In the Night World series, the dark/light conflict is institutionalized into a reality-altering conspiracy. Sometimes this scenario is flipped, or otherwise, it is a variation upon the theme. There is usually a dark/light, good/evil conflict, revolving around a central, ambiguous character who, while trying to seduce the heroine to the darkness, ends up being himself reborn into the light and thus becoming a hero. Her books are characteristically populated with unusually beautiful people, human and supernatural most of them young, or at least appear youthful. Smith has written three trilogies, two series and two companion novels. She chose the setting of The Vampire Diaries in Virginia because she has family that resides there and was inspired by the small towns and lifestyles. The character Meredith Sulez, of The Vampire Diaries series, is inspired by her niece of the same name. Smith began her career as an elementary school teacher, but left after 3 years to pursue writing. At the University of San Francisco she obtained a Masters Degree in Education and Regular and Special Education.

She attended Mills College for one year, then the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she graduated with degrees in English and Physiological Psychology. Before going to college, she moved to Goring-on-Thames, United Kingdom.

She was raised in Anaheim, California, where she attended Juliette Low Elementary School and Serrano Elementary, followed by Cerro Villa Junior High School and Villa Park High School.

Smith is secretive about her age, but multiple sources list her birthdate as Septemin Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The vampire diaries nightfall