Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise

by Tom Deady, François Vaillancourt (Illustrator)

In September of 1986, Stephen King published IT, a sprawling 1,138 page novel that he later dubbed in an interview his "final exam on horror." IT follows the lives of seven friends who battle an ageless evil in their small hometown of Derry, Maine. Twenty-seven years later, they reunite to face their childhood fears when they realize IT wasn't dead after all.



In Still 40 Years of Pennywise, Tom Deady (Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Haven) brings together thirty-three authors, artists, scholars, and publishers to examines IT in-depth, from King's four-year writing of the novel to the recent adaptations, and everything in between.



Still 40 Years of Pennywise delivers a complete and heartfelt look into Stephen King's masterpiece and its impact on generations of fans, the horror genre, and pop culture.



Essays and interview and



Scott Bradley * Christa Carmen * Jeff C. Carter * Glenn Chadbourne * Richard Chizmar

Charlene Cocrane * Rebecca Cuthbert * Victoria Dalpe * Lauren Daniels * Kristin Dearborn

Brian Freeman * Scott Goudsward * Larry Hinkle * Jonathan Janz * Dave Jeffery

Paul Michael Kane * Gwendolyn Kiste * John Langan * Jonathan Lees * Hans-Ake Lilja

Bracken MacLeod * Neil McRobert * Scotty Milder * Lee Murray * Vincent Neyt

Nick Roberts * Michael Rowe * Lindy Ryan * Tamika Thompson

Jamie Tinker and Jennifer Millar * Bev Vincent * Kris Webster * Mercedes Yardley

Genres: Horror, Nonfiction

408 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2026

About the author

Tom Deady's first novel, HAVEN, won the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. He has since published several novels and novellas. He has a Master's Degree in English and Creative Writing and is a member of both the Horror Writers Association and the New England Horror Writers Association. He resides in Arizona where he is working on his next novel.
Be sure to follow Tom on BookBub for the latest on sales: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tom-d...

Reviews

[Char]

I have an essay in this!!!!!!

[DAISY READS HORROR · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Perhaps the real question is not WHO is a monster, but what a monster can teach us about being human.”

For those of us who have grown up loving and being scared of Pennywise this is a compilation of different short essays of fellow IT fanatics.

I found some of the essays to be informative. I learned that some of the things that occurred in IT were based on real life events.

It was interesting to realize the significance that the story has to different people. People remember what they felt while reading it and where they were at in their lives. So IT can bring nostalgia, joy, fear & sadness among other emotions.

“Tim Curry will always be my favorite Pennywise because I saw him at an age where I was very impressionable. He scared me for many nights after watching the mini series!” I relate to this quote so much! Sadly just a few days ago Tim Curry passed away. Putting to final rest my forever favorite Pennywise. 😢

“ We elders read or watch IT because we long for our youth. Not just because our joints worked better, ir because we hadn’t made our biggest mistakes yet but because we miss the radical trust we built it in our friends and our friends put in us.”

I will forever love the book, the mini series and Pennywise. It brings me memories of my childhood. Reading these essays made me feel like I was in touch with other people who feel the same way.

Long live Pennywise 🤡


**thank you to the publisher for allowing me to review this.”

[Dave Musson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What better day to post my review than on It's 40th birthday?

First of all, I love that this book exists. It packed so much love for King's novel in its pages that I was almost tempted to pick the thing up and dive back in for the second time this year. It is intelligent without being academic, passionate without simply fawning, and is both accessible and insightful.

Tom Deady - who, by the way, goes to a Stephen King book club with his wife? Relationship goals! - has done a sterling job pulling this celebration of a modern classic together. It's packed full of familiar names from the world of horror across almost 40 separate contirbutions. The result is a deep dive into the world of It from a bunch of different angles - although a general fear of tackling the infamous sewer scene does seem to crop up time and time again!

Now, with something so full, not everything was going to resonate. Heck, there were even a couple of pieces I straight up didn't like. I also skipped Jonathan Janz's piece about Stranger Things as I've still never seen that show, so the words literally meant nothing to me. However, there were some standouts I wanted to spotlight here:

- The Barrens by LE Daniels: an exploration of what the Barrens mean to people and dark tales from her own youth, along with lots of useful world context from 1986. A really strong opener.

- Deconstructing Derry by Lee Murray: comparing Derry to Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) in New Zealand, a sreally spooky piece that made it clear why It resonated with the author.

- The Black Spot by Tamika Thompson: a brilliant analysis of It's Black characters that I would have gladly taken more of.

