The Vault – TrueBlood-Online.com

Here’s a new book called True Blood and Philosophy: We Want to Think Bad Things with You which looks at the philosophical issues behind Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Mysteries and True Blood.

Teeming with complex, mythical characters in the shape of vampires, telepaths, shapeshifters, and the like, True Blood, the popular HBO series adapted from Charlaine Harris’s bestselling The Southern Vampire Mysteries, has a rich collection of themes to explore, from sex and romance to bigotry and violence to death and immortality. The goings-on in the mythical town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, where vampires satiate their blood lust and openly commingle with ordinary humans, present no shortages of juicy metaphysical morsels to sink your teeth into.

Now True Blood and Philosophy calls on the minds of some of history’s great thinkers to perform some philosophical bloodletting on such topics as Sookie and the metaphysics of mindreading; Maryann and sacrificial religion; werewolves, shapeshifters and personal identity; vampire politics, evil, desire, and much more.

True Blood and Philosophy provides food—or blood—for thought, and a fun, new way to look at the series.

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I’m proud to say that The Vault reported about this phenomenon way before NPR decided to discuss it, and we wrote about it here. But this past week on NPR’s, “All Things Considered”, Robert Siegel did a show entitled “For Love of Do-Good Vampires: A Bloody Book List”, which discusses how very different vampires are today, during this current craze, from the past.  Below are a few snippets from the transcript of that program and the audio file from their site. As you can see from the bits I’ve gathered here, they also highlight the books by Charlaine Harris in which True Blood is based.

Robert Siegel, the host says: “For decades Americans have been fascinated with vampires on TV, the big screen and in books. They’re enjoying a particular resurgence these days, thanks to the HBO series “True Blood” and the wildly popular “Twilight” books and movies. But look closely and you’ll notice that our vampires now are very different from, say, the vampires of the 1980s or even the 1990s. That’s because they reflect who we are as a culture and have changed with us over the years. So, what is it about the spirit of the times that’s making bloodsuckers so popular these days? NPR’s Margot Adler has read 75 vampire novels in the last seven months, and she was ready to take this one on.”

One of the books Margot Adler read was Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse, Dead Until Dark, book 1 of the series and here’s what she had to say about it.

5-13.The Sookie Stackhouse Novels

by Charlaine Harris

There are nine of these so far, starting with Dead Until Dark and ending with Dead and Gone, and more are coming. They take place in northern Louisiana; much of the action plays out in two bars, Merlotte’s and Fangtasia. The books are the basis for the HBO series True Blood. In this alternate world of today, the Japanese have developed a synthetic form of blood, and vampires can “come out of the coffin” and live among humans. Sookie Stackhouse is a mind-reading waitress who falls in love with Bill Compton, a vampire who was turned after the Civil War.

In the audio from this interview below you can hear how True Blood’s Bill Compton talks about his “humanity” and he discusses how different life is going to be for his new vampire daughter, Jessica as opposed to when he was turned. HBO’s True Blood turns in part on the character of Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), another morally upright vampire, who’s in a relationship with the human Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin). As in Vampire Diaries, Bill is constantly being pressured by his vampire brethren to embrace his gory appetite.

and read the entire transcript of this fascinating look at the whole vampire craze and why we are so fascinated by clicking here.

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Smart Pop Books wants you to help them shape the topics they choose for their books, as well as the books themselves that they are currently working on. Right now, they are working on an anthology on True Blood (to be released this June), and they wanted us to ask you, as devoted True Blood fans, to weigh in on the look of the cover. They have two potential covers  (designed by the lovely and talented people at Faceout Studio), shown below.

Which one would you pick?

To indicate your choice, go to there site, by clicking here. Hurry, the voting will only be online until Monday, February 1.

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Anne Rice has been interviewed about her new book, “Angel Time” recently and during the interview she spoke about her thoughts on the vampire craze and True Blood in particular. Here’s an excerpt that includes her comments about True Blood:

Dean: What do you think of the current vampire types like those in “Twilight” and “True Blood?”

