H.P. Lovecraft was an American author of short stories, poetry, scientific articles, and various other works. As a child, Lovecraft spent much of his time reading and writing, and developed a deep interest in science—astronomy in particular. At the age of nine Lovecraft created his first publication, The Scientific Gazette, and by sixteen was writing a monthly astronomy column for a local newspaper. In 1917 Lovecraft’s short story “Dagon” became the first of his fictional works to be professionally published, after which he published multiple works nearly every year until his death in 1937. He is best known for strange fiction and horror stories, as well as for being the originator of the Cthulhu mythos. Lovecraft’s most notable works include the short stories “The Call of Cthulhu,” “The Dunwich Horror,” and “The Colour out of Space,” and the novellas At the Mountain of Madness, and The Shadow over Innsmouth.