Author's Forward

(Argument)

Fellow constant reader, hear me, I beg—I am not a writer.

However, like our Wordslinger at the start of his Dark Tower volumes, I need a moment here to introduce, argue even, why this project exists, and must exist for us all to still be alive.

I started this venture forever ago after I finished reading the Dark Tower series. As much as I like to think I crank out a good whopper of my own once and a while, this is my first fanfiction, so bear with me. This project examines how the Keystone world from the Tower novels would exist presently, given that it is now 2018 instead of 1999, many years after the gunslinger opened the "Roland" door at the end/start/end of his quest. This work adds a (hypothetical) new chapter to the DT series that takes place after The Dark Tower based on how Keystone time functions. This is where a new DT story must occur, and I hope to show you why without changing the original story.

Just as I'm not a writer, I'm also not someone who thinks he's the next coming. I'm no Brown, Grisham, or, in this case, King. I'm just a guy—with too many dreams and not enough hours to chase them, and a brain that won't shut up about Keystone time.

But since we're getting to know each other, the first "adult" novel I ever read was It, which scared the hell out of me. King's ability to take his readers through anything imaginable, reach an end, and still leave them hanging by an oh-so-thin thread begging for more was intoxicating. Yet, King's way was also different from others—instead of thread, he used dental floss. I've been a King fan ever since.

Despite that, I ironically haven't always been a Dark Tower fan. My first encounter with the series was in 1995 in a used hole-in-the-wall bookstore in State College. I found The Gunslinger, had heard of the DT series, but the hole-in-the-wall didn't have any other Tower volumes. Given the book's slim length I knew I'd be through it in no time, and given my wallet's slim weight, I couldn't afford a second book to keep me busy, so I skipped the Dark Tower altogether.

Two years later at Wal-Mart (the hole-in-the-wall had moved on, say sorry) I almost walked right into a display for Wizard and Glass. I remembered The Gunslinger from before, searched the shelves for the other books, but only found Wastelands. The bright and colorful display worked its magic and I bought Wizard without another thought. In my mind, it was a (thicker) new King title—I could catch up.

Ignorant of my blasphemy, I settled in to read my new book at the end of the day, only to end my reading at the beginning. King's "argument" deterred me greatly. I suddenly felt like a kid at Christmas who had beat his parents in getting up, sneaking to the living room, knowing that I could see everything right then if I wanted, but also knowing that if I waited, the surprise would be much greater. This became one of my favorite and paradoxical life-truths: the joy of anticipation is often more satisfying than the pleasure we experience from an actual outcome. Getting started with the Dark Tower was not going well.

I forewent reading Wizard and instead went to one of the big chains, easily finding the other Tower books in stock and in paperback (my slim wallet said thank ya). By the time I got back to Wizard I was all but obsessed. I swore I could "stop anytime I wanted" and that I'd never become a "Tower Junkie" as it came to be known to fans, but I was hooked alright—and badly.

Years of me denying my "problem" set in, during which the last books were released. I re-read the early books in preparation, devoured the final three just as eagerly, and then listened to the whole damn thing on audiobook to make sure I didn't miss anything. It was epic! I finally admitted I had a "Tower problem" to my friends and they got into the DT series, the enabling bastards.

Yet, something wasn't right. Somewhere beneath my awareness, there was a "thing" that was just off. It started like a small pebble in my shoe that nagged me until it felt like a tumor that I couldn't ignore.

It was King's dental floss.

Simply put, the story couldn't end where it did. This wasn't about how it ended or why it ended—but because the laws of Keystone time mandated it couldn't end where and when it did. It was literally impossible, making the end of DT7 an ending point, but not the final destination.

Having learned from my Wizard experience, I make a similar case before we start. My argument isn't about things missing from the series or the way it all ended. It's also not that there should a happily-ever-after ending that King warned us against before his infamous "Coda." That was just King pulling out the dental floss, and we were dealt a conclusion that was unexpected and horrific. It also worked, and frankly, Roland deserved no better (i.e. we as readers deserved no better).

It was perfection.

However, parts of the ending are exactly why the story can't end where it did. Per Keystone time "laws," characters like Stephen King and Roland can only exist in Keystone worlds where there are no "do-overs," (i.e. "Keystone time" is linear or "one way"). Thus, there could be no 2018 with Stephen King in it if Roland never resolves his quest, as time couldn't have moved past 1999 otherwise. This is because each time the gunslinger opens the "Roland" door and is sent back to the desert, everything else also "resets" with him. The only other explanation as to why we could be here in 2018 would be that Roland called off the quest completely after freeing the breakers on one of his trips, given that it was unnecessary for him to gain the Dark Tower. But, I think we all agree that Roland wasn't quitting his day job anytime soon.

There is more to say about this, but for now it's time to get to the journey ahead, which I hope you enjoy. If justification seems necessary after we've made the trip, then you'll find it close to the ending when we get there. That said, I do not hold the answers to the Dark Tower—nor do I profess to. In addition, what I have written here is by no means "King quality." I only profess to yielding to my own call to the Dark Tower so that another possible segment to the story could exist…because I exist in Keystone America with Stephen King in a year that shouldn't exist yet.

I have spent more time than I care to admit reading and researching the DT series and related DT titles for reference. My hope is that the cadence and structure of this story is at least similar to what I felt while journeying though Roland's world with King at the helm, who is certainly a more capable steward than I. Translation: this is just for fun—mere suggestion based on an epic by a real writer who is a master at the craft. But I can't hold on to this paradox any longer. I mean no infringement on King's epic. I only come—commala—as a catharsis to what can make our place in time correct.

The information in this manuscript is accurate as far as I am aware (but don't shoot me if it's not). I'm posting the first chapters of this at the same time, the goal being to post additional chapters every two weeks-ish (I feel there will be seven or so—I'm still working on the last segments) for those interested. And with that, my argument is made, fellow constant reader.

May I now invite you to the field of Can'-Ka No Rey at sunset? Roland Deschain of Gilead, the last gunslinger of our time, is at last coming to his fabled Dark Tower and all of its secrets. And speaking of the series' ending—may I suggest you re-read the last chapters if you've not visited End-World in a while? Those old stomping grounds may help to set us on properly.

As always, ka is rolling like a wheel. To me, dear Tower followers—to me! And see this project. See it very well.

I tell Stephen King thank-ya, and wish you well.

"Holmsie"

February 20, 2005 (Revised August 1, 2018)