Rice: It’s fun. I think there’s nothing there to be frightened about or upset about. I’ve seen both the “Twilight” series and I think they were just romances for young teens. I mean, it’s the same formula as “Jane Eyre” basically. The young girl … the other mysterious figure takes an interest in her and is both protective and yet is a threat. And it’s kind of, I think, Stephenie Meyer hit on that formula and it’s a formula that always works. She’s just done it in a new way. I’m amazed that parents are kind of frightened. I think the kids reading the book know that it’s fiction. There were people a hundred years ago frightened when people were reading the book “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë. There’s nothing to be frightened about. It’s just fiction.

And I think “True Blood” is very clever. I really like Bill Compton. I think he’s a nice, really melancholy, tormented vampire. I think Southerners really like “True Blood” because they got the South right. It took a vampire show to get it right. So often they get it totally wrong, but somehow or another, it totally works.

To read the rest of the interview, go here.

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Billsbabe, “Lisafemmeacadienne” has read a vampire novel called, Forever Kiss, by Angela Knight, and written a review that she has graciously shared with us. Since there seems to be an insatiable desire for all things vampire these days, we thought that during the True Blood hiatus, reviews of vampire books might interest our visitors. The following is Lisa’s review. Thanks Lisa!

One of my favorite authors has written an intriguing vampire tale that weaves the supernatural, hot sex, romance and action into one story. If you’re yearning for an erotic vampire tale, The Forever Kiss by Angela Knight is the book for you.

Valerie Chase has been having dreams for years of her Cowboy, a Texas Ranger from the Wild West, who seduces her in her dreams. Only this cowboy, Cade McKinnon, is very real, and is a vampire who has been watching her for years after he rescued her from an ancient vampire named Ridgemont. Ridgemont killed her parents when she was a child, and is controlling her and Cade like chess pieces for his own sadistic amusement.

Valerie is special; she is Kith, meaning she has telepathic and empathic powers. Only Kith can be successfully changed into vampires in this story. Cade must convince Valerie to be changed so that they can combine their powers to defeat Ridgemont and break free of his hold, culminating in the final battle of the book that has a surprising twist.

And the sex? There are some seriously hot sex scenes in this steamy tale! Sex on the back of a Lexus, on a horse, in a hot tub, and the list goes on. As an added bonus, when she is changed into a vampire, they discover that they can feel the others’ desires and emotions during sex. What could be hotter than that?

This sexy, entertaining tale will keep you enthralled from start to finish. The author’s descriptions will stimulate your imagination and energize your libido, as well as feed your need for escapism and romance. Enjoy!

If you want to review vampire literature for The Vault, contact us at thevault@trueblood-online.com

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It’s interesting to speculate about the possibility that there might actually be such a thing as a real live vampire. They have become such a part of our culture nowadays, especially with the success of True Blood and since the lust for vampire stories seems to be insatiable, that it’s easy to wonder if they could be more than fiction?

“Real-life vampire” Jade drinks the blood of a donor for excitement and arousal.

Click on the image to see the video.

In New Orleans’ French Quarter, a man who goes by the name Belfazaar Ashantison claims to be a real-life vampire. He says he suffers from a physiological condition that prevents him from “creating enough of the essential daily energies to get through even the basic tasks,” making him feel perpetually drained.

“I am a vampire,” said Belfazaar, 44, who works as a “spiritual consultant” at a shop called Voodoo Authentica. “My method of getting to that energy source is through the blood.”

‘Real-Life Vampires’ Feed on Human Blood’

In fiction, when vampires feed they kill. However, in the strange world of so-called real vampires, there is an etiquette to drinking blood. According to Belfazaar, they don’t attack strangers and bite them on the neck the way horror films show them.

“I find that abhorrent behavior to force a feeding on anybody,” said Belfazaar.

He said that he feeds two to three times a week, sometimes on blood, sometimes on what he calls “psychic energy,” and always on consenting donors.

Click here to read the rest of this article.

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Last month The Vault reported on how our perception of vampires has changed, in my article, “Today’s vampires, not about capes and bats“, and that this vampiric transformation makes perfect sense allowing the forbidden to be something we can now embrace.  Below is an article that goes further into the new phenomenon discussing how the UK has exported quite a few of their own, of which we now are enamored.

