Goosebumps

Reader beware, you're in for a scare!

No my writing isn't that frightening and it's not a warning. At least I hope you don't find my style scary!

It's the tag line to the series of books known as Goosebumps. The author of which is one R.L Stine. They are light horror books aimed at kids which turned out to be very popular back in the day, resulting in a TV series, video games and other merchandise.

There are 62 books in the original series including all kinds of strange creatures, ghosts and living dummies. Yes, like Slappy. I believe him to be the reason I find ventriloquist dummies freaky. He was a classic Goosebumps villain and appeared in several episodes and books. But man, his eyebrows were scary enough alone! Just watch those eyes shifting whenever he's left alone in a room!

I was in primary school when this series was released and a lot of kids would buy them. I remember one boy bragging that he had more Goosebumps books than me despite the fact that he'd never seen my collection nor had I told him how many I had. After I read two of the books my teacher encouraged me to read something different and I did...but after one book I found myself going back to Goosebumps for more.

In fact Goosebumps inspired me and a friend to write our own series of horror books and the first one was called Killer Bees. Other titles I remember were Cheese Monsters from Jupiter and something to do with a skeleton called Bob in a graveyard. Haha! Of course these were not serious and just fun to do. It didn't last for too long though. Phases and crazes come and go, especially at that age.

There was one Goosebumps book called 'It Came From Beneath The Sink' about a sponge that some kids discover that turns out to be a monster. I think it was called a Grool. Well one day I was looking in the cupboard under my sink and found a pink sponge so I pretended it was the creature from the book and drew eyes and a mouth on it with a black marker. I then kept it in my room inside a small plastic cage that I had with an action figure I had bought. 

Yeah I had quite the imagination and to be totally honest I still do. However I don't keep pretend monsters in my room anymore! Nope, they live at the bottom of my garden underneath the earth instead ;)

One of my favourite books and episodes was 'One day at Horrorland' about a family that discover a theme park run by monsters! They think they are just costumes at first and there are signs around the park that read 'No pinching'. Turns out that's how you defeat the monsters! Due to it's popularity a subseries called Goosebumps Horrorland was written in 2008. This series was about others experiences at the park. 

After it's original run, Goosebumps would spawn a new series called Goosebumps 2000. There were only 25 books in this series and I think I only bought a couple due to the fact that I was growing older. Although I'll always be a big kid at heart :)

Most stories would feature one or two kids as the protagonists against some kind of unnatural being. You have to respect R.L Stine for his creativity and ability to capture kids minds in those days. In fact I believe he is still doing it now. He has published a few more spin-off series and a lot more novels, most of which are horror.

There is also a TV series called R.L Stine's The Haunting Hour which premiered in 2010 and is still going. I haven't seen it but it's supposed to follow the same style as the Goosebumps TV series. I am quite tempted to check it out.

I also had two of the video games. 







Escape from Horrorland sees you trying to escape from the theme park. It's a point and click interactive adventure with live acting. Attack of the Mutant has cartoon style graphics and has you inside the Mutants hideout helping other heroes and collecting pieces of your costume to fight against the Mutant at the end.   

Goosebumps might just be my favourite children's book series and I will always have fond memories of it.

Maybe I will start writing my own horror series again...

...and if I do it will be sure to give you plenty of goosebumps!