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“What if Stephen King’s Dollar Baby filmmakers had their own terrifying tales to tell?”

For decades, the Dollar Baby program gave filmmakers the rare chance to adapt King’s short stories for just $1. Now, for the first time, these masters of suspense and horror are unleashing their OWN ORIGINAL nightmares in one chilling collection.

Welcome to KEYS TO THE KINGDOM — a fiction anthology of dark, twisted, and unforgettable stories from the creatives who walked the road paved by the King himself.

Are you ready to turn the page?

By Stephen King fans; for Stephen King fans.

KEYS TO THE KINGDOM is a one-of-a-kind anthology of nineteen never-before-published tales of terror written by directors and writers from Stephen King’s legendary Dollar Baby program.

This eclectic group of stories delivers a mix of suspense, psychological thrills, and horror, bottling the spirit of King’s storytelling while carving out new and chilling ideas.

This anthology isn’t only about great horror stories – it’s about a community of dedicated storytellers coming together to create something unforgettable.

A NEW STORY REVEALED EACH WEEK!

  • RED EYE (Paul Inman) - On a turbulent red-eye flight, an exhausted traveler - battling jet lag and the lingering haze of a Vegas weekend - struggles to keep his grip on reality when he begins seeing strange shapes in the cabin’s shadows.
  • THE LIME ACID LOVERS (Julia Marchese) - In 1986, at the King of Prussia Mall, a psychedelic drifter falls for a punk rock occultist who pulls him into a neon-lit fever dream of backroom sex, high-stakes theft, mind-bending pharmacosmicals, & unfathomable dark powers.
  • HOPE’S HOWL (James B. Cox) - Pat Reagan, a ski patroller at a mom-and-pop mountain resort in the midst of a corporate takeover, answers a Search and Rescue call that brings him face to face with death and a local legend.
  • THIS IS HELL (Shawn S. Lealos) - When Jake survives a near-death experience, he believes he has a second chance at life. However, something evil from the other side returns with him.
  • ROSALYN LAKE (Bolen Miller) - Two teen siblings search for their mother’s killer in a small town near the Gifford Pinchot Forest.
  • COPY (Mando Franco) - In this twisted noir, a late-night fare pulls a taxi driver into a web of violence and deception where he must survive the longest night of his life.
  • WENDY (D.F. Jester) - When a female hitchhiker is picked up on a lonely stretch of road at night, she and the driver discover what each hungers for.
  • MISS THE MARK (Chris Ethridge) - An angry puzzle maker sets up a bloody Rube Goldberg machine for his victim, but things go disastrously wrong.
  • LIFE SENTENCE (Billy Hanson) - Two prison guards are assigned to oversee a top-secret inmate in an isolated cell—but their resolve is tested when they discover the prisoner was arrested centuries ago and simply will not die.
  • STONE WALL RD. (Paul Inman) - After a fight with his wife, a man takes a rainy drive to clear his head, but when his GPS leads him deep into the wilderness, he finds himself in a deadly situation that forces him to face the fallout of their troubled marriage.
  • THE ONE THAT HAUNTS YOU (Stephen Tramontana) - A hitman’s planned retirement hits a snag when a job-gone-wrong catches up to him.
  • POWDER BLUE (Billy Hanson) - A stressed-out mother struggles to control her road rage during the chaotic elementary school drop-offs and focuses her anxieties on a beautiful blue Porsche that keeps taking the best parking spot.
  • NAP (Jackie Perez) - When a sleep-deprived young woman chases viral fame, her waking nightmares bleed into reality when an ancient entity latches onto her fragile mind—refusing to let her go.
  • WHAT CHRIS REMEMBERS (James Renner) - Chris has just transferred to a prestigious boarding school where students trade something more frightening than Pokemon cards.
  • SAND FLEAS (Jennifer Trudrung) - A young girl digs up a disturbing revelation on a fishing trip with her dad.
  • THREE NIGHTS (Rodney Altman) - After losing her family in a car crash, a woman makes a deal to bring them back in exchange for spending three nights in the afterlife.
  • 132 HOURS (Jay Holben) - When a brilliant surgeon succumbs to the darker side of his god complex, it results in five and a half days of methodical and heinous torture on the verge of pure madness.

*Note: Stephen King is not affiliated with this anthology.

