Clark Ashton Smith

Clark Ashton Smith (1893–1961) was an American writer, poet, and artist, best known for his contributions to weird fiction, fantasy, and horror literature. He gained early recognition for his poetry, which caught the attention of George Sterling, Ambrose Bierce, and Jack London. Smith's most prolific period as a fiction writer was during the 1930s, when he published numerous short stories in Weird Tales magazine alongside contemporaries like H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard. Beyond writing, Smith was also an accomplished sculptor and painter. Despite periods of relative obscurity during his lifetime, Smith's influence on the genres of weird fiction and fantasy has been significant, with his work experiencing a resurgence of interest in recent decades.