Francine Pascal, the visionary behind the iconic Sweet Valley High series, passed away on Sunday in Manhattan at the age of 92. Her death marks the end of an era for young-adult literature, as her work profoundly influenced the genre and captivated millions of readers.

Born on May 13, 1932, in Manhattan, Pascal grew up in Queens and studied journalism at New York University. Before creating the Sweet Valley universe, she wrote for various magazines and TV soap operas, including “The Young Marrieds,” with her husband, John Pascal.

This soap-opera experience infused her writing with melodramatic plot twists and cliffhangers that would later become hallmarks of her young-adult novels.

Pascal’s Sweet Valley High series debuted in 1983 with the book “Double Love,” introducing readers to the idyllic world of Sweet Valley and its central characters, the Wakefield twins, Elizabeth and Jessica. The series quickly became a sensation, captivating teenage readers with its blend of relatable high school drama and escapist fantasy.

Pascal wrote the first twelve books herself before turning to a team of writers to keep up with the rapid publication pace, producing nearly a book a month.

“The better writers follow my outlines perfectly,” Pascal explained, underscoring her meticulous approach to maintaining the series' continuity.

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