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.

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.

It's my job, too, to keep up with pop culture and what the kids are into 'cause you don't want to sound like an old man trying to write for kids. I spend a lot of my time spying on them.

I used to get a haircut every Saturday so I would never miss any of the comic books. I had practically no hair when I was a kid!

When I was a kid my family was really poor and I remember one Halloween I wanted to dress up really scary and my parents came home with a duck costume. I wore that costume for years! I hated it.

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

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