Who are some of your favorite horror writers and why?

steven king. he really gets in there and sets your imagination off&running!

that, to me, is the key to being a good writer - especially when it comes to horror/suspense.

Our SF book club read James Herbert's the Rats last year - not my favourite per se but I was reminded of how gritty and nasty he could be, even in such a short novel. For personal faves I love some of the older material - ghost tales from E F Benson or Poe, best read by flickering candles on a winter night.

It depends on what kind of mood I am in, technically. Sometimes, I need a good ghost story to spook me out; somwtimes, only the "end of the world" scenario can nab me. I love many different wirters of the genre....I will always have a special soft place in my twisted heart for Lovecraft, as well as S.K. When I was eight, a snuk one of his short story books...hehehe...and I'm still disturbed, thank you very much.

and I'm still disturbed, thank you very much


Justin I never had one doubt in my mind that you were not disturbed he-he. Just joking. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />)

Angel,

I'm so glad you have confidence in my disturbed nature! And thanks for all of the submission info on Blood Rose. Alright, all you aspiring, starving artists...now's your chance to wow the publishing world and get some extra cash to boot. Take advantage! Build your resume! Win glory and fame! And, for Pete's sake, go outside once in a while and enjoy the fresh air!

I use to really like John Saul. But lately his books have been deep drags. I don't think I've read any other Horror books since then. I've read some Ann Rice, but I don't really concider her Horror, more like Goth/romance. I don't really care for Steven King. I did read a book by Clive Barker and it wasn't too bad. I forgot the book's name.

Does Richard Laymon qualify as horror writer? Then I would go for him. The only books I bought on a regular basis!

The best horror writer I read, and can recommend to any fearless woman, is Angus Balfour. Her horror story I read is: "Shades of Singapore".

I like Richard Laymon, Graham Masterton and early King.

Lately I find Dean Koontz new works very good and a fast read, his newer books are not as boggy as his older work. I also find Phil Rickman's older work very good.

Oh, Dean Koontz is my very favorite!

I stumbled upon him one day when I realized I had all of Steven King's currently published books (this was back when I was in college and could only afford paperbacks). So who's the nearest horror writer in line to King? Yep. I bought "Strangers" and was hooked from there on out!

Michelle, have you tried Peter Straub? He's written two (or maybe 3 now?) books with Stephen King, and he's also very good. His style is rougher than King's. I highly recommend Koko and Mystery - although these are not really horror stories; they fall more into the category of psychological thrillers.

Floating Dragon is a satire on the horror genre and is very funny in a creepy kinda way. You name the horror cliche and it is in here poking fun at itself.

I loved Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. Until then I'd never managed to get into his books. I see there's a new Odd Thomas book out now, so I'll definitely get that.

I've got both of Straub's and his collaborations with King, LOL! (Just 2, at least that's all I've got.)

I'm waiting to get the new Odd Thomas book for reading after my surgery. I figure I'll need something to occupy my attention (for all of the 5 hours it will take me to read it!) Once I start on of Koontz's I don't stop until I'm through!

I will have to check on that "Floating Dragon" - sounds interesting, kind of like "The Hitchhiker's Guide" type thing.

Jason, it was my pleasure.

I read both Odd Thomas and Forever Odd and they are both super. My daughter thought Odd Thomas was kind of sad, but you have to love his outlook on life.

Anne Rice...she is absolutely a genius!!!!!!!!!!

Tim Piccirilli. His "A Choir of Ill Children" was wonderfully lyrical and visceral, but for plot, voice and style, I liked "Headstone City" best.

Just finished Christopher Golden's "The Boys are Back in Town". Solid, tight writing, good build up of tension, and strong characterization. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work.

There are three books which still reign in my mind as the three scariest books I have ever read, and here they are(in the order I like them):

1. A Winter Haunting, by Dan Simmons
2. Blood Games, by Richard Laymon
3. The Church of Dead Girls, by Stephen Dobyns

For those who are wondering, all three of these authors are admired by Stephen King, which will tell you the quality of their work. Anyway, the books I mentioned above have disturbed me the most!

Also, the books, "Darkness Tell Us," and "In The Dark," both by Richard Laymon, will keep you awake at night, as well as the three I mentioned above. Lock the doors, turn on all the lights, and make sure you don't have to work the next day, because they will keep you awake!

~ Lonelypoet

Christopher Pike...classic.I have read just about every single thing he has ever written.
Read THE BLIND MIRROR,it will totally creep you out.