From Gary Oldman and Kate Beckinsale, to Rob Pattinson and Stephen Moyer, the UK exports quality vampires.

The following is a partial transcript; for full story, listen to audio.

Story by Alex Gallafent, PRI’s “The World”

The British Ambassador to the United States, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, has written a blog post extolling the virtue of British (on screen) vampires.

It begins at the British Embassy in Washington, with a recent blog post titled, “A Bloody Good Show.” The author is Sir Nigel Sheinwald, Britain’s Ambassador to the United States.

Sheinwald has noticed something unusual in Hollywood. Admittedly, this doesn’t give much away. To explain, he notes that British on-screen bad guys are commonplace. But he points out, “a less remarked-upon British contribution to American life, to the unholy ranks of the Silver Screen’s undead.”

Ambassador Sheinwald writes not of mummies rising from the grave, nor of zombies roaming Sunset Boulevard; but of vampires. British actors playing vampires that is.

“Could it be the British climate that creates the pale and pasty complexion necessary to portray authentically Bram Stoker’s monster?” Wrote Sheinwald. “Or is it our ‘deadpan’ humour, putting the grave into graveyard, that makes us Brits especially suited to vampire kitsch?”

Early in the history of silver screen vampires, there was Christopher Lee, sinking his teeth into the role of Dracula. Later, Gary Oldman also played the Count. In his case, for Francis Ford Coppola.

“I had a casket up at my house. It was a gift from Francis. So I can’t reveal whether I ever used it,” said Oldman.

Oldman’s revelation and Ambassador Sheinwald’s blog reveal a sinister though perhaps unsurprising truth: The British are more than comfortable playing pasty-faced, centuries-old bloodsuckers.

Here’s Kate Beckinsale as Selene, in one of the “Underworld” movies: “You’re in the middle of a war that’s been raging for the better part of a thousand years. A blood feud between vampires and likens. Werewolves”

And you wouldn’t catch a British actor playing a werewolf; heavens, no. That kind of thing is left to the Australians.

This week, another movie vampire arrives, in “Twilight: New Moon.” This British vampire takes on a new shape. Actor Robert Pattinson disguises his true nature under the cloak of an American accent. He’s not the only one. Stephen Moyer does the same for his portrayal of Bill Compton in the HBO series, “True Blood.”

“Your choices are your own, as are mine. You have my gratitude for your hospitality. I will not soon forget it,” Moyer’s character, Compton, says in an episode about the hospitality shown to him during the Civil War, moments before he turns bloodsucker.

But he may as well have been talking about the easy passage British vampires, or actors, have made into American cultural life.

PRI’s “The World” is a one-hour, weekday radio news magazine offering a mix of news, features, interviews, and music from around the globe. “The World” is a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston.

Source

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Vampires have always had a certain appeal but they were never as attractive, interesting, sexy and just plain hot as now. They are out of the coffin and ‘living’ side by side with us mortals and many of my girlfriends have expressed the desire to date a vampire. The thought has crossed my mind as well maybe once or twice. But the prospect of getting in such close contact with somebody who could glamour you, overpower you without effort and suck the life out of you if he wanted to, is a bit scary. We could use some tips and tricks here, advise from somebody who has ‘done that and been there’.

‘How To Catch And Keep A Vampire’ by award winning writer Diana Laurence is the ultimate vampire dating guide. Drawing from her own experiences with vampires – meeting them, befriending them and dating them – Diana shares with the aspiring vampire-dater all the do’s and don’ts that will help you to meet the right vampire for you and to build a successful and satisfying relationship with him (or her).

This highly entertaining book covers all the aspects of vampire dating and gives the fang-fanciers answers to burning questions like “Is it possible to tame a vampire?”, “Can all vampires lift one eyebrow?” and “What to do when your vampire is cheating on you?”. Diana warns us for the risk of over-swooning and explains the history of the red satin ribbon.

On the official website of the book you can find more FAQ answered and you can even send in your own.

Curious as I am I wanted to know even more and who better to ask my questions to than Diana Laurence herself.

