Spirited Giving at the Stanley Hotel
The trip to the Stanley Hotel was breathtaking. Literally. The elevation gain from San Francisco International Airport to Estes Park Colorado is a whopping 7,509 feet. And my husband and I did this. In one day. Now I understand why the Denver airport had advertisements for oxygen supplements.
A Hallway At The Stanley. I feel like I’ve been here before…
For those of you not familiar with horror, The Stanley Hotel served as the inspiration for Stephen King’s classic novel The Shining. The story goes like this. In the 1970’s King and his wife, Tabitha, decided to take a few days off from their hectic lives. They drove up from Boulder and on a whim, decided to stay at The Stanley. The hotel was closing for the season, so they had the place more or less to themselves. After relaxing in the bar, King retired to his room. That night, he had a horrible nightmare. “I dreamed of my three year old son running through these corridors, looking back over his shoulder, eyes wide, screaming.” He woke up in a cold sweat and lit a cigarette to calm his nerves. “By the time the cigarette was done, I had the bones of the book firmly set in my mind.”
What was good for Stephen King was also good for The Stanley. At the time of his visit, the place was run-down. On the verge of being demolished. The fame The Shining gave the hotel led to its rebirth. In 2020, this second life was threatened by the East Troublesome wildfire. Thankfully, the historic hotel was saved.
Which brings me to the second reason for my visit. A charity event put on by James Sabata, Donald Guillory, Gemma Amor and Laurel Hightower, An Evening Of Spirited Giving benefitted local firefighters. It featured readings from acclaimed horror writers, a silent auction, and a performance by The No Sleep podcast. All within the hallowed halls of The Stanley. To say I was in heaven is a major understatement….
Things got even better. Stephen Graham Jones, one of the hottest horror writers out there, offered an advance reading copy of his new book, Don’t Fear The Reaper. I never win contests, but it was for a good cause, so I threw my hat into the ring. Well, you know where this story is going. I won! Not only that. Stephen Graham Jones personalized the copy for me.
The setting, the wonderful event and getting to meet one of my idols. It was a night to remember….
Me With Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times Best Selling Author
Want to hear some spooky stories? The No Sleep Podcast has you covered.