Description
The original version of The Plant was given out as 'Christmas cards' for 3 years to friends of King. It was self-published by King's own Philtrum Press and limited to only 200 signed and numbered copies and 26 signed and lettered copies of each. Part 1 was 32 pages, Part 2, 36 pages, and Part 3, 56 pages.King recently decided to re-release The Plant as an Internet download, which he has plans on finishing in the future, with a total cost around $7, but it was downloaded using an honesty system - people could pay before they downloaded via creditcard, or promise to send in the $ as a cheque at a later stage.
Written as a collection of letters, memo's, newspaper articles and similar, it is about Carlos Detwieiller, a writer from Rhode Island who was looking at getting his "True Tales of Demon Infestations" book published. When Zeneth House publisher John Kenton was interested, Carlos sent the whole manuscript, including pictures of what looked like a real human sacrifice.
As you would expect, these pictures upset Kenton, so he reported it to the police. It turns out the man that was "Sacrificed" was really alive and well, living in Detweiller's apartment. Detweiller vows revenge on Kenton, and soon after a mysterious Roberta Solrac, who sends Kenton a plant.
The following is a list from the updated Plant.
Published
2000/1People
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| ?, Coretta | Aunt of Sandra Jackson, she gave Sandra her Shalimar perfume when Sandra was 12 |
| ?, Eddie | Riddley Walker ''s cousin, a lawyer |
| ?, Elaine | Choldhood friend of Sandra Jackson |
| ?, Fergus | Name on a letter in Herb Porter''s out tray at Zenith House |
| ?, Gertrude | A friend of Fortuna Walker from her book circle who attended Fortuna''s funeral |
| ?, Orthina | A friend of Fortuna Walker from her book circle who attended Fortuna''s funeral |
| ?, Phyllis | Friend of Sandra Jackson when she was 11 |
| ?, Randall | Husband of Sophie Walker. They are almost broke |
| ?, Ray | Uncle of Roger Wade, an amateur horticulturist |
| ?, Susan | John Kenton''s aunt. She gave him a diary when he was 11 |
| Abbalah | Some sort of God or idol prayed to and mentioned by Carlos Detweiller |
| Ableson, Norman | An Oak Cove orderly Major Hecksler killed on 3 March 1981 , when he was 26 |
| Adams, Richard | Author of ''Watership Down'' |
| Amos | Character from the TV Show ''Amos and Andy'' |
| Anderson , Toby | Fiancee of Ruth Tanaka. He was in one of her classes, and Ruth told John Kenton of their marriage due in June 1981 |
| Anderson, Oren | Floyd Walker''s partner, who stole everything from the business, then left for the Bahamas |
| Andrews, Dina | Niece of Sandra Jackson. 11 when they went to Coney Island. Red hair |
| Andrews, V C | Author mentioned in passing |
| Andy | Character from the TV Show ''Amos and Andy'' |
| Arlen, Harold | Composer who wrote ''Somewhere Over the Rainbow'' |
| Bacon, Francis | Quoted by Maddy Walker |
| Barfield, Don | Husband of Tina. Killed by Carlos Detweiller |
| Barfield, Tina | Owner of the Central Falls House of Flowers, and employer of Carlos Detweiller. Wife of Don Barfield. Left town after telling John Kenton and Roger Wade about Carlos Detweiller. She died in the crash of OCA Flight 14 on 31 March 1981 |
| Barker, Olive | Author of the Windhover series, published by Zenith House. She had a stroke but was still able to write. She was going to be used to help ghost write a story about Anthony Hecksler, called "The Devil's General" |
| Beach Boys, The | Band mentioned in passing |
| Beatles, The | Band mentioned in passing |
| Bellows, ? | Author mentioned in passing |
| Benchley, Peter | Author of ''Jaws'' |
| Bixby, Jerome | Author of ''It''s a Good Life'' |
| Blatty, William Peter | Author of ''The Exorcist'' |
| Brown, James | Singer mentioned in passing |
