It's hard for children's authors to be accepted when they try to write adult books. J.K. Rowling is the exception because people are so eager to read anything by her, but it took Judy Blume three or four tries before she had a success.

Sometimes it helps to scold yourself, to give yourself advice.

I do like a lot of things that a lot of adults would scoff at. 'SpongeBob SquarePants,' 'Looney Tunes.'

Normally, I spend a week on the outline and take two weeks to write the book.

I love theme parks but I'm a real chicken on rides. I'd rather invent scary rides for my books than go on them for real.

Read. Read. Read. Just don't read one type of book. Read different books by various authors so that you develop different styles.

When I write, I try to think back to what I was afraid of or what was scary to me, and try to put those feelings into books.