Horror author Peter Straub has died aged 79.
The “Julia” writer passed away in hospital in Manhattan on Sunday, with his wife Susan Straub explaining he had suffered complications after breaking a hip.
His daughter, Emma Straub, first shared the news of her father's passing on Instagram on Tuesday.
She wrote alongside a selection of photos: "Peter Francis Straub, the smartest and most fun person in every room he was ever in, 3/2/43 – 9/4/22. How lucky we were.’
"There aren’t enough words in the world."
Among those to pay tribute to the celebrated author was Stephen King, who he wrote 1984's “The Talisman” and the 2001 follow-up, “Black House”, with.
The 74-year-old writer remembered his late pal as a “a good friend” and his “amazingly talented colleague and collaborator”.
He tweeted amid the release of his latest novel: "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."
English author Neil Gaiman also expressed his sorrow at hearing the news about Peter, writing on Twitter: “Always kind, funny, irascible, brilliant. Once performed the Crow position in yoga, in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, men’s room, because he was fearless and proud of his yoga. I’ll miss you Peter.
“I’ll miss the books he would still have written, but more than that I’ll miss the conversations we’ll now never have.”
After being born and raised in Wisconsin, Peter attended the University of Wisconsin before achieving a masters degree at the prestigious Columbia University before becoming an English teacher for three years at his childhood alma mater.
After starting - but not finishing - a PhD at University College Dublin, Straub published two tomes of poetry in 1972, “Ishmael” and “Open Air”, and his first novel, “Marriages” in 1973.
After shifting to gothic fiction, he went on to write more books, such as his big break, “Ghost Story”, which was published in 1979, before going on to scribe “Floating Dragon”, “The Ghost Village”, “The Throat”, and “The Hellfire Club”.
During his career, Straub racked up 12 World Fantasy Awards nominations, snagging four, and 14 Bram Stoker Awards nods, taking home 10 of the the top horror fiction gongs.
The International Horror Guild living legend recipient married his spouse in 1966, and is also survived by their two children; Ben and Emma, who is also an author.