Margaret Stiefvater ( STEE-vah-tər; née Hummel; born November 18, 1981) is an American author who is best known for her young adult fantasy series The Wolves of Mercy Falls and The Raven Cycle. == Life and career == === Early life and education === Maggie Stiefvater was born Heidi Hummel on November 18, 1981, in Harrisonburg, Virginia. At age sixteen, she legally changed her first name to Margaret. As a child, Stiefvater was a voracious reader who enjoyed writing. By age sixteen, she was sub…