Synopses & Reviews
An interview with the world's best-selling children's author, R.L. Stine...
Q. From what we have heard, everyone who reads and/or writes horror has one — THE book — the one that introduced them to the genre and made them seek out everything they could in the field. What was your first introduction to horror literature?
A. Believe it or not, my introduction to scary literature was Pinocchio. My mother read it to me every day before naptime when I was three or four. The original Pinocchio is terrifying. First he smashes Jiminy Cricket to death with a wooden mallet. Then he goes to sleep with his feet up on the stove and burns his feet off! I never forgot it!
Q. It's easy to scare other people; jumping out from behind a door, a black rubber spider in a running shoe, the list goes on and on. You have made a living by scaring people who encounter you on a page of print. Do you ever come up with anything so wild that you scare yourself, that leaves you wondering where that came from?
A. I always wonder where every idea comes from. It's such a mysterious process. They seem to appear from out of nowhere (thank goodness!). I've made myself laugh from some ideas — but I've never scared myself.
Q. Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite horror book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of the horror genre?
A. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. I grew up in the Midwest, and the story of a Midwestern boy who sneaks out of his house late at night and encounters an evil carnival really gave me chills. Besides Ray Bradbury, my favorite author — and I know this is bad for my scary image — is P.G.Wodehouse.
Q. Do you look to your own phobias to find subject matter? Are your stories the products of nightmares, childhood experiences, fantasies, or do they come straight from the headlines of contemporary events or other experiences?
A. I've never dreamed of a story idea. I have such boring dreams. One night I dreamed I was making a bologna sandwich. That was a really exciting dream for me. I was a very fearful child, and when I write I try to remember that feeling of panic. I try to remember what it was like being a kid afraid of the dark, afraid something is lurking in the basement, etc . When I write my Nightmare room books.
Q. How will the genre be affected, if at all, by the events of Sept. 11? With the nation struggling with terror, do you feel horror novels may be in more — or less — demand?
A. I feel that good fantasy will always be in demand. I think children especially need literature that helps them escape from the real world, which is very scary to them right now.
Q. What draws people to horror novels? Why do we, as readers, like to be scared?
A. Everyone enjoys a good scare — if he or she is safe at the same time. Reading horror novels is like riding a rollercoaster. It's thrilling and frightening — but you know you're okay the whole while.
Q. Where do you as an author draw the line on gory descriptions?
A. Since I write for kids, I have to be very careful. I have to make sure that my stories are pure fantasy — nothing real. I have to give the kids shivers — but not nightmares.
Q. Do you feel any competitive pressure from horror films? If so, does the increasingly graphic nature of horror in filmsmake your job more difficult? If not, why not?
A. Most of my audience can't be admitted to R-rated films. I don t really see them as competition for my audience. My stories, The Nightmare Room books and TV show are so much gentler than most movies.
Q. Many of the situations and scenarios in horror novels are so, well, horrible, it seems impossible they could all be products of pure imagination. Do you ever research real events to get ideas? Does the Internet ever come in handy?
A. I have to admit I do almost no research. Almost everything comes from my twisted imagination.
Q. The perception of the horror writer is that he/she is maybe just a little bit odder than most. Do you find yourself — and other horror writers — to be more idiosyncratic than the average person? What one stereotype about horror writers is absolutely wrong? What one stereotype is dead on?
A. I've met a few horror writers and movie directors, and they seem to be shy, quiet, normal people. I think the one thing they have in common is a good sense of humor — because there's a very close tie between humor and horror.
Synopsis
Following his New York Times best-seller Nightmare Hour, R.L. Stine, America′s master of horror for middle-grade readers, has created another fantastically nightmarish collection of stories. These were written, as Stine says, in the hour "when lights fade, the real world slips into shadow , and the cold, moonlit world of evil dreams takes over your mind." The stories in this new collection are illustrated with chilling black-and-white drawings by a variety of well-known illustrators. R.L. Stine′s millions of fans will be screaming for more!
Ages 8+
Synopsis
A nightmarish collection of stories, illustrated by a variety of well-known artists will leave Stine fans screaming for more.
Synopsis
< p=""> Following his < i=""> New York Times<> best& ndash; seller < i=""> Nightmare Hour, <> R.L. Stine, America's master of horror for middle& ndash; grade readers, has created another fantastically nightmarish collection of stories. These were written, as Stine says, in the hour when lights fade, the real world slips into shadow, and the cold, moonlit world of evil dreams takes over your mind. The stories in this new collection are illustrated with chilling black& ndash; and& ndash; white drawings by a variety of well& ndash; known illustrators. R.L. Stine's millions of fans will be screaming for more <> < p=""> Ages 8+<>
About the Author
Robert Lawrence Stine started writing when he was nine years old, writing joke books for his friends at school — and hes been writing ever since. He has always loved to write funny stuff and make kids laugh. For ten years, he was editor of a humor magazine called
Bananas. Later he was head writer for a funny Nickelodeon TV show, Eurekas Castle. In 1992 R.L. wrote his first
Goosebumpsbook, Welcome to Dead House he wrote 87
Goosebumpstitles, which were funny and scary at the same time. The books sold over 250 million copies and led to the hit TV show on Fox Kids Television and lots of bestselling DVDs and videos. R.L. also wrote the story for the cool 4-D movie thats showing at Busch Gardens and Sea World called R.L. Stines Haunted Lighthouse.
R.L. Stine is proudest of the millions of kids who have learned to love reading through his books. His other series include Fear Street, The Nightmare Room, and Mostly Ghostly. R.L. likes to travel, visit schools, and talk about reading. He set up writing workshops in several schools in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. He even traveled to Russia with First Lady Laura Bush to talk to Russian kids in schools about books and reading.
R.L. Stine has won numerous awards and honors, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney AdventuresKids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the National Education Association Read Across America.
R.L. Stine lives in NYC with his wife Jane. Their son Matt Stine and nephew Cody Stine (along with friend Liz Weinberg) wrote and performed the official Rah Rah Rotten School" song. This year R.L. will be traveling around the country, meeting and talking to kids about the Rotten Schoolbooks in schools and bookstores. To find out where you can see him, check out www.rlstine.com- and look for places near your hometown.
Rotten Schoolis R.L. Stine's latest creation a hilarious new chapter book series for middle-grade readers.