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.
Published
1983-6 Philtrum PressPeople
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| ?, Eddie | Lawyer cousin of Riddley Walker |
| ?, Olympia | Aunt of Riddley Walker |
| ?, Susan | Aunt who gave John Kenton a diary |
| Ableson, Norman | Orderly at Oak Cove. Killed by Major Hecksler |
| Anderson , Toby | Ruth Tanaka''s fiancf1'e9e |
| Andrews, V C | Author mentioned in passing |
| Barfield, Tina | The owner of the Central Falls House of Flowers. She employed Carlos Detweiller |
| Barker, Olive | Author of the Windhover series of books that were published by Zenith House. She suffered a stroke, but could still write |
| Carlyle, ? | Writer mentioned in passing |
| DeGaulle, Charles | Mentioned in passing |
| Detweiller, Carlos | He sent his book , ''True Tales of Demon Infestations'', to Zenith House in the hope of getting it published. He was arrested because of the disturbing photographs included with the manuscript, but they were determined to be fakes when the "victim'' was seen alive and well. Began writing to Zenith House as Roberta Solrac. Sent Zenith the ivy, to Zenith Houise. Worked for Tina Barfield at the Central House of Flowers |
| Earhart, Amelia | According to Carlos Detweiller she went missing as a result of ''demons'' |
| Enders, Harlow | Chief Comptroller in New York for Apex Corporation, the owners of Zenith House. Told the staff at Zenith that they would continue to be employed for another year, at which time there was to be ''a total review of Zenith''s overall position in the market'' |
| Faulkner, William | Author mentioned in passing |
| Fields, W C | Mentioned by Roger Wade |
| Fonda, Jane | Ruth Tanaka had her workout video |
| Ford, Arthur P | A State Police Lieutenant on Hecksler''s trail after he escaped from the Oak Cove Asylum |
| Foster, Jody | Actress mentioned in passing |
| Garfunkel, Art | Member of the group Simon and Garfunkel. John Kenton liked listening to them |
| Gaye, Marvin | Singer mentioned in passing |
| Gear, Richard | Name mentioned in a letter from Detweiller to John Kenton. It should be Richard Gere |
| Gelb, William | Zenith House editor described as an ''Ivy League Tie-Wearing devil'' |
| Ginelli, Richard | Owner of the Four Fathers Bar |
| Hammer, Bill | Worked as an editor for Zenith House until he was chased by Anthony Hecksler after rejecting his work |
| Hecht, Ben | Playwright mentioned in passing |
| Hecksler, Anthony R | A retired Major General who served in Europe before being captured by the Germans in late 1944. Author of ''Twenty Psychic Garden Flowers'', which was rejected by Zenith House''s Herb Porter. Committed to Oak Cove Asylum after stabbing a bus driver. Escaped, killing 3 people in the process, before faking his death at the Shady Rest Mortuary Crematorium. He was 72 when he escaped |
| Iverson, Barton | Central Falls Police Chief who, after investigating Carlos Detweiller''s photographs, said they had been faked |
| J Geils Band, The | Band mentioned in passing |
| Jackson, Sandra | An editor at Zenith House, who was having an affair with Riddley Walker |
| Keen, Norville | Lived in the same building as Carlos Detweiller, he was the subject in the ''sacrifice'' pictures enclosed with Detweiller''s manuscript. He was seen alive by Riley, a police officer, during the investigation into the photographs |
| Kenton, ? | Unmarried sister of John Kenton, she lives with her mother |
| Kenton, John Edward | Editor at Zenith House. He rejected Carlos Detweiller''s manuscript and contacted the police about the photographs it contained. His fiancf1'e9e, Ruth Tanaka, left him for Toby Anderson. He was writing a novel titled ''Maymonth'', but he later destroyed it |
| Kenton, Mr | Father of John and three daughters |
| Kenton, Mrs | Mother of John and three daughters |
| LaScorbia, Anthony K L | Author of ''Rats from Hell'', ''Scorpions from Hell'', ''Wasps from Hell'' and ''Flies from Hell'', all published by Zenith House |
| Lawrence, D H | Author mentioned in passing |
