The Vampire Diaries author L.J. Smith’s family has just confirmed her passing on March 8, 2025. Smith’s vampire book series was adapted into The CW show of the same name in 2009, which starred Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, and Ian Somerhalder in lead roles. The unfortunate news of Smith’s death comes after her long battle with an autoimmune disease.
As reported by Variety, Smith’s partner, Julie Divola, and sister, Judy Clifford, shared that she had passed away in Walnut Creek, California. The young adult author was born in Florida in 1958. After graduating from the University of California, she worked as a special education and kindergarten teacher before publishing her first novel, The Night of the Solstice, in 1987.
Smith then struck a deal with Alloy Entertainment to write what would go on to become her magnum opus, The Vampire Diaries. The series was initially published as a trilogy in 1991. However, its success led to a fourth book, and eventually, an extended series that delved deeper into the supernatural world of Mystic Falls. Her other works include The Secret Circle, which was also adapted into a short-lived CW series, along with the Night World and Dark Vision novels.
L.J. Smith Lost the Rights to ‘The Vampire Diaries’
Image via CW Network/Kobal
Smith initially wrote The Vampire Diaries in the early 1990s. The books gained a lot of popularity, and in 2009, the author wrote another trilogy in the series between 2009 and 2011. However, soon after that, the publisher suddenly dropped her and had a ghostwriter take the series forward. In an interview with Salt Lake Magazine in 2012, Smith shared that since her books were written under a contract with a packager, she never owned the rights.
The author shared her disappointment at the shocking news, especially since her name remained on the book covers, despite her total lack of involvement. Smith recalled feeling “mutilated” by the decision and believed that the story she created was drastically changed in the process. According to her, Alloy Entertainment decided to publish shorter books to promote the TV series, something that Smith was not on board with. Even though she had already written the eighth book in the series and had started working on the ninth, she was told that her “services were not required.” Unfortunately, her The Secret Circle series was also passed to a new author for the same reason.
Despite the setbacks, Smith expressed gratitude for her fans’ unwavering support. The author talked about her decision to reclaim The Vampire Diaries through fan fiction that she published on Amazon’s Kindle Worlds program. Smith eventually moved away from the supernatural genre with her book The Last Lullaby, a release date for which is yet to be announced.
All seasons of The Vampire Diaries are available to stream on Amazon Prime.
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The Vampire Diaries |
|---|---|
| Cast | Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice Accola, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis |
| First Aired | September 10, 2009 |
| Final Episode | March 10, 2017 |
| Stream On | Max, Prime Video, Apple TV (availability may vary) |
| Developed by | Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec |
| Based On | The Vampire Diaries book series by L.J. Smith |
| Plot Summary | A supernatural drama following Elena Gilbert, a teenager torn between two vampire brothers in the mysterious town of Mystic Falls. |
| Musical Elements | Features a mix of indie, rock, and emotional ballads, with an iconic score by Michael Suby. |
| Current Status | Ended after 8 seasons, with spin-offs The Originals and Legacies continuing the story. |
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