Thank you Diana for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions. ‘How To Catch And Keep A Vampire’ was released only weeks ago and I hear you are quite busy doing book signings, radio shows and interviews.

Diana: “For starters, let me say how thrilled I am to be on TrueBlood-Online with you, Shadaliza. I’m a rabid fan of the show and the books, and I think the work you guys do here is incredibly thorough and professional. Getting interviewed here is as cool as having Sam make me a julep and sharing a table with Bill! Okay, I admit that would be cooler, but you get my point.”

When did your fascination with vampires start?

“As a little kid I was intrigued by mind control—hypnotists, aliens, and also vampires. I also liked scary movies, so naturally I tuned in to the 60s soap opera “Dark Shadows.” But the clincher was Frank Langella’s portrayal of Dracula in the 1979 film. It didn’t hurt that I was going through puberty at the time. LOL! I just found the mystery, danger and power of vampires very alluring, even as a teen.”

You have dated several vampires. For you personally what is the appeal of dating a vampire?

“The list of reasons is so long it took an entire chapter of my book. I’m sure your readers could make a list that long as well! But I think my personal #1 reason is this: Vampires Cannot Be Tamed. It seems counterintuitive, but something inside me responds to the fact that the will of a vampire trumps that of a mortal every time. Even the sweet-natured vampires of my acquaintance, even the ones that are very protective towards me, are still willful, wild and unpredictable at times. And that’s a good thing. Well, think Bill Compton!”

Why should every girl and guy try dating a vampire at least once in her/his life?

“I think my answer to that harks back to a book I wrote over a decade ago, entitled Living Beyond Reality. I feel very strongly that in order to live life to the full, a person needs to look beyond the mundane, to the fantastical. Not only look, but also dabble. That’s what vampires are for: Hanging out with them lets us play at things we’d never dare to do in “real life.” Getting to know them lets us express aspects of ourselves we otherwise wouldn’t indulge. And personally, I feel that doing those things is essential to happiness and mental health! I recognize vampires aren’t everyone’s thing, but there are other options. Werewolves…pirates…space aliens…whatever trips your trigger, just go for it.”

Diana Laurence explains the imminently logical reasons for wanting to date a vampire.

In your book you stress how important it is to find the right vampire and not just settle for the first one that comes along. Have you had any vampire dating disasters of your own? Can you give an example?

“On that subject, I allude in my book to my dear friend Ethan, the first vampire I dated. I mention it wasn’t the best match because he’s a musician and I’m not. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a disaster, but one night he really wanted to teach me how to play arpeggios on the piano. Now a vampire can use mind control anytime to enable you to do that sort of thing, out of your normal capabilities, like tango or play Texas Hold ‘Em. But he really wanted to teach me, for real. My hands can barely stretch an octave, and my fingers do not cooperate even when I type. I could see Ethan really needed a girlfriend with some piano aptitude. And, of course, by then I’d met Gunnar… :-)”

Dating a vampire involves a biting and drawing of blood. Do you remember the first time a vampire bit you? How was that experience?

“It was kind of nice that Ethan was my first vampire, because he was really cordial about it. He offered politely, and to my surprise there was no pressure. I didn’t think vampires were ever that way. And frankly, from the moment I laid eyes on him, playing piano in that mall food court, I really wanted him to bite me. You know how that is. And trust me, it didn’t disappoint! Vampire bites are…well, you’ve seen “True Blood,” you get the idea.

Interestingly, however, the experience was quite different with Gunnar. As I explain in my book, he was a more “traditional” vampire in that he was not going to give me any say in the matter. He was rather scary actually. He said to me, “The way this works is, I get what I want, and you’re totally, wonderfully happy about that.” And then without warning he bit my wrist. And actually, that was a lot more thrilling than it had ever been with Ethan! Go figure…it’s the same reason so many of us lust after Eric Northman, I’m sure.”

Why do intelligent, modern, independent women willingly enter in relationships with dominant vampires who are physically and mentally able to overpower them? Haven’t we learned anything?

