I'm R.L. Stine and it's my job to terrify kids. Ask me anything!

Why did most of the Choose Your Adventures end with my characters' death? Was I just not good at making decisions?

You were TERRIBLE at making decisions.

Mr. Stine, I was/am a huge fan of Goosebumps growing up! I read all the books at a young age. Don't really have a question, but a funny story. When I was 5, I had a recurring nightmare of Slappy the Dummy killing me. This went on for about a month until one night I acually recognized that I was dreaming. In my dream, I went out to my garage to grab a baseball bat right before I unwrapped Slappy, and when I did, I smashed him to bits. I have had lucid dreams ever since. Thank you for that.

Edit: I've had a couple of replies now saying, "I had a dream like that too!", my dream was fucked up and I'm going to explain it to you. I remember it so clearly even though it was 16-17 years ago.

I was watching tv with my younger brother. A Trix commerical was on when a warning came up. It was a very scary warning, recalling Slappy (he apparently was being sold to children). Just as this warning happened, my mom called me over.

"I have a very special surprise for you, Justin"

It was a tiny coffin. I was scared to open it, but I did anyway. The second I did, Slappy lunged at me and choked me to death. This happened every single night for a month. I was so afraid to go to sleep because I knew what was going to happen. One night, I realized that I was dreaming though so when my mom called me over, I told her to hold on and went to my garage, grabbed my baseball bat from my little league games, went back inside and opened the coffin. The second he lunged at me I smashed his face in over and over and over and then I woke up. Been lucid dreaming ever since!

I am very worried about you.

I wasn't allowed to read your books as a kid, but I still did in secret. What would you say to 8-year-old me if you could go back in time?

Hand over your lunch money.

Hi, Mr. Stine! I wrote my Master's thesis on the post-modern approach to gender in the original Goosebumps series. My argument, in response to accusations by critics like Vicki Coppell that Goosebumps is sexist, was that the series purposely represents its "types" (Annoying Younger Sibling, Scaredy-Cat, Bully, etc.) approximately equally along gender lines, essentially implying that there is no "one thing" it means to be masculine or feminine. Is this type of thing something you were conscious of when writing the original books, the idea that giving girls the chance to act like boys and boys the chance to act like girls would be a progressive move, especially in a genre that often promotes gender essentialism? Here's a link to the thesis itself: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxy37lGzuTFrMUFqLWU5cWxnRkk/edit?usp=sharing

My main aim was to present girls and boys as equal. They all had an equal ability to run from the monsters. I wonder how many Masters Theses have been written on Goosebumps.

Did it make you happy knowing you deprived me and countless others sleep for weeks?

Yes, it did.

Wow, Goosebumps basically paved the way to my future love of horror. I just finished Red Rain (which I enjoyed) and my only question is, What made you decide to write an adult horror novel after so many years of scaring kids?

So many of my original readers are now in their 20s and 30s. I wanted to write a book for them.

Thank you so much for the childhood memories! Which book would you say was your favorite to write?

The Slappy books are most fun to write because I get to be rude and insulting.

No question, just wanted to say thank you. As a kid, your books brought me so many hours of enjoyment. I love them and am glad to say that now my son is at an age where he can enjoy them as well. He reads 30 min- 1 hour every day for school and its always Goosebumps, Goosebumps, Goosebumps.

Also, sorry about all the Ermahgerds about to come you way.

Thanks for the kind words. I love Ehrmagerds!

Please tell us about the artist who made the covers for the Goosebumps series. :D

Tim Jacobus painted the first 67 covers. He really captured the humor/horror balance.

How do you feel about the '90s television series that was based off your book series, Goosebumps? I loved their cheesiness and found the low special effects and make-up to be even more enjoyable. Also, How do you feel about popular electronic music artist RL GRIME's name / pseudonym?

Just wanted to say, I'm a big fan and my library at home has a whole shelf of Goosebumps.

R.L. Grime and I keep in touch. I do a voice-over every year for his Halloween mix tape.

First of all, thank you for the great contributions to the world. Your werewolf books/episodes are why I, a grown man, am still freaked out by wolves.

Just a couple things about the TV series, is the legend true about there being a "lost" Haunted Mask 3 episode of Goosebumps? Also will the full series dvd set eventually be available in the U.S.?

