An Afternoon with R.L. Stine...
I recently attended the West Virginia Book Festival, which featured an outstanding line-up of guest speakers. Author R.L. Stine, creator of the popular Goosebumps series for kids, was the final speaker of the day last Saturday, and he did not disappoint. Mr. Stine talked about how he first became involved in writing scary books for children after focusing on funny stories early in his career. His editor at Scholastic Books asked him to take over a book project that was not going anywhere with another author. Stine wrote and completed Blind Date , which became an instant bestseller. After his second novel was also a hit, he realized the implications for his career. "Forget the humor -- I'm going for the scary stuff," he said. One of the highlights of Mr. Stine's presentation involved him reading letters that his young fans have sent him over the years. As one might expect, these letters are often written in ways that are hilarious and unfiltered. Here are a few exam...
