Peter Straub, The Talisman and Ghost Story Author, Dead at 79

Peter Straub, a genre author best known for writing prose that included Ghost Story and The Talisman, has passed away at the age of 79. Stephen King, who co-authored multiple books with Straub, confirmed the news on Twitter, writing: "It's a happy day for me because FAIRY TALE is published. It's a sad day because my good friend and amazingly talented colleague and collaborator, Peter Straub, has passed away. Working with him was one of the great joys of my creative life." Straub and King would co-write not only hte epic fantasy novel The Talisman but the 2001 horror novel Black House, a 2001 Bram Stoker Award nominee.

News of Straub's passing has seen other notable authors sound off on their love for his contributions to the written word, with fellow fantasy/horror author Neil Gaiman tweeting: "Peter Straub 1943-2022 One of the best writers I've read, one of the best friends I've known. Always kind, funny, irascible, brilliant. Once performed the Crow position in yoga, in a Milwaukee WI men's room, because he was fearless & proud of his yoga. I'll miss you Peter." Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts, added: "Peter Straub was a hero and I was fortunate to get to know him over the last decade plus. The news of his passing is gutting. All the love and best to his family and legion of friends and admirers."

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 2, 1943, and would go on to publish his first novel, Marriages, in 1973. Though perhaps best known to some for his collaborations with King, Straub wrote mostly on his own, penning novels that included Julia, Ghost Story, The Hellfire Club, Mr. X, and Lost Boy, Lost Girl, in addition to multiple other novellas and short story collections. Two of his books would be adapted for the big screen as well with Julia becoming the basis for 1977's Full Circle starring Mia Farrow and Ghost Story being adapted into the 1981 film of the same name starring Fred Astaire.

Across his career Straub was the recipient of six Bram Stoker Awards, given to his books The Throat, 1993; Mr. X, 1999; : Lost Boy, Lost Girl, 2003; In the Night Room, 2004; A Dark Matter, 2010; and the short story collection 5 Stories in 2007. 

Straub is survived by his wife Susan Straub and two children, Emma Straub and Benjamin Straub. Our thoughts go out to them during this difficult time.

(Cover Photo by Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images

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