Stine, R.L. 1943–
Stine, R.L. 1943–
(Eric Affabee, Zachary Blue, Jovial Bob Stine, Robert Lawrence Stine)
PERSONAL:
Born October 8, 1943 in Columbus, OH; son of Lewis (a shipping manager) and Anne Stine; mar- ried Jane Waldhorn (owner/managing director of Parachute Press), June 22, 1969; children: Matthew Daniel. Education: Ohio State University, B.A. 1965; graduate study at New York University, 1966-67. Religion: Jewish. Hobbies and other interests: Swimming, watching old movie classics from the 1930s and 1940s, reading (especially P.G. Wodehouse novels).
ADDRESSES:
Home—New York, NY. Office—Parachute Press, 156 5th Ave., New York, NY 10010.
CAREER:
Author of books for children and adults. Social studies teacher at a junior high school, Columbus, OH, 1965-66; freelance journalist, 1966-68; Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, assistant editor of Junior Scholastic magazine, 1968-71, editor of Search magazine, 1972-75, editor/creator of Bananas magazine, 1975-84, and Maniac magazine, 1984-85; Eureeka's Castle, Nickelodeon cable television network, head writer, 1986-87.
MEMBER:
Writers Guild of America, Mystery Writers of America.
AWARDS, HONORS:
Children's Choice awards, American Library Association; Lifetime Achievement Award, Ohioana Library Association; Guinness World Records listing for best-selling children's series in history, 2000, for "Goosebumps" series; three-time winner of Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Award.
WRITINGS:
YOUNG-ADULT FICTION
Blind Date, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1986.
Twisted, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1987.
Broken Date ("Crosswinds" series), Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1988.
The Baby-Sitter, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1989.
Phone Calls, Archway (New York, NY), 1990.
How I Broke up with Ernie, Archway (New York, NY), 1990.
Curtains, Archway (New York, NY), 1990.
The Boyfriend, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1990.
Beach Party, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1990.
Snowman, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1991.
The Girlfriend, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1991.
Baby-Sitter II, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1991.
Beach House, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.
Hit and Run, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.
Hitchhiker, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
Baby-Sitter III, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
The Dead Girl Friend, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
Halloween Night, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
Call Waiting, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Halloween Night 2, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Dangerous Girls, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003.
Dangerous Girls: The Taste of Night, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2004.
Contributor of short fiction to anthologies, including Halloween Howls, MediaFusion, 2003.
YOUNG-ADULT NOVELS; "FEAR STREET" SERIES
The New Girl, Archway (New York, NY), 1989, reprinted, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2006.
The Surprise Party, Archway (New York, NY), 1990.
The Overnight, Archway (New York, NY), 1990.
Missing, Archway (New York, NY), 1990.
The Wrong Number, Archway (New York, NY), 1990.
The Sleepwalker, Archway (New York, NY), 1990.
Haunted, Archway (New York, NY), 1990.
Halloween Party, Archway (New York, NY), 1990, reprinted, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2006.
The Stepsister, Archway (New York, NY), 1990, new edition, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2005.
Ski Weekend, Archway (New York, NY), 1991.
The Fire Game, Archway (New York, NY), 1991.
Lights Out, Archway (New York, NY), 1991.
The Secret Bedroom, Archway (New York, NY), 1991.
The Knife, Archway (New York, NY), 1992.
Prom Queen, Archway (New York, NY), 1992.
First Date, Archway (New York, NY), 1992.
The Best Friend, Archway (New York, NY), 1992.
The Cheater, Archway (New York, NY), 1993.
Sunburn, Archway (New York, NY), 1993.
The New Boy, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
The Dare, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
Bad Dreams, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
Double Date, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
The Thrill Club, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
One Evil Summer, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
The Mind Reader, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
Wrong Number 2, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
Truth or Dare, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
Dead End, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
Final Grade, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
Switched, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
College Weekend, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
The Stepsister 2, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
What Holly Heard, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
The Face, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Secret Admirer, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
The Perfect Date, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
The Confession, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
The Boy Next Door, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1996.
Night Games, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Runaway, Archway (New York, NY), 1997.
Killer's Kiss, Archway (New York, NY), 1997, new edition, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2005.
All-night Party, Archway (New York, NY), 1997, new edition, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2005.
The Rich Girl, Archway (New York, NY), 1997, new edition, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2005.
Cat, Archway (New York, NY), 1997.
Fear Hall: The Beginning, Archway (New York, NY), 1997.
Fear Hall: The Conclusion, Archway (New York, NY), 1997.
Who Killed the Homecoming Queen?, Archway (New York, NY), 1998.
Into the Dark, Archway (New York, NY), 1998.
