Who Was LJ Smith? Author Behind Hit The Vampire Diaries Books And Series Adaptations Dies at 66

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On March 8, L.J. Smith, famed author of The Vampire Diaries book series, passed away at the age of 66 in Walnut Creek, California. This information was shared by her partner, Julie Divola, with The New York Times. According to Divola, Smith had been battling symptoms of a rare autoimmune disease for over a decade and ultimately succumbed to these health issues in a hospital. Her passing was also announced on her official website.

Through a conversation with The New York Times, Smith’s literary representative, John Silbersack, revealed that even amidst her health hardships, she remained unwaveringly committed to her writing. In simpler terms, he stated that although she had been seriously ill and faced numerous challenges along with intense pain, she was determined to persist in her writing endeavors.

Lisa Jane Smith was born on September 4, 1958, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but she spent much of her childhood in Southern California after moving with her family at a young age. As homage to her beloved fantasy authors J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, she eventually decided to write under the name she now uses.

In 1982, Smith completed her degree in experimental psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Prior to embarking on a full-time writing career, she had experience teaching kindergarten and special education.

In high school, she initiated crafting her debut fantasy novel titled “The Night of the Solstice.” This book piqued the interest of Alloy Entertainment, a publishing company now under Warner Bros.’ ownership. Subsequently, they recruited Smith to produce The Vampire Diaries as a counterpart for young adults, echoing the 1994 film Interview with the Vampire.

1991 saw the release of the first installment in the series. This book introduces Elena Gilbert, a high school student, who becomes entangled in a romantic dilemma involving two vampire brothers, Damon and Stefan Salvatore (portrayed by Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley). The books quickly amassed a dedicated fanbase, but it was the CW network’s adaptation into a TV series in 2009, featuring Nina Dobrev as Elena, that truly propelled its popularity.

Initially, Smith didn’t realize that her arrangement with Alloy Entertainment for the Vampire Diaries series was a work-assigned-creation deal. Following the completion of the original Vampire Diaries books, she was subsequently replaced by another writer, resulting in a prolonged hiatus from publishing.

In the 2010s, she resumed writing after a break, utilizing fan fiction as a means to further expand her character creations. Smith’s novels gained prominence during the surge of vampire fiction in the late 2000s and early 2010s, coinciding with the popularity of series like Twilight and True Blood.

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2025-03-27 08:08