Stephanie Meyer really set herself up for ridicule when she made her vampires sparkle when they got out in the sun. I’ve heard so many people make fun of her, especially fellow authors. And I’m sure she’s crying laughing all the way to the bank. Yes, I do think sparkling vampires are a little silly. But she wanted to do something different, and she did.
Vampire lore has been around for a REALLY long time, and most of the older stories stuck to the same general ideas. Vampires couldn’t go out in the daytime, and they slept in a coffin at night. They could be killed by a stake in the heart, sunlight, or fire. Oh, and beheading. They hated garlic, and could be burned by crosses and holy water. They couldn’t eat food. How dare anyone deviate from that when writing about vampires???
The book I’m reading right now deviates from the old stories in several ways. Like Meyer’s vamps, they never sleep. They can go out in sunlight without burning up, but it hurts. They can’t be killed by a stake in the heart, only by fire. Buffy the Vampire Slayer had vampires that could eat real food. Kim Harrison has vampires that are dead and vampires that are not dead. We are seeing so many deviations from the old vampire lore.
I’ve written two stand alone vampire novellas, and two (working on third) in a series. One thing is common in all of them…my vampires can eat food! This is important because I’m a real foodie and life (or unlife) without being able to eat food is not worth living, in my opinion. I actually had a reader give me a low rating because I didn’t stick to the no eating mythology. She complained because my vampires ate food, and that wasn’t true. Hello? Vampires aren’t real! The vampire in one of my novellas only took blood at a certain time interval. The rest of the time he ate like everyone else. The vampires in my current series can’t go out in sunlight, and they lie dormant during the day and are cold and lifeless (but on a bed, not a coffin). When they feed upon rising, they are warm and they breathe. They can eat real food, INCLUDING garlic. So I use parts of the original stories, but I add my own twist, too. My vampires never sparkle. LOL
What about you? Do you like to see writers stick to the original stories that we’ve heard for years, or do you like to see a deviation? Do you actually get offended if an author’s vampires do things differently? What do you think?
I like to see new twists, especially where they can bring something about the old lore together in a new light. I’ve enjoyed the vamps in your Libby Fox series eating food in addition to blood, and the way they’re dormant during the day. Those twists work.
I like to see new twists, too, J.R. I don’t like to stray completely away from the old lore, but we often need some fresh ideas to keep it interesting. I’m glad you like Libby’s vampires. š
I like to read what the writer has written. And no, I’m not offended by the story. I like the writer to deviate the story. I like Stef’s vamps, and I like Lauralynn’s vamps. Each story IS a story.
Hi, Moremoonlight!
I definitely like to see what all an author can come up with in vampire stories. I like to see some different ideas.
I’m glad you like my vamps. š
My vampires (when I finally start writing the book about them) are not much like the traditional vampires at all. So I’m sure I’ll be ridiculed right along with Stephenie Meyer. š
The whole point of being a writer is to have an imagination. Otherwise, you’re just rewriting someone else’s book. Anyone who doesn’t like it, too bad. They can go write their own traditional vampire book, or they can go read someone else’s. And if they want have-it-your-way, they can go to Burger King.
Hi, Sharon.
I bet you I won’t be ridiculing your vamps! I love your writing, and I can’t wait to see what you do with vampires.
I think you hit the nail on the head when you say having an imagination is the point of being a writer. My mom often says to me, “Where do you come up with this stuff?” I take that as a compliment. And that’s definitely how she means it since she’s my biggest fan. LOL.
You’re right. There’s plenty of stuff to read out there if someone doesn’t like our vamps. š
Awww, thanks. š I almost have the first two books in the series edited & revised, so I should be able to start writing the third (the vampire book) by Christmas. I hope – for some reason I love to start writing a new book when the snow is falling. Weird little quirk. LOL
You’re question is very timely for me since I’m working on a vampire novella. I’m still figuring out some of the details about what my vampires look like and can and cannot do. You’re so right about it being fiction. You just have to make the characters believable within the framework of the story. Anne Rice was the first popular author to take the vampires out of the creepy castle and insert them into modern life. Lestat was a little ‘sparkly’ in his personality if not his appearance!
I can’t wait to see what you’re doing with your vamps. When it’s fiction, you can do anything you want. I still can’t believe the reader that didn’t like my book because vampires aren’t supposed to eat. Who SAYS they shouldn’t eat. Spike sure did like his wings and his bloomin’ onions. LOL.
One thing I’ve found out about writing a series. You better have notes on everything so you won’t forget what you’ve already written about the vamps and other characters!
Notes are very important (and especially so in a series). It’s very sad to think that jealous authors could be behind some bad reviews. We should all be supporting each other!
It is all about making a mark for yourself; if that includes doing something different than the norm then by all means go for it. Your stories are yours and if some other author doesn’t like it it’s because they are probably unset they didn’t think of it first.
HI Jon.
It’s pretty boring doing the same old thing all the time. LOL. We should go with our ideas as long as they aren’t TOO far out there.
In talking to other authors about reviews they’ve gotten and things readers have written to them, it does seem there’s a lot of jealousy out there. Maybe they ARE upset because they didn’t think of something first or upset because you are doing better than they are. It’s funny…when Guardian Vampire got up to 135 in Amazon rank, that was when I suddenly got some bad reviews. I don’t think that’s coincidence since other authors have had the same experience.
Vampires are the stuff of the imagination…so I say, imagine away!! Make them your own but stay enough with tradition that they don’t become a new species. Not that a new species is bad but if you are going to write about vampires, at some point, blood needs to be involved. Other than that…think outside the box and create away! I thought the sparkly thing a little bit corny but cute. It certainly didn’t hurt her story!!
Hi Deborah!
I agree…make your vampires your own without deviating too much. There HAS to be blood.
I’ve saved this post in my inbox for over a week now until I could grab a moment to come by and read it. So glad I did. Your “that’s not true!” reviewer was my laugh of the day.
When I was into vampire fiction, the very reason I liked it was because I wanted to see the new takes on the lore. I liked it the same way spoof is my favorite kind of humor, I love cover songs and tribute albums, and clever re-imagined movies like Clueless and 10 Things I Hate About You. I like seeing someone taking something that we all get and putting their own spin on it.
I like to see different spins on things, too. That’s why it just cracks me up when people take offense if you change the rules. There ARE no rules. LOL