Richelle Mead was born in Michigan,[2] and currently lives in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland, Washington, United States.[3] She has three degrees: a Bachelor of General Studies from the University of Michigan, a Master of Comparative Religion from Western Michigan University, and a Master of Teaching from the University of Washington.[2] Her teaching degree led her to become an 8th grade teacher in suburban Seattle, where she taught social studies and English. She continued writing in her free time, until she sold her first novel, Succubus Blues. After quitting her job to write full-time, her other books quickly followed.[4]
Awards and recognitions
Honorable Mention - 2009 P.E.A.R.L. Awards - Best Romantic Fantasy - Thorn Queen[5]
Winner - 2010 Teen Read Awards - Best Teen Series - Vampire Academy series[6]
The first Vampire Academy book was adapted into a movie under the title Vampire Academy in 2014. Mead makes a non-speaking cameo appearances as a teacher in the film.[23] The series was also loosely adapted into a television series in 2022 on Peacock.
Mead wrote a six-book spin-off series featuring characters from the Vampire Academy series: Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian. This spin-off series takes place in the same universe as Vampire Academy.[24]