Robert Bloch: podcast appearances and interviews

Robert Albert Bloch was an American fiction writer born on April 5, 1917, and passed away on September 23, 1994. His literary work primarily focused on crime, psychological horror, and fantasy, with a smaller body of science fiction. Bloch's career spanned over 60 years and included more than 30 years in television and film, during which his stories were often adapted for radio, cinema, and television. He began his professional writing career immediately after graduating from high school at the age of 17. Bloch is best known for writing the novel Psycho in 1959, which served as the basis for the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name. Throughout his career, he authored hundreds of short stories and over 30 novels, initially influenced by H. P. Lovecraft, who was a key figure in encouraging his talent. While he began emulating Lovecraft's cosmic horror, Bloch later specialized in crime and horror stories that often emphasized psychological elements. Early in his career, he contributed to pulp magazines such as Weird Tales, and he was also a prolific screenwriter and active in science fiction fandom and fanzines. Bloch received several accolades, including the Hugo Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the World Fantasy Award. He served as president of the Mystery Writers of America in 1970 and was a member of multiple professional organizations. His essay The Shambles of Ed Gein was included in the Library of America's retrospective of American true crime in 2008. His notable works included The Kidnapper, The Star Stalker, Psycho, Night-World, and Strange Eons, many of which have been adapted into various media.