Laurell K. Hamilton (born February 19, 1963) is an American fantasy / Romance writer, author of the series Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter about a female paranormal investigator and her relationships with vampires and werewolves. The series runs to 16 novels as of May 2008, and a number of short story collections and other tie-in media such as comic books. More than 6 million copies of Anita Blake novels have been printed and it has became a New York Times bestseller. In 2000 Hamilton started the Merry Gentry series, an urban fantasy in which fairies live in the USA.