Stephenie Meyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephenie Meyer
|
|
|---|---|
Meyer in 2012
|
|
| Born | Stephenie Morgan December 24, 1973 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation |
|
| Education | Brigham Young University (BA) |
| Genre | Vampire romance, young adult fiction, science fiction |
| Spouse |
Christian Meyer
(m. 1994) |
| Children | 3 |
| Signature | |
 |
|
Stephenie Meyer (born Stephenie Morgan on December 24, 1973) is an American author and film producer. She is famous for writing the vampire romance series Twilight. The series has sold over 160 million copies around the world. It has also been translated into 37 different languages.
Meyer was the top-selling author in the United States in 2008 and 2009. She sold more than 29 million books in 2008 alone.
Meyer loved to read when she was young. She went to Brigham Young University and earned a degree in English. She had no experience as an author when an idea for Twilight came to her in a dream. After many rejections from publishers, she was offered a three-book deal. This led to a four-book series and a popular series of movies.
Besides her books for teens, Meyer has also written novels for adults. These include The Host and The Chemist. She also helped produce some of the Twilight movies. Meyer's faith as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has influenced her stories. Themes like choice, life, and temptation are common in her work.
Contents
Early Life
Stephenie Morgan was born in Hartford, Connecticut. She grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, with her five siblings. She was a good student and won a scholarship to Brigham Young University (BYU). She graduated with a degree in English in 1997.
She met her husband, Christian Meyer, when they were children. They married in 1994 and have three sons. Before becoming a famous author, Meyer thought about going to law school. Her only job was as a receptionist at a property company.
The Twilight Series
A Dream Sparks an Idea
The idea for Twilight came to Meyer in a dream on June 2, 2003. The dream was about a human girl and a vampire who loved her but wanted her blood. Based on this dream, Meyer quickly wrote the story. She finished the first draft in just three months.
Her sister loved the book and encouraged her to send it to literary agents. After many rejections, an agent named Jodi Reamer saw potential in the story. In 2003, Meyer signed a $750,000 deal with Little, Brown and Company for three books.
Writing the Novels
Twilight was published in 2005. It quickly became a bestseller, reaching #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list. The success led to three more books in the series:
- New Moon (2006)
- Eclipse (2007)
- Breaking Dawn (2008)
The series was incredibly popular. In 2008 and 2009, the four Twilight books were the top four best-selling books of the year in the U.S. The series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide.
From Books to Blockbuster Movies
The success of the books led to a series of hit movies. Summit Entertainment bought the film rights in 2007. They promised Meyer that the movie would stay true to her book.
Kristen Stewart was cast as the main character, Bella Swan. Robert Pattinson was chosen to play the vampire Edward Cullen. The first film, Twilight, was released in 2008 and was a huge box office success. Meyer even made a small cameo appearance in a diner scene.
Following the first film's success, Summit made movies for the other books:
- The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
- The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
- The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011)
- The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012)
The five-film series earned over $3.3 billion worldwide. Meyer also started her own production company, Fickle Fish Films, and helped produce the final two Twilight movies.
More Twilight Stories
After finishing the main series, Meyer wrote more stories set in the Twilight world. For the 10th anniversary of Twilight, she released Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined. This book retells the original story but swaps the genders of the main characters.
She also wrote a novella called The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner. It tells the story of a minor character from Eclipse.
For years, fans asked for a version of Twilight told from Edward's point of view. Meyer started writing it and called it Midnight Sun. A draft was leaked online, so she put the project on hold. However, she finally finished and released the book in 2020. It sold over a million copies in its first week.
Other Books and Projects
The Host
In 2008, Meyer released a science fiction novel for adults called The Host. The story is about a young woman named Melanie Stryder. Her body is taken over by an invading alien "soul" named Wanderer. The two are forced to work together.
The Host was a #1 bestseller. Meyer has said she planned to write more books in the series, but as of 2025, no sequels have been published. A movie based on the book was released in 2013.
The Chemist
In 2016, Meyer released an adult thriller called The Chemist. The book is about a former secret agent who is on the run from the government agency she used to work for.
Writing Style and Influences
Meyer's writing is known for being easy to read and full of detailed descriptions. She often focuses on what her characters look like, especially their eyes and expressions. She has said she does this so readers can easily imagine themselves in the story.
Her biggest influence is her Mormon faith. Themes like making good choices and overcoming temptation are important in her books. She is also inspired by classic authors like Jane Austen and William Shakespeare. Each Twilight book was inspired by a different classic:
- Twilight was inspired by Pride and Prejudice.
- New Moon was inspired by Romeo and Juliet.
- Eclipse was inspired by Wuthering Heights.
- Breaking Dawn was inspired by The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Music is also a big inspiration for Meyer. She often creates playlists of songs that help her write. Bands like Muse, Coldplay, and Linkin Park are often on her playlists.
See also
In Spanish: Stephenie Meyer para niños
