Stephen King to publish sequel to 'The Shining' next year

Stephen King has revealed that his sequel to 'The Shining' will be published next year.

'Doctor Sleep' will be unleashed on September 24, 2013, the follow-up to his original 1977 novel, which was then adapted for the screen by Stanley Kubrick in 1980.

[Related story: Prequel planned for The Shining]

The book centres around Danny Torrance, the boy from the original book, and son of Jack Torrance, the deranged hotel caretaker played by Jack Nicholson in the film.

The plot follows Danny, now a middle-aged hospice worker and recovering alcoholic, as he settles in a New Hampshire town.

In his work, he helps patients to die painlessly using his powers of 'shining'.

He also befriends a young girl who possesses the same powers as him.

But he and his new charge are soon pursued by a shadowy tribe of 'psychic vampires' called The True Knot, who feed on the energy produced by children with the shining.

It's thought that studios will be clamouring to sign the rights to make the sequel into a film.