Posts Tagged ‘Vampire’

Having been engrossed in the reading of Stoker’s novel, Dracula, when I looked at my watch, it was way past my bedtime (midnight); so I meandered to farthest bathroom at the end of our long hallway, since I didn’t want to awaken Mary Patricia (my wife). Halfway there I was seized with a primal fear that froze me to the spot: I could swear the evil vampire Dracula –lurking in the shadows– was welcoming me to his kingdom, fangs bared, blood dripping, arms outspread.

Fear I’ve felt before, but this was different.
Dracula is a book one has to revisit once in a while. Finally it dawned on me that Dracula scared the living daylight out of me not because of his appearance or ill-fame, but because the vampire owns something I don’t: non-human knowledge.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is one of the scariest books ever written, and the reasons for its perennial appeal are basically two:
(1) The vampire theme in which the supernatural is thrown into the natural world
(2) Writing techniques: use of Absolutes.

When Count Dracula says, “There are far worse things awaiting than death.” Ah, what could that be? Orpheus, Tiresias, and Dante, belong to the set of personages who returned from the other shore; and what they had to say was horrifying, but they said things within human understanding. So, what are the “worse things” that Dracula mentions in passing? Is it something unmentionable? Is it something so tremendous and non-rational and unholy that he must leave unsaid?

Human fear I can live with. Take  Stephen King –the unsurpassed master of horror– who terrifies us with human knowledge: sins, transgressions, and human cruelty. With adroit prose and distinctive voice Stephen King exploits our fears and dark emotions, often appealing to grossness and revulsion. Bram Stoker also uses this sense of repugnancy in his novel: “As the Count leaned over me and his hands touched me… a horrible feeling of nausea came over me, which, do what I would, I could not conceal.”

Yet, what always puts a chill in my heart and mind is the lingering question of the beyond: what worse things did Dracula refer to?

Because the novel Dracula raises questions rather answering them, it will go on delighting readers for many generations. And what a treat it is! Not sparing a single rhetorical figure, Bram Stoker stabs and twists the reader’s central nervous system where horror resides. In some scenes, the narrating voice employs the ‘Nominative Absolute’ to add the sensation of simultaneity.

Watch closely this excerpt:

“As my eyes opened involuntarily I saw his strong hand grasp the slender neck of the fair woman and with giant’s power draw it back, the blue eyes transformed with fury, the white teeth champing with rage, and the fair cheeks blazing with passion.”

“Eyes transformed” is a past participle Absolute: “Teeth champing” and “Cheeks blazing” are both present participle Absolutes.

While we think that Ernest Hemingway was the inventor of the Absolute, Stoker was way ahead of him. Hemingway abused the technique, Bram Stoker was measured and sober in his use of it.

Subjunction is a rhetorical device that repeats contiguous words. Notice how Stoker makes use of it:

“I closed me eyes in a languorous ecstasy and waited-waited with beating heart.”

Rhetoric isn’t dead. It is always present in the great works of literature.

Humans instinctively seek beauty in what they read. In Dracula we find it not in the theme or the plot, but in the composition itself, since it is masterfully written. Readers, students and blossoming writers who are serious about literature will find elegant and yet thrilling writing that will seize both their minds and viscera. And if one reads this novel at night, don’t go to the bathroom!

What makes Dracula such a beautiful piece of work? There’s only one answer: it is well balanced by the power of well-balanced sentences; it is harmoniously woven, and its prose sparkles with a radiance that is short of wondrous.

There is no doubt that Freidrich Willhelm Murnau’s Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie des Grauens (Symphony of Horror) is a piece of landmark cinema, both for its Expressionist filmmaking and its unique treatment of the vampire as plague. Yet few people saw this monumental film prior to 1960.

Though slated for destruction by Bram Stoker’s widow, the film managed to survive, popping up in the most peculiar places.

