L.J. Smith, Vampire Diaries Author, Dies at 66—What She Left Behind Will Shock You

Fans are mourning the loss of a legendary author.

L.J. Smith, the author of The Vampire Diaries series, passed away on March 8 following a prolonged struggle against a rare autoimmune condition. This information was confirmed by her partner Julie Divola and her sister Judy Clifford to The New York Times. At the time of her death, she was 66 years old.

Lisa was a compassionate and soft-hearted individual whose intelligence, innovation, strength, and empathy shone brightly in the lives of her family, acquaintances, and followers. She will be cherished for her creative mind, her groundbreaking work in the supernatural genre, and her giving nature, kindness, and warmth, both within her stories and beyond them.

Born and raised in sunny Southern California, L.J., originally known as Lisa Jane Smith, nurtured a childhood ambition to be a writer following the positive feedback she received from a teacher on a less-than-perfect poem she had composed.

Later on during high school, she started writing her debut fantasy novel titled “The Night of the Solstice,” which was intended for readers aged 8 to 12. As she continued to write, drawing from her rich imagination, she soon developed a dedicated fanbase when her vampire-themed series was transformed into a successful TV show in 2009, featuring stars like Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev, and Paul Wesley, among others.

Apart from her famous book series, this New York Times bestselling author wrote over 29 books that were widely acclaimed for their exploration of the supernatural, horror, science fiction/fantasy, and romance genres. Among these works are the Night World series, The Secret Circle, Dark Visions, and The Forbidden Game trilogies.

Despite battling persistent effects from her illness, her representative, John Silbersack, emphasized that her dedication to storytelling remained strong till the last moment. In fact, he mentioned that she finished three unpublished pieces prior to her passing.

John shared that she had been severely unwell,” he said to the media, “yet amidst all the obstacles and agony, she showed an indomitable commitment to her writing. Her goal was to make it flawless, even striving for perfection.

Besides Julie and Judy, the author also leaves behind her children, Lauren Clifford and Brian Clifford, in addition to a niece, a nephew, and a grandnephew.

2025-03-27 16:18

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