One of the first series books we introduced to our son was the Michigan Chillers series, written by local author Johnathan Rand. We loved how the author creatively paired a Sci-Fi story with a Michigan city. Some titles include: Poltergeists Of Petoskey, Dinosaurs Destroy Detroit, and Mayhem On Mackinac Island. (Johnathan is also the author of the American Chillers and Freddie Fernortner

series.) We enjoy the books so much, we plan on visiting the American Chillers store up north in Indian River some day. But for now, we at least wanted a moment to interview Johnathan Rand and find out more about him as an author. And what better time to do so than the Halloween season.

Interview with Michigan Chillers author Johnathan Rand

OCM: Is Halloween your favorite time of the year? How do you and your family celebrate Halloween?
Johnathan Rand: I love Halloween, but I think summer is my favorite time of the year. Besides: when you do what I do, Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year!
 
OCM: Did you start shopping your Michigan Chillers books to publishers when you first started or did they beat down your door?
Johnathan Rand: I was rejected, so I decided to self-publish, and we still do. A number of publishers have since expressed interest, now that we've sold over 4 million copies. But I like the way things are going as they are, and I have no interest in selling to a publisher anymore.
 
OCM: What's your favorite Michigan city?
Johnathan Rand: Tough question! I love Grayling, and I love the small village of Topinabee, where we currently live. I was also born in Pontiac and lived in Waterford, so that place will always have a special place in my heart as well.
 
OCM: Are you into paranormal shows and things like that when you're not writing? Do you watch Ghost Adventures or any of that stuff?
Johnathan Rand: Not really. I'm not much of a television fan. While I don't have anything against television or movies, I'm more of a fan of books.
 
OCM: Did you ever get any letters about kids having nightmares reading your Michigan Chillers books? What's the best fan mail you've ever received?
Johnathan Rand: I don't get too many notes from kids regarding nightmares. The best e-mails I get are from parents who thank me for writing books that their son/daughter loves to read. That's really rewarding.
 
OCM: What was your inspiration for writing the series of Michigan Chillers books and having each relate to a different city?
Johnathan Rand: I was working on an adult novel (I write fiction under the name Christopher Knight) and the idea came to me while I was working on that story back in 1999.
 
OCM: Is the Freddie Fernortner your newest series? What is it about and for what age group would it be appropriate?
Johnathan Rand: Freddie is my newest series, and the books are geared toward K-2nd graders.

OCM: I saw the Read It Up program on your website. Can you tell me more about this and how to get involved?
Johnathan Rand: Read It Up is really great. It was designed by a Saginaw Meijer store and myself. I write an original book that is published in weekly installments in newspapers. Classes in schools follow along, and I provide classroom activities to go with each chapter. The goal of the program is to raise reading levels, and it's been working great! Any teacher who is interested in following along on-line with the story can e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and I will e-mail the weekly activity packages to them at no charge.

www.AmericanChillers.com

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