Nosferatu debuted at the Marble Hall of the Berlin Zoological Gardens in 1922. The movie was the first and last product of a small art collective called Prana Films — the brainchild of artist Albin Grau (later Nosferatu’s production designer). A month later Florence Stoker caught wind, and she started the legal machines rolling. Her only income at this point was her deceased husband’s book Dracula, and she would not let some German production company steal her meal ticket. During the 1920s, intellectual rights were a bit dodgy, so Florence paid one British pound to join the British Incorporated Society of Authors to help defend her property. Never mind that the society would also pick up the tab for the potentially huge legal bills.

Florence seemed unaware that a second vampire film, this one called Drakula, was produced by a Hungarian company in 1921. Although the title harkens back to Bram Stoker’s novel, the resemblance ends there. This film, now lost save for some stills, was more concerned with eye gouging than straight out vampirism. Nosferatu on the other hand took much of its plot from Stoker’s Dracula, changing only the names.

The film continued to be exhibited in Germany and Budapest up through 1925, though Prana was beleaguered by creditors and harassed by Florence Stoker. They tried to settle with the society, offering a cut of the film’s take in order for them to use the Dracula title in England and America. Florence would not relent.

She not only wanted Prana to halt exhibition of the film, she wanted it torched — all prints and negatives of the film destroyed. And she got her way. In 1925 Florence won her case and the destruction order went through. Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie des Grauens vanished into thin air just as Count Orlock, the vampire in the film, does when exposed to the rays of the morning sun. Nosferatu did not stay dead. Like any good horror movie, the villain revived himself and carried on the fight. A print of the film resurfaced in 1929, playing to audiences in New York and Detroit. However preeminent Dracula scholar, David J. Skal, writes that the film “was not taken seriously” and that most audiences considered it “a boring picture”. The print was then purchased by Universal to see what had already been done in terms of a vampire movie. The film was studied by all the key creative personnel leading to the Universal production of Dracula in 1931.

The undead film continued to rise from the grave throughout the years. An abridged version was aired on television in the 1960s as part of Silents Please, and subsequently released by Entertainment films under the title Terror of Dracula, and then again by Blackhawk Films under the name Dracula. Blackhawk also released the original version to the collector’s market under the title Nosferatu the Vampire. An unabridged copy of the movie survived Florence Stoker’s death warrant and was restored and screened at Berlin’s Film Festival in 1984.

Despite its influence on the making of the 1931 Dracula, Nosferatu has few film decedents. It’s theme of vampire as a scourging plague has only been seriously taken up by two films: the 1979 remake by Werner Herzog, Nosferatu: The Vampyre, and the 1979 television miniseries of Salem’s Lot, directed by Tobe Hooper. Perhaps if the original Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie des Grauens had been allowed regular release, this would not be the case. It remains to be seen if Nosferatu will vanish again with the daylight or if this rare film will rise again in a new form.

For more information on the making of the original Dracula, check out David Skal’s book Hollywood Gothic: The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to Screen.

If you want to see how vampire films have changed from Dracula to Underworld, pick up a copy of my book The Changing Vampire of Film and Television. Also you may visit  www.timkanebooks.com for more vampire articles and fiction.

Having trouble finding a good book? If you want something with a half-breed vampire out for vengeance by killing her own kind this might be your series. This was a refreshing new look at the way vampire meets vampire hunter. Creative with an interesting love story you really don’t see coming. With ghouls, ghost, and demons this series developed a whole new world that keeps you interested and in suspense throughout each book.

Each book takes you a little deeper into the world Jeaniene Frost has created. Now I’m not going to give a lot away in each of these briefs. In fact I’m giving you nothing at all except what I thought. This is one series you have to take on your own. Even the smallest hint can give something major away. I know my sister did it to me, and she really didn’t tell me much! I love books that you really don’t know what’s going on until the end. This one even throws you at the end…especially Destined for an Early Grave.

