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Los Angeles Times
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
'Goosebumps' author R.L. Stine scares up a few laughs at OCPL's Comic Orange
R.L. Stine is regarded as one of the greatest children's horror authors. Best known for the delightfully frightening 'Goosebumps' book series, his name is one that is recognized across generations of readers. Yet, while most know his name and work, there is one thing people might not know: R.L. Stine is hilarious. 'Everyone always says write what you know, write from your heart. I have written 300 books and not a single word from my heart,' Stine deadpanned at a recent author talk and book signing at the Laguna Hills Community Center. His appearance on May 7 was part of OC Public Libraries Comic Orange, a county wide event designed to promote literacy by highlighting OCPL's graphic novel collections and celebrating comics. Funded in part by a grant from the California Department of Aging, administered locally by the Orange County Office on Aging, Stine appeared in conversation with fellow author, Jonathan Maberry, known for his suspense and thriller books, like the 'Rot & Ruin' series. Stine's sense of humor isn't a complete surprise, however. The best-selling author began his career writing for a kids humor magazine titled 'Bananas' as well as joke books for children. Then his editors came to him with an idea for children's horror books. 'They said, we should try a scary book series for young kids; no one has ever done it,' said Stine. He reluctantly agreed, but only if he could come up with a good name for the book series. 'I was reading the T.V. Guide and I saw an ad at the bottom of one page that said, 'It's Goosebumps week on Channel 11' and I just stared at it. I thought, that's perfect. We will call it Channel 11.' Before 'Goosebumps' Stine wrote teen horror, a genre he said he also fell into by accident. His publisher had a disagreement with another horror author (who Stine said would remain nameless; right before he name checked Christopher Pike that is) and asked Stine to write the book instead. It was 1987. 'She said go home and write a book called 'Blind Date' and when it came out it was a number one bestseller,' said Stine. 'I thought forget the funny stuff, and I have been doing horror ever since.' His 'Goosebumps' books for younger children came later, with the first of the series published in 1992 by Scholastic Books, which initially signed Stine for a six book deal. The original 'Goosebumps' series went on to contain 62 books and inspire spins offs like 'Goosebumps Series 2000,' 'Tales to Give You Goosebumps,' 'Goosebumps Triple Header' and 'Goosebumps SlappyWorld.' The series has sold over 400 million copies globally in 35 languages and is second only to the Harry Potter series as far as best-selling children's book series go. The series also inspired two television shows, including one on Disney+ starring David Schwimmer and two full-length feature films starring Jack Black. 'Goosebumps' is also one of many children's books that has found new audiences since being adapted into graphic novels, making the popular author a perfect fit for Comic Orange. The adaptation of his books into graphic novels is something of a full circle moment for Stine who shared how he enjoyed reading comic books as a kid, particularly the 'Tales from the Crypt' series, even though he was forbidden by his mother to buy such comics. 'They were gruesome, bloody comics and they all had funny, twist endings,' Stine said of 'Tales from the Cyrpt.' 'I would read them at the barber shop because my mother wouldn't let me buy them. She said they were trash. So every Saturday morning I would get a haircut.' During the Q&A segment of the program, one young audience member asked what made Stine finally come around to the idea of writing scary books after trying to be funny. 'Greed and stupidity,' he said. Stine also lamented about how no matter how many books he writes, readers always want to know about Slappy, the ventriloquist dummy who first appears in his 'Goosebumps' book, 'Night of the Living Dummy.' Many fans in the audience sat holding there own bow-tied Slappy dolls. Stine told stories, including a funny account of how his son getting stuck in an old Frankenstein Halloween mask inspired another popular 'Goosebumps' book, 'The Haunted Mask.' He shared memorable experiences over his career, like winning a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award and meeting another well regarded horror author; Stephen King. Maberry shared he had met King himself and when he did, they discussed Stine. 'I asked him, 'when you grow up, what do you want to do?' and he said 'I want to be R.L. Stine,' ' said Mayberry. 'He said you look like you're having more fun than he's having.' Stine shook his head in disbelief. After the talk, Stine signed books for the first 200 people at the event, some of who got in line as early as noon for the 6 p.m. event. Fans of all ages turned out with the audience numbering nearly 1000 people, many in 'Goosebumps' t-shirts or dressed as characters from his books. For locals Gary and Effie Bender, meeting R.L. Stine was a childhood dream come true. 'What I want to tell R.L. Stine today is thank you for an amazing childhood and adulthood,' said Effie. 'My nieces and nephews are reading my vintage books to me today as a 42-year-old and still watching the VHS's that I own.' The Bender's credit Stine with inspiring their love of horror. 'He was everyone's introductory to that genre,' said Gary. Once such young reader getting that introduction is Johnny Gutierrez, who describes himself as a R.L. Stine super fan. 'I am a super fan because I have collected most of the books and I also watch the TV shows,' said Gutierrez. 'I mostly like the classic books, like 'Night of the Living Dummy.'' Gutierrez brought several of his books to the event for signing along with his own Slappy doll. Stine announced a new movie based on his teen horror book series 'Fear Street' will drop on Netflix on May 23 and a new book will be out later this summer titled 'Nightmare on Nightmare Street.' It seems the author still has plenty of ideas to continue scaring up a good time, and a few laughs, for the next generation of young readers.
