Many of Hopkins’ novels have made it to the New York Times bestseller list, and she is best known for her novels in verse that cover a wide range of hard-hitting topics including addiction, prostitution, mental illness and other pressures typically felt by teens and young adults. Her daughter, Cristal, fell victim to the grasp of meth addiction, and in 1996, gave birth to the first of what is presently seven children, four of whom Hopkins would ultimately adopt.

In 1995, the real-life events that inspired her YA novel Crank began to unfold. She also published numerous children’s nonfiction stories of her own. Before becoming a young adult writing sensation, Hopkins’ time was spent writing freelance magazine and news articles, teaching creative work, and publishing. After a time working and owning a video store, Hopkins met her third and current husband, John, and moved to Nevada. Kelly was abducted by her father for three years and this drama is another source of inspiration in Hopkins’ books. A third child, Kelly, was the result of her next tumultuous marriage which ended as a result of abuse. Cristal would much later go on to be the inspiration behind Hopkins’ bestselling series about the corruptive force of methamphetamines. Two children, Jason and Cristal, were born by 1976, but her marriage with their father ended shortly after. After going to college to pursue a degree in journalism, Hopkins dropped out to marry and start a family. Unfortunately, there were quite a few speedbumps along the way. With such an influential start, one might assume that Hopkins’ road to the bestseller list might have been an easy one.

Hopkins published her first poem, a haiku, at the age of nine and would discover later in life that her biological mother Toni, was also a lifelong poet. Her mother taught her to value literature and to read often. Her father, a self-made millionaire who made his money in the steel industry, taught her the value of working hard and staying honest. She grew up in Palm Springs and went to private school through eighth grade. She was adopted by seventy-two-year-old Albert and forty-two-year old Valeria Wagner at birth. An Author Study and Writing Mini Lesson Author Biographyīest-selling, young adult novelist Ellen Hopkins was born in Long Beach, California in 1955.

Author ellen hopkins