Trick or Treat with Matt McMann!

Hi, readers, writers, and all you marvelous monsters out there! We have quite the chilling treat for you today. Matt McMann, author of the popular Monsterious MG series is here with us giving us a closer look at his books! Are you in the mood for a tale about the undead, or baby snatching creatures? Perhaps you're dying to read a tale about an eight-legged terror? Don't worry, we've got you covered! Want to know more about Matt, his spine-tingling series, PLUS want to know if he's offering a Trick or a Treat? Read on if you dare...

Q: Hi, Matt! Thanks so much for joining #SeasonsOfKidLit’s annual Trick-or-Treat event. We’re excited to host you and hear all about your spooky series, Monsterious.

Can you share a little bit about yourself, what inspired you to become a children’s author, and also your background as a musician? You’ve had cool jobs!!

A: Thanks for having me! I’m 6’ 3”, 55 years old, a fan of Lord of the Rings, basketball, nature, and reality TV, live nomadically in hotels and AirBnbs, and am part of a quirky artsy family. My wife Lisa McMann is the NYT bestselling author of 33 books for kids and young adults (The Unwanteds series, the Forgotten Five series), my son Kilian McMann is a professional illustrator and graphic designer, and my daughter Kennedy McMann is an actor who played Nancy Drew on television longer than anyone in history (the series Nancy Drew on the CW network). 

I got into music in high school, got a degree in vocal performance in college, and was a professional musician for 26 years, performing in churches, shopping malls, parks, a cruise ship, an NFL stadium, Austria, and the International Twins Convention (Yes, that’s a real thing, and yes there were two of everyone. It was very strange).

When I burned out on music, I decided to pursue my childhood dream of becoming an author. Books had a HUGE influence on me growing up, and I want to have a positive impact on kids today like those authors had on me. Plus telling stories is so cool! 

Q :Monsterious is perfect for fans of the Goosebumps series! Each book is a standalone spine-chilling tale that features all sorts of monsters. How awesome is this?! 

Please tell us more about the books in your series and what readers can expect from reading your books. Also, what inspired the series?

A: MONSTERIOUS is my spooky middle grade monster mystery series great for fans of Goosebumps, Stranger Things, Five Nights at Freddy’s and Scooby Doo (my favorite show as a kid!). The books are short and can be read in any order. While targeted at ages 8-12, MONSTERIOUS is fun for anyone who enjoys a fast-paced, spooky thriller with lots of action, humor, and heart. 

The books feature diverse kids facing a wide variety of monsters in spooky settings. In Escape from Grimstone Manor, three friends are trapped overnight in a haunted house amusement park ride and discover the monsters are real. In The Snatcher of Raven Hollow, two friends learn that a monster is responsible for the disappearance of babies in their small town—but no one believes them. In Terror in Shadow Canyon, five hikers lost in a remote wilderness are stalked by a monster. In The Beast of Skull Rock, a brother and sister try to save their grandfather’s spooky museum from a rampaging werehyena. In Trapped in the Horror Dome, a 7th grade field trip to a scientific research biodome becomes a nightmare when a terrifying monster escapes from a secret lab.

The idea for the MONSTERIOUS series came when my wife was reading an article aloud to me and mispronounced the word “mysterious,” saying “monsterious” instead. I said, “That would make a good middle grade book title.” She said, “No, it’s a whole series, and you should write it.” So I did!

Q: Writing spooky stories for kids is definitely a balance. You want kids to have fun, keep them engaged, and scare them (but maybe not scare them too much like an adult title would.). 

On a scare scale from 1-5, how scary is this series for MG readers and, what did you keep in mind regarding scare level when writing these stories? Do you have any tips for writers writing spooky stories for kids? 

A: I was a scared kid. I was afraid of the dark, bullies, the woods, the basement, you name it. But I LOVED spooky stories. I’d check out every book in the library on Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman, vampires, ghosts, and werewolves because they allowed me to experience fear in a safe, fun way. When I saw the characters in the books face their fears, it gave me courage to face my own.

