Here is what they had to say:

Courtney in Tucson, Ariz.: I just started reading The Vampire Diaries, and oh my goodness they are fantastic! Do you have any idea on how closely the new TV series will follow these wonderful books?

You’ll see a number of differences right off the bat in the first ep. First, Elena’s very young sister has been replaced by a troubled teen brother, and the siblings are returning to high school several months (as opposed to several years in the book) after their parents’ deaths. TV Elena is the virtual opposite of book Elena: the blue-eyed blonde is now a Bella-like brunette. As for the vampires, instead of his romantic rooftop boarding-house quarters, Stefan lives with an “uncle” (another nonexistent character in the first novel)—but Damon is definitely eee-vil, beginning with the gruesome opening scene. Other characters and relationships have been slightly tweaked as well—for better or worse? We’re dying to hear what you think, so be sure to let us know after the Sept. 10 premiere!