Reviewed by: Callie Morrison
DYK the author of “The Hunger Games” has links to Birmingham?
Reading time: 2 minutes
All The Hunger Games fans know the best-selling author of the aforementioned series, Suzanne Collins. It might surprise some of my fellow fans in “District BHAM” that Collins has ties to the Magic City. How? Keep reading to find out.
Suzanne Collins is a 1980 ASFA grad
Collins’ father was an officer in the US Air Force. Because of this, she was moving throughout the eastern US during her childhood. In her teenage years, her family seemed to make camp in Birmingham where Suzanne graduated from Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) Theatre Arts program in 1980.
She later went on to major in drama and telecommunications at Indiana University, followed by a master’s in dramatic writing from New York University.
Collins becomes a best-selling author of The Hunger Games
Collins later went on to write the popular The Hunger Games trilogy, which follows the 74th Hunger Games under the leadership of President Coriolanus Snow. This unique series is about a dystopian future where every year, two children from one of 12 “districts” have to compete until one tribute remains.
The titles included in this trilogy include:
- The Hunger Games
- Catching Fire
- Mocking Jay
After the success of this trilogy, Collins helped create the screenplay for the movie adaptions of all three novels.
Collins’ work still was not done—her newest addition to the series is set 64 years before The Hunger Games storyline we knew.
This prequel, titled The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes tells the story of President Snow and his experience mentoring Lucy Gray Baird in the 10th Annual Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen was a hunter being forced to perform, but Lucy Gray is a performer forced to hunt.
The movie adaption of this prequel premiered just last month, and has been a HIT. To prove it, this film made $122.1 million at the US box office.
“Snow Coded”
Much like her character President Snow, there is little known about Suzanne Collins’ personal life.
Her connections with Birmingham are few and far between, however, it is cool to think that within the ASFA halls, could be the world’s next best-selling author.
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