Best Friend 2, Archway (New York, NY), 1998.
Trapped, Archway (New York, NY), 1998.
YOUNG-ADULT NOVELS; "FEAR STREET SUPER CHILLER" SERIES
Party Summer, Archway (New York, NY), 1991.
Silent Night, Archway (New York, NY), 1992.
The Goodnight Kiss, Archway (New York, NY), 1992.
Broken Hearts, Archway (New York, NY), 1993.
Silent Night 2, Archway (New York, NY), 1993.
The Dead Lifeguard, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
Bad Moonlight, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
The New Year's Party, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
Goodnight Kiss 2, Archway (New York, NY), 1996.
Silent Night 3, Archway (New York, NY), 1996.
High Tide, Archway (New York, NY), 1997.
YOUNG-ADULT NOVELS; "FEAR STREET CHEERLEADERS" SERIES
The First Evil, Archway (New York, NY), 1992.
The Second Evil, Archway (New York, NY), 1992.
The Third Evil, Archway (New York, NY), 1992.
The New Evil, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
The Evil Lives, Archway (New York, NY), 1997.
YOUNG-ADULT NOVELS; "FEAR STREET SAGA" SERIES
The Betrayal, Archway (New York, NY), 1993.
The Secret, Archway (New York, NY), 1993.
The Burning, Archway (New York, NY), 1993.
A New Fear, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
House of Whispers, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1996.
Forbidden Secrets, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1996.
The Sign of Fear, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1996.
The Hidden Evil, Archway (New York, NY), 1997.
Daughters of Silence, Archway (New York, NY), 1997.
Children of Fear, Archway (New York, NY), 1997.
Dance of Death, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1997.
Heart of the Hunter, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1997.
Awakening Evil, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.
Circle of Fear, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.
Chamber of Fear, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.
Faces of Terror, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.
One Last Kiss, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.
Door of Death, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.
YOUNG-ADULT NOVELS; "99 FEAR STREET TRILOGY"
The First Horror, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
The Second Horror, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
The Third Horror, Archway (New York, NY), 1994.
YOUNG-ADULT NOVELS; "CATALUNA CHRONICLES"
The Evil Moon, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
The Dark Secret, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
The Deadly Fire, Archway (New York, NY), 1995.
YOUNG-ADULT NOVELS; "GHOSTS OF FEAR STREET" SERIES
Hide and Shriek, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Who's Been Sleeping in My Grave?, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
The Attack of the Aqua Apes, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Nightmare in 3-D, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Stay away from the Treehouse, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
The Eye of the Fortuneteller, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Fright Knight, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
The Ooze, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Revenge of the Shadow People, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
The Bugman Lives!, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
The Boy Who Ate Fear Street, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Night of the Werecat, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
How to Be a Vampire, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Body Switchers from Outer Space, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Fright Christmas, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1996.
Don't Ever Get Sick at Granny's, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
House of a Thousand Screams, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
Camp Fear Ghouls, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
Three Evil Wishes, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
Spell of the Screaming Jokers, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
The Creature from Club Lagoona, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
Field of Screams, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
Why I'm Not Afraid of Ghosts, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
Monster Dog, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
Halloween Bugs Me!, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
Go to Your Tomb—Right Now!, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
Parents from the Thirteenth Dimension, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1997.
Hide and Shriek 2, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
Tale of the Blue Monkey, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
I Was a Sixth-Grade Zombie, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
Escape of the He-Beast, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
Caution: Aliens at Work, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
Attack of the Vampire Worms, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
Horror Hotel: The Vampire Checks In, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
Horror Hotel: Ghost in the Guest Room, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
The Funhouse of Dr. Freek, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
YOUNG-ADULT NOVELS; "FEAR STREET SENIORS" SERIES
Let's Party, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1998.
In Too Deep, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1998.
The Thirst, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1998.
No Answer, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1998.
Last Chance, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1999.
The Gift, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1999.
Fight Team Fight, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1999.
Sweetheart Evil Heart, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1999.
Spring Break, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1999.
Wicked, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1999.
Prom Date, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1999.
Graduation Day, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1999.
YOUNG-ADULT NOVELS; "FEAR STREET NIGHTS" SERIES
Moonlight Games, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2005.
Midnight Games, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2005.
Darkest Dawn, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2005.
MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION; "GOOSEBUMPS" SERIES
Welcome to Dead House, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.
Stay out of the Basement, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.
Monster Blood, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.
Say Cheese and Die, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.
