Verification: a0d6e82a7952e405

LFHCK a.k.a LiFeHaCK

LJ Smith, Author of ‘The Vampire Diaries,’ Passes Away at 66

Published by

TEDDIE

on

Lisa Jane “LJ” Smith, the author of the popular young adult series “The Vampire Diaries,” which unexpectedly gained widespread success within its genre, passed away at the age of 66 following a prolonged illness.

Smith, who hails from Florida, released her first books in the late 1980s with minimal recognition. Nevertheless, in 1990, she received an assignment from a publishing house to author a young adult series which later turned into “The Vampire Diaries.”

She published the initial four books in the series, however, the publishers originally kept the copyrights to her work and subsequently hired a ghostwriter for multiple following books, continuing to use her name on the book covers accompanied by the phrase “created by.”

In 2009-11, Smith came back to write an additional trilogy for the series; however, her ongoing contract disagreements with publisher Alloy persisted, leading to her dismissal and the appointment of a ghostwriter in her place.

She kept writing independently for the series through fan fiction and maintained a dedicated following, with some fans choosing to boycott later official books penned by different writers. In 2011, she referred to being let go from her own creations as an extremely distressing experience.

“You really don’t want to hear me talk about what I’m feeling inside,” she said to Bookalicious. “It’s terrible—like something has shattered me, torn me apart. It’s worse than it’s ever been before; imagine being attacked alone in a staircase by someone with a weapon and then getting condemned for it by the highest court.”

Despite the challenging dynamics between Smith and the book’s publisher and copyright holder, “The Vampire Diaries” evolved into a multifaceted franchise, primarily driven by a hugely popular television adaptation broadcasted on the US network The CW. This led to additional spin-off series, more ghost-written novels, as well as a video game.

An announcement about Smith’s passing characterized her as “a warm and tender spirit, whose intelligence, inventiveness, toughness, and compassion brightened the existence of her loved ones, companions, and admirers.”

She will be recalled for her inventive spirit, her trailblazing contributions to supernatural literature, and her kindness, warmth, and genuine nature, whether within her writings or in person.

Discover more from LFHCK a.k.a LiFeHaCK

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

Previous Post
Next Post

Recent posts

Quote of the week

"People ask me what I do in the winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."

~ Rogers Hornsby

LFHCK a.k.a LiFeHaCK

About

Lifehack Your Life is a simple content personal blogger from everywhere.

Topics

Made with 🩷 in Yogyakarta Indonesia

Share This

Share This

Share this post with your friends!

Discover more from LFHCK a.k.a LiFeHaCK

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading