H. P. Lovecraft

H. P. Lovecraft was an American writer of the early 20th century whose stories were a combination of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. He was an antiquarian who loved the 18th century.

His 1936 novella At the Mountains of Madness introduced the fictional alien race called the Elder Things, the creators of the Shoggoths. A Celestis Fictional Generator would later bring them to life.

The Eighth Doctor spoke of having corresponded with Lovecraft and their shared love of ice cream. The Doctor had even considered taking him on a trip to the 18th century but decided that it would have just disillusioned the writer. (PROSE: The Taking of Planet 5)

While exploring a swamp as research for his fiction, Lovecraft stumbled on a group of Silurians that had been awakened by the Master. Both were nearly sacrificed to the Silurians' idol and barely got away. The Master offered Lovecraft the chance to travel with him in his TARDIS but the writer declined. This would then later inspire him to write 'The Shadow over Innsmouth'. (CP: Perfect Timing: Masters of Terror)

Fitz Kreiner never read anything by Lovecraft. As a child, he had once picked up a book by the author but his mother had seen the book and assumed that "lovecraft" was the subject. (PROSE: The Taking of Planet 5)

Behind the scenes

 * Another of Lovecraft's creation, the Great Old Ones, are real in the Doctor Who universe. The Taking of Planet 5 never states whether the Doctor's Lovecraft also wrote about them.
 * Use of the term "Old One" was rarely consistent and was used both for the Great Old Ones and Elder Things in both Lovecraft's writings and in Doctor Who.