Famed Goosebumps author R. L. Stine’s writing career began at the age of nine when he wrote stories and jokes on an old typewriter and handed them out at school. He also shares with the festival audience that, as a child, he preferred to stay in and write rather than go outside and play. Mr. Stine is now the author of more than 50 books, including the GOOSEBUMPS series (1992), and Nightmare Hour (1999) which received a Children's Choices Award. His most recent books in the Mostly Ghostly series (Delacorte, 2004) are Who Let the Ghosts Out? and Have You Met My Ghoufriend. From the Series:The Library of Congress: 2004 National Book Festival