R. L. Stine, also known as the “Stephen King of children’s literature,” is an American novelist, short story writer, television producer, screenwriter, and executive editor. Mostly known for his famous series Goosebumps and Fear Street, he is one of the best-selling authors in the horror genre. As of 2008, over 400-million copies of them were sold and translated into 35 languages.

Born on October 8, 1943 in Columbus, Ohio, Stine was the first child in a family of 5. His family had such a poor financial status that he had to wear old clothes that previously belonged to his cousin. He stated that this is probably the cause of his introvertedness (he was very self-conscious of his outward appearance), which led to him staying in his room and writing.

When he was nine years old, he found an old typewriter in the attic and used it to write his short stories and joke books. He preferred staying inside of the house and writing over going outside. He initially wanted to create comic books, but realizing his poor talent in drawing, he decided to stick with writing. In Ohio State University, he continued his writing experience as the editor of The Sundial, the school’s humor magazine, for 3 years.

His first teen horror novel written in 1986 was Blind Date. It became a best-selling novel right away. The famous Fear Street series was created in 1989. It terrified teenagers for months after reading and ultimately became the best-selling young adult series in history. Another one of his works, the Goosebumps series, began in 1992, and it gained popularity on a global scale—this made him a worldwide celebrity.

He continued to publish new titles such as A Midsummer Night’s Scream, It’s the First Day of School Forever, and Young Scrooge in 2011. The Fear Street Trilogy, a movie series, was released on Netflix in July 2021, exciting fans and bringing back their nostalgic memories of childhood.

Stine continually publishes Goosebumps books and is working on different projects including a comic books series for Marvel.