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Robert Lawrence Stine (born October 8, 1943),[2] better known by his pen name R. L. Stine and sometimes known as Jovial Bob Stine and Eric Affabee, is an American novelist, short story writer, television producer, screenwriter, and executive editor. He has been referred to as the "Stephen King of children's literature"[3] and is the author of hundreds of horror fiction novels, including the books in the Fear Street, Goosebumps, Rotten School,Mostly Ghostly, and The Nightmare Room series. Some of his other works include a Space Cadets trilogy, two Hark gamebooks, and dozens of joke books. As of 2008, Stine's books have sold over 400 million copies.
Early life
Stine was born on October 8, 1943 in Columbus, Ohio,[4] the son of Lewis Stine, a shipping clerk, and Anne Feinstein. He grew up in Bexley, Ohio.[5][6][7] His family was Jewish. He began writing at age nine, when he found a typewriter in his attic, subsequently beginning to type stories and joke books.[8] He graduated from Ohio State University in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts in English.[9] While at OSU, R. L. Stine edited the OSU humor magazine The Sundial for three out of his four years there.[2] He later moved to New York City to pursue his career as a writer.[5]
Career
Stine wrote dozens of humor books for kids under the name Jovial Bob Stine and created the humor magazine Bananas.[5]Bananas was for teenagers published by Scholastic Press for 72 issues between 1975 and 1984, plus various "Yearbooks" and paperback books. Stine was editor and responsible for much of the writing (other contributors included writers Robert Leighton, Suzanne Lord and Jane Samuels and artists Sam Viviano, Samuel B. Whitehead, Bob K. Taylor, Bryan Hendrix, Bill Basso, and Howard Cruse). Recurring features included "Hey – Lighten Up!", "It Never Fails!", "Phone Calls", "Joe" (a comic strip by John Holmstrom), "Phil Fly", "Don't You Wish...", "Doctor Duck", "The Teens of Ferret High", "First Date" (a comic strip by Alyse Newman), and "Ask Doctor Si N. Tific".
In 1989, Stine started writing Fear Street books.[12] Before launching the Goosebumps series, Stine authored three humorous science fiction books in the Space Cadets series titled Jerks in Training, Bozos on Patrol, and Losers in Space.[13] In 1992, Stine and Parachute Press went on to launch Goosebumps.[5]
According to Forbes List of the 40 best-paid Entertainers of 1996–97, Stine placed 36th with an income of $41 million for the fiscal year.[20] His books have sold over 400 million copies worldwide as of 2008,[21] landing on many bestseller lists. In three consecutive years during the 1990s, USA Today named Stine as America's number one best-selling author.[22]
Among the awards he has received are the 2002 Champion of Reading Award from the Free Public Library of Philadelphia (that award's first year), the Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Award for Best Book-Mystery/Horror (three-time recipient) and the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards (also received three times).[22] During the 1990s, Stine was listed on People Weekly's "Most Intriguing People" list, and in 2003, the Guinness Book of World Records named Stine as the best-selling children's book series author of all time. He won the Thriller Writers of America Silver Bullet Award in 2007, and the Horror Writers Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.[23] His stories have even inspired R. L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse, 4D movie-based attractions at SeaWorld (San Antonio and San Diego) and Busch Gardens (Williamsburg and Tampa).[24]
Personal life
On June 22, 1969, Stine married Jane Waldhorn, an editor and writer[9] who later co-founded Parachute Press in 1983.[25] The couple's only child, Matthew (born June 7, 1980)[9] works in the music industry.[26]
Bibliography
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Indiana Jones and the Ape Slaves of Howling Island
Find Your Fate Junior: Golden Girl
Golden Girl and the Vanishing Unicorn
Wizards, Warriors and You
The books followed the standard Choose Your Own Adventure formula, but also featured "flagged" choices that were determined by choices earlier in the book. (For example, "If you already have the Unfathomable Pocket of Crowden, turn to page 65; otherwise, turn to page 78.") The books attempted to introduce a further "role-playing game-like" element with the inclusion of randomization to determine events such as the outcome of a battle or success of a spell. These RPG-like elements were designed for young readers, and were thus very simple, as opposed to the complex mechanics of the teen-oriented Fighting Fantasy and Lone Wolf series of gamebooks.
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