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Good Books Have Bite: The Vampire in Stories and Poems
Vampire. Vampir. Vampyre. Vampyr. Undead. Blood-sucker. Sanguinarian. Lamia. Previously living. Life-challenged. Undead. The names denoting this creature -- these creatures -- continue into every race, every nationality, and every culture. They appear in books, comic, graphic novels, songs, cartoons, televisions shows and movies. So what is the attraction of this enduring, undying, yet constantly changing myth? (And is a vampire a creature of myth?) What kernel of essential need does the figure of the vampire supply? What traits and characteristics remain constant across vampire novels, vampire stories, vampire poems, and vampire films? How do we read them, create them, interpret them, and write about them? Are vampires' really just humans suffering from dietary restrictions as many current novels seem to imply?
Examine the vampire in novels and what do you find?
- You find a creature that still retains human form, although dead.
- It is a creature that has a truly parasitic relationship with humanity, most especially with its own family
- It drinks the blood of the living to survive -- although sometimes it also eats regular food
- It sometimes needs to be invited into ones' home
- It has rigid rules to exist by.
- It is a creature that continues to have a life (of sorts) without the need of divine (Holy of some sort) intervention
- It is usually in direct opposition with the ruling theology of whatever culture it "lives" in
- And in declining numbers, within an increasingly secular world, it is depicted as either inherently evil, or as the product of an evil action. And like all evil, it usually wears an attractive face which helps the victim to forget that a vampire is first, last, and always a predator.
It is the predator which the human lovers usually describe briefly sensing before they become attached to their vampire. They describe the fear as being almost subliminal – something they are, at the back of their minds, aware they should feel. Then they set aside the fear and allow themselves to be taken. They ignore the fact that they could easily wind up deader than the undead vampire. Life being less important than the pleasure (paranormal romance here) they get from the vampire.
This website is dedicated to exploring our ongoing relationship with vampires: things that are almost human, but not quite; almost monsters, but not quite, almost men or women, but not quite. They are malleable, changeable, undying... predators, like us.
Table of Contents
- Censored: Vampires don't Sparkle
- The censors are running through the internet with their wands (legal briefs) at the ready, pulling the idea that "vampires" might not "sparkle" from public space.
- The Vampire Christmas Stories
- What happens when vampires and Santa entwine? This series of short stories offers some optional answers.
- Chapter Two Vampire Christmas: Vampires at the North Pole
- Vampires are snacking at the North Pole inside Santa's compound. Shouldn't Santa be upset? Let's ask him.
- Chapter Three of Vampire Christmas: Santa’s Naughty List
- This chapter explores the character of Santa, who seeking to create a nicer world, collaborates with the Vampires to rid the world of the naughty.
- Chapter 4 of Vampire Christmas -- Christmas 2012: The Santa Vampire Wars
- In this fourth entry of the story, the treaty between Santa and the Vampire nation has been broken' the elves and vampires are at war.
- Modern Vampire Poems
- These are modern vampire poems that are not ephemeral; they discuss eternal life & death, good & evil, hunter & victim, and most important food source & love.
- A Blood Myth for our Time: ‘The Chancellor’ by Phil McNulty a Vampire Poem
- The vampire poem, "A Blood Myth for our Time: ‘The Chancellor’," by Phil McNulty, offers an indictment of our times, examining the cult of the vampire, vampire economics & the ruling elite..
- Classic Vampire Poetry
- Classic Vampire poetry really hasn't changed all that much over time. Here is the pre-twentieth century poetry.
- Free Vampire Short Stories
- Free vampire stories don't all have to be full of sex, sex, sex! A little bit is fun, but sometimes a good laugh -- about once a month -- is all a vamp girl needs.
- Vintage (Old) Vampire Literature (Stories)
- Vintage (old) Vampire literature (Stories) existed before Bram Stoker's genre setting <em>Dracula</em>, The gateway to the stories is here.
- Writing Vampire Essays
- Writing vampire essays -- or the vampire story can be easy enough, you just need a bit of help in organizing your reading and writing..
- Vampire Characteristics (Traits)
- Vampire characteristics can be tracked though the stories and poems that featured them.
- Children as Vampire, Children as Victim
- The history of vampirism written in stories and poems is filled with children victims, and then with the, post-turn, children vampires.
- Vampire as Bloodsucking Metaphor
- The vampire has been used as a metaphor for <em>respectable</em> people such as landlords and bankers almost since the inception of the character.
- Sex and the Vampire
- Our vampire literature is filling with Vampire's having sexual relations with the still human. What is is about our society that insists that there be sex in everything?
