The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Greetings to all!

I'm a writer who is, *coff* VERY well read in both fiction and non fiction books about vampires. I'm sure that most of you are too.

Some books have been innovative and some disappointing. Although it is a subject well traversed in the speculative fiction market (many editors dump manuscripts into the slush pile when they see the word vampire,) I still want to tackle it myself someday soon.

What I would like to know is this. Out of all the fictional vampires you've read of, is there anything you've not seen yet? Something you'd really like to see done? I'm open to suggestions even if they seem out there, or more than a bit of a challenge.

Tell me what you want.

It would be great to see a book that gives a more appropiate and modern picture of vampires, you know tone down the Hollywood image, because it is becoming too cliché.

I agree that the hollywierd notion of vampire is cliche. Though it is also all over the map. The main common thread I see between all the cinema vamps is that they all have staggering levels of power, and that they are all very removed from normal day to day trivialities of life.

That is a good place from which to make changes.

I agree. Hollywood has dramatized the vampire way to much.

perhaps if u could make them so seem more human and far more beautiful then this would be a good start

Lovely and down to earth I can do. Maybe a vamp that doesn't *need* blood to survive but has a strong fetish/pleasure source from it. Also a pagan who uses blood magic to augment their power in times of great need. A *good* vampire with a willing lifepartner/donor and relatively normal life. In other words, not a cop or detective or any other such overdone occupation....

Perhaps with a gay/les twist

Or straight with chilldren and deal with additional issues that would stem from that?

i would deffinitly love to see a gay/les twist in a vampire novel.
or maybe setting it in a racist tone?
somehow incorporating the faults of today with the wisdom of the past.
that would be nice.

What do I want to see in a vampire novel? How about a book about a vampire without weakness. Nothing can kill him, but make him bipolar so he has good spells and bad spells. You want gay? read some of Anne Rices books, those have homosexual references that, while not out of the ordinary in the time she speaks of, today would be considered gay. Nicki and Lestat kissing and such. Male vampire love for each other. Is that not considered gay in this age? And I still like the idea of, well anything, something that cannot be killed or stopped and is both good and bad, a kind of balancer of things. Does that make any sense? get rid of the weakness of sunlight and fire and stakes and beheading, and let the vampyre or vampyres roam the earth as demon angels...

In respone to BabyFirefly.

Those are some very intersting possibilities too!

To Lestat86

While I adore Anne's Vamp fic. There are *SO* many pale imitations of her work already. I'm afraid of treading that territory.

I just hope that someday I'm half as good at this as what I read in Memnoc.. My fave of hers, though not most peoples.

How about a vampire novel that is entirely real? I mean, a novel where the vampires are like those in real life. Maybe some psys as well as sangs. All it takes is a bullet to kill them. They can go out in the sun, but it makes them uncomfortable. And they live out normal lives. How about THAT for a novel?

yeah we need to make a novel where the vampires are just immortal blood drinkers but have feelings and stuff

perhaps a vampire with a sense of humour??

and visible weaknesses like emotions

i also love the idea of a gay vampire

I liked LeStat's idea. A vampire without an external weakness, whose enemies come from the inside only. And please, learn a lesson from Anne Rice's Louis: no whiny vamps.

My vote is there..I agree..Some need to get the "hollywood" out of their mind.

gay sounds like a good idesa, after all it is taboo for males to be gay... its okay for females tho ( i dont get this) but it would be nice and i would read it... and yes anne rice has made some gay references about male vamps having love for one another but doesnt seem gay...

Sounds like you should read my books...

Will those who's suggestions are taken up receive royalties? ;)

But seriously, it is a good idea to write a contemporary novel which addresses the issue of 'real' vampyrism.

Perhaps a bridging of the fantastical and everday life would go some way to dispelling popular myths.

eNOonMaI
Well at the moment a grizzled fallen angel named Samuel is riding my imagination pretty hard. When his story is finished, I think I will jump to this idea.

LordVespertilio
Sounds a bit like Blade. The vamp without weakness part. He certainly has a lot of enemies.
A character that is TOO powerful can quickly become uninteresting. And if all his trouble comes from within, he could seem whiny or like a jerk.

Gothicgurl
It has been done rather well in a lot of the short fiction I've read. So far I haven't seen a gay vamp in a full length novel yet though. My fear is that the books *are* being written, but that editors are too chicken to publish them. I also agree that Rice's novels often have homo erotic overtones she has to date not introduced a purely gay character.

Darkfantasywriter
I plan to. ;)

STABB666
"Will those who's suggestions are taken up receive royalties?"

