Imagine being held in such high regard that your work would influence the great writings of Stephen King or Richard Matheson. Shirley Jackson is said to have inspired these authors among others.
Best known for her short story entitled The Lottery, Shirley Jackson's original story appeared in The New Yorker and her claim to fame was soon set in stone as a writer. She received high praise for her writing abilities and found that she had extraordinary talent.
Shirley Jackson was born in 1916 in San Francisco. She graduated with a BA from Syracuse in 1940. She married Stanley Edgar Hyman who would become the father of her children.
Shirley's first novel was The Road Through the Wall and it would be followed by more adult literary novels. She also received recognition for a work in children's fiction.
Shirley Jackson had psychological problems and it was believed that she suffered greatly from psychosomatic illnesses. She died of heart failure in 1965. Many believe that it was a combination of obesity, heavy smoking and too many prescription drugs used to help her cope with her psychosomatic illnesses.
After her death in 1965, her husband released Come Along with Me. It was a collection of Shirley Jackson's work including unfinished pieces.
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