The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
Let's Get Invisible, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
Night of the Living Dummy, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
The Girl Who Cried Monster, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
Welcome to Camp Nightmare, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
The Ghost Next Door, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
The Haunted Mask, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
Be Careful What You Wish For, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
Piano Lessons Can Be Murder, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
You Can't Scare Me, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
One Day at Horrorland, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Why I'm Afraid of Bees, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Monster Blood 2, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Deep Trouble, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Go Eat Worms!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Ghost Beach, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Return of the Mummy, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Phantom of the Auditorium, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Attack of the Mutant, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
My Hairiest Adventure, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
A Night in Terror Tower, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
The Cuckoo Clock of Doom, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
Monster Blood 3, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
It Came from beneath the Sink, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
Night of the Living Dummy 2, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
The Barking Ghost, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
The Horror at Camp Jellyjam, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
A Shocker on Shock Street, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
The Haunted Mask 2, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
The Headless Ghost, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
The Abominable Snowman of Pasadena, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
How I Got My Shrunken Head, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Night of the Living Dummy 3, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Bad Hare Day, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Egg Monsters from Mars, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
The Beast from the East, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Say Cheese and Die—Again!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Ghost Camp, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
How to Kill a Monster, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Legend of the Lost Legend, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Attack of the Jack O'Lanterns, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Vampire Breath, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Calling All Creeps!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Beware the Snowman, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
How I Learned to Fly, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Chicken, Chicken, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Don't Go to Sleep!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
The Blob That Ate Everyone, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
The Curse of Camp Cold Lake, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
My Best Friend Is Invisible, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Deep Trouble 2, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
The Haunted School, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Werewolf Skin, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
I Live in Your Basement!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Monster Blood 4, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION; "GIVE YOURSELF GOOSEBUMPS" SERIES
Escape from the Carnival of Horrors, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
Tick Tock, You're Dead!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
Trapped in Bat Wing Hall, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
The Deadly Experiments of Dr. Eeek, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Night in Werewolf Woods, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Beware of the Purple Peanut Butter, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Under the Magician's Spell, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
The Curse of the Creeping Coffins, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
The Knight in Screaming Armor, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Diary of a Mad Mummy, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Deep in the Jungle of Doom, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Welcome to the Wicked Wax Museum, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Scream of the Evil Genie, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
The Creepy Creations of Professor Shock, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Please Don't Feed the Vampire, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Secret Agent Grandma, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Little Comic Shop of Horrors, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Attack of the Beastly Babysitter, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Escape from Camp Run for Your Life, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Toy Terror: Batteries Included, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
The Twisted Tale of Tiki Island, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Return to the Carnival of Horrors, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Zapped in Space, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Lost in Stinkeye Swamp, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Shop till You Drop … Dead, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Alone in Snake-bit Canyon, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Checkout Time at the Dead-end Hotel, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Night of a Thousand Claws, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Invaders from the Big Screen, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
You're Plant Food!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
The Werewolf of Twisted Tree Lodge, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
It's Only a Nightmare!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
It Came from the Internet, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Elevator to Nowhere, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Hocus-Pocus Horror, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Ship of Ghouls, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Escape from Horror House, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Into the Twister of Terror, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Scary Birthday to You!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Zombie School, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Danger Time, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
All-day Nightmare, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION; "GIVE YOURSELF GOOSEBUMPS SPECIAL EDITION" SERIES
Into the Jaws of Doom, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Return to Terror Tower, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Trapped in the Circus of Fear, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
One Night in Payne House, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Weekend at Poison Lake, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
The Curse of the Cave Creatures, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Revenge of the Body Squeezers, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Trick or … Trapped, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION; "GOOSEBUMPS 2000" SERIES
Cry of the Cat, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Bride of the Living Dummy, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Creature Teacher, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Invasion of the Body Squeezers, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Invasion of the Body Squeezers 2, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
I Am Your Evil Twin, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Revenge R Us, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Fright Camp, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Are You Terrified Yet?, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Headless Halloween, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Attack of the Graveyard Ghouls, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Brain Juice, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Return to Horrorland, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Jekyll and Heidi, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Scream School, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
The Mummy Walks, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
The Werewolf in the Living Room, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Horror of the Black Ring, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Return to Ghost Camp, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Be Afraid—Be Very Afraid!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
The Haunted Car!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Full Moon Fever, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Slappy's Nightmare, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Earth Geeks Must Go!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Ghost in the Mirror, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
Thirty Tales to Give You Goosebumps, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.
Also author of Tales to Give You Goosebumps and More Tales to Give You Goosebumps.
MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION; "GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND" SERIES
Revenge of the Living Dummy, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2008.
Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2008.
My Friends Call Me Monster, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2009.
Who's Your Mummy?, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2009.
Say Cheese … and Die Screaming!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2009.
MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION; "NIGHTMARE ROOM" SERIES
Don't Forget Me!, Avon (New York, NY), 2000.
Locker 13, Avon (New York, NY), 2000.
My Name Is Evil, Avon (New York, NY), 2000.
Liar, Liar, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2000.
Dear Diary, I'm Dead, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2000.
They Call Me Creature, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.
The Howler, Avon (New York, NY), 2001.
Shadow Girl, Avon (New York, NY), 2001.
Camp Nowhere, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.
Full Moon Halloween, Avon (New York, NY), 2001.
Scare School, Avon (New York, NY), 2001.
Visitors, Avon (New York, NY), 2001.
The Nightmare Room: The Nightmare Begins! (omnibus), Avon (New York, NY), 2005.
The Nightmare Room: The Nightmare Continues! (omnibus), Avon (New York, NY), 2005.
MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION; "NIGHTMARE ROOM THRILOGY"
Fear Games, Avon (New York, NY), 2001.
What Scares You Most?, Avon (New York, NY), 2001.
No Survivors, Avon (New York, NY), 2001.
FOR CHILDREN
The Time Raider, illustrated by David Febland, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1982.
The Golden Sword of Dragonwalk, illustrated by David Febland, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1983.
Horrors of the Haunted Museum, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1984.
Instant Millionaire, illustrated by Jowill Woodman, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1984.
Through the Forest of Twisted Dreams, Avon (New York, NY), 1984.
The Badlands of Hark, illustrated by Bob Roper, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1985.
The Invaders of Hark, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1985.
Demons of the Deep, illustrated by Fred Carrillo, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1985.
Challenge of the Wolf Knight ("Wizards, Warriors, and You" series), Avon (New York, NY), 1985.
James Bond in Win, Place, or Die, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1985.
Conquest of the Time Master, Avon (New York, NY), 1985.
Cavern of the Phantoms, Avon (New York, NY), 1986.
Mystery of the Imposter, Avon (New York, NY), 1986.
Golden Girl and the Vanishing Unicorn ("Golden Girl" series), Ballantine (New York, NY), 1986.
The Beast, Minstrel (New York, NY), 1994.
I Saw You That Night!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
The Beast 2, Minstrel (New York, NY), 1995.
Scream Jennifer Scream, Golden Books (New York, NY), 1998.
When Good Ghouls Go Bad, Avon (New York, NY), 2001.
FOR CHILDREN; "INDIANA JONES" SERIES
Indiana Jones and the Curse of Horror Island, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1984.
Indiana Jones and the Giants of the Silver Tower, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1984.
Indiana Jones and the Cult of the Mummy's Crypt, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1985.
Indiana Jones and the Ape Slaves of Howling Island, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1987.
FOR CHILDREN; "G.I. JOE" SERIES
Operation: Deadly Decoy, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1986.
Operation: Mindbender, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1986.
Serpentor and the Mummy Warrior, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1987.
Jungle Raid, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1988.
Siege of Serpentor, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1988.
FOR CHILDREN; UNDER NAME JOVIAL BOB STINE
The Absurdly Silly Encyclopedia and Flyswatter, illustrated by Bob Taylor, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1978.
How to Be Funny: An Extremely Silly Guidebook, illustrated by Carol Nicklaus, Dutton (New York, NY), 1978.
The Complete Book of Nerds, illustrated by Sam Viviano, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1979.
The Dynamite Do-It-Yourself Pen Pal Kit, illustrated by Jared Lee, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1980.
Dynamite's Funny Book of the Sad Facts of Life, illustrated by Jared Lee, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1980.
Going Out! Going Steady! Going Bananas!, photographs by Dan Nelken, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1980.
The Pig's Book of World Records, illustrated by Peter Lippman, Random House (New York, NY), 1980.
(With wife, Jane Stine) The Sick of Being Sick Book, edited by Ann Durrell, illustrated by Carol Nicklaus, Dutton (New York, NY), 1980.
Bananas Looks at TV, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1981.
The Beast Handbook, illustrated by Bob Taylor, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1981.
(With Jane Stine) The Cool Kids' Guide to Summer Camp, illustrated by Jerry Zimmerman, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1981.
Gnasty Gnomes, illustrated by Peter Lippman, Random House (New York, NY), 1981.
Don't Stand in the Soup, illustrated by Carol Nicklaus, Bantam (New York, NY), 1982.
(With Jane Stine) Bored with Being Bored! How to Beat the Boredom Blahs, illustrated by Jerry Zimmerman, Four Winds (New York, NY), 1982.
Blips! The First Book of Video Game Funnies, illustrated by Bryan Hendrix, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1983.
