R.L. Stine

Who Is R.L. Stine?

R.L. Stine, one of the top-selling children’s authors of all time, is renowned for his captivating horror stories aimed at young readers. Stine began his career in the world of humor writing, before transitioning into the realm of horror. After moving to New York City in the mid-1960s following his graduation from The Ohio State University, Stine published Blind Date, his first horror novel for young adults, in 1986. Three years later, he launched the widely successful Fear Street series, and in 1992, he achieved international fame with the Goosebumps series, which spurred additional spin-off books and series, ultimately totaling nearly 200 titles.

Early Life

Born Robert Lawrence Stine in Columbus, Ohio, on October 8, 1943, Stine’s interest in writing began at the age of nine, when he started crafting stories on an old typewriter he found. Initially focused on humor, Stine was far from the spine-chilling stories for which he would later become famous. Raised in a modest household, with his father working as a shipping clerk and his mother caring for him and his two siblings, Stine was described as a “very fearful child.” His mother’s reading of Pinocchio is a pivotal memory for Stine, who found the original version of the story to be genuinely frightening.

While attending The Ohio State University, Stine continued to pursue his interest in humor, serving as editor for the school’s humor magazine, The Sundial. After graduation in the mid-1960s, he moved to New York City to further his writing career.

Career Beginnings

Stine’s early career in New York included writing and editing for various publications. He landed a position at Scholastic, Inc., where he worked on children’s magazines and created a humor magazine for kids called Bananas. He also launched Maniac, another children’s magazine for Scholastic. During this period, he wrote humorous books for young readers under the pen name “Jovial Bob Stine.”

After losing his job at Scholastic due to a company reorganization, Stine decided to focus on writing full-time. This shift led him to the horror genre, where he found success with Blind Date in 1986, followed by Twisted (1987) and The Baby-Sitter (1989).

‘Goosebumps’ and ‘Fear Street’

In 1989, Stine introduced the Fear Street series, his first major horror series for young adults. Set in the fictional town of Shadyside, the series explored the dark events surrounding a group of teenagers and was a significant success, selling over 80 million copies.

Stine’s Goosebumps series, launched in 1992, targeted a younger audience. Aimed at tweens, the series featured fast-paced, suspenseful stories with cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. The first book, Welcome to Dead House, was followed by dozens of others, with Stine writing up to two books a month. Goosebumps quickly became a global phenomenon, translating into 16 languages and inspiring a popular television series. Stine’s success in the children’s horror genre earned him comparisons to adult horror author Stephen King.

By the late 1990s, the popularity of Goosebumps began to wane. Stine responded by launching a new series in 2000, Nightmare Room, which included an online component. In 2004, he combined humor and horror in Who Let the Ghosts Out?, the first book in the Mostly Ghostly series. He continued to explore various genres, including common childhood fears in It’s the First Day of School… Forever! (2011) and the vampire craze in Bitten (2010).

‘Goosebumps’ Movie

In 2015, Goosebumps was adapted into a Hollywood film, starring Jack Black as a fictionalized version of R.L. Stine. The movie was well-received, both by fans and critics, and became a box office success. A sequel to the film is currently in development, further cementing Stine’s legacy in popular culture.