- A Small town Touched by Doom by Scotty Milder: similar to Lee Murray's piece, but this time comparing Derry to Los Alamos...also creepy!

- Ghosts of the Kenduskaeg Stream by Michael Rowe: a fascinating exploration of the real-life gay murder that inspired Adrian Mellon and the depiction of gay attitudes in the media. Truly excellent.

- Special Appearance by Tim Curry by Jeff C Carter: a great loveletter to Tim Curry, and poignant given Curry's recent passing.

- Judging a Book By It's Cover by Jonathan Lees: a really fun ode to book covers and paperbacks!

- The First People to Read It by Vincent Neyt: a very interesting look at who got to read some of It's early drafts...I'd love to read Neyt's dissertation some time.

- Being Eleven by Victoria Dalpe: a really good piece about being the same age as the child losers and thinking about 11 year-olds now.

- The Bright Cameo of All We Are by Neil McRobert: unsurprisingly, a piece full of so much love for It and its core themes. A cracking essay.

- My Heart Burns for Beverly Marsh by Lindy Ryan: a great study of Bev, including some sensible analysis of the sewer scene. Also the source of my favourite quote from the whole thing: "Beverly Marsh is dangerous because of what she can endure"

Of the interviews that round off each section, I thought Bev Vincent's was charming and I really enjoyed the SK Tours chat.

Overall, yes, this is one for the Constant Readers. But if that's you, you'll get so much value from this book that you really ought to check it out!

Huge thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the review copy.

[myreadingescapism · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This was fun! 🤡

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for a book that I was pretty excited about, but a little underwhelmed by. Many of the essays were well done and many came across as self important. I think my favorite parts are the interviews that Tom conducted.

[Krystelle (based on the novel by Stephen King) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

‘IT’ is one of those seminal works that leaves an indelible imprint on the reader. I remember reading it as a teenager and feeling that sense of immensity that so many of the essays in this book address.

I feel like this collection of essays captures the feeling of the book so well, and I loved the variety in perspectives and all of the love that had been poured into this book. I wish that there was a tiny bit more from some of the essays, and a little bit more of a granular look at elements of the book, but it could have just been me being greedy.

The way that the book is divided up was done really well, and the segments all make complete sense. The examination of the Losers Club, the bullies, Pennywise- everything is done really well. I think my favourite essay was the one that looked at the edits that could have happened to the novel, and to see what had changed and what hadn’t.

As a side note, I also really appreciate the book’s addressing of the scene with Beverly in the sewers. I think there’s been a lot of takes on this scene in recent years with a modern lens, which I understand, but I think the perspectives in here were a lot more balanced. Even if something is uncomfortable, it’s always important to analyse it from another angle, and these essays do that successfully.

I wish we could have one of these collections for every single Stephen King novel out there. It was so nice to see that shared madness from so many other Constant Readers.

[Gregor Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise is a collection of essays and interviews that provide a fascinating insight into how Stephen King’s IT has influenced and impacted readers through the years.

It is no secret that I’m a fan of King’s work, and IT is my favourite having first read it when I was around 13.

I found the essays interesting how people would compare their hometowns to Derry, or personal circumstances to those of the Losers Club, something I have done (and countless others undoubtedly).

The reader gets an insight into other perspectives, seeing the story through the lens of race and sexuality.

Michael Rowe’s essay explores the impact of Adrian Mellon’s murder in the story, and its roots in the real-life murder of Charlie Howard in Bangor.

I found it interesting when he discusses the Gen Z (general) opinion that this part of the story and the language used is “problematic”. Something I’ve seen commonly attributed to King’s work when describing violence against women, racism, and homophobia.

Rowe’s opinions align with my own that these topics should be aired so people can see the true horrors, and for me, King doesn’t revel in them or glorify these horrors.

The book features a wonderful array of writers and commentators, whose opinions shed a new light on what we can take from Stephen King’s IT and the film and TV adaptions.

Like Pennywise, who takes on an appearance based on its victims experiences and fears, so too do opinions differ and change based on the reader’s own experiences. This book illustrates this in a wonderful way and provides plenty of food for thought.

Brian James Freeman provides a peek behind the curtain when talking about the Cemetery Dance IT 25th Anniversary, with the kind of logistics and deadlines that would spook Pennywise.

My only criticism would be that sometimes, some of the same ground gets covered. However, that is a price well worth paying for a collaborative project like this, opposed to a work from just one person.