Only if you'll also do all the tedious and frustrating writing. *Heh, jk* Having written is lovely but sitting down to do it can be a real labor of love.

One of human living vampires.

About normal people who are Sanguine or psychic vampires.....hmmm..I'm having an inspiration to write now as well lol!

I've put some of the ideas I've come up with in the story section of my journal.

people have roll models and are mostly a product of pier group and environment issues.

i would like to see the goths and the vamps rise to possitions of higher education and hold power structured employment.

take them from the sidewalks and place them up high

take some of the members here at vr and a few tv caretors (ABBY) from NCIS

new set up for role modles so the younglings can keep there cloths there life styles yet be able to confently aim high. for there future.

I am going to echo some of the other suggestions for a les hollywood view on Vampires, it would be nice to see a more modern vampire, sang/ psy? (spelling)

I'me sure whatever you decide will be great and i look forward to reading

Heim

If you want to take Hollywood out of the equation, try going back to the origins, the flklore and myths of vampires. While you want to be original (and that would be a great change from what's out there), you have to leave in something to keep it entertaining. I mean, would anybody really want to read about a powerless vampire accountant living an ordinary, run-of-the- mill life?

All these are good suggestions. What about going more historical with vampires. How about when settlers first came to the Americas. Vampirism is global. You could have different vampires for different regions of the country. This could go with action or romance.

Drazeus:

Some of that has been done, but by no means all. A civil war era vamp could be very interesting.
Good suggestion!

I'm currently working on a book that traces the "life" of an ancient vampire, from her human life in ancient Gaul to modern times. It passes the reader through many different places and witnesses many historic events. It's taken almost more research time than writing time, but so far I think it's working out well.

all i see is the same sterotypical vampire that is protrayed in hollywood

kalenia:

If you want something different, here are what others have said about my books:

"Quite fantastic and completely original...five stars" - The Vampire Book Club

"A totally different approach to vampires...refreshing" - Tabitha Creech, author of "Book of Days"

comments from readers...

"unpredictable and exciting while showing us a new darkness"

"pushes far beyond the boundaries of the conventional vampire story"

"so exciting and unique that I did not want to put it down"

"a whole new take on the world of Vampires"

"plot twists that will keep you guessing!!!!!"

"left me feeling like I'd just stepped off of the best roller coaster ever"

Hehehe, write about a gay vampire couple who lives on the outskirts of a redneck town in the south (I'm thinking Arkansas or Georgia). They've discovered the secret of walking in daylight and run a bed and breakfast as their cover so they can go out hunting members of the KKK and neo-Nazi skin-heads by night. Not only are they still in the coffin so to speak, they are also still in the closet as they must not let the locals know they are gay or they wouldn't be able to go unnoticed as easily. One of them could even spend part of his time in "red neck drag" hanging out at the local bar, flirting like mad as his trailer park hoochie-mama alter-ego trying to get in good with the local racists to find out where their secret meetings are being held. hehehe, Imagine all the possibilities.

AlloriaDark:

That is a truly GREAT suggestion. *giggles at the thought of brokeback bloodlust* I'm not sure I'm brave enough to attempt it. Would you consider writing this up? I'm kinda dying to read it now. ;)

I would like to see more vampires as good guys.

I'm going to echo the historical suggestion. But it would be interesting to see it taken back to its roots. There are so many cultures around the world that have had legends of vampires since prewritten history, it would be interesting to see it from that perspective. Possibly utilize one of those culture's legends that people (and hollywood) do not normally associate with having vampires...

There are a couple of different things I would like to see, one - A tastefully done, old school Bela Legosi style Vampire in todays society, seeing the way vampires are portrayed and remain his classic self. No, nothing like Dracula 3000, that movie sucked donkey balls. oh yeah, and two - I would like to see a compilation of the Vampire tales, not a documentary, a very nicely written compilation of vampires how they have linked to one another, and how they could have crossed each others paths. basically a who's who of vamps starting with whoever and as he/she meets another Vamp, the story switshes to follow that path, with an ending detailing their fate, outcome, and any info, if rumoured to still be prowling in this day and age.

I write vampire novels myself and I say I have to agree with the fact that mollywood streches the truth. Now I do to myself, but it is a broad subject that has been played around with. I relative idea I don't think anyone has tried is a novel from a TRUE vampires eyes, like in modren day society, not some thought up bull(pardon) that some hollywood screenwriter comes up with.

Well most people have said that they want a story told from the perspective of a real vampire. With no overblown Hollywood stereotypes attached. I agree that that would be a good approach, but it raises a lot of questions for me.