“I’m going to try to answer that without making anyone mad at me, because the answer is not exactly PC. LOL I think in fact we have learned a lot, and society has learned a lot, and none of us want to go back to a world like on “Mad Men,” where women are subservient. At the same time, I think many, perhaps most (but not all!!) women are hardwired to enjoy submission once in awhile. We get a certain thrill out of it romantically and/or sexually. But at the same time, we (hopefully) know better than to get trapped into that sort of arrangement in our mortal relationships. Like I said earlier, this is what vampires are for. You can indulge away in the bodice-rippy, swoony stuff without fear of reprisal. In fact, I find having that outlet actually makes me a stronger person.”

Vampires make interesting conversation partners, they have lived through many different periods and have acquired an incredible amount of knowledge and skills. What have you learned from your vampire friends?

“I’m glad you brought this up, Shadaliza, because I find it one of the best things about having vampire relationships. They have ancient talents and amazing historical knowledge. My friend Aidan knows old Celtic magic that is extremely entertaining. Mordred hung out with the Druids. (But don’t tell him I told you so. He’s very mysterious about his past, and his bite is as bad as his low, seductively snarly bark). My dearest vampire, Conner, knew Chaucer and was a groupie of Shakespeare’s. He practically lived at the Globe Theater, and certainly got underfoot backstage a time or two.”

Are women who have dated a vampire forever spoiled for human boyfriends? How could they ever match up?

“It’s funny how that works. While I certainly couldn’t get through life without my vampires, at the same time there’s an irreplaceable charm about mortal husbands and boyfriends. They have to work a lot harder both to make it in life and to make you happy, and it’s rewarding to see them do it. And there are a few things mortal guys can do for you that vampires never will. Like don’t ever bother trying to get a vampire to help you with your taxes.”

How do True Blood vampires Bill and Eric fit in your theory about good and bad vampires?

“Those two are classic examples, and I refer to them all the time when writing and speaking about the undead. As I explain in the book, all vampires are predatory and untamable, but they have different “social styles,” if you will. Good vampires, like Bill, choose to interact with mortals in a polite, civilized way. They enjoy playing a protective role with their mates. Bad vampires, like Eric, would rather behave in a traditionally vampiric manner: aggressive, controlling, being scary and insisting on their own way. However, like Eric, deep down they are not truly bad…they behave that way largely because they know we really dig it! But I must warn your readers there is also a third category, evil vampires. That kind is truly malevolent and utterly selfish. Think Marianne with fangs. You don’t want to have anything to do with them, as I was warned but failed to heed. You’ll read that cautionary tale in the book!”

What is the most important advice you can give us on dating a vampire?

“Other than the caveat I just shared, I’d say that you shouldn’t be put off or feel bad about vampires’ general inability to be monogamous. I’ve come to learn the tricky but true lesson that while they rarely limit themselves to one mate for life (considering how long “life” is for them, that’s a lot to ask), they are not like mortals about it. And while I’m a staunch proponent of monogamy in mortal relationships, it’s different with vampires. They are very deeply devoted to each one of their mates and truly make you feel uniquely treasured and indispensable. It’s hard not to be jealous at first, but if you can wrap your mind around that, it makes a world of difference. And meanwhile, it means you can change vampires as the mood strikes you as well! Yay! Because some days I’m in the mood for Bill, and sometimes for Eric. ;-)”

We won’t give away the secret of the red ribbon… but….. do you still wear it every now and then?

“You bet I do! And I really hope readers of the book will too. I’m looking to spot them wherever I go…and seeing as the book is in stores all over the world, those ribbons could be everywhere soon. :-)”

Diana Laurence

For more info about ‘How To Catch And Keep A Vampire’ and Diana Laurence:

www.howtocatchandkeepavampire.com – official site for the book, with lots of fun info and interactions with me and my vampire friends.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/How-To-Catch-and-Keep-a-Vampire/85381298406 – The Facebook fan page; you gotta join, we have fun stuff happening every day and the vampires contribute a lot.

www.dianalaurence.com – my own site, where you can learn about me and my many other books. Click on “vampires” in the upper left to find my vampire-related works.

www.eroticawithsoul.blogspot.com – my blog, where I talk about romance, sex, psychology and pop culture…tastefully of course.

www.dianalaurence.com/cakav/contest – The information on my Spot the Book contest, running till Nov. 30, with prizes including a $100 Amazon certificate.