There are no lost episodes of Goosebumps. I'd love to see a big boxed set, but that's entirely up to Scholastic. No one asks me anything.

I grew up on your books. You are one of the many inspirations of mine that have had a part in my pursuit of a degree in English/literature. Question: Which book, to you, was your "best" work (from the goosebumps collection)?

Best work? Maybe a recent one-- Wanted: The Haunted Mask. I'm very proud of that one, even though it's a sequel.

If there is one book that you wish you wrote yourself instead of the original author, what would it be?

Also, what, in your opinion is the scariest book you have ever read?

Harry Potter?

What is your favorite horror novel? I'll read it next!

Have you read Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury?

I rather enjoyed Goosebumps as a kid. The Monster Blood books, specifically.

Did you write all of the GooseBumps books yourself, or like K.A. Applegate, act as more of a supervisor to other ghost writers?

(The Cataluna chronicles were also really nice.)

I wrote all the GB books myself, believe it or not. Sometimes I had writers help me with the outlines. But all books were by me.

Your books addressed a lot of things that aren't really on the kid level. There was a lot of death and dying in especially the fear street series. Was it difficult to make the horror genre accessible to a young crowd (since Goosebumps started for the fairly young reader?)

Hey, no one EVER dies in a Goosebumps book. But I enjoyed killing teenagers. My new teen novel, A Midsummer Night's Scream, is pretty gruesome.

What was the scariest moment in your life?

When I lost my 3-yr-old son at the NY Auto Show.

Dang! I used to read your Goosebumps books all the time O_O

I just wanted to ask, if you could make one of your monsters come to life and terrorize your enemies, which would it be?

Huh? Do I have enemies?

What's your very best life advice?

Don't eat the yellow snow.

Hey Bob. I am an 18 year old here with a little story to tell you. When I was 14 years old my Dad decided to have me put into isolation for several years. Iwasnt allowed outside and it was often because of his anxiety and such. Well one day he came back home and gave me a HUGE collection of Goosebumps and I read these books repeatedly over and over again just to pass the time. Im in college now, and I hope you realize that without your books I wouldve never came out of the isolation with the sanity I have now. Guitar hero and Grand Theft Auto will never fill the void that I had. And your books did just that. I have no questions, only praise for you. I love your books, and thank you for not making my childhood/teenage years such a bore. Thank you a million times :)

For those of you wanting more info, feel free to look and ask questions!

Thank you a million times for sharing that.

Where did you get the idea for the dad that becomes a plant and has a clone? That was probably my favorite upon a recent Netflix rewatch. Thanks!

It was inspired by Little Shop of Horrors. I have a cactus in my office named Audrey.

Mr. Stine, your Goosebumps books kept me up late on many nights as a child. I must have read at least 50 of them.

Q: How the heck did you think of names for all those characters? Do the names mean anything special?

A lot of the character names came from my son's school directory.

First off, I wanted to tell you that the Goosebumps and Fear Street books are one of the reasons I decided to pursue writing. Thank you for crafting such entertaining and terrifying stories that inspired me then and through adulthood.

That said, some of my favorite titles are Hide and Shriek, One Day at Horrorland, and The Fear Street Saga Trilogy. I still re-read each of them once a year.

I was curious about how the Fear Street Saga came about. That particular series is definitely a departure from the other books you've written. There are certainly some darker moments there too. Did you always have the origin of Fear Street in the back of your mind, or did it come at a later date?

Again, thank you so much for doing this. I could truly never thank you enough. I can only hope that one day my stories are as beloved as the ones you have created.

After several Fear Street books, it seemed appropriate to explain how that street became so cursed. Good luck with your writing.

Did you ever meet or hang out with Christopher Pike in real life?

I spent one very weird day with Christopher Pike back in the 90's.

Can you come to Toronto so I can hug you? Monster Blood II is my favourite.

Yes, I would come to Toronto for a hug. Maybe sometime soon.

Oh my god! You were my childhood. My question is, when writing the You Choose the Scare books did you ever have trouble keeping everything in order? It always seemed so complicated to make sure all the pages are in check, or was that an editors job? Also I write horror stories and am currently studying creative writing at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and you were a huge inspiration to me.

I kept a numbered chart on a legal-size notepad. I filled it in as I wrote each page.

