H. P. Lovecraft lived his life in the moody New England that was the setting for his tales. His writing appeared in some of the most famous “pulp” magazines, but no book of his work was published in his lifetime, and so Lovecraft died in relative poverty and obscurity. Since then he has been recognized as one of the most influential cult horror writers of this century. His influence on American horror has extended to Stephen King, Anne Rice, Clive Barker, and many others.