HP Lovecraft (1890-1937), author of wierd tales, horror and science fiction. A big writer of letters to fans and other authors, but far worse in publishing his own stories – several were printed long after his death. Reclusive, fairly racist and definatly not a people person. Creator of the vast Cthulhu mythos and probably someone most people in this forum have read.
Listening to some podcasts I wonder: what if Lovecraft didn’t get cancer and died 1937 but lived until 1947 (let’s assume that he won’t die from any other reason too). Have anyone speculated how his literary output would have changed during this decade of further writing? Would he try to create an integrated world like Tolkien did with Middle Earth (connecting the Dreamworlds with the Cthulhu mytos, defining the different sets of Gods etc), write longer stories rather than shorter, write more sci-fi due to technological advances or maybe become adapted to radio/movies? How many more authors could he influence during these extra years?
And how would WW2 affect Lovecraft? Would he write “the Nazis try to summon Elder Beings”-stories? Would his racism and belief in racial degeneration be affected by the German rethoric, laws and Holocaust? How would Pearl Harbor, D-day, Dresden and Hiroshima impact on his writing?
I can’t see any big changes, but many potential smaller.
Yes, I am aware that this have been done before (
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=106033&highlight=lovecraft), but it was two years ago and continuing into the 50s.