L.J. Smith, the author who created the Vampire Diaries novels has died. She was 66.
Her partner, Julie Divola and her sister, Judy Clifford, told The New York Times that Smith passed away in hospital after battling the symptoms of a rare autoimmune disease for a decade.
Her death has also been confirmed on her website.
READ MORE: Subtle Liam Payne tribute spotted on girlfriend’s finger
“Gone, but not forgotten. Lisa Jane Smith of Danville, California passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 8, 2025, after a long bout with illness,” a statement on the website read.
Born to parents Kathryn J. Smith and Glenn C. Smith in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Smith was raised in the small town on Villa Park in Southern California.
She went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1987, followed by her teaching credentials from San Francisco State University, according to her website.
She pursued a career as a kindergarten and special education teacher for several years before becoming a full-time author but her love for writing came long before that.
READ MORE: Ben breaks silence on ’embarrassing’ J.Lo divorce
Smith said she realised she wanted to be a writer between kindergarten and first grade after a “teacher praised a horrible poem [she’d] written”.
She went on to make that happen.
Smith authored more than two dozen novels throughout her lifetime which she published under her pen name L. J. Smith and became a New York Times bestselling author of young-adult fiction.
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
Remembering the stars we’ve lost in 2025
Of all her books, Smith is best known for the 13 books she penned in the Vampire Diaries series. The novel series went on to be adapted into a widely successful TV series The Vampire Diaries.
The TV series, which starred Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, went on to become one of the biggest vampire TV series of the late 2000s and early 2010s alongside the likes of Buffy and True Blood.
Alongside the Vampire Diaries series, Smith is also well known for her Night World series. She also penned three trilogies; The Secret Circle, Dark Visions and The Forbidden Game as well as the Wildworld books, The Night of the Solstice and Heart of Valor.
READ MORE: Billy Ray Cyrus pens emotional public message to daughters
“Her novels not only entertained but also offered solace and inspiration, making her a cherished companion to readers around the world,” the statement on her website read.
“Lisa was a kind and gentle soul, whose brilliance, creativity, resilience and empathy, illuminated the lives of her family, friends and fans alike,” the statement later read.
“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.”
She is survived by Divola and other family members.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
