During the 1980s Michael Cadnum was a nationally recognized poet, publishing his work in prestigious literary journals. By 1990 he was also gaining wide acclaim for his suspense novels. On first consideration, Cadnum's transition from serious poetry to popular fiction would seem to be have been an unlikely leap. To the contrary, however, his experience as a poet was an asset to his work as a novelist, and within a few years he rose to his current position as one of the foremost writers of horror novels and psychological thrillers. Although Cadnum began writing for an adult audience and only later specialized in novels for young adults, his books have consistently appealed to teenagers who enjoy a scary story. Many of his horror novels are variations on standard tales about ghosts, werewolves, and vampires, but with a difference: he portrays complex characters and he uses a literary writing style...