Stephen King
I know he’s a bit controversial in the writing/reading world. Is a “horror writer” considered a good writer? He’s one of my favorite authors, even though I’m not especially drawn to Sci Fi or to horror genres (for either books or movies).
However, I believe nobody does realistic and compelling dialogue like Stephen King does. He’s also good at pacing and plot (although I’ve long felt like his books fall apart shortly after the middle, and that they are much too long).
I recently re-read his writing book (On Writing by Stephen King), and I learned more on the second read. Plus, it’s a compelling memoir too.