All four of these novels can still be found in your local bookstore or online. Jeaniene Frost also has her own website, just type her name in any search engine and you’ll find her. Happy reading!

Halfway to the Grave~
The nail-biting suspense was a very new way of redirecting us vampire lovers. It was cleverly written, and had a nice base of humor. It was unquestionably one of my more better reads. The best part of this in particular novel was right when you think you got it the end figured out she throws something else at you.

Buy Halfway to the Grave NOW!

One Foot in the Grave~
Book two in the series was a mixed read for me. I really didn’t know how to take this one at first. I don’t want to give to much away here, but how the whole thing came together seemed to throw me a little. If you ended up like me, you’ll read the next one just to see where she’s going with it. Not that it was bad or anything. In fact I really enjoyed it.

At Grave’s End~
Book three picked up the game again from the moment you open this book. Some parts were a little predictable but the story line kept you going on just to make sure you were right. Although the ending kind of made me a little apprehensive about the next book. I like little guessing games, although this book made me rethink the whole love story between Cat and Bones.

Destined for an Early Grave~
Honestly, It just felt a little drawn out as if she was making this whole story up just to set up another serious altogether. Now I’m not saying it was a complete waist of time. It was a very good read. I liked the steady stream of humor, the nice feel for the characters, and the way it gets you hyped for the next. Only you find out the
next isn’t Night Huntress. Fine by me…bring it Jeaniene!

First of all, remember that Bella charmed her vampire with her natural beauty. In the book she was described as a tomboy styled girl, and she gets a bit more girlish only at the end of the story. She has really natural looking wavy hairstyle and casual outfits that match perfectly with her beauty.

Makeup is applied only to make her face even more flawless. Apply only the basic cosmetics, and use neutral shades, almost unnoticeable makeups. Here’s a little guide to get Bella’s look.

Face:
Bella’s dramatic ivory skin is absolutely flawless. So first step after cleaning and moisturizing your skin, is to apply the makeup base that will make your perfect spotless look. Use concealer to avoid dark circles, and foundation if necessary, to hide your flaws. For the best result, this makeup is recommended for the pale, light skin toned girls, because Bella looked stunning with her extra light goth skin. For a perfect finish, make a matte look by applying a translucent powder.
Eyes:
For those gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, use two neutral shades of eye shadow for the most natural look. Use vanilla as a main eyeshadow, and taupe or matte brown to the outer corners of your eyelids. It is almost like a smoky eye makeup, but it’s left more natural, with less eyeshadow but in fabulous earthy shades. If you still feel like you need more accent to your eyes, you can apply an eyeliner, but in brown or gray shades to keep the natural look. The mascara should be slightly visible, so apply only one coat in a brown shade. Curl your lashes and your eyes are ready to look into a vampire’s eyes. Remember to keep it as natural as possible. Kristen Stewart looked as she was wearing no makeup.
Lips:
Apply a brownish plum lipstick with a creamy texture to make your lips soft and desirable. Make a soft contour of your cheeks with an earth toned blush.

Bella Swan’s makeup is really simple. Just keep in mind that she isn’t a girlish character. Her look is natural, with the most appealing no-makeup look. Bella has a gorgeous pale skin tone, but if your skin is naturally darker, don’t try to make it light. Enjoy the beauty of your natural look. Use the less makeup as possible and don’t try to copy her. Feel good about yourself, wear comfortable clothes that make you feel happy. Keep a natural looking wavy hairstyle and charm away your vampire.

