L. J. Smith (author)
| L. J. Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lisa Jane Smith September 4 Orange County, California, United States |
| Pen name | L. J. Smith |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
| Education |
University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A. 1987) San Francisco State University |
| Period | 1987–present |
| Genres | Young adult, horror, science fiction, fantasy, romance |
| Notable works |
The Vampire Diaries The Secret Circle Night World |
| Website | |
| www |
|
Lisa Jane Smith, known professionally as L. J. Smith, is an American author of young adult fiction best known for her best-selling series The Vampire Diaries, which has been turned into a successful television show. Her books, particularly The Vampire Diaries and Night World, have been in the New York Times Bestselling and have been nominated for several awards.
Smith was born in Orange County, California. Her reported date of birth varies, with sources noting as early as 1958 or 1959 or as late as 1965. As a child, she grew up in Villa Park, California and attended Villa Park High School. It was here that her high school English teacher, Zoe Gibbs, gave Smith the confidence to write.
Smith studied experimental psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She later attended San Francisco State University to obtain teaching credentials.
Smith began her career as an elementary school teacher, but left in 1989 after three years to pursue writing.
Smith has said that she realized she wanted to be a writer sometime between kindergarten and first grade, "when a teacher praised a horrible poem I'd written", and she began writing in earnest in elementary school.
Her first book, The Night of the Solstice, written during high school and college, was published by MacMillan in 1987, followed by Heart of Valor in 1990. They sold poorly, as they were labeled for 9 to 11-year-olds and not for young adults, as Smith wanted.
The Vampire Diaries series was commissioned by Elise Donner, editor of Alloy Entertainment in 1990: Smith immediately wrote the scene when Elena, Bonnie and Meredith are decorating the gym and the heroine meets Damon (scene later included in the first novel), while, as for the other characters, she adapted those of The Garden of Earthly Delights, an adult book she was writing. She chose the setting of The Vampire Diaries in Virginia because she has family there and was inspired by the small towns and lifestyles.
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