We’ve learned the terribly sad news from frequent collaborator Stephen King this afternoon that American novelist and poet Peter Straub has passed away at the age of 79.
Stephen King tweets this afternoon, “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.”
King’s collaborations with Peter Straub include 1984 novel The Talisman, soon to be adapted into a Netflix series, as well as the novel Black House decades later in 2001.
Peter Straub’s horror novels also include Julia in 1975, If You Could See Me in 1977, and Ghost Story in 1979, the latter of which became one of his most well-known works.
Straub’s Ghost Story was turned into the same-titled feature film in 1981.
Peter Straub also wrote the novels Shadowland (1980), Floating Dragon (1983), Koko (1988), Mystery (1990), The Hellfire Club (1995), Mr. X (1999), and A Dark Matter (2010).
Neil Gaiman writes on Twitter, “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.”
All of us here at BD would like to send our deepest condolences to the friends, family, and colleagues of Peter Straub, whose work will live on forever in the worlds of fantasy and horror.
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.— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 6, 2022
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. pic.twitter.com/FwCafHoSGK
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) September 6, 2022