An Open Letter To Stephen King

What better way to start off my new blog then with a reaction to the most famous novel of the apocalypse ever? I am talking about Stephen Kings masterwork The Stand. I would say it has the number 1 spot in my love of apocalyptic reading. I especially loved it when he told me loud and clear not to buy it right up front in the new edition. I was ready for it not to have the characters in the book doing new and fantastic things; I would however have liked a bit of editing.

This next part is for you Mr. King.

Mr. King: I really enjoyed the book and loved the 'complete and uncut' version but I was wondering why you didn't fix the gigantic glaring mistake when you went back through it? I'm talking about Harold Louder's Permacover notebook here. Yes, the same one that he wrote out his pathetic apology/suicide note. Now, Mr. King you wrote that Harold writes in this notebook in chapter 64. He says how sorry he is and how he was misled. Signs his name 'Hawk'. Then, 'he puts the notebook into the Triumph's saddlebag. He capped the pen and clipped it into his pocket.' Then shoots himself in the mouth. Later when Larry Underwood, Glen Bateman, Ralph Brentner, and Stu Redman were making their trek to Las Vegas they stumble on, who else, Harold Louder. What do they find? Harold's buzzard ravaged corpse. And get this (from chapter 72) 'The buzzards had worked him over pretty well, but Harold still clutched the Permacover notebook in one stiffening hand'. So my question here is, how could Harold put the notebook in the saddlebag and shoot himself yet still have it in his hand when the boys found him? Why didn't you fix this in the 'uncut' version? Just wondering if you could clear this up for me.