It's insane: Mike Flanagan on Stephen King's praise for 'The Haunting of Hill House'

Los Angeles: Director Mike Flanagan says it feels "surreal" and "wonderful" to be praised by author Stephen King.

King, 71, called Flanagan's 'The Haunting of Hill House' "close to a work of genius".

Responding to King's kind words, Flanagan told Entertainment Weekly: "It's insane, and I've never spoken to Steve. We email all the time, actually, especially with 'Doctor Sleep' going, but I've never met him and he's been my hero since I was a kid..."

"I had no idea he was watching the show. We've never discussed the show. It's like a little 12-year-old who just squeaks, and I like to think at some point in my career, maybe I'll get better at reacting to that. It's surreal to me and wonderful, and I'm thrilled he loves the show because the other thing I also know about him is if he doesn't like something, he isn't shy about it," he added.

Netflix has not yet ordered a second season of 'The Haunting of Hill House" but the director said he was, personally, done with the story of the Crain family.