Should the character have any powers at all, and if so, at what strength.

Would people be more interested in reading about Sangs, or Psi?

Would it be more interesting to journey with the character as they awaken, or drop into the life of an experienced Vampire?

The sort of vamp I would write about would be an essentially ‘good’ one, but should I include a character that is a real vampire, but not ‘good’ for balance?

I’d like to show the difficulties present in living the lifestyle. Showing how friends, family members, and strangers react to the main characters vampirism, and in turn how the vampire feels about it. However I haven’t got first hand experience with any of it. Do you think I’m biting off more than I can chew here?

*er, bad pun not intended*

I would like to see a fiction about HLV's, without the teenage element, and without the often uneccessary smotherings of gothic related glamour, and I would love to see more work where humans aren't a constant cattle.

Mercymanic:
regarding your question about how to approach a real vampire story: I believe you could incorporate both sang ans well as psi. And A good place to start would be the awakening, but as far as that goes, you could actually incorporate Demonic assasin's idea of essentially running 2 story arcs and have their paths cross. Start one arc at the awakening, and one with some event in a more experienced vamps life, you could have one arc for each type. I know this type of thing is not the easiest thing to write, but I believe that the product would be well worth it. And as far as not having personal experience with the subject at hand, well I believe you are in good company for research.

I would like to see an evil vampire, not just some souless coarpse, I am talking the joy of everything being trippled.

i want to read about a vampire that has second thoughts after becoming a vampire and spends his life tyring to find a reversal... but i want to see someone find a way to turn back. that would be cool.

in my opinion, i think the stupidest thing hollywood ever came up with was the whole thing about vamipres turning into bats...blah

MercyManic said:"Would it be more interesting to journey with the character as they awaken, or drop into the life of an experienced Vampire?"

Unless you're writing for an audience that you feel is already intimately familiar with the way an 'awakening' occurs (and why limit the audience that much), you'd need to at least give some solid backstory on that process and that journey. You'd probably find out rather quickly whether you felt that there was enough material to continue that beyond a chapter.

As an aside on that subject, I have to admit that I always prefer when a book or series of books, follows at least a basic linear pattern. It seems that when a story or a series jumps through different times and different characters, it's more of an afterthought than a planned reveal (with rare exceptions). Flashbacks are one thing...complete reverse chronological writing I've only seen work well once...Mimento.

Im still thinkin that the idea of following two characters could work, that way you could tell the story from both perspectives, and have a pro and an togonist.

i would also like to see more accuret pitures of what todays vampires would look like i have seen so many way out there pics from hollywoods prospective so what you they reall look like ?

I enjoy alot of vampire related fiction, and I would enjoy a more real upto date story, using images that we can relate to but with the vampiric twist, I dont feel it would be a proper vampire story without some necks being sucked.....

I kind of agree with scaria. Maybe a biography written by a real vampire would be nice or something along those lines. I too am starting to get tired of the same vampire story getting told over and over again. It's time for some fresh meat. A true biography, nothing sugar coated.

i'd like to see something where the vampire dosent get killed in the end. the one thing i hate about dracula is that he's made out to be the bad guy when he is really the victim.

id like to see something completely opposite of all the vampire books that have been written.

I would love to read abook where the vamp has evil and good to keep balance and also the personal fight of which is stronger, the whole inner fight with ones self as to what they are or have become and how to deal with it in a normal every day life style if that makes sense~~

Wow, looks like a lot of great suggestions, Personally I would love to see the "Brokeback Bloodlust", that is freaking hilarious!!!
As far as many of the ideas, I see alot of "Angel" in them. His capability to love and hate, working to pay for his past and regain some humanity, but as he put it in one episode with a 'blood habit'. In a lot of ways, I like him best, he has an extreme intensity that creats lots of
sexual tension that he knows he can't act on if he's truly in love or else. He's good but he's been bad, still drinks blood, but not from people. I'd have given up day light for him in an instant. ;-}

Yes to love him and to fear him all at the same time, asyou said give up your daylight for him to have that sensual side yet themaster and beast in him also a continual battle for balance in his world and that of ours, ummmm is he real? I want one LOL!

I think it would be sweet to see a book with a Vampire and his mortal lover. and just see where life takes them. What trials and tribulations they go through. *shrugs*

I agree with PheaR....since vampires are so much more powerful than mortals, I think they should receive higher positions than most vampire novelists give them... they make them out to be weaker than they actually are, hiding in shadows and not being able to do anything about it...that's not the way vampires should be portryed.

