About Me
Suzanne Collins is an American author best known for *The Hunger Games* trilogy, a hugely popular young adult dystopian series. Born on August 10, 1962, in Hartford, Connecticut, she grew up in a military family, which influenced her understanding of war and its effects—an important theme in her writing. Collins began her career as a writer for children’s television, working on shows like *Clarissa Explains It All* and *The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo*. Her literary career took off with *The Underland Chronicles*, a fantasy series for younger readers, but it was *The Hunger Games* (2008) that catapulted her to international fame. The series was adapted into a successful film franchise, further cementing her influence in contemporary literature. Collins continues to write and is known for her powerful storytelling that often explores the impact of war, media, and societal structures.
Suzanne Collins came up with the idea for *The Hunger Games* while channel surfing late one night. As she flipped between reality TV shows and news coverage of the Iraq War, the two began to blur in her mind, sparking the concept of a dystopian world where entertainment and violence are disturbingly intertwined. She also drew inspiration from the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, where Athens was forced to send children to be sacrificed in a deadly labyrinth—a story that stuck with her since childhood. Collins wanted to explore themes of war, poverty, and media manipulation, using the fictional nation of Panem and the brutal Hunger Games as a mirror for real-world issues. This blend of mythology, current events, and personal reflection helped shape the dark, thought-provoking world of the series.