L.J. Smith dead: ‘Vampire Diaries’ book series author was 66

Author L.J. Smith, who created the “Vampire Diaries” book series that inspired the CW drama of the same name and contributed to pop culture’s obsession with vampires, has died.

Smith died March 8 in a hospital in Walnut Creek, Calif., The Times confirmed. A statement shared to Smith’s website says she died “peacefully” after “a long bout with illness.” The author’s partner Julie Divola and sister Judy Clifford confirmed to the New York Times on Wednesday that Smith, a Danville, Calif., resident, died “after enduring the cascading effects of a rare autoimmune disease for a decade.” She was 66.

“Lisa was a kind and gentle soul, whose brilliance, creativity, resilience and empathy, illuminated the lives of her family, friends and fans alike,” the announcement on Smith’s website said. “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.

Smith, who was born in Florida in September 1958,, wrote several young-adult book series including “Night World” and “The Secret Circle” but was best known for creating the “Vampire Diaries” novels. Smith’s inaugural entries for the fantasy series famously laid the groundwork for the CW adaptation of the same name by producers Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson.

The CW’s “Vampire Diaries,” riding off of pop culture’s vampire obsession reignited by Stephenie Meyer‘s “Twilight” series and film adaptations, aired from 2009 to 2017. “Vampire Diaries” starred Nina Dobrev as teenager Elena Gilbert, who finds herself in a love triangle between vampire brothers Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) while navigating the less-mythical throes of high school and moving on from her past.

Smith grew up in Southern California and began writing as a child. She published her debut fantasy novel, “The Night of the Solstice,” in 1987, according to her website, and caught the attention of an editor at Alloy Entertainment. Alloy signed Smith to begin its “Vampire Diaries” book series, according to NYT. She published the first four “Vampire Diaries” books from 1991 to 1992. Alloy hired Smith on a work-for-hire contract — meaning she did not own the rights to her characters — but she did not realize it at the time, the Wall Street Journal reported in 2014.

Years after entering the literary scene, Smith took a hiatus from writing to deal with family matters, including her mother’s death. She reentered the world of “Vampire Diaries” in 2007 amid the success of Meyer’s vampire franchise. She struck another deal with Alloy to pen more “Vampire Diaries” books, published in 2009 and 2010. Shortly after, Smith parted ways with HarperCollins (which bought the “Vampire Diaries” book series) and Alloy, reportedly over creative differences.

Despite this, Alloy hired a ghostwriter to write new novels and complete the “Vampire Diaries” series. “I didn’t realize that they could take the series away from me,” Smith told the WSJ in 2014. “I was heartbroken.”

Though Smith turned her focus to other work after the fallout with Alloy and HarperCollins, she ultimately picked up “Vampire Diaries” where she left off — writing the story her way through fan fiction. In Amazon’s now-defunct Kindle Worlds fan-fiction publishing platform, Smith reclaimed her beloved characters in informal “Vampire Diaries” entries.

Smith’s writing portfolio also included short stories that she published on her website. She most recently finished the latest books in her “Night World” and “Strange Fate” series and the adult book “Lullaby,” according to her website. In an entry in her FAQ, Smith says “I didn’t choose or decide” to become a writer.

“I have been a storyteller since before I learned how to read or write,” she said. “I knew from my earliest childhood — the first things I remember— that I would only be happy as a storyteller.”

Smith is also survived by her sister Judy Clifford; her niece Lauren Clifford and Lauren’s son Wyatt; and her nephew Brian Clifford and his wife, Taylor Acampora.