King's opening concerns a 10-year-old boy, Tommy, who must retrieve firewood from a cellar while fearing a creature he believes is behind the furnace.
[4] A completed version of the story, authored by King and 28 other writers, was published on the Weekly Reader website in October 2007.
[5] The two opening paragraphs of "The Furnace" were donated by King in an attempt to encourage young people to develop an interest in writing.
[4] The final story, made up of King's opening paragraphs and contributions from 28 students, was published on the Weekly Reader website in October 2007.
[2] Ira Wolfman, the Senior Vice-president of Editorial for Weekly Reader, described King's opening as "wonderfully creepy".