(With Jane Stine) Everything You Need to Survive: Brothers and Sisters, illustrated by Sal Murdocca, Random House (New York, NY), 1983.
(With Jane Stine) Everything You Need to Survive: First Dates, illustrated by Sal Murdocca, Random House (New York, NY), 1983.
(With Jane Stine) Everything You Need to Survive: Homework, illustrated by Sal Murdocca, Random House (New York, NY), 1983.
(With Jane Stine) Everything You Need to Survive: Money Problems, illustrated by Sal Murdocca, Random House (New York, NY), 1983.
Jovial Bob's Computer Joke Book, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1985.
Miami Mice, illustrated by Eric Gurney, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1986.
One Hundred and One Silly Monster Jokes, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1986.
The Doggone Dog Joke Book, Parachute Press, 1986.
Pork & Beans: Play Date, illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1989.
Ghostbusters II Storybook, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1989.
One Hundred and One Vacation Jokes, illustrated by Rick Majica, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1990.
The Amazing Adventures of Me, Myself, and I, Bantam (New York, NY), 1991.
FOR CHILDREN; "MOSTLY GHOSTLY" SERIES
Have You Met My Ghoulfriend?, Delacorte (New York, NY), 2004.
Who Let the Ghosts Out?, Delacorte (New York, NY), 2004.
Freaks and Shrieks, Delacorte (New York, NY), 2005.
Ghouls Gone Wild, Delacorte (New York, NY), 2005.
Let's Get This Party Haunted!, Delacorte (New York, NY), 2005.
Little Camp of Horrors, Delacorte (New York, NY), 2005.
One Night in Doom House, Delacorte (New York, NY), 2005.
Don't Close Your Eyes!, Delacorte (New York, NY), 2006.
FOR CHILDREN; "ROTTEN SCHOOL" SERIES
The Big Blueberry Barf-off!, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.
The Great Smelling Bee, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.
The Good, the Bad, and the Very Slimy, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.
Lose, Team, Lose!, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.
Shake, Rattle, and Hurl!, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2006.
The Heinie Prize, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2006.
Dudes, the School Bus Is Haunted!, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2006.
The Teacher from Heck, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2006.
Party Poopers, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2006.
The Rottenest Angel, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2007.
Punk'd and Skunked, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2007.
Battle of the Dum-Diddys, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2007.
Got Cake?, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2007.
Night of the Creepy Things Poopers, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2007.
Calling All Birdbrains, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2007.
Dumb Clucks, illustrated by Trip Park, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2008.
OTHER
Superstitious (adult horror), Warner Books (New York, NY), 1995.
It Came from Ohio! My Life as a Writer, (autobiography), Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Nightmare Hour (short stories), HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1999.
The Haunting Hour: Chill in the Dead of the Night (short stories), HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.
Beware! R.L. Stine Picks His Favorite Scary Stories, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2002.
Also author of several "Twistaplot" books for Scholastic and "You Choose the Storyline" books for Ballantine and Avon.
ADAPTATIONS:
The "Goosebumps" series was produced as a live-action television series for the Fox Television Network beginning 1995; When Good Ghouls Go Bad was adapted for video by Fox, 2001; The Nightmare Room series was adapted for a television show by Kids WB network, 2001. The graphic novels Scary Summer, Goosebumps: Creepy Creatures, and Terror Trips, published by Graphix, c. 2006, are based on Stine's work. The "Goosebumps" books were adapted as a feature film franchise by Columbia Pictures, beginning 2009.
SIDELIGHTS:
With hundreds of millions of books in print—bearing such titles as The Howler, When Good Ghouls Go Bad, and Twister—R.L. Stine is the world's undisputed top-selling children's author. While criticized by some, the many novels in Stine's phenomenally popular "Fear Street," "Goosebumps," and "Nightmare Room" series have made avid bookworms out of even the most reluctant young readers. His "Fear Street" series illustrates the captivating quality of Stine's literary stew: likeable and realistic teen characters, a seemingly normal small-town setting, and a horrific threat that results in at least one untimely and ickily gruesome end.
Pursuing his writing career full speed, the prolific Stine has been known to write up to two dozen horror novels a year, both as installments in his ongoing series and as standalone volumes such as Dangerous Girls, which a Publishers Weekly critic dubbed "a fast and breezy vampire tale punctuated with a few nasty shocks." Surprisingly, in view of his consistent focus on the bloody, ghoulish, and unearthly, Stine never exactly planned to write horror novels. For many years, he wrote under the name "Jovial Bob Stine," and his specialty was humorous books that made younger kids laugh.
