R.L. Stine Reflects on the Goosebumps Craze He Created in the '90s: 'Almost None of It Was My Idea' (Exclusive)

At the age of 80, RL Stine is as busy as ever.

The famous author for young adults was a legend with his Street of fear and To get chills franchises, which took over school book fairs in the 1990s and early years.

And while Stine is a giant in the universe, the author believes that he just got lucky.

“Everything that has ever happened to me was an accident, almost none of it was my idea,” he tells PEOPLE exclusively. “Seriously, it’s embarrassing. My story is embarrassing,” he jokes.

To get chills Author RL Stine on Being a Scared Child: ‘A Terrible Way to Grow Up’ (Exclusive)

RL Stine rings the 2015 NASDAQ opening bell.

Slaven Vlašić/Getty

A native of Columbus, Ohio, he moved to New York right out of college in pursuit of a writing career. However, he soon realized that his audience was not interested in what he had to offer.

“I came to New York to write funny novels for adults, but nobody wanted funny novels for adults. Adults don’t read funny novels,” he says. “So I needed to find a job and I ended up at Scholastic where I wrote history and geography Junior Scholastic Magazine.”

After working for the publication, Stine realized he had found the niche audience he was looking for. “I never planned to write for children. It was the first time I did it, and then I realized what a great audience they are,” he shares.

He wrote several books for children – How to be funny, Blind connection – before starting Street of fear franchise with New girl in 1989.

RL Stine attends Get Goosebumps! Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the School in 2012.

Slaven Vlašić/Getty

After seeing the success of fear street Stine’s publishers suggested that he make a sequel to the series.

“I said, ‘No thanks.’ I didn’t want to do it,” he admits. “I didn’t mean to screw up Street of fear. They chased me and chased me, and finally I said, ‘Okay, if we can think of a good name for it, we can try two or three.’ ”

Of course, Stine and his publishers jumped on the headlines To get chills for the new series — and the rest is history.

the first book, Welcome to Dead House, it was published in 1992 and immediately became a bestseller. He followed up with Stay away from the basement, Monster blood and Say cheese and die! making him a household name in YA literature.

On top To get chills craze, a seasoned author released one book every month.

Explosive success To get chillssays Stine, it has everything to do with children aged 7 to 12, for whom he continues to write.

RL Stine attends Get Goosebumps! Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the School in 2012.

Slaven Vlašić/Getty

“There was no advertising, no one really knew me. It was just, kids found them and brought them, and showed them to their friends at school. It was this secret kids’ network – kids showing kids, and then it kind of took off all over the world just because of the children.”

Often with his head down, it was often easy for the author to overlook the weight of his work. But one moment changed that.

“I was in my hometown of Columbus and I had a book signing,” he begins. “I’m driving to a book signing and I’m in a terrible traffic jam… and I hate being late. I hate it. I don’t want to disappoint people.”

He continues: “I’m really nervous and I’m just stuck in traffic. I look at all the other cars and they’re full of kids. They’re all here to see me.”

“That was my traffic jam!” he understands. – Then I knew that things were different.

Jack Black, RL Stine and James Marsden in Bravo 2015.

Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty

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Nothing has really changed in his personal life. Besides being able to make a better living for his wife and son, the rest of his close family and friends are “not too impressed” with his legendary status, he shares.

In fact, despite shaping the childhoods of many children around the world, his son Matt has never read his books!

“He boasted in The New York Times which he never read To get chills,” jokes the author. “I think if you’re a writer, your kid isn’t going to read your stuff. [They’re like] ‘It’s just Dad, why should I read it?’ ”

Although children no longer look for bookstores to get chills, the impact of the hit series still remains. To date, this franchise is the second best-selling children’s book franchise Harry Potter.

It’s been adapted into a TV series: Netflix currently has a season of the older series, which originally aired in 1998, while Disney+ premiered a fresh horror-humor series, starring Justin Long, last year. In 2015, Jack Black also played Stine in the film adaptation of the same name.

Despite his incredible success, RL Stine shows no signs of slowing down. Earlier this year, he announced on Xu, formerly known as Twitter, that there was a new one Street of fear movie called Prom Queen currently under construction.

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He also writes another series of graphic novels for young adults called Cemetery Club, which comes out in September. In the same month, he will publish a graphic novel for Haunted Mask, which was first published in 1993.

At this point in his career, he works because he enjoys it.

“What else would I do all day? I wouldn’t know what to do at this point,” he says. “I get up, I drink coffee. I walk the dog and then I sit down and start writing. I wouldn’t know. I would be lost.”

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Source: HIS Education