Mr. Stine – I first want to thank you. My younger brother and I didn’t get along much growing up, and I always had trouble getting through to him. He was very quiet and not forthcoming with his interests, and we could never really bond. When he first discovered Goosebumps, it was the one thing I could understand he found engaging, and through your series we were able to communicate with each other as we read the books together. He’s now a grown man living and working 2,000 miles away, but I still check in with him every few weeks to see what kind of horror books or movies he’s discovered since we last spoke, because he still has the passion for it that began with your Goosebumps series. So thank you for your work, it has been integral to the closeness my brother and I have shared for the last twenty years.

Now on to my question – I’ve always been curious as to how someone writing “childrens horror” so-to-speak knows where the line is between too much for his audience and just horrifying enough to not scar a developing mind. Can you elaborate on your process as far as making sure the horror is still suitable for a young audience? What advice would you give to authors who want to work in this genre of literature?

Thank you again so much for doing this and for all the joy you’ve brought my family!

The line I draw is to never let the story get too REAL. The kids have to know it's a fantasy and could never happen to them.

What happened in your life that led you to deciding that scaring children was your life's work?

I needed to make a living.

Hi! I'm one your biggest fans

I love your book

Can you tell me how did you get your ideas?

And does that relate to your childhood ?

I was a very fearful child. That's why I stayed in my room writing. Guess it helped me later in life.

Have you had any person supernatural experiences, either before or after Goosebumps?

Once when I was an editor at Scholastic, I was sitting at my desk when I felt myself rising up from my body. I floated up to the ceiling and looked down on myself sitting at my desk below. It lasted only a few seconds and never happened again. No drugs were involved.

1st off, let me say I love your books. Your books are honestly one of the few books I read in my childhood for leisure fun!

I guess I’ll keep it simple and short.

1) Since you write stories that are in the “horror” section, what book and movie terrifies you?
2) What terrifies you in real life?

;]

The scariest book to me? Maybe Pet Semetary.

Hey RL absolutely LOVE everything you've done with Goosebumps over the past 20 years. The Haunted Mask is my favorite VHS I own to date!

My question to you is what is your all time favorite horror movie?

All-time fav? Maybe the original Frankenstein? Maybe The Shining? Maybe Evil Dead II?

Thanks for doing this, your books are very nostalgic to me. I'll just say in 2nd grade you got me interested in reading when my friend started to read them all the time, then I started to as well. I'm wondering if any of the stories in the books have reflected any personal events in your life.

The books have the suburban neighborhood where I grew up (Columbus, Ohio). But I never based a character on anyone real.

Have you ever checked out the Blogger Beware blog (bloggerbeware.com)? If so, any thoughts on their (comedic) critical analysis of your work?

They sure are critical, aren't they? Cringe cringe.

What other genres do you enjoy writing?

If you could meet any other author, living or dead, who would you like to meet?

Thank you for your books! I've enjoyed them over and over through the years. :)

I'm so lucky. I've met almost all of the writers I'd like to meet, including Kurt Vonnegut and Ray Bradbury. How lucky is that!

Outside of my parents, you might be one of the most influential people in my life. You're a huge part of the reason I spend a good chunk of my free time these days writing, and you may be solely responsible for my penchant for horror, both written and filmed, that's carried throughout my life. I still remember deciding I must finally have been growing up -- in the fifth grade -- because I started reading more Fear Street than Goosebumps. In short, you helped guide my childhood in some very interesting and significant ways, and I'm here to leech off you yet again with a standard, simple question.

What's the best advice on writing you have ever received?

You won't believe this, but here in its entirety is the best writing advice I ever got (written by an editor at the top of my manuscript): MORE LORE.

Mr. Stine, thanks for doing this AMA. I was a huge fan of the Goosebumps books, and the Fear Street books, bit that's not what I want to ask you about. Can you talk to us a little bit about your work on Eureka's Castle?

I was head writer of Eureeka's Castle. My staff and I wrote all the puppet episodes. We did 100 shows. A lot of fun.

Hey, Bob! Love your books. Were have you ever gotten any mail from parents insulting you on giving their children nightmares? What's the funniest contact you've gotten on the topic of your books?

One of the funniest letters I received, from a girl: Dear, R.L. Stine, I'm having trouble keeping up with all your books. Do you think you could stop writing for a while?