- Porphyria: The Vampire Disease
- A scientific and biological powerpoint covering the "Vampire" disease, Porphyria. It was created by a student for a Biology class.
- Dracula and Disease in the Victorian Period
- Bram Stoker’s Dracula presents an interesting perspective on illness and death in the Victorian period. However, it is also useful to view Stoker’s work in light of Victorian understanding of diseases
- Euthanasia And Dracula
- Euthanasia and Dracula, and other vampires of course, are as closely interrelated as vampires and souls, or vampires and staking. What is euthanasia except the freeing of souls trapped in a dying body
- Dracula: Hero or Savage by Diane Huxley
- Dracula, the one of History and not of Bram Stoker's novel, was both a hero and a savage - depending upon perspective. This essay examines aspects of both.
- Evil Vampire
- The evil vampire is that of legend, and he has hidden in the dark since the first twilight. It is only in the last fourty years that he has aquired a new face. What makes a vampire evil?
- Religion and Vampires
- Religion and Vampires, oh my. What exactly is it about Holy items that make Vampires turn away? Symbols have power even over the dead.
- Confessions of a Vampire-Book Slut
- Who better than a self-confessed vampire-book slut to guide you to the most titillating vampire-books for bedtime pleasure?
- Vitality for Vampires: Enlarge your Bite: Improve your Sex un-Life
- Vitality! The Top Male Vampire Enhancement Product will Enlarge your Bite: Improve your Sex un-Life! Guaranteed 100% Pure! (cartoon ad)
- Crossword Puzzle: Vampires Around the World
- Free and Fun advanced vampire crossword puzzle asking for the name of vampires in countries that call the same beings different names.
- Vampire Twilight Word Search Puzzle
- So you think you know all about the Vampires of Twilight. Well here is a Word Search Puzzle based on the first novel of the series <i>Twilight</i>
- Suggested Vampire Series Beyond Twilight
- Here are some suggested vampire book series to read beyond the <em>Twilight</em> series.
- Vampire Festivals, Conventions, and Conferences
- Vampires, while by nature solitary creatures, enjoy the occasional gathering with their kindred. Join in, if you dare; new blood is welcome.
- Vampire Clothing and Gothic Gifts
- Vampire clothing and gothic gifts are perfect for the undead lover in your life (or unlife). Enter here ... if you dare.
- Books With Bite Site Banners and Buttons
- Here is a selection of simplysupernatural-vampire.com site button and button image links
- The Vampire's Answer to Kipling's A Fool There Was -- 1900
- This is a feminist slanted Vampire's Answer to Kipling's "A Fool There Was." It appeared in Doctors Magazine in 1900.
- Supernatural Study Guides
- A Supernatural Study Guide can shine a light on the sometimes scary landscape filled with vampires, werewolves, and ghosts (oh my). We have collected some suggestions into one location.
- July 4; OR Just Another Vampire Day
- The 4th of July provides unique opportunities for vampires, but at heart, it is just another vampire day.
- The Supernatural Bookstore
- The Supernatural Bookstore suggests the best in paranormal romance and supernatural horror.
- Visually Vampire: Ten Must See Vampire Movies
- Visually Vampire: Ten must see vampire movies is a list featuring those films and series I use in my College vampire classes. These range from Nosferatu to Dark Shadows, Dracula to True Blood.
- Sweet Goth Blog
- Vampire related articles don't always want to be large enough/long enough for a full webpage. Some are best covered in blog. This connects the two...
- Sweet Goth's Vampires
- Vampire related articles don't always want to be large enough/long enough for a full webpage. Some are best covered in blog. This connects the two...
- About Me & Vampires in Literature
- All About Me? I am a college instructor with two specialties that are completely at odds: Vampires, and Grammar.
- Great Vampire Essays: Making the Grade
- Break the hidden code that makes one student paper an A instead of a B, C or D. Codes broken here! Write great vampire essays.
- How to Write the Thesis: 5 Paragraph Essay
- Writing the Five Paragraph Thesis is not that hard. This comprehensive how-to walks writers through the structure of writing A quality thesis.
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Kindle eBook only $5.99 or FREE for Amazon Prime Members to check out.
"The trials and tribulations of the Bannerworth clan provide an entertaining read."Portland Book Review Sept 2011
James Rymer's story speaks from the Victorian era which spawned this penny-dreadful: abridged by Leslie Ormandy to suit a modern audience. Sir Francis Varney, the vampire, wants someone to spend eternity with. He wants money to make himself independent of the vampire who created him. But overwhelming those other needs, is the need for blood.
Read and discover what vampires were like in the 1840s.
Click Here to See it on Amazon
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