If you are a fan of Stephen King’s IT, this is a must read. Not only does it provide fresh and unique interpretations of the work, but it also helps to spark your own thoughts and theories.

Massive thanks to NetGalley and Greymore Publishing for the early access.

[Justin Soderberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who reads mainly fiction, a few non-fiction books about a subject, movie, or book that falls within my wheelhouse always grabs my attention, such is why Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise fell into my lap. Tom Deady joins together a cast of contributors to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of Stephen King's IT in fitting fashion, telling stories and more about the iconic horror novel that shaped most of our childhoods. An absolutely treasure of a collection that hand me both reminiscing and eagerly awaiting my next read or even viewing of IT .

In September of 1986, Stephen King published IT, a sprawling 1,138 page novel that he later dubbed in an interview his "final exam on horror." IT follows the lives of seven friends who battle an ageless evil in their small hometown of Derry, Maine. Twenty-seven years later, they reunite to face their childhood fears when they realize IT wasn't dead after all.

IT holds a special place in my life for many reasons, the first being that the book is fantastic. The others being I was born in 1986 (the year the novel was released), when I moved to Bangor in the mid-1990s I lived only a block away from King's West Broadway home, and returned to the area after moving away for 10 years, driving by the house every week on the way to my local comic shop. Yes, many of these are just reasons why I should love all of King's books, but IT is one that really stays with you as you grow older.

While I would've jumped right into the deep end of a book author solely by Deady revolving around IT, I am almost more glad that Tom was able to get together an eclectic group of people to share their thoughts, opinions, stories, and analysis of the 40-year-old King story. This gives a bit more wide-range of thought behind what has made IT stand the test of time and still relevant today.

Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise is not just people gushing over how amazing the book is, well there is some of that, the book features varying stories of how much the book and Stephen King mean to these people and why it works as a story. We have chapters dedicated to Pennywise the villain, clowns as a whole, balloons, iconography, Derry/Bangor, the multiple adaptations, relation to Stranger Things , and even the tougher to swallow subjects of racism, the fictionalized version of real-life hate crimes against a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and THAT scene.

Each contributor wonderfully found their entry point into telling their story behind why IT has been around for so long and is celebrating a 40th birthday and not just another year on the shelf. Chapters from Michael Rowe, Tamika Thompson, and Jonathan Janz really struck chords with me and made me think a bit deeper into the social issues King didn't shy away from when crafting the story of IT and how this classic horror novel has formed almost a guideline to making horror stories today such as Stranger Things. While each subject might not be ground shaking in sense of meaningful impact, they each have a good reason to be a part of this collection and goes to show how many people have been shaped by this book, being only a sample of the people impacted by IT.

In addition to the essays featured in Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise , we also get a few interviews such as with King collaborator and bestselling author Richard Chizmar, and one from basically my neighbors with Jamie Tinker and Jennifer Millar of SK Tours. Yes, Derry is a fictional town, but having it based on your backyard with special places to visit throughout that have a connection to the horrors within IT is truly something special. People travel from all over the world to visit Bangor because of what King has written in books such as IT and I try not to take advantage of being able to live right in the center of it.

The physical copy is always a great choice, but truthfully the narration by Sara Sheckells & Shaun Taylor-Corbett for the audiobook was superb. I have been a fan of Tayl0r-Corbett ever since his narration of The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones , and along with Sheckells perfectly captures the voice of each contributor to this book.

I opened Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise because I thought it would be fun to get a chance to relive IT alongside others for the 40th Anniversary, but what I got was so much more. Tom Deady brings together a great group of contributors, who celebrate the anniversary, but also gave me a new look into what makes IT so special in the first place. While reading the 1986 horror before diving into this book might be a good idea, it almost feels more impact to read Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise and then give the 1,138 page novel glance with new eyes.

Those who contributed to this collection include the already mentioned Rowe, Thompson, Janz, Chizmar, Tinker & Millar, as well as Scott Bradley, Christa Carmen, Jeff C. Carter, Glenn Chadbourne, Charlene Cocrane, Rebecca Cuthbert, Victoria Dalpe, Lauren Daniels, Kristin Dearborn, Brian Freeman, Scott Goudsward, Larry Hinkle, Dave Jeffery, Paul Michael Kane, Gwendolyn Kiste, John Langan, Jonathan Lees, Hans-Ake Lilja, Bracken MacLeod, Neil McRobert, Scotty Milder, Lee Murray, Vincent Neyt, Nick Roberts, Lindy Ryan, Bev Vincent, Kris Webster, and Mercedes Yardley.

Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise hits bookstores everywhere on September 15, 2026 from Greymore Publishing. The audiobook, narrated by Sara Sheckells & Shaun Taylor-Corbett, is available via Libro.fm!

NOTE: We received an advance copy of Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise from the publisher. Opinions are our own.

[Jamie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Floating doesn't just remind the reader of the joy of discovering Stephen King's IT for the first time it also illuminates just how incredibly special the book is. Stand out articles for me were Jonathan Janz deep dive comparison between IT and Stranger Things and Michael Rowe's article on the brutal murder of Adrian Mellon and its link to the real-life murder of Charlie Howard.

[Sarah Workman · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can’t go wrong with a collection of essays celebrating IT, Stephen King, and the impact both have had on horror throughout the decades. Some of my favorite authors are featured in this book (which is always a plus!) I’d recommend this to any and all fans of IT and to those who crave the nostalgia of Derry.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of essays celebrating Stephen King’s legendary IT. To pick some highlights: Neil McRobert’s account touches on the power of nostalgia mixed with imagination, and how the book reads to a child from the UK, which is exactly what I was when I first read IT. Michale Rowe offers a heartfelt piece on how the Adrian Mellon scene is not as fictional as we might have wished, and Christa Carmen’s closing essay is a nice slice of autobiography entwined with the novel.

Not all the contributions are this good. There’s a lot of repetition (this is probably a book to pick up every now and then instead of plowing through from page one), and most of the analysis offered is surface level at best. But even at its most anodyne it’s nice to spend time being reminded of the size and scale and impact of IT. It’s a novel much concerned with looking back at childhood, how things were brighter, more important, more vivid in those times, and these essays took me back to that time in my own life, discovering Derry and the Losers Club when I was not yet even a teenager myself.

[Brennan LaFaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Deady deserves a round of applause for organizing such a varied collection of essays, collected from people all around the industry; readers to writers to filmmakers and everything in between. From such a variety of sources, you get a variety of topics. Scholarly and thoughtful deep dives that will make you read the book through a different lens, complete geek-outs, behind-the-scenes lore, ties/influences involving other media. As per some of the essays, Deady suggested a list of topics, ensuring that the reader doesn't spend too much time treading familiar ground. Some of my favorites from the collection were written by Neil McRobert, Jonathan Janz, Christa Carmen, and the interviews conducted to end each section.

[Adriana’s Book Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise is an awesome tribute to Stephen King’s IT and the lasting impact it has had on horror. I loved getting to read the deeper themes explored from so many different perspectives about Pennywise, Derry, and the Losers’ Club. As a horror fan, this book made me appreciate just how much there is beneath the surface of King’s story and why Pennywise is still one of horror’s most unforgettable characters. 🎈”You’ll Float Too”

[Anya Rose]

An essay collection consisting of various authors and perspectives, it explores Pennywise’s enduring influence on horror and the readers who have never quite forgotten Derry. As someone who considers IT one of my favorite Stephen King novels, I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting its legacy through so many unique viewpoints.

[Ben A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like any collection of short stories, the quality could vary, but I enjoyed each and every essay within and there’s something magical (or is it something sinister) about the shared experience of discovering Pennywise and Stephen King’s It.

Special Thanks to Greymore Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

[BookishDogMamaKate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Still Floating: 40 Years Of Pennywise. An interview and essay collection compiled and edited by author Tom Deady.

Within the 400 ish pages of Still Floating are 34 experiences shared as homage to Stephen King’s IT. Many are by authors, bookish people, artists, the folks that do the SK Tours.

Some hit hard. Hard…emotional to read. Pulling the horrors from the book that did not come from the sewer. Racism, homophobia, abuse, indifference, bullying. Some are interesting looks into historical connections to the story. Others are pure love letters on how the book nested in them. Many mentioned the difference in how the book landed reading it as a young person and then decades later. All of them shine a bright light (a bright light, a bright light…not a dead light. It’s ok to keep reading) on the tremendous effect and legacy this book and its subsequent movies & series have had on them and our culture. And the never ending importance than can come from true connections.

I was 18 when the book was released. I read my first SK, Misery at 19. I absolutely loved the miniseries and was there on opening night for the theatre movies. I know the Welcome to Derry theme song by heart. When I became unexpectedly disabled last October and finally had time to read…IT was the first book I bought & read when I dusted off my kindle. It was….perfect. Reading SK always feels like home. And for 10 days I joined The Loser’s Club in a way no adaptation could ever truly capture.