Hey Bob! I loved Slappy. He still scares the hell out of me. I saw an episode on TV the other day and it still creeped me out. I also remember going as the Haunted Mask for halloween in '95!

I'd like to know more about Slappy... where did the inspiration for him come from?

From an old British horror movie called Dead of Night.

My son wants to know if you have any new books you're working on or that are coming out. (He inherited all of my and my brothers books!)

I'm working on a GB for next year called Zombie Halloween. Guess what it's about?

Hello R.L. I grew up on your books and I could not wait until my kids were old enough to read them as well. They love them too. I never forgot reading the Goosebumps series, especially the book about the camera and the creepy photos! My question is where did your inspiration for the scary series for children come from? Did you set out to write a children’s series or did it just happen?

I set out to write for kids. I love scaring kids!

Hey! I grew up reading your books and really appreciate your work. My question is what are you reading today and what are some recent favourites?

I'm reading the new Jeffrey Deaver novel. I read a lot of thrillers and mysteries.

Mr. Stine! Two questions for you!

• What spooked you as a kid?
• How should I celebrate Halloween?

Thanks!

I think you should celebrate Halloween by reading my new teen horror novel, A Midsummer Night's Scream.

Hi MR. Stine I love your stores! I have been watching Goosebumps with my little brother to get in the Halloween spirit :) I must say your introductions to the episodes are top notch :)

My question is when did you realize you wanted to write mostly scary stories?

I wrote joke books and humor for years. An editor asked me to write a scary teen novel--Blind Date-- and I've been scary ever since.

First of all I just want to say thank you. Thank you for writing such amazing books to read when I was in the 3rd grade. I came from mexico at such a young age that the transition to the usa was rough and very lonely. I was able to read English very well but when it came to speaking I was a mess so I isolated myself with reading as much as possible and checking out goosebumps books whenever I could. So for that thank you so much Mr. Stine!!

p.s. My top favorite are "Say cheese and die", "Deep trouble", "Revenge of the lawn gnomes" and "night of the living dummy"

Thank you. You're all too nice. I really appreciate all the kind words from everyone.

Mr. Stine, thank you for getting me interested in the horror genre as a kid! It's been a long happy love ever since.

Is there any subject that you wish you could write a new Goosebumps book about these days? Something you feel like you "missed"?

I feel like I've written every story one can possibly write. Sometimes I wonder where the next plot is going to come from!

What's it like knowing you're such an amazing author and that people all over read your stories?

I feel very lucky to be doing what I always dreamed of doing.

Having created your own successful book series, what is your opinion on the likes of Twilight and The Mortal Instruments?

I'm not a greedy person. I love to see other authors have huge hits. I think it's so great that the richest woman in the world is a children's author.

Hi Bob, have you ever thought about getting Goosebumps re-packaged into big volumes? I have a certain nostalgia about the old, cheap paperbacks but I'd love to be able to put a few high-quality leatherbound volumes on my kids' shelf when they're old enough. And please keep the old illustrations to introduce each story!

Ain't gonna happen. Nice idea, though.

R.L. Stine, I just want to say you were a HUGE part of my childhood and I'm thrilled that you are doing this AMA. If I'm not mistaken, it was you who inspired me to write my first story as a child which, not surprisingly, was horror. Might I ask if you were inspired by any horror authors/directors etc. as a child? And if so, who?

Ray Bradbury and Rod Serling are two of my biggest influences. I was a sci-fi freak as a kid.

Hi, Bob. How did you feel about doing the wraparound segments for some of the Goosebumps episodes? Also, being as objective as you can be, can you tell us what your favorite episode was? Which one, if any, nailed the tone you were going for with your books?

I loved doing the GB intros. Wish I was better at it. Best episode? Either The Haunted Mask or A Night in Terror Tower.

Hello Mr. Stine, I am writing for my daughter and she would like to ask if you plan on writing anymore of the Goosebumps Horrorland books?

No. I'm writing a series now called Goosebumps: Most Wanted.

How are you holding up financially? what were you at financially at your peak?

Before your first goosebump book was released, how many did you have written? How long did it take you to write more?

what is your top 3 favorite goosebump covers?

Also i purchased some goosebump walkie talkies the other day at a yard sale. bought them for nostalgic purposes. what was your favorite non-book goosebump product?

Thank you for worrying about my finances, Roy. Think you could lend me a few bucks... just till I get back on my feet?