Robert Bloch, the author best known for his novel Psycho, possessed a self-awareness that belied his literary reputation. “Despite my ghoulish reputation, I really have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk,” Bloch wrote, according to a quote widely circulated online and documented on Goodreads as of January 25, 2026.
The quote, first appearing in Bloch’s work, has seen renewed attention in recent years, resurfacing on platforms like Reddit and Facebook. Stephen King himself acknowledged the quote’s origin, attributing it to Bloch in a post shared online in September 2021. Trini Quinn, an artist based in Atlanta, Georgia, recently shared the quote on their Facebook page.
Bloch’s statement is a darkly humorous commentary on the public perception of horror writers and the macabre nature of their work. The image of a literal heart preserved in a jar serves as a stark and unsettling metaphor for the creative impulse behind such stories. The quote’s enduring appeal suggests a fascination with the psychological complexities of those who explore the darker aspects of the human experience.
An anthology of folk-horror, titled Their Ghoulish Reputation, was published in July 2022 and featured a story by Ben Lathrop titled “The Barn.” The anthology’s title itself echoes Bloch’s self-deprecating observation about his public image.
As of February 23, 2026, Robert Bloch’s quote continues to be shared and discussed online, demonstrating its lasting resonance with readers and writers alike. The quote has garnered over 4,000 likes on Goodreads, with recent engagement from users as recent as January 25, 2026.
