Robert Albert Bloch (Chicago, Illinois, April 5, 1917-Los Angeles, California, September 23, 1994) of Jewish descent, was an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter of fantasy literature and science fiction. He wrote hundreds of stories and around 20 novels, most of them in the black, horror and science fiction genres. At the beginning of his career he published widely in so-called pulp magazines such as Weird Tales. He also wrote numerous screenplays. He received the Hugo, Bram Stoker and the World Fantasy Awards. For a time he was president of the association of writers Mystery Writers of America. Bloch also produced science fiction zines, and even worked for a time in the music hall. One of his first literary friends was his teacher H. P. Lovecraft, with whom he had a long correspondence. Bloch wrote a large number of accounts pertaining to the Cthulhu Mythos. In fact, two books frequently cited in the stories of the Myths cycle were invented: De Vermis Mysteriis and Cultes des Goules.