A. Merritt
Abraham Grace Merritt, writing as A. Merritt, was born in New Jersey and later moved to Philadelphia, where he studied law before switching to journalism.
Rising to prominence in the 1910s through 1930s, he became a celebrated author of horror and fantasy, earning the reputation as the "king of purple prose." His most famous works include The Moon Pool and The Ship of Ishtar.
Beyond writing, he served as editor of The American Weekly, earning an impressive $100,000 salary during the Depression.
A passionate traveler and collector, he maintained a private library of 5,000 volumes, many focused on the occult.
