“Bella: I know what you are.
Edward: Say it. Out loud. Say it!
Bella: Vampire."
–from the movie Twilight (based on the novel by Stephanie Garber)
Vampires have been around for centuries in stories and folklore. According to some historians, there have been references to vampires since 1047AD in Russia. The term “vampire” supposedly made its first appearance in the early 18th century in Germany, Austria, and other parts of eastern Europe, where suspected vampires were exhumed and destroyed. It wasn’t long after that vampires infiltrated the literary world in poetry and stories.
When Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula was published in 1897, a new era of vampires began. Now there were rules: vampires cast no shadows and are not reflected in mirrors; they cannot enter a human home without being invited in; they must drink blood to survive; they are repelled by garlic, crucifixes, and holy objects; they are weak in the daylight; and they can be killed with a stake through the heart. Of course, rules were meant to be broken, and an author can make their vampire follow whatever rules they wish for them to follow (one of the great things about being an author). In Twilight by Stephanie Garber, for example, the vampires shimmer in the sunlight, without turning into ash. In the show True Blood, based on the book series The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris, the vampires are out in the open, coexisting with humans and drinking a synthetic “blood” to keep them from sucking those humans dry. In the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, one particular vampire is cursed with a human soul by a gypsy, which makes him a pretty nice guy.
Yes, I enjoy vampire stories. Why? Aside from the fact that they are usually entertaining, I like to think about the meaning behind the different rules and what the vampires represent. For example, vampires are typically very attractive. They seduce their victims. An allegory to the seductive nature of the Devil and sin? Most likely. The “rule” (according to Bram Stoker) that they must be invited into a human home intrigues me for the same reason. That idea, that we are the ones who invite evil into our homes/hearts, is very interesting to me. And of course, the romance enthusiast and optimist in me loves a good redemption arc—making a villain see the error of their ways, repent, and do better. And what better redemption arc could there possibly be than one involving a being who is pure evil, created to consume and destroy, who is then “turned” into someone capable of doing good and feeling love?
As you can see, I have an insatiable thirst for vampire stories (pun intended), so naturally I couldn’t help writing my own. The third book in my Heart’s True Desire series is about a vampire (Thomas) and the misfortune he suffers when he begins to remember his past human life—right after meeting a girl who represents everything he is not, but who he finds himself craving more than blood. The book is called Unholy, and I am finishing up working through edits as we speak. By August I should have a release date, which will likely be the end of this year/early next year. The synopsis is below, and I will post updates as the book gets closer to publication. Until then, though, keep the garlic handy, and don’t invite any strangers into your home, no matter how attractive they may seem!
- Kathryn Amurra