Magdalena Paluch: Good morning! First of all, I would like to thank you very much for agreeing to answer some of my questions. I am very happy about this, especially because as a child, I endlessly borrowed the Goosebumps series from the library and read it without end. And today – look! We’re talking! Followers of the Grozownia profile will have a nice surprise. 😊 So, to start with, since I mentioned the library: were you a frequent visitor as a child?
R.L. Stine: I didn’t read books as a child. I read only comic books. One day, my mother dropped me off at the little library in my town, and the librarian was waiting for me.
She said, “I know you like comics. I’m going to show you something else you might like”. And she took me to a shelf of Ray Bradbury stories. Those stories turned me into a reader. That librarian changed my life.
MP: What event led you to start writing?
RLS: I have no idea why I found writing so satisfying. I was nine years old when I started typing stories and joke books. I’d stay in my room typing all afternoon. But I can’t tell you why I enjoyed it so much.
MP: I know this question comes up in most interviews, but with so many books published and so many stories told, it’s impossible not to ask: where do you get the ideas for your stories? I should add: still(!).
RLS: Can’t answer that. You have ideas, too. We all have ideas. But… where do they come from? I’m so lucky. Every time I need an idea, I get one.
MP: Do you remember all the stories you’ve created?
RLS: Remember 350 books? Of course not.
MP: STINETINGLERS: All New Stories by the Master of Scary Tales has just been published in Poland. Do you have a favorite story from this collection?
RLS: I guess THE HOLE IN THE GROUND is my favorite story. I love stories that are about very ordinary things—like a simple hole in the ground— that suddenly turn scary.
MP: What is the most challenging aspect of writing horror for children?
RLS: For me, the biggest challenge is coming up with new scares and twists and surprises. I’ve written so many stories, it gets more and more challenging to do something new.
MP: Since you have been in the publishing market for a very long time, what changes have you noticed in young readers? Are they more discerning, or less so?
RLS: As far as horror goes, kids’ fears never change. We are all still afraid of the dark, afraid of strange places or creatures. The technology changes, but kids don’t.
MP: Do you have time to read for pleasure? If so, which authors’ books do you reach for?
RLS: I read mostly thrillers and mysteries. Some favorites are Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin, Harlan Coben, Lisa Unger…
MP: Joe Hill and Owen King – Stephen King’s sons – have followed in their father’s footsteps and discovered a passion for writing. How about your son? Has he inherited your talent? Or have you noticed writing talent in your grandchildren?
RLS: My son is a music producer and sound designer for Broadway musicals. He recently won a Tony Award for his work on Moulin Rouge.
MP: Is your family eager to read your books?
RLS: My son’s claim to fame is that he NEVER read a Goosebumps book. He did that just to make me crazy.
MP: I was touched when I read on your author page that when your grandson, Dylan, was born, you created the first Little Shop of Monsters picture book, with illustrations by Marc Brown. Will there be more titles in this series for toddlers?
RLS: Marc and I have also published Mary McScary and Why Did the Monster Cross the Road as picture books.
MP: Apparently, you have fulfilled your dream and published a comic book! Can you tell us more about this project?
RLS: I’ve had a lot of fun writing horror comics for adults and kids. My newest graphic novel is called The Graveyard Club.
MP: You have created several hundred stories, which is an amazing achievement! During your writing career so far, have you ever taken an extended break from writing? Any creative blocks?
RLS: No.
MP: We, the children of the 1980s and 1990s, remember with nostalgia the Fear Street and Goosebumps series. Do you receive messages from readers in Poland?
RLS: Sorry to say, I rarely hear from foreign readers. I’m always pleased when I do.
MP: How long do you plan to continue creating new stories for us readers?
RLS: I love it too much. Why would I stop?
MP: And finally, a little story. While working in a children’s library, I often heard parents tell their children: just don’t borrow any horror stories! How would you convince such a parent that horror books are actually cool?
RLS: I think their kids will convince them. They don’t need help from me.
MP: I sincerely thank you for the interview. I wish you all the best and thank you for all the scary stories that fueled my childhood imagination. 😊 PS I would also like to send you warm greetings from the Polish author of horror stories for adults and children, Tomasz Siwiec, who, when I mentioned that I had the chance to interview you, replied: „I adore this guy!”.
RLS: Hi to Tomasz! I enjoyed the interview!
R.L. Stine (originally Robert Lawrence Stine) – American author who has published more than 350 books (mostly horror stories for children and young people), published in more than 30 languages, and sold a total circulation of nearly 400 million copies worldwide.
