Robert Albert Bloch was an American fiction writer whose career spanned six decades and encompassed multiple media. He began his professional writing career immediately after graduating from high school at age 17, eventually producing hundreds of short stories and over 30 novels. His work primarily focused on crime, psychological horror, and fantasy, though he also wrote a relatively small amount of science fiction. Bloch is best known for writing the novel Psycho, published in 1959, which became the basis for Alfred Hitchcock's acclaimed 1960 film adaptation. This work exemplified his talent for psychological horror and remains his most enduring contribution to popular culture. Early in his career, Bloch was a protégé of H. P. Lovecraft, who was instrumental in encouraging his talent. While Bloch initially emulated Lovecraft's cosmic horror style, he eventually developed his own distinctive approach, specializing in crime and horror stories that emphasized the psychological dimensions of his characters. Beyond his work in fiction, Bloch had significant involvement in television and film, with more than 30 years spent in these mediums. His stories were frequently adapted for radio, cinema, and television, demonstrating the broad appeal and adaptability of his writing across different formats.