James Patterson Discusses Shelved Novella, Plans for Collaboration with Stephen King

James Patterson, one of the most prolific and bestselling authors of our time, reflected on his record-breaking career, ongoing evolution as a writer, and his complicated relationship with fellow author Stephen King in a recent interview. Patterson, who has sold over 425 million books and holds the Guinness World Record for most #1 New York Times bestsellers, emphasized his focus on future projects—including a collaboration with YouTube star MrBeast—rather than past achievements. Despite past public jabs, including King calling him 'a terrible writer,' Patterson responded with self-deprecating humor, admitting some of his early work was subpar but asserting he's 'pretty good now.' The two authors nearly collaborated on a joint interview and discussed the positive impact such a partnership could have on promoting literacy among children. Patterson also revealed he shelved his novella 'The Murder of Stephen King' out of respect after concerns were raised by King’s team, clarifying it was meant as a tongue-in-cheek homage. While Patterson appears to have moved past their feud and hopes for future collaboration, it's unclear whether King feels the same.