I Was Feeling Epic

An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries

By: Samantha Highfill

Narrated by: Louisa Zhu, Ashley J. Hobbs, Katie Allsup, Vas Eli, Barton Caplan, Emily Marso, Dominique Salvacion, Full Cast

From Entertainment Weekly writer and debut author Samantha Highfill, a definitive and deliciously nostalgic look into the creation and legacy of the hit show The Vampire Diaries, as told by its cast, crew, and creators.

In 2009, the CW released a show about grief, love, redemption, and, oh yeah, vampires. A graveyard meet-cute, a bit of fog, and one “Hello, brother” later, a cultural phenomenon was born, one that would last for 171 episodes across eight seasons and deliver two spin-off series.

I Was Feeling Epic takes us back to Mystic Falls for every first kiss, decade dance, and unforgettable death. With brand-new interviews from cast and creatives like Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice King, Joseph Morgan, Michael Trevino, Zach Roerig, Michael Malarkey, Julie Plec, Kevin Williamson, and so many more, I Was Feeling Epic relives the show’s best moments, unearths never-before-told stories, and delves into some of the most widely discussed topics surrounding the series and its legacy, all in the words of the people who know it best.

Transportive, nostalgic, and perfect for old fans and new, I Was Feeling Epic is the in-depth story behind the vampirically immortal hit: The Vampire Diaries.

Critic reviews

“Every day I'm reminded of the power of The Vampire Diaries and the community it built. With I Was Feeling Epic, Samantha has delivered the perfect deep dive into the world we worked so hard to create. If you love this show, you'll love this book.” —Ian Somerhalder (aka Damon Salvatore), actor, The Vampire Diaries

"A wonderfully vivid trip down memory lane. Sam left no stone unturned and spoke to countless members of the TVD Family. Everyone shared all their best stories. A must-read for any fan."
—Julie Plec, Co-Creator, The Vampire Diaries

"Vampire Diaries fans will definitely want to sink their fangs, er, teeth into I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of the Vampire Diaries. The book... features new interviews with the cast, crew, and creators about the CW series and its legacy. It even has series star Ian Somerhalder’s (Damon) seal of approval." —EW

"A must-have for any Vampire Diaries fan. With unmatched access to the creators and cast, Highfill offers fresh insight into the show’s most iconic moments and the legacy it left behind. Whether you're Team Stefan, Team Damon, or just here for the drama, this book will change how you view teenage vampires -- and the humans that love them. —Melissa Maerz, author of Alright, Alright, Alright

"In this charming time capsule... Readers will feel like they’re sitting down with a group of close friends who finish each other’s stories and casually spill secrets. This will thrill the show’s dedicated fans." —Publishers Weekly

"With rarely shared details about the casting process, storytelling, stunt work, and behind-the-scenes frustrations about unintentional but harmful falls into racist tropes and the lack of pay parity that played a major role in Nina Dobrev exiting the show, the book aims to leave no stone unturned and at least touched upon." —Sabrina Reed, TV on My Mind

Nice insight into what went into the show.

I never understood the initial hype about TVD. Until I began streaming it out of boredom one day. I was hooked. Especially the initial seasons.

It’s really cool to hear about the behind-the-scenes thoughts and ideas that went into what made it onto the screen. The casting process was surprising.
What I liked most is that the writing was good enough to make TVD not just a good teen/tween show, but a good show, period. Also, I’m still salty about Enzo! 😄

Love the topic

I would love it to be an even deeper dive into the cast and behind the seasons story. I enjoyed it

loved it!

the book was great. for a huge VD fan, and have re watched the show so many times, i loved hearing more behind the scenes production comments and quotes from the actors. must listen/read for any TVD fan out there.

Book is great- the ai voices reading it are horrible

I really like the book- the voices that they came up to read the different actors/ producers, etc are just so bad. Please never do this again

It was EPIC!

If you loved the series, you’re going to LOVE this book! Samantha told the amazing story of the show from start to finish with the help of the cast & crew! Brought back the feelings of excitement when starting the show for the first time and made we want to rewatch the series over again! Also, Liz’s letter to Caroline, ohhh my goodness! Rip my heart out.