Who are the authors of the best cosmic horror stories?

Well, Jeff VanderMeer is a well - known name in best cosmic horror fiction. His 'Southern Reach' trilogy, starting with 'Annihilation', is highly regarded. He creates these strange, alien landscapes that are both beautiful and terrifying. Shirley Jackson also has elements of cosmic horror in some of her works, like 'The Haunting of Hill House'. While it's often seen as a traditional haunted house story, it also has undertones of something much larger and more unknowable at work. And then there's China Miéville. His books, such as 'Perdido Street Station', incorporate strange creatures and a sense of a world that is not quite as we know it, with elements of the cosmic horror lurking beneath the surface.

H.P. Lovecraft is a very well - known author for cosmic horror. His works often feature ancient and powerful entities that are beyond human comprehension, like in 'The Call of Cthulhu'. Another is Algernon Blackwood. His story 'The Willows' has a great sense of cosmic horror. And then there's Clark Ashton Smith who wrote many stories with elements of strange, otherworldly horror.

H.P. Lovecraft is perhaps the most notable author in the cosmic horror genre. His works, like 'The Shadow over Innsmouth' and 'Nyarlathotep', are filled with otherworldly creatures and a sense of dread that comes from the vast, unknowable cosmos. Another important author is Algernon Blackwood. His stories, such as 'The Willows', often deal with the human encounter with the unknown and the numinous in a way that anticipates later cosmic horror. Clark Ashton Smith also wrote in this genre. His works, with their vivid and often grotesque descriptions, added to the development of cosmic horror.

H.P. Lovecraft is a big name in cosmic horror short stories. His unique brand of horror, with its focus on the vastness and indifference of the cosmos, has influenced many. Ambrose Bierce also wrote some stories that could be considered in the realm of cosmic horror. His tales often had a sense of the macabre and the unknown. Additionally, Robert E. Howard, best known for his Conan stories, also dabbled in cosmic horror in some of his works, creating a sense of dread and the ineffable.

Howard Phillips Lovecraft is a very well - known author in the cosmic horror genre. His works, like 'The Call of Cthulhu', introduced many of the concepts that are now central to cosmic horror, such as ancient and powerful deities that are indifferent to humanity. Another is Algernon Blackwood. His stories often explore the darker and more mysterious aspects of the natural and supernatural world. And Clark Ashton Smith, who created a lot of stories set in strange and otherworldly landscapes filled with cosmic terrors.

Well, 'Annihilation' by Jeff VanderMeer is a really good cosmic horror story. The way it describes the strange and ever - changing Area X, where the laws of nature seem to be distorted and there are unknowable entities at work, is quite chilling. And then there's 'The Colour Out of Space' by Lovecraft again. It tells of a strange, unearthly color that falls from the sky and brings destruction and madness to a small New England town.

Some excellent cosmic horror short stories include 'The Yellow Sign' by Robert W. Chambers. It has an air of mystery and the feeling of a malevolent force at work. 'The Willows' by Algernon Blackwood is also very good. The story is set in a desolate area by the river, and it gives a sense of nature being not just indifferent but actively hostile. And 'The King in Yellow' by Chambers as well, which has a very unique and eerie atmosphere.

Another great one is 'Annihilation' by Jeff VanderMeer. The story follows a group of women who enter Area X, a place full of strange mutations and ecological oddities. It has a sense of creeping dread and mystery that makes it a top - notch cosmic horror novel. It also explores themes of self - destruction and the unknown in a very unique way.

There are quite a few. Gemma Amor is known for her innovative and spooky new horror stories. Victor LaValle has a unique style that makes his new works in horror really stand out. Carmen Maria Machado is another author who has been making waves with her new horror - infused stories that blend different genres and elements.

I'm not sure exactly which collection 'the best true horror stories' you're referring to. There could be multiple authors contributing to such a collection. It might be a compilation of works from various horror writers or just anonymous accounts of real - life horror experiences.