11/22/63 theories, ultimately coming to the conclusion that Oswald acted alone. King met with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, an assistant to Lyndon B. Johnson and the author of books about several presidents, and used some of her ideas of worst-case political scenarios that might occur in the absence of Kennedy's assassination. The trade hardcover edition features a dust jacket that is a faux newspaper front page, with the front of the jacket featuring an article recounting the real historical event of Kennedy's assassination, and the back featuring an alternative history article speaking of the event as just a failed assassination "attempt"
Stephen King the first gothic novel, Horace Walpole's "The Castle of Otranto"). The Overlook Hotel acts as a replacement for the traditional gothic castle, and Jack Torrance is a tragic villain seeking redemption. King has also referred to author Shirley Jackson. "Salem's Lot" opens with a quotation from Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House", and a character in "" references the Jackson book "We Have Always Lived in the Castle". King's book "11/22/63" mentions the Jackson story "The Summer People". King is a fan of John D. MacDonald, and dedicated the novella "Sun Dog" to MacDonald, saying "I miss you, old friend."