Again, thanks so much for having me on TrueBlood-Online! I hope my book will help provide some comforting diversion while your readers (like me) pace the floor waiting for the new season. Certainly it will help them find vampires of their own, and believe me, those guys will be a distraction from the wait for sure!

© The Vault – TrueBlood-Online.com

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Everybody’s talking about vampires these days.  Those that aren’t enamored by them, like I am, are always asking me, “What’s the fascination”?  Those doing the asking are not fans of the latest TV shows and movies that include vamps and don’t realize that vampires aren’t what they used to be.

Since Halloween is less than a week away, and our children are about to go out in their costumes and we head to Halloween parties where some of us will even be dressing up as our favorite vampire hero or heroine, it seemed like a good time to think about this recent change in the perception of vampires.  With all of this talk, it got me thinking, how has the image of the vampire really changed?  Most of what I know about vampires I got by reading books or watching films and TV, but I guess that would have to be since vampires only exist in these created worlds.

I have never been a huge vampire fan before experiencing True Blood, although I admit to watching Dark Shadows with Barnabus Collins and loving the campy soap opera. However, recently, with films like Twilight and TV shows like Vampire Diaries and most importantly, our favorite TV show, HBO’s True Blood, I have a new attitude about these blood suckers then when I grew up.  This started me wondering about the history of vampires and how this transformation has taken place.  And, although I must acknowledge the written word is probably the geneses for this transformation from monster to love interest, especially with Ann Rice’s, Interview With a Vampire and Charlaine Harris’, Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries,  I’m more of a “visual” thinker, so I decided to focus here mainly on how vampires have transformed in films and TV.

Vampires have quite a history going back to ancient times in folklore.  They began appearing in literature in the 1720’s. The German poem “The Vampire” was among the first, published in 1748 by Heinrich August Ossenfelder.

The Vampyre, written by John William Polidori in 1819, was a short story in New Monthly Magazine, and it was the first to take the folk-tale vampire and make him a suave operator who preyed on aristocrats.

However, since Bram Stoker unleashed “Dracula” in 1897, vampires have long been a part of the world’s pop-culture scene and this character epitomizes our impression of what a vampire is.  All we know about him is that he is one who possesses and was only interested in victimizing those who are human in order to drink their blood.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Another vampire film is premiering on Friday, 10/23, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire Assistant. The source material this time is a series of young adult books known as “Cirque du Freak” or “The Saga of Darren Shan,” written by Darren O’Shaughnessy — who writes under his protagonist’s name, Darren Shan. Below is the trailer and an early review of this film.

Review: `Cirque du Freak’ a vampire Frankenstein

By JAKE COYLE, AP Entertainment Writer

It’s getting downright batty trying to keep all these vampires straight.

You have your traditional vampires (“Nosferatu”), your blond slayer foils (“Buffy: The Vampire Slayer”), your sexy vamps (“True Blood”), your Euro children vampires (“Let the Right One In”) and your melancholy teenage variety (“Twilight”).

The undead are not only alive, they’re also multiplying and creating new vampire species and subspecies faster than fruit flies. Each has its own version of the mythology: Fangs are optional, bloodthirstiness varies.

The latest entry to this overcrowded field is “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant,” which arrives with quixotic dreams of a franchise of its own.

We meet the world of “Cirque du Freak” through Darren (Chris Massoglia), a popular, straight-A high-schooler whom his rebellious best friend, Steve (Josh Hutcherson), calls “Mr. Perfect.” His parents lecture him on the path to a “happy, productive” life with the depressingly rigid mantra: “College. Job. Family.”

Though Darren is wide-eyed and naive, he harbors a love of spiders. Steve idolizes vampires. Darren shrugs that these obsessions are “in our blood” — and director Paul Weitz sees fit to prove it to us with a sudden zoom into Darren’s capillaries, where little spiders dance around double helixes.

Both get a front-row seat to their dark secrets when a traveling freak show comes to town. They’re lured in by a mysterious flyer tossed from a spooky black car (license plate: “DES-TINY”).

Click here to read the rest of this review

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