Erin Webster of Tacoma, Washington, hangs a get-well card on the front gate of King's home
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June 22, 1999
Web posted at: 12:15 p.m. EDT (1615 GMT)

In this story: Additional surgery on Wednesday Master of horror fiction RELATED STORIES, SITES

LEWISTON, Maine (CNN) -- Stephen King should be able to return to everyday activities within the year, said a doctor at the Maine hospital where the author is being treated.

King, known for such macabre horror stories as "The Shining" and "Carrie," was recovering Tuesday from about seven hours of surgery Monday night to repair his shattered leg and hip -- injuries suffered when he was struck by a minivan over the weekend.

"Everything went fine," said Dr. David Brown, the orthopedic trauma surgeon performing the operation. "It took longer than I like, but I'm slow and meticulous because I like to get things done right."

He said King remains in serious but stable condition and that his vital signs "all look good."

He said the author was groggy but alert with his family. His wife, three children and brother were on hand for the surgery that began around 3:30 p.m. and ended at about 10:30 p.m.

King

He said it will be several weeks before King can walk with an assistance device and about nine months until he's able to walk normally. King faces additional surgery Wednesday for injuries to his pelvis, doctors said.

The writer's staff took care to note that his injuries were from the shoulders down. "Mr. King's mental state is great -- the accident has not affected him mentally," his assistant said in a statement Monday.

King's fans have inundated the hospital with well-wishes, sending flowers and e-mails to the famed author. Randall Dustin, communications director at the facility, said it took him about 16 hours to print all the e-mails -- and traffic on the hospital's Web site is up 3,400 percent.

"The King family offers its gratitude to the tremendous number of people who have sent messages and gifts expressing their sentiments," a message on the hospital's Web page says.

The family suggested that in lieu of flowers and other get-well gifts, those wishing to express their support for King consider donating to the Camp Jordan Capital Campaign. More information is available at the hospital Web site.

Master of horror fiction

King's prolific works -- horror novels, short stories and novellas -- have earned him the title "Master of Horror." A number of his novels have been turned into major films, including "Carrie," "The Shining," "Misery" and "Dolores Claiborne."

Three novellas from the book "Different Seasons" were also major films -- "Apt Pupil," "The Body" -- titled "Stand by Me" on the screen -- and "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption," filmed as "The Shawshank Redemption."

King's books have been translated into 33 languages and published in more than 35 countries. There are more than 300 million copies of his novels in publication.

King has also written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.