Though not what I anticipated, the book was like being at a great book club meeting! Like I was sitting with a room full of others with the passion for SK and IT I have.

I will encourage this though. Maybe piece meal it. I was excited to read it. I dedicated an entire day. It’s…a lot…of information. I would say…get your beverage of choice, find your comfy reading place, and read a few each day. Space it out to better digest, process or enjoy..depending on which one you are reading. It will be so worth your time.

My favorites, by author/interviewee:
Scotty Milder, Michael Rowe, Richard Chizmar, Rececca Cuthbert, Bev Vincent, S.A. Bradley, Nick Roberts, Vincent Neyt, Kris Webster, Dave Jeffery, Jamie Tinker & Jennifer Millar, Kristin Dearborn, Lindy Ryan, Christa Carmen.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

This is my voluntary and honest review.

[Candi Norwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

By the time IT was released when I was a budding 13 year old horror writer, I was a die-hard Stephen King fan, as only a horror lover who grew up in the ‘80’s with a tiny town library could be - which is not to say I’m not still a fan - especially nostalgically - just that my horizons have greatly expanded.
My enjoyment of Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise, edited by Tom Deady, is in part due to my expanded horizons, as many of the essayists are among some of my favorite writers today, like Gwendolyn Kiste, Jonathan Janz, Mercedes Yeardley, Rebecca Cuthbert, the list goes on and on.
My relationship with horror - and with IT - changed vastly as I grew up - especially growing up as a woman, an SA survivor, and a writer - and reading about the impact It had on these writers and how they connected to it will become part of the mythology I hold in my mind for this formative work.
When I read first read IT, I connected immediately to Beverly as a child; we were almost the same age and had similar backgrounds and shared experiences, so my first reading of the book felt like a personal journey, in spite of the supernatural aspects.
In Still Floating, many writers shared their commonalities, from Lee Murray’s comparison of her high school experience in New Zealand to Glenn Chadbourne’s connection as a Mainer while others took a more scholarly look, like Gwendolyn Kiste’s essay on iconography or Tamika Thompson’s article on racism in IT. Perhaps my favorites were the ones that referenced the importance of found family and friendship, such as Mercedes Yardley’s (and not just because she’s one of my newly discovered favorite writers.)
As I read Still Floating, I experienced a bit of a flashback of my own similar to the ones the characters experienced.
Almost 40 years ago, in my first days at high school (which started in 8th grade/13 years old in my town - what were they thinking?), I would read IT during lunch, my head hidden completely behind the book, and one day a girl asked, “What are you reading?”
I, painfully shy and awkward, held up the book so she could see the title and went back to reading.
Some time later, we ended up becoming great friends, at which point she told me she thought I was an incredible snob, and we laughed about it for many years.
Wikipedia tells me it was Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr who said, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” I am typing these words, nearly 40 years after that awkward lunchroom introduction, sitting at a lunch table at a new-to-me office location, where I just finished reading Still Floating - the only difference is the e-reader instead of a giant hardback hiding my snobbery. I expect I’ll accidentally make a new great friend when they ask me what I’m reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and Greymore Publishing for the review copy.

[Jason Lavoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Stephen King knows how to make darkness scare you.” – Scott T. Goudsward (IT Came from the Darkness)

This is a collection of essays to celebrate 40 years of Pennywise and to commemorate Stephen King's epic novel, IT. Though IT was a fictional novel, the contributors defictionalize the horror with those true events that inspired IT.

Considering I was a teenager when I first read IT, I never made the connection so many of the interludes in the story were based on real events, people and places. These essays connect the fiction to the non-fiction.

The most surprising and impactful essay for me was Ghosts of the Kenduskeag Stream by Michael Rowe. The death of Adrian Mellon was an important scene in IT as it signified the return of Pennywise. It was shocking to learn that was based on true events.

The essays deconstruct so many elements of IT from the setting, the monsters, the characters, and the effect IT has had on pop culture and the life of the contributors such as the essay, IT. MADE. ME. by Kris Webster.

“Physical bruises are ugly, but at least you can see the progress, the colours fading as your body heals. It’s the emotional bruising that’s harder to overcome. It robs you of hope and replaces it with fear.” – Larry Hinkle (MEEP MEEP, RICHIE)

Of the collection, it was sad to see how many contributors relate to the Losers. It was noted that many were Losers without a Club. I was one of those Losers myself. Fat like Ben, and poor like Beverly living in a toxic family. Like Bill, I also had a speech impediment.

