The musical, which features melodies by rocker John Mellencamp, was originally scheduled to debut at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre in 2009, but was postponed. It's now set to open next April at the Alliance.
At a preview presentation Tuesday, King said the play's director and Mellencamp weren't getting along. King also said the project originated about 11 years ago.
"John had an idea that he wanted to do a play about ghosts in a cabin and how sibling rivalries and resentments are carried down from generation to generation," King said.
He said Mellencamp told his agent he wanted a writer like Stephen King and discovered that the two had the same agent.
King said he outlined a story incorporating live brothers and dead brothers.
"John wanted it to be in the South because he's a big admirer of Tennessee Williams. I was fine with that because I'd been reading a lot of William Faulkner, and those voices were in my head."
Though the show may eventually make it to New York, King said he wrote the play with the idea of a small stage in mind.
Mellencamp wrote all the lyrics as well as the music, King said.
"Believe me, I can't write songs. Songs and poetry are just outside my field."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
