DARKECHO online reports the death of Michael McDowell on December 27, 1999, of complications of AIDs.

A novelist and short fiction writer, McDowell's horror novels included The Amulet, Toplin and the Blackwater series, among others. Writing with Dennis Schietz as Nathan Aldyne he wrote several mysteries, including a series featuring Boston bartender, Dan Valentine.

In recent years, McDowell wrote screenplays for television and movies including Tales from the Dark Side(both televison and the movie), The Nightmare Before Christmas and Beetlejuice (with Warren Skaaren), which was based on a short story by McDowell and Larry Wilson.

Dr. McDowell, (Ph.D. Brandeis University) was a part-time lecturer at Tufts University and Boston Univeristy.

Posted January-20-2000