Robert Lawrence Stine (born October 8, 1943), known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children's literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas. R.L.'s books are read all over the world. So far, he has sold over 350 million books, making him one of the best-selling children's authors in history.