So many people want Stephen King to endorse their books he's built a pile he calls 'the guilt table'

Stephen King is a force.

The award-winning author has written dozens of books and short stories, including those that have been adapted into films such as "The Dark Tower."

In his 2010 memoir, "On Writing," he shared advice for aspiring authors.

Everyone wants King's voice on their side - or, more accurately, on their book.

So many people want a few sentences from the renowned author that King has a pile of books yet to be read that he's named "the guilt table," writes Alexandra Alter in a New York Times review of Gabriel Tallent's bestselling debut novel "My Absolute Darling."

Alter writes that "My Absolute Darling" is so beloved by critics that King offered his endorsement unsolicited, calling the book a "masterpiece."

Securing that endorsement is even more impressive than it sounds, considering the competition. Here's Alter:

"Mr. King, who gets so many requests for blurbs that he has a teeming pile of books in his office that he calls 'the guilt table,' offered an unsolicited endorsement of 'My Absolute Darling' after he tore through an advanced copy of the 400-plus-page novel in three days.

'It's a first novel and he's got everything working,' Mr. King said. 'When I read it the first thing I thought was, I couldn't do this, and I've been doing it for 40 years.'"

If your own "guilt table" - or guilt night table, desk, or Kindle queue - isn't overflowing, we have some ideas for how to fill it: Perhaps start with our list of the 15 best business books of all time, and fill in the gaps with the perfect audiobooks for any commute.