I would like to see the Hollywood version of vampires debunked like a few on this post. I would be interested in seeing vampires still having human emotions, since they were once human. Some of them seem concerned with only the bloodlust or the monster aspect of vampires. I would like to see a gay storyline as well. Not something campy or just thrown in to mention. A gay storyline done with taste would get me to reading.

I like the idea that someone out there is once again considering offering the vampire as something other than an overdone stereotype. I am curious if you happen to be familiar with either Brian Lumley or Kevin Siembadas' works as both have taken the vampire through several rarely unexplored areas with success. While their characters have retained some of those things we all think of as we think of vampires they also have ran the gambit from drastically bestial sub=human near mindless creatures, the ideas of vampires suffering the afflictions that affect us=greed, ambition, even sickness, asa well as some rather interesting and original ideas on shapeshifting and other recently under-explored areas of the genre.....

well personnaly i olny try to stay to reading the non-fiction i find it more enjoyable

yea mercy manic i agree with u the books i hv gone through confused me a hell lot.they are full of contradictions.cant figure it out the truth

hmmm Brian Lumley and Kevin Siembadas' eh? don't think I've heard of either one of those authors, but I'll have to check it out. I absolutely love reading vampire fiction :)

Best of luck in your writing endeavors!

I would like to see more FEMALE vampyres(vampyress, as would be the case) in the fictional vamp novels, saving a male human's butt for once instead of the other way around. lol.

A very simple idea but, still something I'd personally like to see done. :-)

all the suggestioins about a gay or lez vampires... Aren't the Anne Rice vampires enough? I mean, she has stated that the vamps are impotent... so if they weren't,there would already be some brokeback bloodlust her her books.
most of the charachters in her books seem gay to me

most definately put more reality into it. I think when a lot of people read those books they don't realize that some extent of what they read is a reality, just one that not everybody knows too well about. I'm sure when they think about reality vampires a lot of them think about some sicko kidnapping people to drink them dry, not of your day to day sane people who choose vampirism.

be great to have more goriness iindeed!

Didn't they make a comedy with George Hamilton as the Vampire? Love at First Bite or something?

Not helpful, I know. But this thread reminded me of that.

Books that go back into the history of the vampire, why he does what he does etc, make it a female vampire, or something that is not quit pc you know!!

i'd like to see the imortal aspect of vampires. sort of capture some of their memories from past centuries and how they've gone through life as they are.

when it comes to vampire books it's sometimes hard to come up with something that is unique and different. There are so many writers out there who have different ideas on vampires. One of my favorites is Christine Feehan. But if you can come up with something i would love to read it. I'm tired of them all just being love stories.

Something with more true to life everyday characters, ordinary people who just happen to be vampires.

I like the idea of debunking the whole hollywood idea. Also the "brokeback bloodlust thing seems interesting as well.

I would go with a more down to earth vampire. One that has emotions. Also the thought of an inner struggle seems interesting. I have got a story started in my journal that I am toying with at the moment although I have not gotten far, just started it yesterday. Another appealing idea was the immortal/mortal relationship.

Ok so here is the brakedown. You have two men, one a vampire and one mortal. Depending on how long you wish the book, you can follow the vampire, starting with the awakening, going until he meets his love. Then the difficulties of having a mortal as a lover, not to mention the relationship taboo. Choose rather he looses his love and because of his vampric state, is exiled to live eternaty in solitude, or rather they live happily ever after. For instance vampire eventually turns the mortal so they can live together forever.

Just a few suggestions.

Yes, definitely ditch the "Hollywood" twist...yuck ! ....I am so sick of the trite images of vampires pervading these cheap thrillers....I don't really have any viable suggestions, though, for something new *sigh* ... but good luck !

Brokeback vampires? That has already been done. Read any Anne Rice book and you can see what I mean .

I like the idea of reality and vampires - how they blend in and how they differ from humans.

Fact based...

Hmmm. . . at the risk of being the spectre at the banquet here, I actually defend the film industry based on two movies alone: Near Dark and Nightwatch (Nochnoi Dozor). Those 2 films beat any vampire novel written in the last 20 years in terms of their originality of ideas and their presentation (tho I understand that Nochnoi Dozor is based on a series of very popular novels in Russia).

As for Near Dark. . . well, there's never been another vampire film like it, before or since. Make haste to hijack a copy now if you haven't seen this one.

Brian Lumley's "Necroscope" series was mind-bending. . . absolutely loved it. But after attending conventions since 1977, the reason why these stereotypical vampire novels (bemoaned by us all) continue to be written is that they sell, and they sell big. It's the same thing with the direct-to-video industry.

It's difficult to seperate the wheat from the chaff in instances like this, but this thread has been a wonderful read.

