James Howe was born on August 2, 1946. He attended Boston University and majored in Theater. While in elementary school, he wrote a play, some short stories and self-published a magazine. While in college, he wrote plays. His first book, Bunnicula featuring a vampire rabbit, won him a Young Peoples Choice Award in 1982. He wrote a series of books featuring Bunnicula which titles included Howliday Inn, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, and Nighty-Nightmare. He also wrote a series of mysteries, featuring Sebastian Barth, and a series of chapter books featuring Pinky and Rex. In addition, he has written nonfiction, adaptations of classic stories, and screenplays for movies and television.