(WKBN) – Bestselling author L.J. Smith, best known for the book series “The Vampire Diaries,” which also became a TV hit, has died at 66.

Lisa Jane Smith, known professionally as L.J. Smith, was an American author of young adult literature, with popular works that also include the “Night World” series, “The Secret Circle” and The New York Times’ bestselling work “Dark Visions.”

Smith died “peacefully” in a hospital on March 8 after a long illness, according to her website.

“Lisa was a kind and gentle soul, whose brilliance, creativity, resilience and empathy, illuminated the lives of her family, friends and fans alike,” read a statement on her website. “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.”

She was born in 1958 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Glenn and Kathryn Smith and grew up in Southern California.

Smith had penned more than 29 books throughout her career.