| Carlyle, ? | Writer mentioned in passing |
| Carroll, Lewis | Author mentioned in passing |
| Carstairs, Jinky | Author who was novelising a Lesbo-Vampire book for Zenith House |
| Chesterton, John | The pilot killed in the crash of OCA Flight 14 on 31 March 1981 . He was from Pawtucket |
| Chomsky, Noam | Mentioned in passing |
| Conley, Arthur | Singer mentioned in passing |
| Conrad, William | Actor seen on TV |
| Crandall, ? | Lawyer with Crandall & Ouitz on the 5th floor of 490 Park Avenue South , near Zenith House |
| Curran, James | Author in John Kenton''s files. He wrote four paperbacks in 1978/1979 |
| Davis, Sammy Jr | Singer heard on the radio |
| DeFelice, ? | Children of Frank DeFelice |
| DeFelice, Frank | Worked for Tallyrand Office Supply on the 7th floor of 490 Park Avenue South |
| DeFelice, Mrs | Wife of Frank DeFelice |
| DeGaulle, Charles | Mentioned in passing |
| Demeter | Some sort of God or idol prayed to and mentioned by Carlos Detweiller |
| Denver, John | Singer thought of by Riddley Walker |
| Detweiller, Carlos | A writer who was trying at getting his ''True Tales of Demon Infestations'' book published. He sent his book to Zenith House, but because it contained photos that appeared to be human sacrifice, he was arrested. He was released when the photos were proved to be fakes. He started writing to Zenith House as Roberta Solrac and also sent a strange plant, Zenith the ivy, to them. He worked at the Central Falls House of Flowers. He was attacked and killed in the offices of Zenith House by Anthony Hecksler while waiting to attack some of the Zenith employees |
| Detweiller, Mrs | Mother of Carlos Detweiller. He killed her in 1977 |
| Dorchester, Ellen | Author in John Kenton''s files. She had six manuscripts rejected |
| Durst, Rita | Worked for ''Gimme the World'' travel agency |
| Earhart, Amelia | According to Carlos Detweiller she went missing because of ''demons'' |
| Eisenhower, Dwight D | Decorated Anthony Hecksler in 1954 |
| Eliot, T S | Author mentioned in passing |
| Ellison, Ralph | Author mentioned in passing |
| Enders, Harlow | Chief Comptroller in New York for the Apex Corporation, the owners of Zenith House. He gave them a deadline to start the production of three bestsellers |
| Evans, LaShonda | Worked as a receptionist three days a week at Zenith House. Also called LaShonda McHue |
| Faulkner, William | Author thought of by Riddley Walker |
| Felix | Name on a note at the Petersborough Disposal Company''s landfill. Asked Turk to crush some porta-potties |
| Ferguson, George | President of Ocean State Airways |
| Fields, W C | Mentioned by Roger Wade |
| Flannagan, Jenny | Lived up the road from John Kenton as a child. She was teased by her older brother Tommy until she cried |
| Flannagan, Tommy | Lived up the road from John Kenton as a child. He used to tease his younger sister until she cried |
| Flynn, George | Rejected James Saltworthy''s book ''The Last Survivor'' when working for Viking in November 1978. He left and started his own printing business |
| Fonda, Jane | Ruth Tanaka had her workout video |
| Ford, Arthur P | State Police Lieutenant looking for Hecksler when he escaped from the Oak Cove Asylum |
| Foster, Jody | Actress mentioned in passing |
| Foster, Stephen | Mentioned in passing |
| Freestone-Love, Janet | Author of ''Your New Astral Cookbook'', published by Zenith House |
| Garfunkel, Art | Member of the group Simon and Garfunkel that John Kenton listened to |
| Gaye, Marvin | Singer mentioned in passing |
| Gear, Richard | Name mentioned in a letter from Detweiller to John Kenton. It should have read Richard Gere |
| Gelb, William | Zenith House Editor described as an ''Ivy League Tie-Wearing devil'' by Anthony Hecksler. He lived in Gates Falls , Maine as a child. He wanted to produce an ''Alien Investing'' book for Zenith House, and this was subsequently approved by Roger Wade |
