teacake - It's a drama, a little latitude with reality is allowed in the cause of a good story, which this most certainly is.
Author Stephen King tells an amusing story about how he was stopped in the supermarket by an old lady who felt, as some of the public do, that she had a right to criticise Mr King for his work uninvited -
"You're that Stephen King aren't you? You write all those horror stories like Salem's Lot, I don't like your stories."
"I'm sorry to hear that …" responded the author with the God-given patience that writers of his level must need to develop.
"Yes," continued the old lady. "I like uplifting stories, like The Shawshank Redemption."
"I wrote that too." advised the persecuted scribe.
"No you didn't!" replied the old lady before stalking out of the door.