Real-Life Goosebumps: What Scares R.L. Stine, a Master of Fear?

This essay is part of a series called The Big Ideas, in which writers respond to a single question: What do we fear? You can read more by visiting The Big Ideas series page.

It’s not common for someone’s career goals to include conjuring fear. But you could say that the definition of my life’s work as a writer of scary books has been to bring more fear into the world. I must admit I’m proud of the generations of people I’ve managed to frighten, providing a shiver, a chill, or perhaps a disturbing nightmare.

As a result, people constantly ask me: What scares you? What are you afraid of?

I don’t often talk about what scares me. But I’m going to tell you the two scariest moments of my life. (These are actual events, not fantasies from my “Goosebumps” series.)

The first terrifying moment involves my son, Matt. When he was a little guy, maybe 4 or 5, I took him to the New York International Auto Show at the Javits Convention Center. There were thousands of people and hundreds of cars.

And I lost him.

I froze. Matt had vanished. I still remember my intense panic — something I’d never experienced. I spun around, staring from aisle to aisle. Finally, I spotted him standing beside a car. My heart pounding, I ran over to him. I shouted, “Matt! Matt! Are you OK?”

And he said, “Where were you, Dad? I was about to call the manager!”

I’d forgotten he was a New York City kid. I didn’t have to worry about him. If he had a problem, he’d call the manager.