| Ginelli, Richard | Owner of the Four Fathers Bar in New York City where Roger Wade often drank. Has mafia ties |
| Goldstein, Avery | Co-pilot killed in the crash of OCA Flight 14 on 31 March 1981 . From Pawtucket |
| Goldwater, Barry | Mentioned in passing |
| Goulet, Robert | Singer liked by Harlow Enders |
| Graustark, Teddy | Apex Corporation Vice President in charge of Print Media |
| Green | Some sort of God or idol prayed to and mentioned by Carlos Detweiller |
| Gretel | From the children''s story Hansel and Gretel |
| Hamlet | Character quoted by John Kenton |
| Hammer, Bill | Used to work as an editor for Zenith House but quit after Anthony Hecksler came after him for rejecting one of his works |
| Hance, ? | Children of Evelyn and Jack Hance |
| Hance, Evelyn | Married name of Evelyn Walker. Wife of Jack Hance |
| Hance, Jack | Husband of Evelyn Hance. He owned a construction business and was heavily in debt |
| Hangstrom, Herb | Best friend of Carlos Detweiller. They used a Ouija board together. He was decapitated in an auto accident after a disagreement with Detweiller |
| Hansel | From the children''s story Hansel and Gretel |
| Hardaway, Nick | Pen name of the author Dawson Postlewaite |
| Hecht, Ben | Author mentioned in passing |
| Hecksler, ? | Sister of Anthony. She had him committed to Oak Cove Asylum |
| Hecksler, Anthony R (Iron Guts) | A retired Major General who served in Europe before being captured by the Germans. He wrote a book called ''Twenty Psychic Garden Flowers'' which Herb Porter of Zenith House rejected. He stabbed a bus driver before being committed to Oak Cove Asylum, but escaped, killing three people in the process. He faked his death at the Shady Rest Mortuary Crematorium using the body of a bum. He was 72 years old when he escaped. Entered Zenith House and killed Carlos Detweiller before being killed and eaten by Zenith, the ivy |
| Hemingway, Ernest | Author mentioned in passing |
| Henries, Dr | Sandra Jackson''s doctor when she was a child |
| Hinckley , John (man) | Shot Ronald Reagan |
| Hitchcock, Alfred | Author mentioned in passing |
| Hitler, Adolf | Described as a dead mass murderer |
| Hoffa, Jimmy | Said to have been buried in the Petersborough Disposal Company landfill |
| Howe, Myron | Saw the crash of OCA Flight 14 on 31 March 1981 |
| Iverson, Barton | Central Falls Police Chief. He investigated Carlos Detweiller''s photographs and found they had been faked |
| J Geils Band, The | Band mentioned in passing |
| Jack | Character from ''Jack and the Beanstalk'' |
| Jackson, Sandra Georgette | An editor at Zenith House, she was having an affair with Riddley Walker. Her ''Rainy Night Friend'' weapon was used by Carlos Detweiller on Anthony Hecksler. She confronted Herb Porter about him sniffing her chair, and they went and had sex in the women''s toilet on the 6 th floor. She suggested a book of sick jokes be produced by Zenith House, and the idea was agreed to |
| Jakes, John | Author mentioned by James Saltworthy |
| Jesus | Mentioned in passing |
| Joyce, James | Author mentioned in passing |
| Judas | Biblical character mentioned |
| Keen, Norville | He was the human ''sacrifice'' shown in Carlos Detweiller''s photographs. He lived in the same building as Detweiller and had a weird sense of humour. He was seen alive and well, playing cards with Detweiller by Riley, a police officer who visited the Central Falls House of Flowers. His heart had actually been removed by Carlos Detweiller after he won too many games of cards. He was now a Zombie |
| Kennedy, John F | President of the USA thought of by John Kenton. Dead |
| Kenton, ? | Unmarried sister of John Kenton, she lives with her mother |
