Vampire Chronicles

If Dracula wrote the book on the modern vampire fiction, Twilight creator Stephenie Meyer's four Twilight books (and their five film adaptations) have given it an enormously unfaithful, enormously successful rewrite. Even before the release of Breaking Dawn--Part 2, the Twilight franchise had earned $2.5 billion dollars at the worldwide box-office, and Breaking Dawn--Part 2 is on track to make hundreds of millions more.

Over the ages, certain artifacts have gained a reputation among popular cultures as ways to ward off, or even kill, vampires. This guide takes you through the historical meaning and reasoning behind the ways we've found to hunt the vampire. So grab your crucifix, and wade on in!

Coffins

Vampires are definitely in vogue right now. Browse through any bookstore's racks and you'll find a score of novels with ‘vampire' in the title. This theme is especially notable in the young adult lit sections, where the reader will observe pieces such as the Twilight series, Vampire Diaries, Vampire Kisses, Vampire Academy and, my personal favorite, Vampire Beach. 

Has anyone noticed a trend?

Check out "Vampires!" by Ben Douglass, a seasonal art print showcasing 12 bloodsuckers, available for purchase at http://society6.com/bendouglass/Vampires_Print

My book, Lure of the Vampire: A Pop Culture Reference Book of Lists, Websites, and Very Personal Essays has finally been published.

Lure of the Vampire is a non fiction quick reference book of vampires. It is divided into ten sections and each section has lists, websites, and essays. There are essays not only from the author but six of her author friends that write either young adult, erotic, or non fiction.

The sections include with mythology, history, literature, movies, television, children, recreation, education, weblife, and real life vampires.

Blood: Blood has been a symbol of life since very ancient times. The blood in our veins has always been iconic of our continuing life. To lose too much blood is to lose consciousness, breath, and eventually, our very lives. If a person or animal is already dead and is cut open, blood does not flow. Only the living have blood that flows. Blood has been used throughout the ages as a ceremonial sacrifice. In pagan times our forefathers worshipped their gods with blood sacrifice. And today, indeed, we are not so different.

October 5, 2008 (St. Petersburg Times / Colette Bancroft) -- The elegant suite at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel is flooded with sunlight. Before a huge window looking out on luxuriant gardens, a small figure sits at a desk, writing intently, her back to the room. Then Anne Rice puts down her pen and rises to greet a guest.