The Doctor Is In

Just in time for Halloween, Goosebumps author R.L. Stine lured a sizeable crowd for a signing at the Scholastic Store in New York City. Stine greeted guests and signed copies of the latest in his long-running, spooky series, Goosebumps Most Wanted #5: Dr. Maniac Will See You Now (Scholastic). Fans were so excited to meet Stine that many had lined up by 11 a.m. for the 3 p.m. event.

Walking On ‘Heir’

Cinda Williams Chima wrapped up her nine-city tour for the latest addition to the Heir Chronicles series, The Enchanter Heir (Disney-Hyperion), with an event at Addendum Books in St. Paul, Minn. Chima hadn’t planned on taking this tour; in fact, she’d intended to conclude the Heir Chronicles series in 2008 with The Dragon Heir – that is, until fans had something to say about it. “Ever since the release of my last Heir novel,” Chima said, “readers have been asking for more stories set in the Heir universe.” The author found that she kept thinking about the characters too. “There were some supporting characters who kept elbowing forward, dissatisfied with their unhappy endings, and demanding some time at center stage,” she said. Here, Chima takes center stage between bookstore employees Marcus Mayer and Katherine Warde.

Portrait of the Author... with Rooster

While on tour for Exile: Keeper of the Lost Cities #2 (S&S/Aladdin), Shannon Messenger stopped off at Wild Rumpus bookstore in Minneapolis. Here, she holds one of the bookstore’s animal residents – rooster Billina, who also goes by the name Carl Sagan – and is joined by store manager Drew Sieplinga. Messenger’s tour concludes October 22 with a joint event at the St. Louis public library with Michael Buckley, who is touring for the final book in his NERDS series, Attack of the Bullies (Abrams/Amulet).

Two of a Kind

Anna Dewdney, creator of the Llama Llama picture book series, visited Water Street Bookstore in Exeter, N.H., for an event that drew more than 200 people – as well as visiting pair of llamas and several goats. The most recent installment, Llama Llama and the Bully Goat (Viking) shows how Llama Llama deals with a preschool bully. Kids at the event who made the “pledge to play nice” received a certificate. Here, Dewdney poses with Water Street Bookstore owner Dan Chartrand and a pair of her series’ namesake creatures.

‘After’ Hours

The St. Louis County Library hosted novelist Shannon Hale during her tour for Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends (Little, Brown). The author, who spoke to a packed house, read from the book, answered questions, and signed copies for fans. Here, she greets a reader who came to the event with her Ever After High doll.

Winging It

Fans of Kiki Thorpe’s The Never Girls flocked to McLean and Eakin Bookstore in Petoskey, Mich., to meet the author and celebrate the release of the fourth title in the series, From the Mist (Random/Disney). The event included a fairy tea party with crafts and sweets. Here, Thorpe shares a moment with a fairy-loving reader.