Tabitha King
Tabitha Jane King ( Spruce, born March 24, 1949) is an American author. Early life. Tabitha King is the third eldest daughter of Sarah Jane Spruce (née White; December 7, 1923 – April 14, 2007) and Raymond George Spruce (December 29, 1923 – May 29, 2014). King attended college at the University of Maine, where she met her husband Stephen King through her work-study job in the Raymond H. Fogler Library. Career. As of 2006, King had published eight novels and two works of non-fiction. She published her first novel, "Small World", through Signet Books in 1981, and in  2006, "Candles Burning" was published through Berkley Books. "Candles Burning" was written predominantly by Michael McDowell, who died in 1999, and the McDowell family requested that King finish the work. Social activism. King has served on several boards and committees in the state of Maine, such as the Bangor Public Library board. She also served on the board of the Maine Public Broadcasting System until 1994. In 1998 she received the inaugural Constance H. Carlson Public Humanities Prize, the Maine Humanities Council's highest award, for her work with literacy for the state of Maine. She currently serves as vice  president of WZON/WZLO/WKIT radio stations as well as in the administration of two family philanthropic foundations. Reception. Reception to King's work has ranged from negative to positive. "Pearl" received positive mentions from the "Los Angeles Times" and the "Bangor Daily News", while the "Chicago Tribune" panned "Survivor". The "Arizona Daily Star" criticized "One on One", calling King "a hack", whereas "Entertainment Weekly", "Time", and the "Rocky Mountain News" gave the novel positive reviews. "Caretakers" received positive praise by "The New York Times", while Bookreporter.com wrote that some readers might be disappointed by the changes made to McDowell 's "Candles Burning". Personal life. She and Stephen King married on January 7, 1971. King had her first child, Naomi Rachel King, in 1970. She gave birth to writer Joseph King in 1972 and Owen King in 1977. Bibliography. Novels. Entries marked with an asterisk are set in King's fictional community of Nodd's Ridge.