New Stephen King Book Will Be Released In April

Thu., Feb. 18, 1999

New York Daily News

Stephen King has pitched a fast one for the baseball season.

A few months ago, he surprised his new publisher, Scribner, with news of a piece of fiction that might turn into a novel. When he sent it to company head Susan Moldow late last month, it had - she’s crashing a 1.25 million first printing of “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon” for early April.

That’s partly because April 5 is opening day for the Boston Red Sox, and Bosox relief pitcher Tom Gordon plays an important role in the book.

Moldow said she struck a deal for “Tom Gordon” separate from King’s existing three-book contract. Book of the Month Club then skidded home with a successful bid to make it a special “blowout” alternate April selection.

The story involves a young girl lost in a stretch of King’s creepy New England woods. She overcomes its terrors by tuning in to the Red Sox on her Sony Walkman and forging an imaginary friendship with Gordon.

The rush release is also due to King’s wanting “the games she listens to to be the most recent ones on record,” Moldow said.

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