That’s why I write spooky books. I want to give readers today that same spooky fun and courage that I found in those stories, so I keep my ten-year-old self firmly in mind as I write. It helps me know how far to push the scare factor. The great thing about a book is that a kid can always set it down if it becomes too scary for them. The truth is that we live in a scary world and kids aren’t immune from those fears. Spooky books can help them acclimate to fear in a safe, fun way to prepare them to face real-world fears and realize they are braver than they think.

Lastly, I always end my books with hope. That’s a tip for writing scary tales for kids—you can take them on a wild, spooky ride as long as you bring them in safely at the end. I would rate the spooky factor on MONSTERIOUS books from 3 to 4 out of 5 depending on the book. 

Q:  Are there any other books in the series coming up (that we can keep an eye out for)?

A: The first five MONSTERIOUS books came out in 16 months, with the latest publishing in August of 2024. My publisher, Penguin Random House, wants to see how these existing five sell before deciding if they want more. I really hope they do because I’d LOVE to continue writing them! But in case there’s no more in this series, I already have another spooky trilogy planned out, as well as a rough draft of a fantasy adventure novel. So hopefully you’ll see many more middle grade books from me.

Q: Is it fun being an author?

A: Yes! You get to write cool stories and talk to readers and work in your pajamas. Is it hard being an author? Yes! There’s a LOT of rejection and waiting and learning the craft and difficult editing. Do you have advice on being an author? Yes! You can go to my website MattMcMann.com and watch my writing advice videos. Also check out StoryHavenClub.com, an awesome website that teaches kids about writing. I’m one of the coaches there.

Bonus question: What’s your favorite Halloween Candy? OR What was your favorite costume as a kid? 

A: Peanut M&Ms! My mom made me a homemade monster costume for Halloween when I was nine. I looked like a cross between a furry black Bigfoot and Chewbacca with fangs.

Thanks again for joining us, Matt! It was a real treat to have you here with us!

Q: Would you like to leave a Trick or a Treat for our readers?

A: A Trick!

Here’s a writing trick—use cool SETTINGS as inspirations for your stories. I once saw a photo of a gargoyle statue by a roller coaster that turned out to be an ad for a spooky amusement park ride. I thought, “What a great setting for a MONSTERIOUS book!” That became Escape from Grimstone Manor. I went on a hike in a spooky forest in Canada, and that setting inspired Terror in Shadow Canyon. When my daughter was twelve, I went with her on a school field trip to BioSphere 2, a scientific research facility in the desert near Tucson AZ. My memories of that trip were the basis of Trapped in the Horror Dome. Choose an intriguing setting, think of something interesting, spooky or strange that could happen there, then ask yourself, “What happens next?”

Wow, what a great trick! Thanks so much for sharing. Readers, please leave a comment below and thank Matt for stopping by. Monster GIFs are appreciated and welcomed.

Note: Those who leave a comment on all posts will be eligible to win one (1) of ten (5) Rate Your Story Speed Passes, perfect for quick MS feedback, provided by Agent Mentee Lynne Marie & Author Heather Macht.

About Matt McMann:

As a professional musician, MATT MCMANN played an NFL stadium, a cruise ship, and the International Twins Convention. Now he writes the kind of spooky mystery-adventure books he loved as a kid, including the MONSTERIOUS series. He’s hiked the Pacific Northwest, cruised Loch Ness, and chased a ghost on a mountain. While he missed Bigfoot and Nessie, he caught the ghost. He enjoys brainstorming new books with his wife, New York Times bestselling author Lisa McMann; viewing his son Kilian McMann’s artwork; and watching his daughter, actor Kennedy McMann, on television. Visit him online at mattmcmann.com, and follow him on Instagram @matt_mcmann.

For more about Matt, check out the following inks:

Website:  https://mattmcmann.com/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/matt_mcmann/

To purchase Matt's books on Amazon or to leave a review for them, click here.

---

A special thanks to David Rodriguez Lorenzo for the amazing custom-signatures!