Peter Straub, celebrated horror writer, dies aged 79 | Books

Peter Straub, the celebrated writer of darkish fantasies, psychological thrillers and literary horrors, died on Sunday following an extended sickness. He was 79.

Straub authored quite a few novels, quick tales and novellas throughout his lifetime, from his debut horror novel Julia in 1975 – later filmed as The Haunting of Julia – to the 2010 novel A Darkish Matter and The Talisman, which he co-wrote with Stephen King.

King tweeted his condolences on Tuesday, calling Straub a “good pal” and “amazingly proficient colleague and collaborator”.

“Working with him was one of many nice joys of my artistic life,” he wrote. The 2 co-wrote Black Home, a sequel to The Talisman, printed in 2001.

“Probably the greatest writers I’ve learn, among the finest pals I’ve identified,” English writer Neil Gaiman wrote in a tweet. “At all times sort, humorous, irascible, sensible. As soon as carried out the Crow place in yoga, in a Milwaukee WI males’s room, as a result of he was fearless & pleased with his yoga. I’ll miss you Peter.”

“I’ll miss the books he would nonetheless have written, however greater than that I’ll miss the conversations we’ll now by no means have,” Gaiman added in a second tweet.

Born on 2 March, 1943 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Straub studied English on the College of Wisconsin and earned an MA from Columbia earlier than educating English at his former prep college for 3 years. He began however didn’t end a PhD at College Faculty Dublin, and as a substitute printed two books of poetry in 1972, Ishmael and Open Air, and his first novel, Marriages in 1973.

He turned to gothic fiction on the suggestion of his agent, first with Julia after which his breakout ebook, Ghost Story in 1979. Different works embody Floating Dragon, The Ghost Village, The Throat and The Hellfire Membership.

Over the course of his profession, Straub was nominated for a dozen World Fantasy Awards and gained 4, in addition to 14 Bram Stoker awards, the premier achievement for literary horror, successful 10 occasions. He gained a Stoker lifetime achievement award in 2006, was named an Worldwide Horror Guild residing legend in 2008 and acquired a lifetime achievement World Fantasy Award in 2010, amongst quite a few different accolades.

Straub married Susan Bitker in 1966, and is survived by their two kids, Ben and Emma, a bestselling aithor.