OUCH! In a new interview with USA Today, Stephen King was asked about his thoughts on the writing talents of J.K. Rowling (who created the amazing Harry Potter series of books) and Stephenie Meyer (who created the Twilight Saga that is all the rage with the tweens these days) and he had some very nice things to say about Rowling. When he gave his opinion of Meyer, well, I think it’s best if I just let him speak for himself:
Stephen King’s opinion may drive a stake through the heart of “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer. In an interview with USA Weekend, the bestselling author compared Meyer with J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series. According to Stephen, “Both Rowling and Meyer, they’re speaking directly to young people… The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good.” Meeooww! While Stephen may not be a fan of Stephenie’s writing, he understands the appeal of the series. “People are attracted by the stories, by the pace, and in the case of Stephenie Meyer, it’s very clear that she’s writing to a whole generation of girls and opening up kind of a safe joining of love and sex in those books. It’s exciting and it’s thrilling and it’s not particularly threatening because it’s not overtly sexual.” He further explains, “A lot of the physical side of it is conveyed in things like, the vampire will touch her forearm or run a hand over skin, and she just flushes all hot and cold. And for girls, that’s a shorthand for all the feelings that they’re not ready to deal with yet.”
To be fair, King also states that author Dean Koontz is “sometimes … just awful” and that author James Patterson “is a terrible writer” … so it’s not just Stephenie Meyer that he is not too fond of. To be completely honest, I see his point. Having read the entire Twilight Saga, I also do not feel that Meyer is a particularly good writer … even tho she is able to capture the imagination of millions. Rowling, on the other hand, is an absolute master storyteller and is, IMHO, a brilliant author. They’re just very different … and both very entertaining writers. I have always respected Stephen King for his brutal honesty … he may not always have the most popular thing to say but, at least you know he’s being honest. If I can interject my own opinion on Stephen King’s writing … over all, I’m a fan. I’ve enjoyed way more books of his than I’ve not enjoyed — but there have been those books of his that are absolutely terrible. They can’t all be gems … and to each their own. I’m sure some Meyer fans are bound to give King flak for his comments but I ain’t mad at him. He’s merely giving his opinion … which may resonate with some and clash with others.
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