VAMPIRE DIARIES :"T.V. SERIES"

The Vampire Diaries is a young adult vampire horror series of novels written by L.J. Smith. The story centers around Elena Gilbert, a high school girl torn between two vampires brothers. The series was originally a trilogy published in 1991, but pressure from readers led Smith to write a fourth volume, Dark Reunion, which was released the following year. After taking a hiatus from writing for several years. L.J. Smith announced in 1998 a new spin-ff trilogy entitled The Vampire Diaries: The Return, continuing the series, with Damon as the main protagonist. The first installment, The Return: Nightfall, was released on February 10, 2009. The Return: Shadow Souls was released on May 16, 2010. The final book of the series called The Return: Midnight will be released on March 15, 2011. L.J. Smith has recently signed a contract to write another Vampire Diaries trilogy. The first book in L.J. smith is to be called Phantom, and is expected to be released in the summer of 2011. The second in the new trilogy is entitled Moonsong, and the third Eternity. Smith has stated the new books will focus on Elena and her friends in college.

The Vampire Diaries has been adapted into a television series which premiered on September 10, 2009, on The CW.
The Awakening: Elena Gilbert is the most beautiful and popular girl in all of Robert E. Lee High School. She is driven by a desire to the best of everything, and takes an interest in a handsome new student named Stefan Salvatore, who repeatedly avoids her.

Stefan eventually rescues Elena from Tyler Smallwood on the night of the Homecoming Dance. Afterward, the two gradually bond, leading him to reciprocate her affections. As the pair fall in love, their town on Fell's Church is being terrorised by inexplicable, horrifying "animal attacks", with Stefan becoming a suspect.

When Elena tries to confront Stefan, she discovers his terrible secret. Stefan is a vampire, born in the Italian Renaissance during the late 15th century. But Stefan isn't the one who has been committing the murders; the perpetrator is Stefan's malevolent, diabolical brother, Damon Salvatore, who lives to wreak havoc and distribute misery on Stefan's life. The two brothers were turned into vampires by the coquettish German Lady Katherine von Swarthzchild, whom both brothers fell in love with. Katherine was sent to stay with Stefan and Damon's family to recover from an "illness". When Stefan an Damon had an argument over Katherine and asked her to choose between them, she refused to do so and she got upset and ran off. The next morning, her dress was found with a pile of ashes and her ring under a tree. The two brothers had a fight to the death, in which they both killed each other. They wake up days later inside their tomb. The reason why Stefan initially avoided Elena was because Elena is a doppleganger of Katherine and brought back memories of his life with his former vampire girlfriend. For this same reason, Damon also chooses to pursue Elena, following her around in the magical disguise of a crow and he invades her dreams. Despite the duress, Elena rejects Damon's advances and remains stoically loyal to Stefan.

Elena's rejection angers Damon. In a fit of rage, he provokes Stefan to fight.

In the aftermath, Stefan disappears. The townspeople of Fell's Church believe Stefan's disappearance cements the truth that Stefan is behind the attacks. However, Elena's sure she doesn't know what had really happened. She thinks that Damon is responsible for Stefan's disappearance, and she knows that Stefan is in grave danger.

THE STRUGGLE: Picking up where The Awakening left off, Elena confronts Damon about Stefan's disappearance. But when Elena stands firm on her rejection of Damon's romantic advances, Damon refuses to help her find Stefan. Elena must turn to her best friends, Bonnie McCullough and Meredith Sulez. Bonnie, who is believed to have psychic powers, uses magic to track down Stefan. The girls discover Stefan trapped in the bottom of a well, closed to death. After Stefan's rescue, Elena offers him her blood to recover.

Because of the belief that the perpetrated the horrific "animal" attacks, Stefan still faces hostility in the town. And as the town's monumental anniversary, "Founder's Day" approaches, Elena reaches her breaking point.

Elena's adversary, Caroline Forbes, has stolen Elena's diary. Elena confesses all her secrets to her diary, and its contents can be read as evidence that Stefan is a violent criminal. Worried about Stefan's mental and physical well-being, Elena enlists the help of her friends to retrieve the diary. Bonnie, Meredith and Elena try to break into Caroline's house to find the diary but there is no success. In a mad attempt to escape she discovers Damon lurking in the shadows of the Forbes house. Damon offers to help Elena's cause if Elena gives him blood in return. Elena refuses.

Damon gives her a terrifying ultimatum. She must choose between Damon feeding off her (Elena) of her baby sister, Margaret. Elena decides to sacrifice herself. Damon mind compels Elena into a blood exchange.

Soon after, Elena tells Stefan about the diary. Stefan tells Elena that even if Caroline reveals the contents of Elena's diary to the whole town, because of his love for Elena, Stefan will stay. On Founder's Day, Elena and her friends try their best to steal Elena's diary, but their attempts are futile. However, when Caroline tries to read the diary, it is discovered that the diaries haven been switched by Damon.

Damon smugly accepts Elena's thanks, but his satisfaction quickly turns to anger when he hears about Elena's engagement to Stefan. Not only does Elena endure dissatisfaction from Damon but she also endures dissatisfaction from her Aunt Judith. Frustrated by their reactions, Elena storms off.

Elena angrily drives to Stefan's residence. But when she finally gets there, Stefan isn't home, and there is something malevolent about the weather. It is vicious and brutal, and it wants Elena dead.... She feels there is something lurking in the dark. She jumps into the car and tries to cross running water, as she thinks this will keep her safe. The Bridge then breaks and she drives into the water. She then drowns in the car, dies, a become a vampire.