It's October in 1974 and Stephen King has writer's block.

He couldn't come up with an idea for the next big book and his wife suggested what about a change of scenery.

They out of just randomly pick Colorado, picked Boulder,

got a little apartment,

and they're out driving one day in Estes, which is right by Boulder, and they see this incredible building, and he's going, what in the world is that?

The building is a giant hotel called the Stanley Hotel,

140 rooms nestled in the Rocky Mountains.

You can tell it was once a grand place. But when they pull up, it is shabby. It is run down.

They go into the lobby, to the reception desk. It's a fall day and there's a chill

settling into the air. The hotel is cold. There is no heat. It is the last day of the season and so they're going well sir most of the

staff's gone home we can give you a room for tonight but but the dining room, the chairs are already up on the tables.

We have very limited food we can offer you.

But sure, if you want to stay here tonight? They have dinner in the empty dining room,

and music echoes down the hall,

the band playing for no one. King's wife Tabitha is exhausted and goes to bed.

But Stephen stays up and he starts exploring. He wanders these long hallways lined with hotel rooms.

There's an old creaky elevator from the early 1900s.

Fire hoses on the walls in case of emergency.

He came back to the room, fell asleep, and pictured his son

running down the hallway with the hose chasing him. He drinks awake from his nightmare, pouring sweat, and he goes outside.

Had a cigarette, started thinking about it. He thought, what if, because the hotel was going to close for the season, what if somebody was trapped here in the winter?

Three years later, the Shining was published.

...