Halloween is one of the most fun times of year when it comes to parties and fancy dress. But don’t let just kids have all the fun – adults should be allowed to jump in on the action too, and with so many brilliant opportunities just waiting to be tapped, it’s all to easy to get involved with the festivities. Whether you’ve got a party planned, are visiting a haunted house or simply joining the kids on their trick or treating, the right costume is key. Halloween is all about horror, so the scarier the better – and current trends say that vampires are definitely the way forward when it comes to dressing up to scare. What with films, books and TV shows currently obsessing over the fanged fiends, going wild in vampire fancy dress is bound to get you noticed. Or, if you’d prefer to try something a little different, there’s plenty to choose from. Zombie fancy dress is always a winner and make up is a lot of fun to apply. You can enjoy dragging your feet through the party and even try a tasty brain or two as you make your way through the masses. The spooky season is certainly one of the best for fancy dress, with a massive variety of costume options to tempt and terrify. Any ladies hoping to cast a spell or two can try out some of the more alluring witch costumes out there, with a wealth of options when it comes to spellbinding outfits. Go traditional with the red and white stockings, pointed hat and full green face as you cackle with friends at the haunted house or add a touch of glamour and deny the popular conception that witches are all warts and wickedness by opting for one of the more sensual witch costumes you’ll be able to find. In any case, you’re bound to have a lot of fun cavorting with friends under the silvery light of the moon – or seeing if you can out-scare the neighbours while taking the little ones trick or treating. Halloween is certainly one of the best times of year when it comes to letting out your inner child and having some fun with fancy dress – just make sure that any vampires, witches or werewolves you bump into at the stroke of midnight aren’t more realistic than they ought to be. After all, at the witching hour, all the ghosts and goblins are said to come out and play.

Having been engrossed in the reading of Stoker’s novel, Dracula, when I looked at my watch, it was way past my bedtime (midnight); so I meandered to farthest bathroom at the end of our long hallway, since I didn’t want to awaken Mary Patricia (my wife). Halfway there I was seized with a primal fear that froze me to the spot: I could swear the evil vampire Dracula –lurking in the shadows– was welcoming me to his kingdom, fangs bared, blood dripping, arms outspread.

Fear I’ve felt before, but this was different.

Dracula is a book one has to revisit once in a while. Finally it dawned on me that Dracula scared the living daylight out of me not because of his appearance or ill-fame, but because the vampire owns something I don’t: non-human knowledge.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is one of the scariest books ever written, and the reasons for its perennial appeal are basically two:

(1) The vampire theme in which the supernatural is thrown into the natural world

(2) Writing techniques: use of Absolutes.

When Count Dracula says, “There are far worse things awaiting than death.” Ah, what could that be? Orpheus, Tiresias, and Dante, belong to the set of personages who returned from the other shore; and what they had to say was horrifying, but they said things within human understanding. So, what are the “worse things” that Dracula mentions in passing? Is it something unmentionable? Is it something so tremendous and non-rational and unholy that he must leave unsaid?

Human fear I can live with. Take  Stephen King –the unsurpassed master of horror– who terrifies us with human knowledge: sins, transgressions, and human cruelty. With adroit prose and distinctive voice Stephen King exploits our fears and dark emotions, often appealing to grossness and revulsion. Bram Stoker also uses this sense of repugnancy in his novel: “As the Count leaned over me and his hands touched me… a horrible feeling of nausea came over me, which, do what I would, I could not conceal.”

Yet, what always puts a chill in my heart and mind is the lingering question of the beyond: what worse things did Dracula refer to?

Because the novel Dracula raises questions rather answering them, it will go on delighting readers for many generations. And what a treat it is! Not sparing a single rhetorical figure, Bram Stoker stabs and twists the reader’s central nervous system where horror resides. In some scenes, the narrating voice employs the ‘Nominative Absolute’ to add the sensation of simultaneity.

Watch closely this excerpt:

“As my eyes opened involuntarily I saw his strong hand grasp the slender neck of the fair woman and with giant’s power draw it back, the blue eyes transformed with fury, the white teeth champing with rage, and the fair cheeks blazing with passion.”

“Eyes transformed” is a past participle Absolute: “Teeth champing” and “Cheeks blazing” are both present participle Absolutes.

While we think that Ernest Hemingway was the inventor of the Absolute, Stoker was way ahead of him. Hemingway abused the technique, Bram Stoker was measured and sober in his use of it.