| Kenton, John Edward | An associate editor at Zenith House. Engaged to Ruth Tanaka until she left him for Toby Anderson. He was writing a novel, ''Maymonth'', which he later trashed and had been head of the Brown University Literary Society. He rejected Carlos Detweiller''s manuscript and contacted the police about the photographs it contained, and now Carlos is after him |
| Kenton, Kevin Anthony | Mentioned in a letter to John Kenton by Tina Barfield. John''s brother, he died of brain cancer on 7 July 1967 when he was just 10 years old |
| Kenton, Mr | Father of John, Kevin and three unnamed daughters. Dead by 1981 |
| Kenton, Mrs | Mother of John, Kevin and three unnamed daughters, she lives in Sanford , Maine |
| Kimball, Richard | Character in the TV show ''The Fugitive'' |
| Lang, Andrew | Worked in the Billing and Accounting section at Apex Corporation |
| LaScorbia, Anthony K L | Author published by Zenith House. He wrote ''Rats from Hell'', ''Scorpions from Hell'', ''Wasps from Hell'' and ''Flies from Hell'' |
| Lawrence, D H | Author mentioned in passing |
| Leekstodder, Hubert D | Co-owner of the Shady Rest Mortuary. He was murdered by Hecksler along with his wife and an unknown bum, before their bodies were cremated in the mortuary oven. He was on Heckler''s grudge list |
| Leekstodder, Mr | Son of Hubert Leekstodder, married. His wife raised the alarm when his parents were found murdered |
| Leekstodder, Mrs | Daughter-in-law of Hubert Leekstodder and his wife. She raised the alarm when her husband''s parents were incinerated at the Shady Rest Mortuary |
| Leekstodder, Mrs | Wife of Hubert Leekstodder. She was murdered by Hecksler along with her husband and an unknown bum, before their bodies were cremated in the mortuary oven. She was on Hecksler''s grudge list |
| Lincoln, Abraham | President of the USA mentioned |
| Lockridge, Ross | Author of '' Raintree County '' |
| Lovecraft, H P | Author of the ''Necronomicon'', which was mentioned by Carlos Detweiller |
| Ludlum, Robert | Author mentioned in passing |
| MacArthur, Douglas | Gave Hecksler the lighter he used to start the fire in the Shady Rest Mortuary |
| Mailer, Norman | Author of ''The Naked and The Dead'' |
| Marksland, Rodney | Police Lieutenant from Long Island who investigated the Shady Rest Mortuary murders |
| Mayr, Dallas | Passenger who was killed in the crash of OCA Flight 14 on 31 March 1981 |
| McDowell, Michael | Husband of Olympia McDowell |
| McDowell, Olympia | Aunt of Riddley Walker, husband of Michael McDowell. She told Riddley that his mother had died on 25 March 1981 . She lived in Babylon , Alabama |
| McHue, LaShonda | Worked as a receptionist Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Zenith House. She was also called LaShonda Evans |
| Mencken, H L | Mentioned by John Kenton |
| Metalious, Grace | Author of '' Peyton Place '' |
| Milton, John | Author mentioned in passing |
| Mitty, Walter | Character mentioned in passing |
| Moby Dick | A whale from the childrens story |
| Monroe, Marilyn | Friend of John F Kennedy |
| Moors, Ellen K | Doctor in charge of Anthony Hecksler''s case at the Oak Cove Asylum |
| Mumy, Billy | Child actor mentioned as being in a ''Twilight Zone'' episode |
| Newman, Paul | Actor in ''Cool Hand Luke'' |
| Nixon, Richard | According to Carlos Detweiller he was infected with ''tulpa'' |
| Nordstrom, Tracy | A psycho truck driver who is the main character in the book ''The Last Survivor''. Well liked by the audience |
| O'Connor, Flannery | Stated that a good book distributor is hard to find |
| Oceanby, John | Probably a fictional author whose name was used as the cover on James Saltworthy''s book, ''The Last Survivor'' |
| Ouitz, ? | Lawyer with Crandall & Ouitz on the 5th floor of 490 Park Avenue South , near Zenith House |
| Parker, Dorothy | Mentioned by Sandra Jackson |
| Patella, George | Executive Vice President of RainBo Softdrinks. He is married but takes his wedding ring off and goes to singles bars |