Stine began his career in children's publishing at New York City-based Scholastic, Inc., where he created the magazines Bananas and Maniac. His focus on humor eventually prompted Ellen Rudin, an editor at New York City's Dutton publishing, to ask Stine to consider writing a humorous book for younger readers. Stine had not thought seriously about writing a book, but he readily agreed to work up an idea anyway, and the result was How to Be Funny: An Extremely Silly Guidebook, which was published in 1978 under the Jovial Bob Stine pseudonym. Many more funny books followed during the late 1970s and well into the 1980s, some coauthored by Stine's wife, Jane, who at that time was the editor of Dynamite, another children's magazine published by Scholastic.
During the 1980s, Stine began producing his "Twistaplot" books for Scholastic, along with "You Choose the Storyline" books for both Ballantine and Avon. These series books, which could feature as many as thirty endings and numerous plot twists, proved to be great training for Stine's future work as a novelist. Because of the many titles he produced, he sometimes published these books using the pseudonyms Eric Affabee and Zachary Blue.
When Scholastic began having financial trouble in the mid-1980s, Stine was let go in a company-wide reorganization. Far from a personal disaster, however, Stine's job loss proved to be a blessing because it allowed him the time to write books. Jean Feiwel, editorial director of Scholastic Books, had suggested that the author try his hand at a horror novel, and Stine's novel Blind Date was the result. Published in 1986, Blind Date features a teenaged boy with a memory lapse, the mysterious teenaged girl who wants to date him, and plenty of twists and turns in the plot.
Like other horror novels Stine has written, Blind Date had a title long before it had characters or a storyline; in fact, Feiwel suggested the title and Stine built his story around it. "If I can get a title first, then I start getting ideas for it," the author later commented. "Like The Baby-Sitter. You start to think, what's scary about being a baby-sitter? Or The Stepsister … what would be scary about getting a new stepsister? Usually the title will lead me to ideas about what the book should be."
With the success of Blind Date and the two other novels that followed, Twisted and The Baby-Sitter, it occurred to Stine and wife Jane that a series of novels released on a regular basis might sell well. By this time, Jane had also left Scholastic to open her own book packaging company, Parachute Press. Jane suggested to her husband that he come up with a concept for a series that she could market through Parachute Press. "When the words ‘Fear Street’ sort of magically appeared [while brainstorming], I wrote them down, and then came up with the concept," Stine later recalled.
The voluminous "Fear Street" series, which includes such spin-off series as "Fear Street Cheerleaders," "Fear Street Saga," "Cataluna Chronicles," and "Ghost of Fear Street," is a collection of novels connected primarily by their setting. The main characters usually reside on Fear Street, a place "where your worst nightmares live," according to the cover copy on early titles. All the series' characters attend Shadyside High, a school where the death rate must be horrific, since nearly every book features at least one murder. As Paul Gray noted in Time, Stine's "Fear Street" novels subscribe to "a fairly consistent set of formulas." The teenage heroes or heroines are normal (although not always nice) kids who suddenly find their lives fraught with danger. Sometimes the menace comes from supernatural forces, as in the "Fear Street Cheerleaders" series. The first book of this spin-off introduces Bobbi and Corky Corcoran, sisters who join the cheerleading squad at their new school, Shadyside High. After Bobbi dies in a bizarre accident, Corky realizes that there may have been some truth to her sister's ravings about the strange things she had seen and experienced just before her death. Investigating Bobbi's demise, Corky discovers the "evil," a century-old force that has risen from the grave. Although Corky seemingly outwits the evil by the end of the book, it returns to terrorize the cheerleading squad through several more volumes, until Corky is finally able to permanently destroy it.
Sometimes the villains in the "Fear Street" novels are mere mortals with murderous tendencies, as in Silent Night and Broken Hearts, part of the "Fear Street Super Chillers" series. Silent Night introduces Reva Dalby, a beautiful but aloof rich girl who finds herself on the receiving end of some cruel practical jokes. When two people are murdered, it appears that Reva may be the killer's next target. Broken Hearts features another entirely human killer. This time the murderer announces his intentions by sending future victims valentines with nasty messages inside. Whatever the source of the menace, Stine's self-reliant teen protagonists do not turn to parents, teachers, or other adults for salvation; instead, they consult their friends and do their best to find their own way out of their horrific predicaments. Sometimes, like Bobbi in The First Evil and Josie in Broken Hearts, they never find a way out, but simply die trying.
