from AmericanChillers.com

     There's an old saying that reasons, “Those who can, do, and those who can't, teach.”

     What about when those that can, teach also?

     That's going to happen March 13 at the Utica schools' Crissman Elementary when Johnathan Rand -- author of the Michigan Chillers, American Chillers and Freddie Fernortne series of children's horror books -- conducts a writeshop (writing workshop, get it?) for students ages 8 to 13. The workshop costs $40, and is limited to 50, so reservations are required no later than March 11.

     I confess that I'd never heard of Rand or so much as skimmed his books (though you can read sample chapters at his American Chillers website), but the covers suggest they're being marketed as akin to R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series from the 1980s. I like the titles, especially of the Michigan Chillers line:

Mayhem on Mackinac Island

Terror Stalks Traverse City

Poltergeists of Petoskey, 

Aliens Attack Alpena, 

Gargoyles of Gaylord, 

Strange Spirits of St. Ignace

Kreepy Klowns of Kalamazoo

Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit

Sinister Spiders of Saginaw

Mackinaw City Mummies

Great Lakes Ghost Ship

AuSable Alligators

Gruesome Ghouls of Grand Rapids

Bionic Bats of Bay City

Calumet Copper Creatures 

and, from the  

American Chillers series:

The Michigan Mega-Monsters

     (What, no Loathsome Lizards of Lansing?) Rand self-publishes his titles (available through his website and from/through Amazon.com) and also owns a bookstore, Chillermania! in Indian River.

     Crissman Elementary is located at 53550 Wolf Drive, Shelby Township. For reservations or more information, contact Courtney Conley, Crissman's media center teacher, at 586-797-4300.