Stephenie Meyer
Her dream of a vampire romance single-handedly revived young adult publishing, creating a global cultural obsession in the 2000s.
Born 1973 (age 53)·American novelist·Birthday: December 24·Generation X
Biography
Stephenie Meyer was a stay-at-home mother in Arizona when the vivid dream of a human girl and a vampire in a sun-drenched meadow compelled her to write. The result was 'Twilight,' a novel that tapped into a potent mix of romance, fantasy, and adolescent longing, rejected by numerous agents before becoming a word-of-mouth sensation. The series' explosive success transformed the publishing landscape, proving the immense commercial power of young adult fiction and inspiring a wave of paranormal romance. The film adaptations turned the books into a multimedia franchise, with Meyer maintaining unusual creative control. Her work, often debated for its themes, is undeniable for its impact: she created a modern mythology that defined a generation of readers and reshaped industry expectations.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Stephenie was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Stephenie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Stephenie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Wrote the 'Twilight' saga, which has sold over 160 million copies worldwide and was translated into 37 languages.
- Was the best-selling author in the United States in both 2008 and 2009.
- Her debut novel, 'Twilight,' was named one of Publishers Weekly's Best Children's Books of 2005.
- Founded her own production company, Fickle Fish Films, to adapt her novel 'The Host' for the screen.
Did You Know?
The names of the central Cullen vampire family in 'Twilight' were inspired by streets in Portland, Oregon, near where Meyer's grandmother lived.
She wrote the first draft of 'Twilight' in just three months.
Meyer is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and her faith has influenced her approach to themes in her writing.
She released a gender-swapped retelling of 'Twilight' titled 'Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined' for the novel's 10th anniversary.
““I like the night. Without the dark, we'd never see the stars.””