Subjunction is a rhetorical device that repeats contiguous words. Notice how Stoker makes use of it:

“I closed me eyes in a languorous ecstasy and waited-waited with beating heart.”

Rhetoric isn’t dead. It is always present in the great works of literature.

Humans instinctively seek beauty in what they read. In Dracula we find it not in the theme or the plot, but in the composition itself, since it is masterfully written. Readers, students and blossoming writers who are serious about literature will find elegant and yet thrilling writing that will seize both their minds and viscera. And if one reads this novel at night, don’t go to the bathroom!

What makes Dracula such a beautiful piece of work? There’s only one answer: it is well balanced by the power of well-balanced sentences; it is harmoniously woven, and its prose sparkles with a radiance that is short of wondrous.

David A. Patrick, a student at Bethlehem High School for three years, finished his first novel in the summer of 2006 and published it the following year in the fall with iUniverse Publishing; he titled it Nero Demare and the Legend of the Vampires.

Patrick’s first horror novel was based largely off his own experiences except for any vampire encounters; however, he did face spiritual attack during the writing of this book. Family issues exploded enormously, ministerial duties swallowed his time, and the book was becoming far more difficult to finish. However, these problems compelled him to complete his writing so that the world could peer into the spiritual realm through the story of a young boy.

Seven-year-old Nero Demare believes in vampires and grows up admiring their mythical slayer, Duke Angtrav. But little does Nero know that he himself carries the bloodline of the vampire slayers.

Throughout his childhood, a mysterious man watches over Nero and saves him from a fleet of the bloodthirsty brethren, who take their orders from King Orthendarh, a master far worse than Dracula ever dreamed of being. Without Nero’s knowledge, this man continues to watch over him, knowing that the world will one day need Nero.

As he grows older, Nero learns that it is his destiny to save the world from the malicious clutches of the vampires. Vampires soon cower in fear at the mere mention of his name. But sinister forces conspire to condemn the entire world to darkness, and only Nero Demare can save mankind from destruction.

Nero Demare and the Legend of the Vampires is a fast-paced story of good versus evil and the battles waged by both sides.

This novel was written predominantly for gothic fans and other avid horror readers but only for young adults due to the graphic violence and mature themes.

Vampire Selfish Strategies are Energy Blockages Created by Thought forms called Inner Children which split off from the central personality due to painful experienced in childhood or any traumatic period of life.

We All use the Vampiric Strategies unconsciously to steal energies from others and which lead us into painful situations which can depress us and which can lead to destructive patterns in our shifting personalities.

Childish Inner Child Thought forms, can be traced and found by healing and using the Strategies and Strategy Combinations in order to find the Inner Child Using them.

Gurdjieff and all the Sufi Masters brought recognition of this splitness within everyone to the attention of the Western psychologists.

Eventually creating Transactional Analysis and “The Games People play” a book written by Psychologist of Transactional Analysis Eric Berne.

Although split personalities are known about, only the very problematic difficult split personalities are mentioned in books and movies. They get very little screen time.

Gurdjieff pointed out through generations of knowledge of ancient Masters of Wisdom that split personalities were the norm, but the milder symptoms in everyone passed unnoticed.

As Gurdjieff said, “The person that says I will get up early in the morning is not the same personality who throws the alarm clock out of the window!!.”

The Strategies are also mentioned in the Celestine Prophesy by James Redfield.

These Strategies are where separate intelligences are split off from the central stem of your Soul and are Archetypes created and used by the Hurt Inner Children. They flow in and out of your consciousness. Without someone pointing out the discrepancies in your behavior, you probably will not notice them..

The Strategies of the Vampire are Strategies we all unconsciously use to get attention and energy from others.

Strategies use the emotions! As the False Negative Emotions of Anger, Manicism, Seeking Sympathy and Attention, Depression and Fear are Eliminated by meditation, Emotional Integration with the Intelligence results in Willpower and the Power of Doing.