Los Angeles Times
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
O.C. readers spend Lunar New Year with author Kevin Kwan
Author Kevin Kwan laughed as he shared his mother's concern for the turnout of his special appearance in Orange County, since the event fell on Lunar New Year. 'She said, 'Who is going to come to the O.C. to see you on Lunar New Year?' said the Singaporean-born American novelist. 'Asian parents are a very specific breed, but I was really lucky in that they were always supportive of my crazy schemes.' Thankfully, nearly 340 readers turned out for Kwan's literary event on Jan. 29 at the Norma Hertzog Community Center in Costa Mesa. Presented by OC Public Libraries and partly funded through a grant from the California Department of Aging, the series features keynote speakers, like Kwan, in celebration of literacy. Kwan spoke with local journalist Jennifer Tanaka, took questions from the audience and signed copies of his books, which were made available for sale on site by Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore. Kwan is the author of the international bestselling novel 'Crazy Rich Asians,' which has been translated into 40 languages. The subsequent books in the series, 'China Rich Girlfriend' and 'Rich People Problems,' both went on to be best sellers. The film adaptation of 'Crazy Rich Asians' in 2018 became Hollywood's highest-grossing romantic comedy in more than a decade and is credited with launching the mainstream careers of many actors cast in the production, like Awkwafina. Directed by Jon M. Chu and released theatrically in the United States by Warner Bros., the film was the first major studio project almost entirely cast with performers of Chinese descent in a present-day setting since 'The Joy Luck Club' in 1993. Kwan referenced the 'The Joy Luck Club' and its author, Amy Tan, another Asian American writer, as a source of early inspiration. 'Amy Tan, she is amazing, and she is one of my heroes. Her book was life-changing for me,' said Kwan. 'Reading 'The Joy Luck Club' was one of the most intensely wonderful experiences of my life.' Kwan also maintained that the movie adaption of Tan's book was done at a level he strove for when his bestseller was adapted for the big screen. 'That movie was such a beautiful adaptation of a book and so to me that was the gold standard,' said Kwan. 'She was intensely involved in her movie, in fact she was one of the screenwriters. So watching her, I said I have to do the same thing. If Hollywood studios don't want to involve me, then they are not going to get to do this.' Readers have gravitated to Kwan's storytelling for its insight into modern, albeit lavish, Asian culture, but they have also found themselves pulled in by his knowledge and colorful description of popular foods from Singapore, Malaysia and Hawaii. 'I grew up in Singapore as a child, and I think Singapore is the original foodie country,' said Kwan. 'We literally ate five times a day; breakfast, lunch, high tea, dinner and supper was what my family did, so we were always food obsessed. When I moved to America, that just never ended.' While Kwan writes often about the food he loves, he also writes about food the characters in his books love as a way of informing the reader a bit more about who they are and their tastes. As he read aloud from his latest release, 'Lies and Weddings,' he elicited oohs and ahhs from the audience as he shared a scene in which two characters dine on what they consider a simple lunch. 'Barely two hours later, Arabella found herself at a table on the glorious outdoor terrace of Rosina's rooftop garden suite, alternately sipping champagne and chrysanthemum tea and enjoying a simple lunch of flame blue lobster with caviar, Sichuan-style mapo tofu with minced Iberico pork, lacquered abalone with ginger and butter and lime, lotus roots with seasonal vegetables and golden garlic, braised boneless beef ribs flambe with wine, goji berries and radish in a stone pot and wok-fired rice noodles with wagyu beef and bok choy in a silky egg gravy,' Kwan read. Some readers have been inspired to visit the places Kwan writes about and use his books as a travel guide of sorts. The author's books include scenes at popular restaurants like Din Tai Fung and Tex Drive-In in Hawaii. Even an Orange County restaurant, Nick's in Laguna Beach, gets a shout out. 'I love their French dip sandwich,' said Kwan. 'That was my Laguna Beach discovery and I love it.' Kwan discussed upcoming projects and fielded questions about the anticipated movie sequel to 'Crazy Rich Asians' and another film from his new book series in development. 'The first exciting news is that 'Sex and Vanity' is being made into a film by Sony, so right now we are furiously trying to rework the script and get that finalized, and if all goes well, perhaps it will film this year. There are two amazing actors that are already attached but I can't say who they are.' Kwan also spoke about plans to turn 'Crazy Rich Asians' into a musical with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures and Chu, who recently helmed the Broadway-musical-turned-Hollywood-blockbuster 'Wicked,' returning as director. 'The other exciting news is the 'Crazy Rich Asians' musical,' Kwan said. 'We have actually been working on it for five years now. A book-to-Broadway adaption takes 10 years, believe it or not.' He also hinted at upcoming plans for both the big and small screen. 'In the meantime, Warner Bros. is also trying to do spinoffs.' At heart Kwan is a writer, and he spoke about his new series that borrows from classic literature with Asian American characters at the center. He offered sage advice for anyone interested in writing a novel. 'Start with a page a day, and in a year you will have a book.' 'A Slice of Literary Orange' series has more keynote speakers lined up throughout the year, including Erika L. Sánchez, author of the New York Times bestseller 'I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter' on Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Clifton C. Miller Community Center in Tustin and national best-selling author ReShonda Tate on Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Norma Hertzog Community Center in Costa Mesa. For more information on other events with 'A Slice of Literary Orange,' visit
