A. Merritt (1884-1943) was an American editor and fantastic fiction writer. Born Abraham Grace Merritt in Beverly, New Jersey, he moved with his family to Philadelphia in 1894. Merritt worked as a reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer before joining the staff of The American Weekly as assistant editor in 1912. On the side, Merritt--one of the highest paid journalists of his time--found success as writer of popular fantasy tales. He had a run of successful stories and serial novels that appeared in Weird Tales, Science and Invention, and Argosy, including The Moon Pool (1918), The Metal Monster (1920), and Dwellers in the Mirage (1932). Merritt was a direct influence on such writers as H. P. Lovecraft and Richard Shaver and was recognized for his achievements as a 1999 inductee to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