If you have not read King’s IT, this collection may not have the same impact with a reader as those who have. I’ve read IT three times over the years and each time felt like I was reading IT for the first time. This collection brings you right back to Derry.

The collection introduces you to many authors that have been influenced to become writers themselves due to IT and Stephen King. At the conclusion of each essay, you’re provided with a mini bio of that contributor including their works and awards won. You’ll probably wind up adding many new books to your TBR.

“We aren’t all born into splendid families. Some are distant or fractured or horrendously cruel. When these original families let us down, it is all right to form a new one.” – Mercedes M. Yardley (A Dark Bouquet)

Thank you to Tom Deady, Greymore Publishing, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of Still Floating. This will be published on September 15, 2026.

[Brian Stabler · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Rating rounded up from 4.5*

Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise is a love letter to Stephen King’s IT, but more than that, it’s an exploration of why this enormous, terrifying novel has stayed with so many readers for four decades.

Through a wide range of essays, interviews and personal reflections, Tom Deady brings together writers, artists and lifelong King fans to examine IT from all sorts of angles. Some pieces delve into the characters and themes, others explore the real-life events and places that influenced the novel, while several offer fascinating glimpses behind the scenes at its creation, editing and publication. The result is a collection that continually finds new ways of looking at a story most of us thought we knew inside out.

What I particularly enjoyed was the personal connection so many contributors have with the book. The Losers Club, Derry and the horrors beneath the surface of the story clearly mean something different to everyone, and seeing those individual experiences placed alongside the wider cultural impact of IT was fascinating. The discussions of childhood, bullying, trauma, prejudice and belonging also reinforce that Pennywise isn't really the only monster in this story.

Michael Rowe’s exploration of the real-life tragedy behind Adrian Mellon’s murder was particularly powerful, while the pieces examining King’s original manuscript and the publishing process offered a completely different perspective. I also loved discovering how many writers were inspired to pick up a pen because of IT.

There are inevitably a few essays that worked better for me than others, and some occasionally tread over familiar ground. But with such a large and varied collection, that's hardly surprising. Overall, this felt like sitting down with a room full of passionate IT fans and listening to them discuss the book they love.

If IT has been an important book in your reading life, Still Floating is a fascinating return trip to Derry - and quite possibly one that will leave you wanting to read King's monster all over again.

A must-read for Constant Readers and horror fans alike.

Thanks to NetGalley, Greymore Publishing and the authors for an advance copy.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's just something about Stephen King's IT that transcends anything written in the horror genre. A crazy statement? Maybe, but if Still Floating tells you anything, it's that a lot of us who have read IT have found ourselves changed from the experience. I was in my first year of Uni when I decided to attempt this behemoth of a novel - I'd already read quite a few King short stories, as well as The Shining and wanted to try my hands at one of the big boys - and I was never the same again. All of those nights unable to stop turning page after page, whilst also scaring myself silly. It was the best.

IT isn't just a horror novel featuring one of the greatest villains of all time (I will die on this hill 🎈), its a story of childhood and friendship, of trauma and bullying, of being an outsider.

So it is with no surprise that this collection put together by Tom Deady features so many others who have been affected by King's tale. It was an absolute blast getting to read about the experiences of all the collaborators and how IT has changed their literary journeys.

I loved the format, with the book being split into multiple parts and including various quotes from the novel and other sources. The range of contributors made for really interesting essays and commentaries, and the interviews at the end of each section were awesome. Two of the essays that stood out for me were the one centered on Stan (the man!) Uris, and the one about King's original manuscript and the feedback he received and how that affected the end product.

My only minor quibble was a few of the essays felt more like book/character recaps than actual commentary and thoughts on the book and characters themselves. But in such a large collection there were bound to be pieces that didn't resonate with me.

You don't want to miss this one losers🎈 (IYKYK)!
4.5 stars out of 5.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

[Natasja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read the ARC of Still Floating.

IT and Pet Semetary were the first books from Stephen King I ever read. I was very young, eight or so, and re-read IT multiple times since then. It's still one of my favorite SK books.

There's an essay from Lindy Ryan in Still Floating that really captures the reason why I love IT so much.

"From King’s 1986 novel to the Muschietti film adaptations (2017; 2019), Beverly stays the same: tender, furious, and unkillable. She is the human heartbeat in a novel obsessed with monsters - proof that sometimes survival is the fiercest thing a woman can do."

