Hamilton is best known for her Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series but she also contributes a great deal of time to charities. Her love of animals is apparent through her volunteer efforts and her fundraising campaigns.

Hamilton's personality was formed early on by her grandmother who she gives credit for introducing her to gothic storytelling. When her mother died, there added another major event to what kind of writer Hamilton would become. The other major contribution was the fact that there were no males in her household. This is how she became secure in creating a strong female character in Anita Blake.