Best known as the creator of the Goosebumps books, a mighty empire of YA horror, R. L. Stine began as a humor writer, and sees interesting connections between laughter and fear. “It’s like writing punch lines; every chapter has some kind of surprising cliffhanger ending.” We spoke several years ago – he was one of … Continue reading »
Monthly Archives: February 2018
Episode 203: Michael Rauch & Ian Olympio
Mentor and mentee in a Writers Guild program that pairs veteran and novice TV writers, they agree that Annie Hall is not a “manic pixie dreamgirl” (although Michael is not sure what that is) and that it would be a horrible idea to remake the movie that bears her name. Unless the new Annie … Continue reading »
Episode 202: Gail Simmons
Food should not be comforting. “That’s the goal of an easy chair,” says food writer Gail Simmons, a judge on Top Chef, quoting her mentor, Jeffrey Steingarten. The culinary arts, like any other, should be challenging. Which breaks the heart of my mashed potatoes even as it raises another question: is cooking really an … Continue reading »
Episode 201: Fiasco Theater
Most of us live without fame; the world simply ignores us. Noah Brody and Ben Steinfeld of Fiasco Theater assert that obscurity offers real rewards; a meaningful artistic life depends on it. When artists say that sort of thing, they’re generally rationalizing, but this time I believe them. How to have friends, family, and … Continue reading »