+ Writer's Wednesday: Anne Rice +

It's been a lifetime since I've done a Writer Wednesday or Fangirl Friday. Shame on me. So, today a love of mine.

The woman who created my first and strongest vampire love. She wrote Lestat de Lioncourt into existance and for that I am eternally grateful. He'll always be my favorite vampire, and best of all he doesn't sparkle. Instead he's so powerful he doesn't even die when exposed to sunlight.

Off topic, though, this is about the lovely lady who wrote his stories, not about him (I'll probably do that later). Ms. Rice was born Howard Allen O'Brien on October 4, 1941.

She's best known for her literature of the gothic, erotic, and religious genres usually centered around New Orleans, Louisiana. Her books have sold roughly 100 million copies - meaning she's one of the most widely read authors of modern history. Which is quite impressive.

She was the second daughter in her Catholic-Irish family. She decided to rename herself Anne on her first day of school - her mother just let her because she was self-conscious of her given name. My parents would never let me get away with that... I know, I've tried.

When she was 16 she got relocated to Texas where she graduated high school, went to college, and met her husband of 41 years. Residing with her husband in the San Fransico Bay Area during the Hippie Revolution in the Haight-Ashbury district during 1962-1988. While everyone was experimenting with drugs she was working on novels and considered a 'square'.

Her daughter died of Leukemia at the age of 6 in 1972. Her son Christopher is a best selling author. She'd returned to New Orleans in 1989, only to leave it again in 2004 after the death of her husband to move to California to be closer to her son.

Interview with the Vampire was her first completed novel which was published in 1976. Which is the first installment of the awesome Vampire Chronicles. Which you should definitely read because they are awesome and Lestat is probably one of the best developed characters ever. I might be biased, but her writing is unequalled. You could always read The Mummy/Ramses the Damned if you refute vampires. Though I still maintain my favorite of hers is probably Queen of the Damned, though you should read them in order.

Despite her struggle with conforming to a religion she's decided to leave organized religion and just continue with her beliefs, for reasons she says best, "For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian ... It's simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else...My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me...But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might become.”

I've never seen it so adequately put. Another reason to adore Anne Rice she owns the language, she has a fantastic way with words. Few authors have ever had me think so much during reading that was for fun and not academically required.

Her works are easily inspirational to all sorts of creative types. Queen of the Damned changed a great deal of my outlook and got me to question what a utopia might be like. It jump started an idea in my mind which might one day form into a novel itself. Who's to say? But she's inspired bands. She's inspired artists. She's inspired other writers. She's inspired directors.

Both of the movies inspired by her vampire chronicles were awesome in their own rite. Interview with the Vampire was phenomenal for the time period it was made. Before Tom Cruise got the crazy status. And when Kirsten Dunst was still young - and did she shine as Claudia. I really don't think anyone could have done a better job playing the young Claudia. She was amazing. For the age she was and the adult she had to perform, daaaang. I'm pretty sure I watch it for the performance she owns as Claudia.

As for Queen of the Damned everyone always tells me how they hate it as part of the vampire chronicles. And I could see how they might say that... if I hadn't seen the movie before I read the novel. The problem with me ever not being a fan of the movie is they used Korn's vocal skills for Lestat in the movie. They used the amazing Marguerite Moreau who I've adored since the Mighty Ducks movies as Jesse who might be my favorite of the chroicles after Lestat. And the talented and gorgeous Stuart Townsend. I have nothing but love for the movie. Sure they combined The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned with the movie. And yes they mislead the truth about Lestat's past in the movie. But still... I adore Stuart Townsend as Lestat. He will always be my Lestat. They used perfect musician's for the songs in the movie. They did so much right, that the flaws can be overlooked.

Okay, so this again strayed from that of Anne Rice. But it's because her characters are so amazing that it's so easy to stray from her to her characters. Basically I love and adore Anne Rice. Go read her novels!

Cred: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Rice
Photos: Googled.

Is this your first Writer's Wednesday? Then check out the page and take a looksie at my past Writer's Wednesdays.