Writer/Editors Billy Hanson (Survivor Type, Bone Cold) and Paul Inman (That Feeling, Thirst of the Dead), with contributions by:

  • James Renner (The Man From Primrose Lane, Scout Camp)
  • Jay Holben (Paranoid, Dexter)
  • Stephen Tramontana (A Very Tight Place, Killer Piñata)
  • Julia Marchese (I Know What You Need, Out Of Print)
  • D.F. Jester (One for the Road, Stay Safe)
  • Jennifer Trudrung (Here There Be Tygers, Halloween Kills)
  • Chris Ethridge (Survivor Type, Haven’s End)
  • James B. Cox (Grey Matter, Call of the Void)
  • Rodney Altman (Umney’s Last Case, Killers of the Flower Moon)
  • Bolen Miller (All That You Love Will Be Carried Away, DELILAH)
  • Shawn S. Lealos (I Know What You Need, Dollar Deal: The Story of the Stephen King Dollar Baby Filmmakers)
  • Robert Cochrane (Luckey Quarter, Boys of Summer)
  • Jackie Perez (Beachworld, Bad Vibes)
  • Mando Franco (The Boogeyman, Reaper Road)

Learn more about each author in the About the Authors section under the READ heading above.

Pay it forward.

Stephen King’s Dollar Baby program gave us a rare opportunity—to adapt the work of a master, to bring his stories to life, and to step into the world of professional filmmaking. Now, it’s our turn to pay it forward.

KEYS TO THE KINGDOM isn’t just an anthology—it’s a continuation of that spirit of creativity and opportunity. This book brings together former Dollar Baby filmmakers, now stepping into the role of original storytellers, crafting fresh tales of suspense, horror, and psychological tension.

But we’re not stopping there. In the same spirit as the Dollar Baby program, we’re offering the next generation of filmmakers the opportunity to adapt these stories for just $1*. By supporting this project, you’re not only getting a collection of gripping, chilling stories—you’re helping to keep the cycle of creativity alive, opening doors for new voices in storytelling, just as King once did for us.

*Adaptation Rights Disclaimer: The $1 adaptation offer is non-exclusive and subject to the availability of rights.

When you back this campaign, you’re not just supporting an anthology—you’re joining a community of readers and filmmakers dedicated to keeping the Dollar Baby legacy alive. Your rewards include:

  • $10 for the eBook: Get a digital copy to dive into stories that might one day make it to the big screen.
  • $20 Reader (Paperback): Hold the collection in your hands, feel the spine crack, and get immersed in these tales.
  • $60 Super Reader: Get three paperbacks and YOUR NAME forever etched as in the book, thanking YOU and celebrating your support for independent storytelling.

Plus, you’re helping to create opportunities for the next generation of filmmakers to bring these stories to life!

*Note: If we reach 750 preorders, the book will likely be released in the fall of 2026. The release will depend on Inkshares’ schedule, which typically falls 12-18 months after the preorder period.

If we don’t reach the 750 preorder threshold, your money will be refunded.

The Dollar Baby Program began with Stephen King offering aspiring filmmakers the chance to adapt his short stories for just one dollar. This rare opportunity launched the careers of many filmmakers who might never have had the chance to work with King’s material otherwise, the most well-known being Frank Darabont (Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Mist, The Walking Dead).

For over 45 years, King allowed independent filmmakers to adapt his short stories through the Dollar Baby program, giving emerging filmmakers the chance to bring his stories to life. In December 2023, King announced the end of the program, and by the end of 2024, the last Dollar Babies were out in the world.

Inspired by that same spirit, this anthology features stories written by Dollar Baby filmmakers—creators who took part in King’s program and are now paying it forward. Just as King gave them a shot, this book will offer new filmmakers the chance to adapt these stories for $1, keeping the tradition alive for the next generation.

Live from the Kingdom: Weekly Updates with Billy Hanson & Paul Inman every Wednesday!

Join us for weekly livestreams as Billy Hanson and Paul Inman chat with special guest authors from KEYS TO THE KINGDOM. Get behind-the-scenes stories, sneak peeks, insights into the anthology, the world of Dollar Babies, and more!

WATCH:

Our appearance on Derry Public Radio - 3/9/25

Our appearance on 4GQTV - 5/6/25

Our appearance on Horror Movie Survival Guide Podcast - 5/30/25

This project isn’t just about a book — it’s about a legacy. Stephen King’s Dollar Baby Program opened doors for so many wonderful filmmakers, and now we’re passing that opportunity forward. By backing this anthology, you’re not just getting a collection of incredible stories—you’re helping to keep the spirit of the program alive for future storytellers.

Your support ensures these tales make it to print and gives the next generation of filmmakers the chance to adapt them.

Stand by us and be part of something bigger.


Every great journey starts with a single step; in our case, a single page. Bringing this anthology to life isn’t just about printing a book; it’s about rallying a community, honoring a legacy, and ensuring these stories reach the readers (and filmmakers) who will carry them forward.

We have 90 days to hit our 750-book goal. If we succeed, this anthology will reach more readers and filmmakers than if we did this alone, keeping the spirit of the Dollar Baby alive.

This is where you come in. Every pre-order brings us closer. Every backer helps make this real.

Let’s take this walk together.