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Stephen King's decision to skip the e-book format gets renewed attention

Stephen King said his new novel, 'Joyland,' will be released in paper format only. 'Let people ... go to an actual bookstore,' said King.

Stephen King's new novel 'Joyland' centers on a teenage carnival worker who learns about a never-solved murder case.
  • By Molly Driscoll Staff Writer

Legendary author Stephen King’s decision not to released his new novel “Joyland” in e-book format is getting renewed attention as the book's June 4 publication date draws near.

“I have no plans for a digital version," King told the Wall Street Journal about his "Joyland." "Maybe at some point, but in the meantime, let people stir their sticks and go to an actual bookstore rather than a digital one.”

King has already made a name for himself as a maverick where e-books are concerned. In 2000 he made headlines when he released a shorter work titled “Riding the Bullet” in e-book format only, making "Riding the Bullet" the world's first mass-market electronic book.

“Joyland” follows a 1970s college student who is employed at a carnival in North Carolina one summer and finds out about a murder that occurred several years ago and was never solved.

The book’s tagline on the front cover, “Who dares enter the funhouse of fear?,” is reminiscent of some of King’s early horror works.

“Joyland” is being published by Titan Books imprint Hard Case Crime.

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