Author L.J. Smith, who created the 'Vampire Diaries' otherwordly book series that inspired the CW drama of the same name, died this month. She was 66.

L.J. Smith, the writer of "The Vampire Diaries" books that were adapted into a television series on The CW, died March 8 at the age of 66.

L.J. Smith, the author of The Vampire Diaries novels, died at 66 on March 8 in Walnut Creek, California. Her partner, Julie Divola, confirmed her passing to The New York Times, stating that Smith died in a hospital after dealing with long-term symptoms of a rare autoimmune disease for over a decade.