L.J Smith revived

I didn't know she was still writing! How cool is that?!?!?!

I waited for years for her to continue her Night World series, which never got finished. For anyone who loves vampire/paranormal YA--you simply have to pick up this author. I wonder if they'll reprint all the Night World, Secret Circle, Dark Visions & Dangerous Game series too.

Thanks for the update!

The Night World series sparked my interest in urban fantasy and the idea of soulmates. I still have them on my bookshelf. I'm so glad the author is writing again!

Vampire Diaries is amazing. I only just read them, but it beats Twilight imo. The second book was hot!

I loved L.J. Smith growing up--I still reread The Forbidden Game and the Secret Circle books. I live in hope that the last Night World book will be published, but I'll believe it when it's in my hands.

I've been able to spark interest in the Vampire Diaries books from recommending them to my teen customers: they come in wanting something with vampires and romance after reading the Twilight books, and that's what I shove into their hands.

Ooooh, I will have to reread these again too, so I can read the last one. I loved her books as a teen

I am so glad Night World, Secret Circle and Vampire Diaries is being reprinted, and that after ten years Strange Fate is finally coming out! Now all they need to do is reprint The Forbidden Game and my life will be complete.

The pilot of Vampire Diaries has been bought by CBS or whichever company. I'm assuming it's L.J. Smith's series. Either way - I'm looking forward to it.

Chanelley said:

The pilot of Vampire Diaries has been bought by CBS or whichever company. I'm assuming it's L.J. Smith's series. Either way - I'm looking forward to it.

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I'd prefer something from Night World or The Forbidden Game, but Vampire Diaries is good.

It has officially been announced now. They definitely need some hot guys to play Stefan and Damon. I wonder how much they'll change?
I haven't read either Night World or Forbidden Game, but I did read the first book in The Secret Circle which I picked up randomly in the library. Loved it. What are those two about?

Reports that L.J. Smith has been fired from writing The Vampire Diaries

It's been reported that Alloy Entertainment want the Damon/Elena storyline cut from the well known series. LJ Smith originally wrote the series as work for hire and has now been fired. A ghost writer will take over.

http://damon-elena.tumblr.com/post/3137499168/lj-smith-email-to-me-regarding-being-fired-se-endgame

Yet another reason to have an agent looking after your interests as a writer. SHE might not have known the difference between a publishing deal and one with a book packager, but an agent would have.

This sucks, and no pun intended. My condolences to LJS and her fans.

The person paying calls the shots. No different than working for any other company. Its not like they cheated her, she still got paid...

The only silver lining I can see to this is the lesson in just one of the pitfall of publishing to young readers and potential authors who will hear about this.

thothguard51 said:

The person paying calls the shots. No different than working for any other company. Its not like they cheated her, she still got paid...

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Except that if she had been writing the books for Harper directly, she would have been able to have more freedom and the characters and books would have belonged to her. Technically, yes, working for a book packager is like that and so one could argue that she shouldn't complain, but it must be devastating to work so hard on something and then be told not only that your books will no longer be published, but that other people are going to take over the series and write it THEIR way. I know people say that ignorance isn't an excuse, but I can easily see how I might have gotten involved in something out of sheer naivete, and I think most people are capable of being screwed in the same manner.

This sucks. Royally. I feel terrible for her and that she was treated so poorly. At least she has other series she can continue to work on, but still. Like someone else said, at least it will hopefully stand as a lesson to other young writers out there.

kaitie said:

I feel terrible for her and that she was treated so poorly. At least she has other series she can continue to work on, but still. Like someone else said, at least it will hopefully stand as a lesson to other young writers out there.

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There are always two sides to a story...

We do not know if HC or the book packager tried to work with her and she just refused to script the book the way they wanted.

What we do know is that she has been writing this series since the 1990's and getting paid. Apparently she had no problem cashing the checks.

wow that's interesting.

I do have to agree with Thoth here, her fans have been waiting for the culmination of the nightworld series since the 90's, with promises of release for about as long.

It aint going to happen. I say she's ridden that gravy train as long and as hard as she can, and is in all likelihood completely bored by now.

Still. A good cautionary tale, I wouldn't want my characters taken over by anyone else.