EW talks to the best-selling authors behind the current vamp vogue including Stephanie Meyer, Melissa de la Cruz, Anne Rice, P. C. Cast, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Charlaine Harris
Did you guys read this article in Entertainment Weekly a few weeks ago? Some of our favorite authors weighed in on the Vampire phenomenon, and answered some questions regarding their books, their vampires, and each other. I’m posting just a snippet from each author (P. C. Cast’s answers had me rushing to my computer to finally buy her books). You’ll have to click the link at the bottom to read the whole article.
Stephanie Meyer
Author of the Twilight series
It may come as a surprise to learn that Meyer — reigning queen of pop culture's vampire coven — has an uneasy relationship with the toothy buggers. Back in 2003, when she was tapping out the first draft of Twilight, she refused to show it to her husband. ''I was embarrassed,'' she said. ''It was about vampires.''
Melissa de la Cruz Author of the Blue Bloods series
Anne Rice's Lestat. He's Socratic and flawed and sexy — and evil, but in a really good way.
Laurell K. Hamilton
Author of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter books
When and how did you envision your first vampire?
When I was about 7, I was allowed to stay up and watch the Creature Feature Hour, and they had the old Hammer vampire films like Vampire Circus. Those movies really sunk into my psyche. 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King was important, because his vampires were modern-day. And The Natural History of the Vampire by Anthony Masters. It was the first book where they equated serial killers with vampires and werewolves.
SOOKIE STACKHOUSE AND ME by Charlaine Harris
When I began trying to imagine the novel I wanted to write, I knew only two things about this novel: The protagonist would be a woman who was dating a vampire, and the book would be both funny and bloody. In 1998, there were not that many strong women characters in the science-fiction field, and I was constructing my heroine from new material.
Anne Rice
Author of the series The Vampire Chronicles
What was the first vampire book or movie that influenced you?
A black-and-white film called Dracula's Daughter, with Gloria Holden. I saw it when I was a little girl at the neighborhood theater. I think it influenced everything I subsequently wrote. I never really read any vampire literature, but in our family, we had a collection of short stories from the library, and we read one called ''Dress of White Silk.'' It was a first-person vampire story from the point of view of a little-girl vampire. It had quite an influence on me.
P.C. CAST
Cast and her daughter, Kristin, write the House of Night series
Who's your favorite vampire that's not your own?
Oh, my God, Spike [from Buffy the Vampire Slayer]. Please. Spike is my boyfriend. In my heart, Spike is my boyfriend…he is that perfect mix of really bad boy and sex appeal.
Great article. Thank you for sharing. Fun reading about some of my favorite writers' early paranormal influences.
ReplyDeleteSalem's Lot and They Thirst are the two of the best vampire novels of all time. There's really no romance, but horror by the buckets.
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