I would have to agree that if you were going to do something not in the norm then you would have to take the hollywood out of the vampires and make them from 21 centry

I think the old style vampires are very interesting.They are so beutiful.

Not really anything that i can think of that hasnt been done...but i would however like to see some "happy endings" for vampires......like at the end of underworld where she is able to see the sun without the usual well done vampire look!

I would like to read about a vampire who has lots of remorse. Either sang or psi. One who must feed but feels truly bad about it and it tears him/her up emotionally about said feedings. One who has never come to terms with feeding and probably never will. Racial & sexual taboos are always welcome as they add that certain twist i'm always looking for in a novel.
I would also like to read some of the non gothic types who would be invisible in mainstream society.

I like LaMuerte's idea.

But how about one where there are vampires secretly running part of our government?

The curfews falling over everywhere, so they can go out at night. The Patriot act letting them know when we will be alone to feed. =P

Or nah.. lol

Ok, in today's age with technology, how about something where we follow a vampire who was captured and had his/her DNA changed to the point of moonlight hurts them instead of day. Just an idea.

hollywppd did spoilt it a bit ,but hey who on here dont fancy brad in interview?

MAybe something to do with Vampirism being an evolutionary step for humans? That the human race evolves into either light or dark beings in readiness for an unholy war...

kristiana - yeah, I fancied him in Interview, it has to be said...

I am going back to the historical, vamp with a sense of humor. To many times it is the dry sense of humor. Nothing cheesy but simply more open.

to fly
turn into mist
shape shift
controlling elements

Definitely more modern, more of the real lifestyles..

I don't see much I could add to the thread the ideas I've read are truely great. I would have to take some of each in truth. The twin arc including the newly awakened meeting up and crossing with an older experienced vamp. Finding a homo erotic attraction between them. The newly awakened regretting it and being a sorta saint vamp searching for a cure and the elder being semi malicious and sadistic about it. Trying to change the mind of his new found lover. Make the elder psy gifted to an extent. Put limits to eaches power though making them two sides of the same coin. Each offsetting the other to form a balance between them. That would make them dependant. The saint vamp tries and succeeds to some extent to lessen the severity of the elder. Set it in some modern day rural type area. Maybe in the south causing them to hide their affections. Allow the saint to choose the racist, neo-nazi's as his choice of donors. I can't quite say that these are guidelines for anything though I would surely buy and read the book. It brings countless thoughts to mind making it interesting as hell and it is nothing than a compilation of suggested thoughts from those posts above me. I think it would be anti-holywood and more upbeat (modern) concept.

i'd like to see more modern times and more of the everyday lifes of a vampire. show the emotions and not show them as simply evil and brutal as hollywood mainly portrays them.

They need to make a story that involves
a cure for Vampirism.If they can cure a blood born disease like Leukemia,why cant they cure a blood born disease like Vampirism?

i would like to see a vampire that is truly invincable...and with a sense of humor

I am actually a writer as well, not published yet, but I am working on it. I am writing a novel with a vampire that has no superhuman strengths or weaknesses, basically almost human. It is a love story of sorts. I would love to see more vampire novels focus less on superhuman "hollywood" vampires, and come closer to reality; make vampies more human-like. I don't know how well it would do on the NY Times best seller list, but I would be interested for sure.

I would love to read or see a story dated to ancient Egyptian times, splashed with majic, dabbed with mystery, and perhaps a failed love affair. Dont forget about the blood, it simply must be everywhere.....regards DarkPharaoh

wat about a gud modern day story

the hollywood side definetly needs to be taken out....bring back the gore and darker side of things

I've covered a range of different types of vampires in my writings.... from the downright, evil character, to the tragic hero who seeks revenge against those who have turned him into some kind of freakish monster. I've even done vampires in space. I can't, off the top of my head think of what hasn't been done, but I know what my new writings entail. They are variances of old stories and they definitely keep things fresh.

I totally love the idea of a gay/les couple. Or maybe you could do like a group of friends, two are gay together two are les together...idk just some twist like that. One thing I know I've never seen before is a vampire with a job! They always live somewhere fancy, yet somehow they never end up going to work.

I have a book about real - life vampires in the 20th century. I found it to be interesting. I agree with taking out a lot of the Hollywood pizzaz and adding in your own mixture along with some history.

I'm starting to take on more of a fantsy style with my vampires. I also enjoy the more romantic styles as well.

I think a look at modern vampirism is in order. I too am tired of the over dramatized hollywood version. I think it would be a better way to portray vampires.

This thread has been automatically closed for length.