“Hi Emily—

Thank u for your beautiful email. I completely understand why some fans get overeager—and especially if they think there is bad news for them. I hope that u will enjoy Midnight, as it is truly the story of Damon finding his deepest feelings for both Elena and Bonnie—and his feelings are definitely not platonic. In fact, to be blunt, without Bonnie and something that Bonnie does at the end, Damon would be permanently dead.

But right now I have to tell u something that makes me so sad and devastated—as bad, in fact, as I have ever felt except for when my mother died....