Beverly Marsh was a role model for me. I realized I didn't have to fit in the stereotypical girl boxes society wanted me to fit in. She was strong and resilient, and she survived. After her came Carrie White, and later, Dolores Claiborne, Jessie Burlingame, Rose Daniels.

Reading IT for the first time (and all the times after that) I could see something of myself in every member of the Losers Club, but most of all in Beverly. Every time I open IT, it's like coming home, and being welcomed into the Losers Club time and again.

The essays in Still Floating really capture that nostalgia and feeling of belonging, even if we think we don't. We all eventually find our own Losers Clubs - our friends, our chosen families. But there's always the original one waiting for us in IT. They will always help us to be true, be brave, stand.

[Nicki Faulk · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Horror, like erotica, is a visceral, nighttime genre that hits hard.”

As a self-proclaimed horror nerd, I cannot even begin to describe the absolute delight I felt getting to read *Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise*. Stephen King is arguably one of the greatest horror writers of our generation, and his work has inspired countless stories, movies, and probably an unhealthy number of people who now distrust clowns, sewers, and balloons.

*Still Floating* is basically a love letter to *IT* and the enormous impact it has had on the horror genre. Filled with essays from some of the biggest names in horror, each sharing how Stephen King, Pennywise, and *IT* influenced them, this book was pretty much made for people like me who hear “Pennywise” and immediately think, “Oh, excellent. Tell me more.”

Getting to hear from other horror writers and creators about how King’s work influenced them was fascinating, nostalgic, and honestly just a giant reminder of why *IT* has remained such an iconic piece of horror.

Was this book written specifically for horror nerds who already have strong opinions about Stephen King? Probably. Did I eat it up anyway? Absolutely.

A horror nerd’s dream. 🎈

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I'm asked what my favorite book is, my answer has been "It" for the past 24 years. It was the first King book I read, and it is still my favorite after reading all of his novels (plus more than a thousand other novels since then). It's true that the books and movies you loved as a teenager can impact you the most, but I reread it a second time about a decade ago and loved it just as much. Due to my love of It, I was very interested to read this collection of essays published 40 years after the release of It. This is a great collection of essays by a wide range of Constant Readers. I really enjoyed hearing how It impacted people in different ways. I love that each of us can be drawn to different aspects or characters from the book, depending on our own situation. My only complaint is that at times it got a bit repetitive, which should be expected given the material. I'm not a big non-fiction reader, so I found this harder to dig into than a fast-paced novel. I'm glad this collection exists, and I highly recommend it to other Constant Readers! Thank you to Greymore Publishing and Netgalley for providing the ARC.

[Tara Durham · Rating 4 out of 5]

FINALLY!!! I have been waiting forever to get my hands on this one. Mr. Janz, you did not let me down.
Marla....Marla....Marla....your eyes haunt me-and everyone else.
Can I admit that I have been wanting this title for at least a year and not one time did I read the blurb. I am so grateful that I went in blind-letting the story take me where it would.
Marla, are you what they all say you are? Are you simply a recluse who seems mysterious to others? Are you really to blame for tragic events in the past, or was it all a coincidence? Afterall, how in the world would it be possible to be a recluse-not leaving your home, but also the root to everything evil in the area?
Such a peculiar pair-Marla and her mother, living all alone in an isolated area. If only the world would leave them alone, if only.
Then again, maybe that isn't what preferred anyhow.
Whatever you do....DO NOT....look at her. Never look.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this one. I promise that in no way does the origin influence my opinion of this title. I was fully in love prior to even opening the cover.

[Dillon Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★

I really enjoyed Still Floating. Going into this book, I honestly expected it to be something a little different than what it turned out to be. But once I got into it, I found myself really enjoying it, and I'm glad I decided to read it.

My favorite part was getting to hear so many different people's perspectives on It and how that book affected their lives. Some people had incredibly positive experiences with it, while others had more negative or complicated feelings. Seeing all of those different perspectives really made me appreciate just how powerful and influential It has been for so many people.

It was also interesting to see how differently people interpreted the same story and how much of an impact the book could have on someone's life. It gave me a completely different appreciation for It and made me want to think more about my own experience with the book.

Overall, Still Floating ended up being much better than I expected when I started it. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into, but I'm really glad I read it. It was fascinating, personal, and gave me a whole new perspective on one of Stephen King's most memorable books.

[Philippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s the hill I will die on that anyone who thinks It is about a scary clown either hasn’t read the book or didn’t understand it. It’s about the lasting power of friendship, of childhood memories and how our lives are built on those adventures and escapades. Pennywise is just a symbol, yes he’s King’s ultimate boogeyman but also he’s life… it’s tough out there kids something is always coming for you and you need people to get you through.

We’ve all been there, hiding from Henry Bowers in the Barrens, racing fast down the Derry high street on Silver with Big Bill Denbrough, being part of the Losers Club is etched in the lives of all Stephen King fans. This anthology of essays is the perfect way to share those memories with other people. Written by a great mix of fans, writers, artists and King experts, all of them bring something different to the Pennywise table. Lots to agree with in here and also lots to make you think.

All of the memories shared about Tim Curry's portrayal of Pennywise in the miniseries hitting especially hard at the moment.

Thanks to Netgalley and Greymore publishing for the chance to read this ARC. It releases on Sept 15th in the UK

[Alise · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 rounded up) This book surprised me in a good way. What I expected was a lot of people generally talking about their first experiences with "It"/Pennywise, memories, and how they perceive the legacy of the book/character.

What this book gives you is a really well rounded literary criticism where people discuss their deep enjoyment of the text while actively engaging with and considering the problematic aspects of the text 40 years later. They focus on a variety of topics including race, gender, sexuality, abuse, and more. Some of the essays contrast and compare it with other media or real life events. It gives an interesting look at the process that SK went through in writing the book and how the character has taken on a life of its own. Seeing how different people from different walks of life connected to the source material and what they took away from it was interesting.

As someone that's attempted (and failed) to read "It" many times over the past 18 or so years. This book has inspired me to give it another try.

Disclosure: I received a gifted ALC from Libro.fm. No review was required and all thoughts are my own.

[Kels Taylor]

I would like to thank NetGalley and Greymore Publishing for granting me early access to this.
Now I want to be upfront: I didn’t finish this book. While it was interesting in parts, I wasn’t 100 percent invested. While I have watched both movies and the TV show, I think I missed a lot due to the fact that I haven’t read It. I haven’t read any of Stephen King’s books, and at the moment I started reading this, I knew I was missing so much. So, I think while it was well written and very interesting in parts, it just wasn’t for me, and that's on me. It has nothing to do with the book itself.
Having said that, I did enjoy how each person told their story of how It influenced them in some way or how they related to real-life versions of what happened in Derry, Maine. It was really interesting how each person could bring some reality from a supernatural story and compare it to their lives.
The writing was interesting, the facts were intriguing, and the premise for this book from where I ended was great. I would highly recommend it to those who love It, Stephen King, writing, film, and the horror genre.

[Leslie Powell-Mccarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited when I saw this on NetGalley and immediately put in a request for the ARC. I was ecstatic when the request was granted! This collection of essays, interviews, and articles serves up multiple perspectives on the iconic novel and why It has secured a page in literary and pop culture history. Each of the offerings illustrate the deep appreciation the contributors have for the story, as well as, the impact It had on each of their lives. I openly smiled while reading some of the narratives and cried while reading others. So many great minds honoring a single book yet each take was unique, heartfelt, and captivating. Tom Deady did a great job of gathering the right people to pen this love letter to It on it's 40th Anniversary.

I wasn't even halfway through this book before I pre-ordered the special hard cover edition because I know I will return to it time and time again. The essays that resonated the most with me were The Barrens by Lauren Elise Daniels, The Black Spot by Tamika Thompson, and Ghosts of the Kenduskeag Stream by Michael Rowe (oh my heart). There is something in Still Floating for every Constant Reader, horror geek, or for anyone who has enjoyed It across the decades. I'm actually rating this book 100/100 red balloons. It's amazing!

Thank you to Tom Deady, Greymore Publishing, and NetGalley for sending me an advance reader copy for my fair and honest review.

[Nikki Kossaris · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read IT at 11 years old, I felt like I was part of the Losers Club. Forty years later, I still do.

Still Floating: 40 Years of Pennywise edited by Tom Deady somehow pulled off something I didn’t expect. Instead of feeling like I was reading a collection of essays from different people, it felt like I was sitting in a room with fellow fans sharing what IT has meant to us. Every contributor brought a different perspective, memory, or insight, and together they reminded me why this story has stayed with generations of readers.

I found myself taking a little piece from each essay, and for a while the horror community felt a little smaller and a little more connected. If IT ever made you feel like one of the Losers, this book feels like coming back to Derry for a reunion with people who understand exactly why you never really left.