| Payne, Joe | Mentioned in passing |
| Penbroke, Alicia | 34 Year old Nurse at the Oak Cove Asylum, who was killed by Anthony Hecksler when he escaped |
| Perkins, Maxwell | Mentioned in passing |
| Piet, John | 40 year Old Orderly at the Oak Cove Asylum who was killed by Anthony Hecksler when he escaped |
| Poe, Edgar Allan | Poet mentioned in passing |
| Poppins, Mary | Movie character |
| Porter, Herb | Editor at Zenith House who used to sniff Sandra Jackson''s chair. Anthony Hecksler called him the ''Designated Jew''. When confronted by Sandra Jackson they went to the women''s toilets where they had sex. He thought of writing a book on Anthony Hecksler for Zenith House, and wrote ten thousand words in one night for it |
| Porter, Lisa | Ex-wife of Herb Porter, they married but divorced two years later because he was impotent |
| Porter, Mr | Father of Herb Porter. Herb blamed him for his impotence because of a cheap seat his father had bought for his bike. Herb organised a 25th wedding anniversary for his parents in 1978 |
| Porter, Mrs | Mother of Herb Porter. Herb organised a 25th wedding anniversary for his parents in 1978. Herb had a picture of her on his wall |
| Postlewaite, Dawson | Writer known as Nick Hardaway who was given the OK to write a book on Alien Investing. Also writing a book titled ''Fresno Firestorm'' |
| Puzo, Mario | Author of ''The Godfather'' |
| Pyne, Joe | Mentioned in passing |
| Reagan, Ronald | President of the USA who had been shot and was recovering in hospital |
| Redbone, Sherwyn | President of the Apex Corporation |
| Redding, Otis | Dead singer mentioned |
| Redford, Robert | Actor who Sandra Jackson liked when she was 11 years old |
| Riley, ? | Police officer sent to the House of Flowers by Barton Iverson |
| Rinaldo | Dina Andrews called her large pink bear won at Cony Island ''Rinaldo'' |
| Rockne, Knute | Football player mentioned by Roger Wade |
| Rogers, Rosemary | Author mentioned by James Saltworthy |
| Rolling Stones, The | Band mentioned in passing |
| Roth, Philip | Author mentioned in passing |
| Runyon, Damon | Author mentioned by John Kenton |
| Saltworthy, James | Author of the book, ''The Last Survivor'' about a group of survivors on a TV show. The book was to be published by Zenith House |
| Saltworthy, Mrs | Wife of James Saltworthy |
| Saul, John | Author mentioned in passing |
| Savini, Tom | Special effects expert mentioned in passing. He was said to be extremely good |
| Schneur, Herman T | Bus driver in Albany who was almost killed by Anthony Hecksler |
| Scrooge, Ebenezer | Mentioned in passing |
| Shakespeare, William | Writer mentioned in passing |
| Simon, Paul | Member of the group Simon and Garfunkel that John Kenton listened to |
| Sinatra, Frank | Singer mentioned by Harlow Enders |
| Slavinsky, Rodney | Author who writes westerns using the name Bart I Straight |
| Solrac, Roberta | Mysterious person who sent John Kenton letters and Zenith the ivy plant. Kenton thinks she is actually Carlos Detweiller. She is a fan of the LaScorbia novels |
| Stames, Sally | Character in ''The Last Survivor''. Suspected that Tracy Nordstrom was not what he seemed |
| Stevens, Wallace | Poet mentioned in passing |
| Stevenson, Robert Louis | Author mentioned in passing |
| Straight,+ Bart I | Pen name of Rodney Slavinsky |
| Stylistics, The | Band mentioned in passing |
| Tanaka, Ruth | She was engaged to marry John Kenton but dumped him and became engaged to Toby Anderson |
| Temptations, The | Band mentioned in passing |
| Tidyman, Law | A close friend of Fortuna Walker who read her will. Husband of Sulla Tidyman |
| Tidyman, Sulla | Wife of Law Tidyman |
| Turk | Name on a note seen at the Petersborough Disposal Company''s landfill. Told by Felix to crush the porta-potties |
