Stephen King Writes Rare Intro for Nat Cassidy Collection

Stephen King doesn’t hand out full introductions lightly. So when he opens one with “These stories are f—ing great. They rule,” horror readers pay attention.

The legendary author has written a 1,400-word prelude for Nat Cassidy’s debut collection, I Know a Place, marking a rare show of support from one of the genre’s most influential voices. The book lands May 5 from Tor Nightfire.

A Rare Stamp of Approval

King is known for generous blurbs. Full introductions are another story. He has reserved that honor for literary heavyweights, making Cassidy’s collection a notable exception.

In the introduction, King favorably compares the stories in I Know a Place to those in his own breakthrough collection, Night Shift. It’s a striking parallel, especially given how foundational Night Shift remains for modern horror.

Cassidy’s path to that moment was surprisingly simple. After King praised his 2025 novel When the Wolf Comes Home as “a classic,” Cassidy took a chance and asked if he might consider writing an introduction for his first collection. Months later, King delivered what Cassidy describes as a deeply generous and unmistakably “Kingian” essay.

Horror’s Next Golden Age?

Cassidy has been building toward this for years. The New York City–based author broke out with Mary: An Awakening of Terror, named one of Audible’s top horror novels of all time, followed by acclaimed titles including Nestlings and Rest Stop, a Bram Stoker Award nominee.

His work often blends intimate fears with high-concept dread, and major outlets have singled him out as one of the writers shaping horror’s next wave. King’s continued championing only amplifies that momentum.

For longtime King readers, the news also underscores his enduring presence across the genre. Even as adaptations like Stephen King’s The Body returning as a new audiobook and fresh screen projects such as the upcoming Carrie event series keep his own stories in circulation, he continues to spotlight emerging voices.

I Know a Place arrives May 5 with King’s full introduction intact. For horror fans, that combination—an emerging genre star and a master who rarely lends his pen—makes this one of spring’s most intriguing releases.