Stephen King Awarded National Medal Of Arts By President Obama

Stephen King has been bestowed the honor of receiving the National Medal of Arts by President Obama. He will receive his award on Thursday during a ceremony at the White House. He will be joined by 18 other medal recipients, such as Sally Field, Ping Chong, and Miriam Colin, to name a few.

Stephen King was chosen to receive the National Medal of Arts for his ability to thrill readers for decades and his artful way of combining the elements of human nature within his storytelling, according to ABC7 in Los Angeles.

Stephen King posted his excitement on Twitter when he found out, congratulating all of the honorees, according to Vulture.

“I guess I’m going to be awarded the National Medal of Arts next week. I’m amazed and grateful. Congratulations to all my fellow honorees!”

Stephen King has been writing tales for the public for over 40 years, starting with Carrie, his debut novel. In total, he has published 60 books and many other short stories. He has won countless awards, including over 13 Bram Stoker Awards from the Horror Writers Association, starting in 1987.

Stephen King’s ability to frighten his readers with subtle nuances, as well as in your face scares, has left fans returning to his work with each new release, and he doesn’t show any sign of stopping soon. He has tackled horror writing with ease and has moved outside of the genre with masterpieces such as the Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me. His writing has inspired many individuals who have thought about creating new worlds based on their imaginations and has shown authors of all skill sets that anything can be done if you put your mind to it.

During the ceremony, King will join 17 other individuals that are poised to receive the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal, both high honors given by the President of the United States. The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities support artistic excellence and creativity, according to KRQE. Celebrating their 50th anniversaries, both endowments have honored those that have exemplified each field.

Stephen King’s receipt of the award is a fantastic testament to his creativity and passion for writing and literacy. For authors, in general, it is motivation that there are still readers out there who appreciate reading a good tale.

The ceremony will stream live at 3 p.m. on Thursday at Whitehouse.gov for all to view.

[Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images News]