| Leekstodder, Hubert D | Co-owner of the Shady Rest Mortuary who was killed by Anthony Hecksler and then incinerated in the mortuary''s oven. He was on Heckler''s grudge list |
| Leekstodder, Mr | Son of Hubert, married |
| Leekstodder, Mrs | Daughter-in-law of the 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 Anthony Hecksler and then incinerated in the mortuary''s oven. She was on Hecksler''s grudge list |
| Lincoln, Abraham | President of the Unites States |
| Lovecraft, H P | Author of the ''Necronomicon'' mentioned by Carlos Detweiller |
| Ludlum, Robert | Author mentioned in passing |
| MacArthur, Douglas | The lighter he gave to Anthony Hecksler was used to start the fire in the Shady Rest Mortuary |
| Marksland, Rodney | Police Lieutenant from Long Island that investigated the murders at the Shady Rest Mortuary |
| Mencken, H L | Mentioned by John Kenton |
| Milton, John | Writer mentioned in passing |
| Mitty, Walter | Character mentioned in passing |
| Moors, Ellen K | Doctor in charge of Anthony Hecksler''s case at the Oak Cove Asylum |
| Newman, Paul | Actor in ''Cool Hand Luke'' |
| Nixon, Richard | Carlos Detweiller said he was infected with ''tulpa'' |
| O'Connor, Flannery | Said that a good book distributor is hard to find |
| Payne, Joe | Mentioned in passing |
| Penbroke, Alicia | Nurse at the Oak Cove Asylum who was killed by Anthony Hecksler during his escape |
| Perkins, Maxwell | Mentioned in passing |
| Piet, John | Orderly at the Oak Cove Asylum who was killed by Anthony Hecksler during his escape |
| Porter, Herb | Editor at Zenith House who used to sniff Sandra Jackson''s chair. Anthony Hecksler called him the ''Designated Jew'' |
| Riley, ? | Police officer sent to the House of Flowers by Barton Iverson |
| Rogers, Rosemary | Author mentioned by John Kenton |
| Roth, Philip | Author mentioned in passing |
| Runyon, Damon | Writer mentioned by John Kenton |
| Saul, John | Author mentioned by John Kenton |
| Savini, Tom | Special effects expert mentioned in passing. He was said to be extremely good |
| Schneur, Herman T | Bus driver in Albany who was attacked by Anthony Hecksler. He survived |
| Shakespeare, William | Writer mentioned in passing |
| Simon, Paul | Member of the group Simon and Garfunkel that John Kenton liked listening to |
| Solrac, Roberta | Sent John Kenton letters and the ivy plant named ''Zenith''. It is thought that this is actually Carlos Detweiller. A fan of the LaScorbia novels published by Zenith House |
| Tanaka, Ruth | Fiancee of John Kenton, but she dumped him and became engaged to Toby Anderson |
| Tyndale, ? | Police Sergeant who checked the photos in Carlos Detweiller''s book |
| 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 | Editor in chief at Zenith House. He had been a teacher, and was married and divorced three times |
| Walker, Deidre | Sister of Riddley and Floyd, daughter of Fortuna Walker. One of Riddley''s fantasies was for her to put a diaper on him and then he urinates in it |
| Walker, Floyd | Brother of Riddley and Deirdre, son of Fortuna Walker |
| Walker, Fortuna | Mother of Riddley, Deidre and Floyd Walker. Died of a heart attack aged 62 |
| Walker, Riddley Pearson | He delivered mail, and worked as a janitor at Zenith House. It was his decision to keep "Zenith" the ivy when it arrived, even tho he was told to destroy it. He was having an affair with Sandra Jackson and was secretly writing a book. Son of Fortuna, brother of Deidre and Floyd Walker |
| Wayne, John | Actor in the movie ''Wake of the Red Witch'' |
| Westmoreland, William | A General who spoke to Hecksler in Vietnam |
| Wilson, Gahan | Husband of Nancy Wilson. Owned the house in Connecticut where Ruth Tanaka met Roger Wade |
| Wilson, Nancy | Wife of Gahan Wilson. Owned the house in Connecticut where Ruth Tanaka met Roger Wade |
| Wolfe, Thomas | Author mentioned by John Kenton |
| Zenith | The plant Roberta Solrac sent John Kenton. The name was on a small plastic tag attached to the plant. Said to be a Common Ivy, but there is no such plant |
