Authors
‘The Vampire Diaries’ Author L.J. Smith Dies at 66
L.J. Smith, the author behind The Vampire Diaries, died on March 8 at the age of 66, The New York Times reported. Smith penned the novels that inspired CW’s supernatural hit of the same name.
Smith’s partner, Julia Divola, and her sister, Judy Clifford, confirmed that the author died in a hospital after dealing with the effects of a rare autoimmune disease for a decade. She lived in Danville, California.
“Lisa was a kind and gentle soul, whose brilliance, creativity, resilience and empathy, illuminated the lives of her family, friends and fans alike,” a statement on her website read. “She will be remembered for her imaginative spirit, her pioneering role in supernatural fiction, and her generosity, warmth and heart, both on and off the page.”
Her obituary ended with a quote from her novel, The Forbidden Game: “Nothing really dies as long as it’s not forgotten.”
The author published the first book The Vampire Diaries series in 1991. She wrote the first seven books of the supernatural romance series before a ghostwriter replaced her. She also wrote The Secret Circle book series, which was also adapted in a short-lived CW show.
“I adore them and thank them so much for their support, especially during the travails of The Secret Circle and The Vampire Diaries series being taken from me,” the author said about her fans in an interview with Salt Lake Magazine in 2012. “I really appreciate the support of the fans, because that’s my goal, to get through to them and it seems that if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be writing and wouldn’t have anyone to write for.”
The Vampire Diaries premiered on CW in 2009 and became a global phenomenon. The show, developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, starred Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, and Ian Somerhalder as the core love triangle characters of Elena, Stefan, and Damon. Candice Accola, Kat Graham, Zach Roerig also starred as Caroline, Bonnie, and Matt. The series ran for eight seasons before ending in 2017.
Smith is survived by Divola, Clifford, and Clifford’s children, Lauren Clifford and Brian Clifford, Brian’s wife, Taylor Acampora, and Lauren’s son, Wyatt Nicholson.
