Latest news with #TheForbiddenGame
Khaleej Times
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
'Vampire Diaries' author LJ Smith passes away at 66
Author LJ Smith, whose bestselling novel series Vampire Diaries, were adapted for a hit TV show of the same name, passed away at the age of 66, reported Deadline. Referring to a New York Times report, Deadline said the bestselling author died on March 8 in Walnut Creek, Calif, after suffering the effects of a rare autoimmune disease for a decade. A statement on the author's website said she died "peacefully" after a "long bout" of illness. It also described the author as a person with a "kind and gentle" soul whose brilliance, creativity and resilience helped improve the lives of her family, friends and fans. It said, "Lisa was a kind and gentle soul whose brilliance, creativity, resilience and empathy illuminated the lives of her family, friends and fans alike. 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." Smith published the original four-book series, about two vampire brothers and an orphaned young woman, in 1991 and 1992, before they were turned into a hit TV show that debuted in 2009. She wrote another trilogy in 2009-11. The TV show Vampire Diaries starred Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder in the lead roles. Smith also wrote a series of Night World novels that featured vampire stories. Nine books in this series were published between 1996 and 1998. Dark Visions and The Forbidden Game were the other trilogies that the author wrote, reported Deadline. Her trilogy The Secret Circle was published in 1992 and adapted into a TV drama in 2011. According to the author's website, the author is survived by her long-time friend Julie Divola; her younger sister, Judy Clifford; Judy's children, Lauren Clifford and Brian Clifford; Brian's wife, Taylor Acampora; and Lauren's son, Wyatt Nicholson.
The Independent
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Lisa Jane Smith, author of Vampire Diaries, dies aged 66 after ‘long bout' of illness
The author of the hit supernatural series The Vampire Diaries has died aged 66. American writer Lisa Jane Smith created the stories of the warring vampire brothers which were turned into a popular show of the same name starring Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, and Paul Wesley. She was known professionally as LJ Smith. A statement on her website said she died 'peacefully' on March 8 after a 'long bout' of illness. It added: 'Lisa was a kind and gentle soul whose brilliance, creativity, resilience and empathy illuminated the lives of her family, friends and fans alike. '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.' Born on September 4, 1958 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, she grew up in the Southern California town of Villa Park. Smith, from Danville, California, authored other series including Night World books, The Forbidden Game trilogies, and the Wildworld series. Her first novel, The Night Of The Solstice, was published in 1987, before the then teacher was asked to write The Vampire Diaries volumes by a book packager. She wrote further books in the series from the 1990s to the 2010s, before her contract was ended and ghostwriter Aubrey Clark took over. Smith told Salt Lake Magazine in 2012 that she gave up her rights on the series, 'including the right to continue writing', under the contract she had with the company. She said the company told her that her 'services were no longer required' because 'they wanted shorter books that were promoting the television series'. Smith later put out fan fiction about the novels through Amazon's Kindle books. The Vampire Diaries ended in 2017, after eight seasons which mainly saw Stefan (Wesley) and Damon (Somerhalder) Salvatore compete for the love of the human Elena Gilbert (Dobrev). It spawned spin-off shows The Originals, and Legacies, which aired in the US on The CW network. The statement on Smith's website also said: 'She is survived by her devoted long-time friend, Julie Divola, her beloved younger sister, Judy Clifford, Judy's children, Lauren Clifford and Brian Clifford, Brian's wife, Taylor Acampora, and Lauren's son, Wyatt Nicholson.'