Some of the Archetypal Strategies we all use to get attention are..

• The Poor Me
• The Aloof
• The Interrogator
• The Violator
• The Selfish Competitive Star

With Advanced Ancient and Effective Meditations it is possible to heal all childish Thoughtforms, by healing and using the Strategies and Strategy Combinations we can trace back to find the Inner Child Using them.

With Advanced Ancient and Effective Meditations it is possible to Heal these Selfish Strategies which we All use unconsciously to steal energies from others and which lead us into painful situations which can depress us and which can lead to destructive patterns in our lives.

These Strategies are used by the Inner Child separate intelligences are split off from the central stem of your Soul which flow in and out of your consciousness. Without someone pointing out the discrepancies in your behavior, you probably will not notice them..

As the False Negative Emotions of Anger, Manicism, Seeking Sympathy and Attention, Depression and Fear are Eliminated, Emotional Integration with the Intelligence results in Willpower and the Power of Doing.

This higher functionality is the result of healing these Strategies!

Ask Yourself.

WHO IS IN CHARGE??!!!!

The first part of this healing is intellectually to recognize these sub-personalities, the Inner Child and Inner Children working within ourselves and more easily in others.

Meditation Will Dramatically Reduce Their Negative Power.

However, to remove these sub-personalities completely, the more Advanced techniques of a Synthesis of Ancient Meditational Techniques are absolutely necessary:-

It needs an Ancient Advanced Synthesis of Effective Techniques for Gaining More Energy – Meditation, Shaktipat, Energy Circulation, The Kundalini Kriyas, The Five Elemental Paths Of The Chi Of Chinese Alchemical Taoism, The Grounding Of Negative Energies, V.I.T.R.I.O.L, The Art Card Of The Thoth Tarot, Access To Kundalini Energy, Strong Psychic Protection, Learn The Merkaba, Pyramid Protection, Power Tower Protection, Create The Antahkarana, Soul Fusion, Monadic Infusion, Logos Infusion. The Painless Removal Of Stress, Trauma And Negative Emotion

There is no doubt that Freidrich Willhelm Murnau’s Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie des Grauens (Symphony of Horror) is a piece of landmark cinema, both for its Expressionist filmmaking and its unique treatment of the vampire as plague. Yet few people saw this monumental film prior to 1960. Though slated for destruction by Bram Stoker’s widow, the film managed to survive, popping up in the most peculiar places.Nosferatu debuted at the Marble Hall of the Berlin Zoological Gardens in 1922. The movie was the first and last product of a small art collective called Prana Films — the brainchild of artist Albin Grau (later Nosferatu’s production designer). A month later Florence Stoker caught wind, and she started the legal machines rolling. Her only income at this point was her deceased husband’s book Dracula, and she would not let some German production company steal her meal ticket. During the 1920s, intellectual rights were a bit dodgy, so Florence paid one British pound to join the British Incorporated Society of Authors to help defend her property. Never mind that the society would also pick up the tab for the potentially huge legal bills.

Florence seemed unaware that a second vampire film, this one called Drakula, was produced by a Hungarian company in 1921. Although the title harkens back to Bram Stoker’s novel, the resemblance ends there. This film, now lost save for some stills, was more concerned with eye gouging than straight out vampirism. Nosferatu on the other hand took much of its plot from Stoker’s Dracula, changing only the names.

The film continued to be exhibited in Germany and Budapest up through 1925, though Prana was beleaguered by creditors and harassed by Florence Stoker. They tried to settle with the society, offering a cut of the film’s take in order for them to use the Dracula title in England and America. Florence would not relent.

