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L.J. Smith, whose ‘Vampire Diaries’ books inspired CW series, dies at 66

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The writer known as L.J. Smith, famous for her “Vampire Diaries” novel series which spawned the TV show of the same title and fueled a widespread fascination with vampires in popular culture, has sadly passed away.

I’m sad to share that I lost my life on March 8 at a hospital in Walnut Creek, California. This news has been confirmed by The Times. According to a statement on my website, I passed away peacefully after a lengthy struggle with an illness. My partner, Julie Divola, and my sister, Judy Clifford, have both confirmed to the New York Times that I, a resident of Danville, California, succumbed to the complications of a rare autoimmune disease after battling it for a decade. I was 66 years old.

On their website, it was shared that Lisa was a warm-hearted and tender individual whose intelligence, ingenuity, strength, and compassion left an indelible impact on her loved ones, admirers, and acquaintances. She will be fondly remembered for her creative spirit, trailblazing contributions to the supernatural genre, and her kindness, warmth, and caring nature, both within her stories and in real life.

Entertainment & Arts

It’s been reported that Cindyana Santangelo, a generous benefactor, screen actor, and popular figure in music videos who has worked on productions like ‘CSI: Miami’ and ‘Married… With Children’, was discovered deceased in the coastal town of Malibu.

Born in Florida in September 1958, Smith is an author who penned several young-adult book series such as “Night World” and “The Secret Circle”, but it was the “Vampire Diaries” novels that truly made him famous. The initial volumes of this fantasy series served as a foundation for the TV adaptation of the same name, produced by Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson.

From 2009 to 2017, The CW’s show “Vampire Diaries” aired, capitalizing on the renewed interest in vampires sparked by Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” novels and movies. In this series, Nina Dobrev played Elena Gilbert, a teenager who became entangled in a love triangle with the vampire brothers Damon Salvatore (played by Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan Salvatore (portrayed by Paul Wesley). As she struggled with the complexities of high school life and confronted her past, she also dealt with this less-than-ordinary romantic situation.

Born and raised in Southern California, Smith took up writing from an early age. Her first published fantasy novel, “The Night of the Solstice,” hit the shelves in 1987, as per her personal website. This work attracted an editor from Alloy Entertainment who then commissioned Smith to start working on the “Vampire Diaries” book series, as reported by The New York Times. Between 1991 and 1992, she published the first four books in this popular series. However, unbeknownst to her at the time, Alloy had signed Smith under a work-for-hire contract, which meant they owned the rights to her characters, as revealed by The Wall Street Journal in 2014.

After making a debut in literature, Smith temporarily stepped away from writing to handle personal issues such as her mother’s passing. In 2007, she returned to the “Vampire Diaries” sphere, capitalizing on the popularity of Meyer’s vampire series. She then signed another contract with Alloy Entertainment to write additional “Vampire Diaries” books, which were released in 2009 and 2010. However, she eventually separated from HarperCollins (the publisher of the “Vampire Diaries” book series) and Alloy Entertainment, allegedly due to creative disagreements.

Obituaries

Reportedly, Dennis McDougal, an ex-reporter for the Los Angeles Times and acclaimed writer of more than a dozen books, such as the biography of Otis Chandler, has sadly passed away following a road accident.

Even though he was surprised by it, Alloy enlisted a professional writer to pen new novels and finish off the “Vampire Diaries” series. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal back in 2014, Smith expressed his feelings, saying, “I hadn’t realized they would take the series away from me. I was genuinely saddened.

Despite a shift to different projects following the disagreement with Alloy and HarperCollins, Smith eventually resumed work on “Vampire Diaries” by continuing the story using fan fiction. On Amazon’s former Kindle Worlds platform for fan-created stories, Smith reclaimed her cherished characters through informal “Vampire Diaries” installments.

Smith’s collection of writing additionally features short stories she has published on her own site. Her latest works include the final books from her “Night World” and “Strange Fate” series, as well as an adult novel titled “Lullaby,” as per her website. In a post in her FAQ section, Smith shares that writing was not a conscious choice or decision on her part.

Besides her collection of writings, Smith has also published short stories on her personal site. According to the information on her website, she recently completed the latest books in her “Night World” and “Strange Fate” series as well as an adult book titled “Lullaby.” In a Q&A section on her website, Smith mentions that becoming a writer was not something she actively decided or chose.

She shared, “I’ve always been a storyteller, even before I could read or write. It was clear to me since my early years, the memories I hold dearest, that I would find joy and fulfillment in weaving tales.

Apart from her, Smith is additionally preceded in life by her sibling, Judy Clifford; her niece, Lauren Clifford, along with her grandnephew, Wyatt; and her nephew, Brian Clifford, together with his spouse, Taylor Acampora.

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2025-03-28 00:01

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