When I first read Lovecraft around 1971, and even more so when I began to read about his life, I immediately knew that I wanted to write horror stories. I had read Arthur Machen before I read Lovecraft, and I didnt have that reaction at all. It was what I sensed in Lovecrafts works and what I learned about his myth as the recluse of Providence that made me think, Thats for me! I already had a grim view of existence, so there was no problem there. I was and am agoraphobic, so being reclusive was a snap. The only challenge was whether or not I could actually write horror stories. So I studied fiction writing and wrote every day for years and years until I started to get my stories accepted by small press magazines. Im not comparing myself to Lovecraft as a person or as a writer, but the rough outline of his life gave me something to aspire to. I dont know what would have become of me if I hadnt discovered Lovecraft.
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About Thomas Ligotti
Thomas Ligotti was American horror author. Thomas Ligotti is an American horror author, lay philosopher, and writer. His writings are rooted in several literary genres – most prominently weird fiction – and have been described by critics as works of philosophical horror, often formed into short stories and novellas in the tradition of gothic fiction. Read more on Wikipedia →