| Tyndale, ? | Police Sergeant who helped verify the photos in Carlos Detweiller''s book. He worked at the 31st Precinct police station in New York City |
| Varner, Eula | Mentioned in passing |
| Wade, Mrs | Mother of Roger. Dead by 1981 |
| Wade, Mrs | Roger Wade had three ex-wives |
| Wade, Mrs | Roger Wade had three ex-wives |
| Wade, Mrs | Roger Wade had three ex-wives |
| Wade, Roger | 45 Year Old Editor in chief at Zenith House. He had been a teacher for six years, is 5 foot 7 inches tall and had been married and divorced three times. His school nickname was the Waterboy. He authorised work on the Devil''s General book, the sick joke book, Alien Investing and organised the hardcover/paperback release of ''The Last Survivor'' |
| Wagner, Honus | Baseball player on a card Herb Porter bought for $250 |
| Walker , ? | Children of Floyd Walker |
| Walker, Deidre | Sister of Riddley, Evelyn, Madeline, Sophie and Floyd, daughter of Fortuna. Walker . One of Riddley''s sexual fantasies was for her to put a diaper on him and then he urinates in it |
| Walker, Evelyn | Sister of Riddley, Deidre, Madeline, Sophie and Floyd, daughter of Fortuna Walker. The oldest child, married Jack Hance |
| Walker, Floyd | Brother of Riddley, Deidre, Evelyn, Sophie and Floyd, daughter of Fortuna Walker. His partner Oren Anderson stole money from their business and fled to the Bahamas , leaving him heavily in debt |
| Walker, Fortuna | Mother of Riddley, Deidre, Evelyn, Sophie and Floyd Walker. She died of a heart attack on 25 March 1981 aged 62 |
| Walker, Madeline | Favourite sister of Riddley Walker. The youngest daughter of Fortuna, sister of Deidre, Evelyn, Sophie and Floyd |
| Walker, Mr | Father of Riddley, Deidre, Evelyn, Sophie and Floyd, husband of Fortuna Walker. Died in 1969 |
| Walker, Riddley Pearson | 26 Year old African American who delivered the mail and worked as a janitor at Zenith House. He was told to incinerate the Plant when it arrived but did not. He was having an affair with Sandra Jackson, and was writing a book. He was offered a full editor''s job with Zenith House |
| Walker, Sophie | Sister of Riddley, Deidre, Madeline, Evelyn and Floyd, daughter of Fortuna Walker |
| Wayne, John | Actor in the movie ''Wake of the Red Witch'' |
| Weiner, Robert | Passenger who was killed in the crash of OCA Flight 14 on 31 March 1981 |
| Westmoreland, William | A General who spoke to Hecksler in Haiphong Charlies in Saigon when a bomb exploded |
| Wettermark, Randy | Best friend of John Kenton in 5th grade. He stole a Spiderman comic from a store |
| Whitney, James | Wrote an article about the crash of OCA Flight 14 on 31 March 1981 |
| Williams, Alan | Senior editor at Viking Press. He was contacted about the hardcover rights to James Saltworthy''s novel ''The Last Survivor'' |
| Williams, Tennessee | Mentioned in passing |
| Wilson, Gahan | Owner of the house in Connecticut where Ruth Tanaka met Roger Wade. Husband of Nancy |
| Wilson, Nancy | Owner of the house in Connecticut where Ruth Tanaka met Roger Wade. Wife of Gahan |
| Wolfe, Thomas | Author mentioned by John Kenton. He was known to write 10,000 words a day |
| Yeager, Mort | Writer who may have been able to re-write ''L''il Lolita''. He had previously written ''Teenage Lingerie Show''. He was in Prison for receiving stolen property |
| Zenith | The Plant sent to John Kenton by Roberta Solrac. The name ''Zenith'' was on a small plastic tag on the plant. It is supposed to be ''common ivy'', but there is no such plant and it is actually a rare Tibetan Kendath Ivy. It has magical powers, was imported from ''another place'' and appears to be able to think and recognise people. People who are not part of the Zenith House editorial staff only see it as a small, rather sick plant, but the Zenith staff see it as a fast-growing plant that has spread into corridors and other rooms |
