C325673&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |access-date=August 11, 2012 |newspaper=Rocky Mountain News}}</ref> ''Caretakers'' received positive praise by ''[[The New York Times]]'',<ref>{{cite news |last=Bass |first=Judy |date=October 23, 1983 |title=Fiction in Brief |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/23/books/fiction-in-brief-229916.html |access-date=August 11, 2012 |newspaper=New York Times}}</ref> while Bookreporter.com wrote that some readers might be disappointed by the changes made to McDowell's ''Candles Burning''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hartlaub |first=Joe |title=Candles Burning |url=http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/candles-burning |access-date=August 11, 2012 |publisher=Bookreporter.com}}</ref>