4 Authors Who Inspired My Love of Horror

Including a discussion about their strengths and weaknesses

Ask anyone who chooses to write stories about an author that inspires them, and I can guarantee they will all answer quickly without giving the question any real thought. Since I have been writing for over 45 years, my inspirations are both older and more modern. In this piece, I am going to talk about 4 that I love, while also pointing out a perceived weakness of each. Be aware, though, that the weaknesses will not be anything really negative, as these are all authors who can write rings around me.

James Herbert

Before there was King, there was, in my world. James Herbert. A librarian at my small local library turned me onto his work when it became clear that my tastes were shifting into darker territory. The Fog was my first read of his, and it remains one of my favorite horror books of all time. I am in the process of working my way through his entire library again, which is where I am finding a small weakness. The books are very much of their time and feel somehow out of place today, but that is a small grumble. The way Herbert tells a story is very much the same as mine, so it is easy to see that he is the biggest influence on my work.

Stephen King

It’s probably no real surprise to learn that King arrived on my radar shortly after starting to tear my way through all the Herbert books. He is definitely a pioneer in the genre, and I legitimately envy the depth of his characters. Even the lesser characters seem to jump off the page in a way that makes them feel ever so real. If we are going to get into a King weakness, it is that I find that some stories peter out into underwhelming or overly weird endings. Again, it is a small thing, as the path to that end is always supremely entertaining.

Clive Barker

I discover Barker after I moved to Canada in the late 80s. I got a job in a video store and was essentially given complete control of the horror section. After watching Hellraiser a million time, I found out it was based on a story by Barker. I started with the Books of Blood and made my way to Imajica, which is, in my mind, an absolute work of genius. I love the way Barker makes the grotesque sound somehow beautiful. Now, be aware than I am the furthest thing from a prude, but the overt sexuality in Barker’s work can sometimes go a little too far. Then again, he makes that sound amazing, too.

Nick Cutter

I wrote an entire piece on Cutter last week, so I will keep this portion on the shorter side. For me, there is no better horror author putting out work today than Cutter, but if there is one complaint, it is that the influence of King sometimes shines through a little too hard. That said, those moments feel like delightful little nods to a horror master that King fans will almost certainly enjoying reading.

That is it for this week, but if you have some aspect of horror or the supernatural that you would like to see me talk about in the coming weeks, please do let me know in the comments.