Jenna: It is the hunting season of Halloween.

Have you ever wondered why vampires prefer red or white you would do if attacked taxpaying werewolf or zombie?

Can you tell if that footprint in your backyard belongs to Bigfoot?

And what kind of dinosaur is Godzilla?

Any new book, monstrous, provides a fun and somewhat educational dive into monsters.

Its author is here with the details.

Welcome.

First, to help me, what was your inspiration behind this book?

>> I was the kid who is scared of everything when I was a child.

I approached this book by asking why we do the things that we do.

It turns out fear is a primal instinct.

I wanted to empowered leaders to examine which monsters are real, which are not and give them survival plans to survive the zombie apocalypse.

What happens if a vampire attacks, you have blood loss?

Jenna: These seem like the kind of things that would help you feel calm.

I know what to do if the monster from my bed comes to get me.

What are some of the suggestions that readers can get from your books?

>> One of my favorites is a picture of the werewolf.

It says how to communicate with a werewolf so you do not get the.

-- do not get eaten.

All of the tips are for dogs a dog will reset stale and wake it , that is a sign of aggression.

This is a tongue and cheek way to save the werewolf is going to attack, it will do these things, but if a dog does that, you also better stand back.

Jenna: Does this mean if a werewolf were to come upon me and I had bacon in my pocket, the werewolf is not happy?

>> Bacon is always good for werewolves.

Jenna: These are the helpful Halloween details that can help anyone with a vivid imagination, not just kids.

The book was also written intentionally so it is not just a child's reading.

A child at heart could also appreciate it.

>> That is my hope.

There were some complex subjects.

I talk about why King Kong is impossible.

Most kids do not really gravitate towards math as much as, say, monsters, but I hope I could make math and science so ridiculously fine that -- so ridiculously fubun.

Jenna: How much back research did you have to do?

>> So much, five years and I had to use a lot of expert readers, because some of the subjects are over my head.

The zombie chapter talks about the zombie praying.

I am not a neuroscientist, just a writer.

I had to consult with those people.

There is a lot of medical background so I had to consult to make sure I was getting it right what happens if an artery is pierced?

I spoke to coroners, because there is a chapter on decomposition versus vampires, how to tell the difference.

Jenna: The all-important difference between the living dead and the un-dead.

>> You need to know, kids, if you see reddish-brown at the corners of the mouth, that could be purge fluid, not vampire feeding.

That person is dead.

You do not need to worry.

Jenna: Good to know.

I can wondering who, even though children of all ages can appreciate this but who is your target audience?

This feels like something that the early teen, perhaps 7 to 10-year-old would eat up.

>> There is a saying that children's book authors write the books that they wish they had as children.

I was a child who gravitated towards science.

My ideal reader is that child saying I do not want to learn about science, certainly not neuroscience.

My objective is for that reader to make these subjects so interesting that they will learn and not realize that they are learning.

Everybody loves monsters.

Jenna: I think we all prefer the ones who are of lore as opposed to a real life.

I am wondering if there's any one story from researching this book or your own history with monsters that stays with you the most, that is your favorite?

Carlyn: Good question.

The Godzilla chapter was interesting.

I did not know the story, did not know it came out of this tragedy of the atomic bombs being dropped.

I wrote that chapter last because it says to me you have the amazing ability to distract.

We have the ability to be monsters.

I thought it was apropos, maybe a philosophical way to end.

This is all fun and games, but nuclear fallouts could actually happen.

Jenna: This is such a great book , friendly users guide for the season.

Anyone who has questions about monsters, thank you for joining us.

Carlyn: Thank you for having me.