Vampire Diaries Author LJ Smith Dies at 66

L.J. Smith, author of The Vampire Diaries novels that would create a successful TV franchise, has died at the age of 66. Smith’s partner Julie Divola and her sister Judy Clifford stated to The New York Times that Smith passed away on March 8th in the hospital after dealing with the effects of a rare autoimmune disease for a decade. The official L.J. Smith website also issued a statement, which you can read below. Our thoughts are with Smith’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

The official website’s statement reads, “Lisa was a kind and gentle soul, whose brilliance, creativity, resilience and empathy, illuminated the lives of her family, friends and fans alike. 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.”

Over the course of her career, Smith wrote more than 29 books and crafted a number of successful series, including Vampire Diaries and Night World. Smith also wrote several trilogies, including The Secret Circle, The Forbidden Game, and Dark Visions, as well as projects like Wildworld, The Night of the Solstice, and Heart of Valor.

There was always a special relationship with Vampire Diaries though, as the series would become a hit TV series by the same name. The show would run for 8 seasons on The CW, beginning in 2012 and ending its successful run in 2017. Bringing key roles to life would be Nina Dobrev (Elena Gilbert), Paul Wesley (Stefan Salvatore), and Ian Somerhalder (Damon Salvatore), and the series has continued to be a fan favorite in the years since its conclusion.

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Smith first launched the storyline in 1991, publishing four books and then returning for a new trilogy of books in 2009. Even after being dropped by her publishers who owned the rights to the series, Smith would find a way to get the characters back, as later she would publish fan fiction and continue to create new storylines for her characters.

Our thoughts are with Smith’s family and friends, and we wish them all the best during this difficult time.

H/T Deadline