Other important components of the "Fear Street" formula are an emphasis on plot over character, and a hair-raising pace. One way Stine keeps his stories moving is to end every chapter with a cliff hanger, a feature teen readers find particularly appealing. It does not seem to matter that the suspense instantly subsides when the reader turns the page, such as when the "hideous, bloated head of a corpse" in Corky's bed turns out to be a Halloween mask, or when the man who tries to accost Reva in a dimly lit department store turns out to be a mannequin she has brushed against. As Stine once commented, his fans "like the fact that there is some kind of jolt at the end of every chapter. They know that if they read to the end of the chapter they're going to have some kind of funny surprise, something scary, something that's going to happen … and force them to keep reading."
With the 1992 publication of Welcome to Dead House, Stine inaugurated his popular "Goosebumps," and legions of middle-grade fans were quickly hooked. Eventually reaching over 300 million copies in print, the "Goosebumps" books have remained in print and are discovered by thousands of new fans each year. As with his "Fear Street" series, Stine has also created spin-off series in the "Goosebumps" sequence, such as "Goosebumps HorrorLand" and "Give Yourself Goosebumps." Previewing Revenge of the Living Dummy, the first volume of Stine's ongoing "Goosebumps HorrorLand" saga, a Publishers Weekly critic cited such compelling story elements as a shrunken head and a demonic ventriloquist's dummy as ingredients in a "deliciously chilling" story. In addition to novels, the popular "Goosebumps" books have been adapted as graphic novels as well as a feature film.
Stine's "Nightmare Room" series, while continuing his focus on the ghastly and gruesome, is aimed at the slightly younger eight- to twelve-year-olds market. As he told Andrea Sachs in Time, the "Nightmare Room" books are "more like a fun house" than the "roller coaster ride" the "Goosebumps" books offer. According to Sachs, "Nightmare Room" installments such as Don't Forget Me! and Locker 13 "read like slightly more sophisticated installments of ‘Goosebumps,’" and pair "dialogue attuned to the speech of the young" with Stine's signature storylines: "teenagers being frightened witless in a context assuring readers that nothing truly dangerous will occur."
Other series for younger readers include Stine's "Mostly Ghostly" books, in which eleven-year-old amateur magician Max Doyle stars in such novels as Who Let the Ghosts Out? and Have You Met My Ghoulfriend? As their titles suggest, the "Mostly Ghostly" books find Stine returning to his roots as a humorist; in School Library Journal Molly S. Kinney wrote of the middle-grade series that "the mood is much more lighthearted and the pacing is slower with fewer terrifying events." Weighing in even more heavily on the humor scale, Stine's "Rotten School" books "will suit those who fine merriment in bodily functions run amok," according to School Library Journal critic Gay Lynn Van Vleck. With cartoon artwork by Trip Park that is designed to appeal to an intended upper-elementary-grade readership, the "Rotten School" series includes such installments as The Great Smelling Bee, The Good, the Bad, and the Very Slimy, and The Big Blueberry Barf-off!
While Stine's legions of fans have no quibbles with the formulaic nature of his twisted tales, critics have sometimes been less generous. In a review of Twisted, for example, a Publishers Weekly reviewer wrote that, "for shock value, this book adds up to a lot of cheap tricks." Another Publishers Weekly critic noted of Ski Weekend that Stine's "contrived plot barely manages to hold together a series of bland cliffhangers." In reviewing The Second Evil for Voice of Youth Advocates, Caroline S. McKinney declared that "these formula stories are very predictable and require very little thought on the part of the reader."
Despite the reviews of some curmudgeonly critics, other reviewers have acknowledged Stine's talent for hooking readers and keeping them entertained, a talent many recognize as particularly valuable to teens who are increasingly seduced by more visual media. Alice Cronin, writing a review of "Fear Street" installment The Sleepwalker for School Library Journal, stated that "Stine writes a good story. Teens will love the action." Appraising Curtains, a Publishers Weekly columnist noted that although "the book … will never be mistaken for serious literature, it is sure to engross Stine's considerable following." In Voice of Youth Advocates, Sylvia C. Mitchell declared of Silent Night: "If all series books were this good, I'd begin to drop my … prejudices against them."
Stine is the first to admit that the merit of his work lies in its entertainment value, and he sees nothing wrong with that. "I believe that kids as well as adults are entitled to books of no socially redeeming value," he once noted. Although his books may be frightening, the scares are "safe scares," as he told Gray. "You're home in your room and reading. The books are not half as scary as the real world." In fact, the horror in Stine's books intentionally retains an element of the unreal. "I wouldn't do child abuse, or AIDS, or suicide, or anything that could really touch someone's life like that," he explained. "The books are supposed to be just entertainment, that's all they are."
