"I'm often called the young Stephen King," says Christopher Pike. "But I prefer to call King the old Christopher Pike."
Christopher Pike caught my attention when I first read one of his books entitled "Remember Me". I then read the second one, and I was even more interested. From there, I started reading his other books, and collecting them as well. Christopher Pike is now my favorite author. His way of writing just captures me into a little world like never before. He is truly an amazing author.
Christopher Pike is the pseudonym of Kevin McFadden (born November, 1954), an American writer. He is a bestselling author of young adult and children's fiction who specializes in the thriller genre.
McFadden was born in New York but grew up in Santa Barbara, California where he stills lives in today. A college drop-out, he did factory work, painted houses and programmed computers before becoming a recognized author. Initially unsuccessful when he set out to write science fiction and adult mystery, it was not until his work caught the attention of an editor who suggested he write a teen thriller that he became a hit.
McFadden is a highly private person; what is known about him is gathered from his books and very few interviews. Sadly it means biographical details are few and far between and there are virtually no publicity pictures of him.
Like all writers, Christopher Pike had to deal with many rejection letters before finally achieving success,his first books were Weekend and Slumber Party published in 1985 when he was only 28 years old. There were well accepted to teenagers reader worldwide and bocemo an instant hit in America. Though he has sold millions of books and is acknowledged as the master of horror, he has been quoted as saying his books are not written for teenagers, just written about them.
Treating his audience with the maturity, respect and intelligence are the crucial qualities that contribute much to his success, and gained alder fans no longer in their adolescence.
His books excel the usual horror fare, rather than focusing on stomach churning blood and guts violence, he prefers to invoke a response from readers by playing on much deeper, primitive feelings psychological terrors that lurk the deepest corners of the human mind. The losing sense of belonging, facing the reality of death and knowing that things had happen the way it shouldn't be, that the imagination can evoke. A prime example of this is the novel "Remember Me" , in this is when Shari Cooper awoke at home after being at her girlfriend's birthday party, her family acted like she wasn't there. They didn't hear a thing she said. They wouldn't even look at her. Then the call came from the hospital. Her father and brother paled. Her mother started to cry. Shari didn't know what was wrong. Not until she followed them to the hospital only to found herself lying on a cold slab in the morgue after committing suicide. All of these are perfectly described and deeply unsettling.
Such is the power of his writing, Christopher Pike has created a world in which he puts characters in mind-blowing situations but manages to make them realistic, well rounded characters who enjoyed, partying and end up facing her own death. In this place, as in real life, one happy moments may turn out to be the worst nightmare in an instant, like flipping a play card, reflects life are totally depends on how it is being played.
Even though Christopher Pike maintains a mystery about himself as deep as any of the plots in his books, his popularity endures, and long may it continue to do so.