Anybody heard of Graham Masterton? Fantastic horror writer. I'll be posting a brief article on him soon at the Horror Literature site, so keep an eye out for it. I'll recommend some of his books as well. His writing style is very different and his literature is embracing. Try grab one of them and let me know what you think!

Bentley Little, by far.

King, Koontz, Saul are all pretty common favorites I think. I don't much care for anything King has written in well, forever. His Bachman books are his best, imo.

But, if you really want to read something different, try Little. King recommends him as well. I would recommend starting with "The Association" or "The Store" for Little. Those are my two favorites. They are graphic, so beware. Not for kids.

Jack Ketchum is ok. I do NOT recommend watching any of the movies that are based on his books. They are awful.

Laymon is ok.

I've read "Dominion" and "The Vanishing" by Little. I wasn't overwhelmed by them, they were good enough though to hold my interest, though.

I know I've got something of Masterton's around here somewhere...obviously it wasn't something that stuck in my head - so didn't leave a big impression. But i do recognize the name. I'll have to go rummage downstairs and see if i can find it.

Yeah, I wasn't AS impressed with those two titles, which is why I recommended the other two to start with. Lately I've been more into paranormal type boooks, so I've been reading various series that have psychics, werewolves, vampires, witches, etc. in them.

I will try those other two...

I've been needing a new author to check out. I just read too fast for my authors to keep up with writing for me, LOL!

Stephen King - love his stuff! Favorites - Cujo book and movie), Salem's Lot (book and movie), Misery (book and movie) - oh and book and movie on Pet Semetary!!

The Shining - movie with Jack Nicholson and Shelly Duvall was my favorite...red rum, red rum, red rum.....

edited because I forgot Pet Semetary...sheesh me!

You know, I'm generally a fan of Little, but some of his work seems formulaic. He spins great yarns that sometimes just seem to slap you in the face; for a horror writer, that's a GOOD thing.

I love early S.K.,what happened to him that he switched?I can't finish his newest ones,i get too bored.I like early Robin Cook,Dean Koontz,and there isn't many choices anymore.

King's writing seemed to change after his near-death experience. Which is quite understandable!

He even wrote it "into the script" in the Dark Tower series.

H.P. Lovecraft is my favorite, easily. He can transport me to a different place unlike any other horror writer. _________________________ When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained. - Mark Twain [url=http://www.pokerchips.com/]casino poker chips[/url] [url=http://www.dogbedswarehouse.com/]raised dog beg[/url] [url=http://www.performancechipsdirect.com/Cadillac/]Cadillac Performance Chips[/url]

I love Bentley Little what a twisted mind he has. He's great.

My favourite horror writer of all time is the fantastic Edgar Allan Poe, his macarbra, dark mind took some beating! oooh!! it sends shivers down my spine thinking of one of his stories, The Monkey's Paw, that is a fantastic and moralistic tale,. :-)

I'm a fan of Melanie Tem. Stephen King, of course, is #1 on my list. I loved his new book, Under the Dome.

Valley Girl--You're right. It all starts with EAP. Right now in Los Angeles, actor Jeffrey Combs is performing a one-man Poe show called NEVERMORE. It and DO NOT GO GENTLE (the Dylan Thomas one-man show performed by Gereint Wyn Davies) are the two best one-man shows I've ever seen. In NEVERMORE Combs recites "The Tell-Tale Heart" and you're stunned, really, to remember just how fine a writer he was.

I used to devour John Saul books too until I realized he was basically writing the same book over and over and over and over.

I loved Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box, so I read his collection 20th Century Ghosts, which is uneven. But he is going to be even better than his father and I am a big Stephen King fan. I also like Graham Masterton.

Stephen King

Dean Koontz is my favorite author in any genre. A lot of his book would fall into the horror realm. I like Stephen King a lot too but more his earlier stuff.I find him to be a little to wordy but still entertaining.

R.L Stine...he's the best I've read till now.

Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Alfred Hitchcock and Scott Nicholson. I found a woman horror writer not long before 2009 and I cannot remember her name, I opened a new window to check lists of horror writers and she was not in either of those lists which is weird because she has written many books and almost all seemed popular and some even classics when I found her.

I used to say I would write anything except horror. I decided I shouldn't define myself by what I wouldn't do, and I wrote a few horror short stories. Now I think I have over 20 of them written and published. I enjoy them immensely. I'm inspired by Lovecraft and Poe.