She not only wanted Prana to halt exhibition of the film, she wanted it torched — all prints and negatives of the film destroyed. And she got her way. In 1925 Florence won her case and the destruction order went through. Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie des Grauens vanished into thin air just as Count Orlock, the vampire in the film, does when exposed to the rays of the morning sun.Nosferatu did not stay dead. Like any good horror movie, the villain revived himself and carried on the fight. A print of the film resurfaced in 1929, playing to audiences in New York and Detroit. However preeminent Dracula scholar, David J. Skal, writes that the film “was not taken seriously” and that most audiences considered it “a boring picture”. The print was then purchased by Universal to see what had already been done in terms of a vampire movie. The film was studied by all the key creative personnel leading to the Universal production of Dracula in 1931.

The undead film continued to rise from the grave throughout the years. An abridged version was aired on television in the 1960s as part of Silents Please, and subsequently released by Entertainment films under the title Terror of Dracula, and then again by Blackhawk Films under the name Dracula. Blackhawk also released the original version to the collector’s market under the title Nosferatu the Vampire. An unabridged copy of the movie survived Florence Stoker’s death warrant and was restored and screened at Berlin’s Film Festival in 1984.

Despite its influence on the making of the 1931 Dracula, Nosferatu has few film decedents. It’s theme of vampire as a scourging plague has only been seriously taken up by two films: the 1979 remake by Werner Herzog, Nosferatu: The Vampyre, and the 1979 television miniseries of Salem’s Lot, directed by Tobe Hooper. Perhaps if the original Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie des Grauens had been allowed regular release, this would not be the case. It remains to be seen if Nosferatu will vanish again with the daylight or if this rare film will rise again in a new form.

For more information on the making of the original Dracula, check out David Skal’s book Hollywood Gothic: The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to Screen. If you want to see how vampire films have changed from Dracula to Underworld, pick up a copy of my book The Changing Vampire of Film and Television. Also you may visit www.timkanebooks.com for more vampire articles and fiction.

Not too long ago Anne Rice was the queen of vampire fiction with her creation of the legendary Lestat.  However, in the past few years Stephenie Meyer with her Twilight Saga,  Charlaine Harris with True Blood, and other authors with their vampire creations have stormed the best seller charts.  But what are the most popular series with the legions of online vamp lit fans?

The top ten most popular (based on online chatter) vampire book series are:

10. Riley Jensen Guardian by Keri Arthur

9. Anita Blake Vampire Hunter by Laurell K. Hamilton

8. The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice

7. The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine

6. Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

5. The Darren Shan Saga by Darren Shan

4. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

3. The House of Night by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast

2. The Southern Vampire Mysteries / Sookie Stackhouse Novels / True Blood Series by Charlaine Harris

…and the most popular Vampire Lit Series is no surprise…

1. The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Not quite making the top ten were:

Night Huntress by Jeaniene Frost
Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith
Undead and … by MaryJanice Davidson
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
Vampire Beach by Alex Duval
Night World by L.J. Smith
Nikki and Michael by Keri Arthur
Mackenzie Vampires by Nina Bangs
Almost Human by Melanie Nowak.

The top two series on this list have also been adapted for the screen, with the wildly popular Twilight Saga movies and True Blood television series on HBO.

This can have only helped their dominance in this poll.  While great literature does not need to be adapted for the screen, it will clearly raise awareness of a series and bring in a whole new group of fans.  A Darren Shan motion picture (Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant) will be released in late 2009.  Both House of Night and Vampire Academy films or TV adaptations are almost inevitable, although neither seem to be even close to production.  If the new CW Network TV series based on L. J. Smith’s Vampire Diaries is a hit, then those novels are bound to be in the top ten for my next vamp lit poll.

And, finally, it is lovely to see that modern vampire literature icon and pioneer Anne Rice made the list, even if she was not in the top five.  Oddly, only two of Anne Rice’s novels (Interview with the Vampire and The Queen of the Damned) were ever turned into feature films.

I compiled this list by searching for each of the vampire book series on a number of search engines and ranking them by the number of web pages, discussion forums, photos, videos, etc that are available online. Read more about vampires at SpookyFiles.com.