While the horror may be unreal, the human characters in the "Fear Street," "Goosebumps," and "Mostly Ghostly" books are realistic and usually likeable. Stine works hard at making his young characters talk like real kids, dress like real kids, and have the concerns of real kids. Even when they are wrestling with an unseen evil or tracking down a mysterious killer, they still care about whether or not they have a date for Saturday night. Fortunately, son Matt has provided the author with plenty of firsthand experience regarding modern teens. Stine does his homework, too, reading teen magazines, watching music videos, and mining teen-focused Internet sites. One thing Stine does not do, however, is incorporate the latest teen slang. "I don't have them saying things like ‘gnarly,’ and other stuff people accuse me of putting in," the writer once remarked. "I'd like these books to be read five years from now, and that kind of slang really dates them fast. Besides," he added, "most kids talk normal."
Stine is often asked for advice on becoming successful as a writer, and he advises budding authors not to do what he first did: sending his work to publishers, hoping to make a sale. Instead, he counsels teen writers to read, read, and then read some more. That way "you pick up all these different styles, almost by osmosis," he said, "and you'll be a better writer for it."
Aspiring writers might also want to take a tip from Stine's method of crafting his horror stories. He always begins with a chapter-by-chapter outline that details the action. Even though he admits that creating an outline is "an arduous process," doing so "helps me see whether or not the books make sense. I always start with the ending—that's the first thing I know. Then I can go back and figure out how to fool the reader, how to keep them from guessing the ending. By the time I sit down to write the book, I really know everything that's going to happen. I can just have fun and write it."
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
BOOKS
Children's Literature Review, Volume 37, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1996, pp. 101-123.
Guinness World Records 2000: Millennium Edition, Mint (New York, NY), 2000.
Jones, Patrick, What's So Scary about R.L. Stine?, Scarecrow Press (Metuchen, NJ), 1998.
Roginski, Jim, Behind the Covers, Libraries Unlimited, 1985, pp. 206-213.
St. James Guide to Young Adult Writers, 2nd edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1999.
PERIODICALS
Booklist, October 15, 1999, Candace Smith, review of Nightmare Hour, p. 446; January 1, 2002, Frances Bradburn, review of The Haunting Hour: Chill in the Dead of the Night, p. 859; September 1, 2004, Cindy Welch, review of The Taste of Night, p. 109.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, November, 2001, review of The Haunting Hour, p. 117; October, 2002, review of Beware! R.L. Stine Picks His Favorite Scary Stories, p. 80.
Horn Book, July-August, 1997, Elizabeth S. Watson, review of It Came from Ohio! My Life as a Writer, p. 478.
New York Times, March 25, 2008, Brian Stelter, "‘Goosebumps’ Rises from the Literary Grave," p. E1.
Publishers Weekly, July 10, 1987, review of Twisted, p. 87; September 28, 1990, review of Curtains, p. 104; December 7, 1990, review of Ski Weekend, p. 830; August 30, 1999, review of Nightmare Hour, p. 85; September 25, 2000, review of Don't Forget Me!, p. 118; August 4, 2003, review of Dangerous Girls, p. 80; August 30, 2004, review of Who Let the Ghosts Out?, p. 55; March 10, 2008, review of Revenge of the Living Dummy, p. 81.
School Library Journal, September, 1990, Alice Cronin, review of The Sleepwalker; July, 1997, Melissa Hudak, review of It Came from Ohio!, p. 112; December, 1999, Molly S. Kinney, review of Nightmare Hour, p. 142; April, 2001, Elaine Baran Black, review of Don't Forget Me!, p. 149; October, 2002, Molly S. Kinney, review of Beware!, p. 174; August, 2003, Kimberly L. Paone, review of Dangerous Girls, p. 166; August, 2004, Sharon Rawlins, review of The Taste of Night, p. 129; October, 2004, Molly S. Kinney, review of Have You Met My Ghoulfriend?, p. 178; September, 2005, Gay Lynn Van Vleck, review of The Great Smelling Bee, p. 187.
Time, August 2, 1992, Paul Gray, "Carnage: An Open Book," p. 54; August 28, 2000, Andrea Sachs, "Another Stab at Chills," pp. 56-57.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 1992, Sylvia C. Mitchell, review of Silent Night, pp. 36-37; February, 1993, Caroline S. McKinney, review of The Second Evil, p. 360; June, 1993, review of Broken Hearts, p. 105; August, 1993, review of The Cheater, p. 158; February, 1994, reviews of Sunburn, The Dare, and The Betrayal, p. 41.
ONLINE
Nightmare Room Web site,http://www.thenightmareroom.com/ (October 20, 2008).
R.L. Stine Home Page,http://www.rlstine.com (October 20, 2008).
Scholastic Web site,http://www.scholastic.com/ (October 20, 2008), official "Goosebumps" site.