Lisa Jane Smith, the acclaimed author behind The Vampire Diaries, has passed away at the age of 66.
Best known for her best-selling supernatural novels, Smith’s work became a cornerstone of the vampire fiction craze that swept through the late 2000s.
Her original Vampire Diaries series, which debuted in 1991 and 1992, introduced readers to a gripping love triangle between two vampire brothers and an orphaned young woman. The books found new life in 2009 when they were adapted into a television series, which went on to become a massive hit among teen audiences.
Despite her immense influence on the franchise, Smith’s relationship with the series took an unexpected turn when she was removed from her own books and replaced by ghostwriters.
Smith’s Vampire Diaries series originally consisted of four books, but nearly two decades later, she returned with a new trilogy between 2009 and 2011.
However, her creative control over the series was short-lived. In a controversial decision, the book packager who had originally hired her to write the series retained the rights to the franchise and removed her from the project.
As a result, Smith was unable to continue writing the official sequels and saw her unpublished eighth installment handed over to a ghostwriter. Following this, additional books in the series were released under the pen name Aubrey Clark, though Smith’s name remained prominently featured on the covers as the series’ creator.
For Smith, the experience of being ousted from her own creation was deeply painful. She described feeling “trashed” and “mutilated” by the decision, as she watched the series she had built continue without her creative input.
However, rather than stepping away entirely, she turned to an alternative method to reclaim her work. When The Vampire Diaries was later included in an Amazon Kindle program allowing for officially sanctioned fan fiction, Smith seized the opportunity to continue her own vision of the story.
Through this platform, she released a new unofficial Vampire Diaries trilogy, giving fans a version of the story that stayed true to her original vision.
While The Vampire Diaries remains Smith’s most famous work, she was also the author of several other successful supernatural series. Her Night World books, which blended elements of vampire lore with witches, werewolves, and shapeshifters, were published between 1996 and 1998.
However, after completing nine books in the series, Smith took an extended hiatus from writing. She later revealed that writer’s block, compounded by the stress of two family members battling cancer, contributed to her decade-long break.
Despite these challenges, she remained a beloved figure in supernatural fiction, returning to her stories when she could.
Smith’s influence extended beyond The Vampire Diaries. In 1992, she published The Secret Circle trilogy, a tale of teenage witches that was later adapted into a TV show in 2011. She also authored Dark Visions and The Forbidden Game, both of which delved into themes of magic, destiny, and the supernatural.
Although not all of her works received the same level of mainstream recognition as The Vampire Diaries, they developed dedicated fan followings and cemented Smith’s reputation as a pioneer in the paranormal fiction genre.
The television adaptation of The Vampire Diaries became a cultural phenomenon, running for eight seasons and winning 30 Teen Choice Awards. The show starred Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert, alongside Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder as the brooding vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore.
Described by The Guardian as a “deliciously pulpy supernatural soap opera,” the show thrived during a period when vampire stories dominated popular culture, alongside franchises like Twilight, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and True Blood.
Even though Smith was no longer involved with the franchise by the time the show gained widespread popularity, her original storytelling laid the foundation for its success.
Following her passing, a statement on Smith’s website honored her legacy, describing her as a “kind and gentle soul” whose creativity and resilience touched the lives of many.
The tribute praised her for her “imaginative spirit, her pioneering role in supernatural fiction, and her generosity, warmth, and heart, both on and off the page.” Though she faced challenges in maintaining ownership of her own work, Smith’s impact on the supernatural fiction genre remains undeniable.
Through her books, she captivated generations of readers, inspiring countless fans and writers to explore the world of the paranormal.
