Dear Stephen King,

Growing up in Maine in the ‘80s, there wasn’t a whole lot to brag about—or at least so it seemed. Sure we had the beautiful rocky coast, the best lobsters in the world and were one of the first states to initiate recycling! But who wants to stick their chest out about those things? By my teens, there was some improvement: Maine hockey, Cindy Blodgett and Joan Benoit. There was even a rumor that Judd Nelson, one of the stars from The Breakfast Club, was from Portland. But, in those pre-internet days, that factoid was hard to confirm.

But the one, indisputable, bragging right we did have was Stephen King. For Mainers, the idea of you packing up your stuff and moving to Hollywood evoked as much fear as a night in Room 217. It would have been more tragic than Lebron leaving Cleveland. Maine was home to Stephen King and WE could call him our own.

So from one hometown boy to another, here’s the reason for this letter: Being a fan, I always thought the scariest demons I’d encounter were the ones in your books. Then I tried cocaine. It was like a sinister butterfly-effect. I guess Nancy Regan did try to warn me, but obviously that never took. Thankfully, I’m now sober almost four years.

The first book I read out of rehab (my second stint) was On Writing. I’ve since read it two more times. For me, the book is magic. It spoke to me. And its message was more than how to write, it was a why aren’t I writing? So I wrote and wrote and wrote.

A little over a year ago, I received a book contract from Random House and in early June my book, The Buy Side, was published. It’s a coming-of-age/redemption story of my 15-year career on Wall Street. If you run into anyone who doesn’t believe in the miracles that can happen in sobriety tell them to call me.

Enclosed please find a copy of my book and know that I send it without any agenda but because it feels like something I’m supposed to do. I don’t know why, exactly. Maybe it completes some kind of universal circle. But I do know that I’m sending it with enormous gratitude. You and On Writing helped change my life and I will be forever thankful.

Sincerely,

Turney Duff

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