The Rocket

Issue date: 4/13/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Submitted Photo Author R.L. Stine [Click to enlarge]

Thanks to a local fourth grader, the possibility of R. L. Stine visiting Slippery Rock for Children's Day on April 21 is a reality.

Casey Hall, 10, a fourth grader at the Slippery Rock Elementary School, gathered about 300 signatures from her schoolmates to bring Stine to her school last fall.

"I turned it in to the Slippery Rock School District, but they didn't do much," Casey said.

Casey, who calls herself his biggest fan, said meeting him was one of her New Year's resolutions this year.

"Every year, my school has an author come," she said. "I thought R. L. Stine would be a cool author to have."

Stine first released the Goosebumps series that made him famous in 1992. His books have been translated into 32 languages and were formatted for the television for a spin-off show of the stories.

After a failed attempt with the school board, Casey turned to Nora Ambrosio, a dance professor at SRU, and a friend of her mom, Janet, who works in the Central Receiving office on campus.

"There's lots of interest in the school," Ambrosio said. "I thought it would be great if the university asked him to come to the university."

Stine, who has been filming a movie in Pittsburgh, will be on campus April 21 for a talk and book signing at 3 p.m. in the University Union MPR.

His books are currently being sold at the SGA Bookstore.

Starting at 2:30 p.m. on April 21, three of the Goosebumps books, "Say Cheese and Die!" Be Careful What you Wish for" and "Monster Blood," will be on sale.

Having read more than 60 of his Goosebumps and Fear Street novels, Casey, who was a walking Goosebumps book for Halloween, said she hopes there is not a limit on the number of books she can buy at the signing because she wants to read more of his work.

Currently, Stine is only signing books of his new series, Rotten School.

Rachela Permenter, an English professor, is working out a way to have a drawing so a select few in the audience can have a Goosebumps book autographed.

The event is part of the Kaleidoscope arts festival that begins April 18. Anyone who wishes to reserve a free ticket needs to send a self-addressed, stamped envelop indicating the number of desired tickets to 104 Strain Behavior Science Building on campus.

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