Stephen King's Original Pet Sematary: Lost Endings & Manuscript Secrets with Caroline Bicks

What if Stephen King's Pet Sematary had ended completely differently? For this special Halloween episode of Page Chewing, I'm joined by Caroline Bicks, author of Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King , to explore the original manuscripts behind one of King's darkest and most unforgettable novels. Caroline shares her remarkable experience gaining access to Stephen King's archives, including an unexpected phone call from King himself and the discoveries she made while examining his early drafts. During our conversation, we discuss: The original ending: How an early version of Pet Sematary featured a surprising role for Steve Masterton. King's unpublished revisions: The disturbing differences involving Gage, Rachel, and Zelda. "Sometimes dead is better": How changing a single word transformed one of the novel's most memorable lines. The real-life inspiration: How King's personal experiences influenced the story. A novel too disturbing to publish: Why King initially put Pet Sematary aside. Grief, guilt, and free will: The themes that make the novel so haunting. We also explore King's creative process, the decisions that shaped the published novel, and what these early manuscripts reveal about his approach to storytelling. This special episode concludes our October Pet Sematary read along, but whether you've followed the series or are joining us for the first time, there's plenty here for Stephen King fans and anyone interested in horror literature. Spoiler warning: This episode contains major spoilers for Pet Sematary , including its ending. Find more author interviews, book discussions, and read-alongs at https://pagechewing.com . Happy Halloween, and thanks for listening to Page Chewing! Page Chewing Blog Page Chewing Forum Support Page Chewing on Patreon Affiliate Links that support the show: Audible Standard Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4z1iKns Audible Standard Monthly Membership: https://amzn.to/3S6vadd Kindle Unlimited Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4wqkYdD Amazon Prime Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3UptxI9 Join Captivate.fm Send a message via SpeakPipe