Robert Lawrence Stine, known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist renowned for his horror fiction, particularly targeting younger audiences. Born on October 8, 1943, Stine has been called the "Stephen King of children's literature." He is best known for the Goosebumps series, which has sold over 400 million copies worldwide in 35 languages, making it the second-best-selling book series in history. This series has expanded into a media franchise, including television series, video games, comics, and feature films.

Stine also wrote the teenage horror fiction series Fear Street, which has sold over 80 million copies and inspired a film trilogy. Other notable series by Stine include Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, Nightmare Hour, and The Nightmare Room. Additionally, he authored numerous humor books for children under the pseudonym Jovial Bob Stine.

Stine began his writing career at the age of nine and has become the bestselling children's author in history. His work, especially the Goosebumps series, achieved unprecedented success in the early 1990s, cementing his position as a luminary in children's horror literature.