L. J. Smith

Lisa Jane Smith is the NY Times Bestselling author of the Vampire Diaries and Night World series. Recently her work Dark Visions debuted as Number 1 on the list. She has written over two dozen books for children and young adults, and has enjoyed writing every one of them. She lives in the Bay Area of California, but is happiest in a little cabin near Point Reyes National Park, which has lots of trees, lots of animals, lots of beaches to walk on, and lots of places to hike. She once, while hiking with a friend, saw a snow-white buck which allowed her to follow it nearly half a mile. She also likes to collect things: tiny boxes from different countries or of fanciful shape, 1800s (and earlier) children's literature, and books about quantum physics--especially about the mystery of the dark energy in the universe. She is a militant optimist, part of the velociraptor sisterhood (a fancy way of saying that she likes to read, write and discuss books with strong female characters), and has traveled extensively in Europe and the Far East.