Michele Hauf GuestBlog: The Vampire Next Door

By Michelle Buonfiglio Tue., Dec. 11, 2007 , 12:01 am EST

Items in red are links

From Michelle: I consider Michele Hauf pretty much an expert on vampires. One might even call her a scholar of all things vamp. Today, class is in session, as Miss Hauf gives us a brief history of the modern vamp romance, and why its popularity seems to be growing, um, impossible larger! Please offer Michele your warmest "I vant to suck your blahd" buongiorno...

From Michele Hauf: I remember when vampire romances were a unique offering in bookstores that enticed with promises of an immortal hero of which we, as romance readers, had never before imagined.

Nowadays, vampires have real jobs, they throw parties, they host radio shows, coach the soccer team, slay other immortals, own Vegas gambling hotspots or cozy bookstores, they even angst over the latest Jimmy Choos.

Vampires have come a long way, baby, and their numbers have increased so measurably I'm waiting for the ‘Vampire' section to appear in bookstores.

To illustrate, I've done a very unscientific survey of how many vampire romances have been published yearly over the past ten years. Warning, I'm no statistician, but I do keep The Ultimate VampList online that lists all vampire books (in genres such as romance, mystery, horror, sci-fi, young adult, action/adventure, Buffy, etc.) You can find it at www.vampire-books.com. It's not a perfect list. It may be missing some titles, there may be some mistakes, but it gives a good general picture of the vampire fiction world.

So here are the number of vampire romances-including erotica-published by year (they include mass market, hardcover, and electronic releases):

1997 - 11
1998 - 7
1999 - 8
2000 - 16
2001 - 19
2002 - 50
2003 - 70
2004 - 87
2005 - 108
2006 - 131
2007 - 158
2008 - 39 titles listed so far

Interesting, yes? In any given month late in the 90s, the selection of new vamp romances might have been merely one title. Imagine! Around 2002 our hunger for the dark immortals started to soar. And it hasn't stopped since.

For those who have discovered vamps in recent years, let me point out a few of the original writers who helped to create and grow the genre. In 1991 Lori Herter's 4-book series started with "Obsession." Maggie Shayne started her Twilight series in 1993. Linda Lael Miller gave us angels and vampires with "Forever and the Night" back in '93. Karen Harbaugh offered us a regency vamp in "The Vampire Viscount" in '95. Nancy Gideon's Midnight series began in '94. And Amanda Ashley started her long-running series in '95 with "Embrace the Night."

Do you think the demand for vampire romances will wane? Do you want to see that Vampire section in the bookstores, or do you just wish they'd crawl back into their coffins and die quietly? What about the series put out by various authors? Do you want more, more, more, or is one enough?
***
Vamp Romance Week continues tomorrow, Dec 12 with 'Blood Ties" author Tanya Huff! Want the d.l. on Vicki and Henry? You'll get it here!

Then...Dec 13: Lynsay Sands/Argeneau series; Dec 14: Susan Squires/Companion series and this weeks RBTB featured author
***

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Posted in: sex, love, romance novels, michelle buonfiglio, vampires, blood ties, michele hauf, romancebuythebook, vampire romance, dark rapture

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Wow,Michele, I had no idea vampire romances had jumped so much! Thanks for giving us the stats. It was very interesting.

Posted by PatriceMichelle Dec 12, 2007 8:54 am ET

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Grazie mille, Michele, and everyone, for stopping in for Michele's GuestBlog. I love that she took an historical approach to this topic of vamp romance (and didn't fold to the pressure I put on her to write about vampire heroes who are big in all ways).

Try to find Michele's vamps, as well as her faeries, etc. And we're definitely lookin forward to a very twisted Jack Frost in the near future, Michele.

Thanks, new Bellas, who dropped in for the day! Hope you'll visit again. Thanks for your vamp knowledge.

Posted by Michelle Buonfiglio Dec 12, 2007 8:29 am ET

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To further abuse my credit card, I've ordered Emma Holly's Courting Midnight, on your recommendation, Bella Michelle, and also Michele's From The Dark... I'm going to have to grow another head so I can spend more time reading! LOL

Posted by PortiaDaCosta Dec 12, 2007 4:15 am ET

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I hear ya, on those long-running series, JulieK. I'd love to start J.D. Robb, as well, but isn't over 20 books now? I'm intimidated! I like a nice 3 or 4 book series, that's about right for me.

Posted by MicheleHauf Dec 11, 2007 10:20 pm ET

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Vampspert?? Queen B, you have out done yourself with that one. LOL How about Vamp Whisperer? :oD

I love a series. I say the more the merrier but I would like an ending. I want everyone to to get their happy ending but when there gets to be 15+ books, it's kind of overwelming. That's the reason I haven't started JD Robb's In Death. Everyone raves about it but there are just so many of them. I feel like I've already missed the boat on that one. If that makes any sense.

Posted by JulieK Dec 11, 2007 9:11 pm ET

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Michele: I love your vamp list. Thanks so much for creating such a good resource. I love vampires. I don't think they'll ever go away, but maybe things will calm down so that the market isn't so flooded.
Lynda Hilburn
THE VAMPIRE SHRINK
www.lyndahilburnauthor.com

Posted by LyndaHilburn Dec 11, 2007 8:51 pm ET

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Vamps of all periods are doing well. Dawn Thompson (Dorechester, Kensington author) has a series - the Blood Moon series for Dorchester Lovespell. So far, three books, Blood Moon, The Brotherhood and the release next month of The Ravening. Romantic Times just gave it TOP PICK for the upcoming Jan 2008 issue. These vampires are historical - Regency and Victorian era, much back to the roots of Stoker's creation. So vamps are doing well.

Posted by Deborah_Macgillivray Dec 11, 2007 7:56 pm ET

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Posted by Deborah_Macgillivray Dec 11, 2007 7:56 pm ET

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For some reason when I shelve the monthly's I seldom get a chance to glance at more than the author. I will have to be more vigilant. I will also check our well stocked library for your books.

I tend to put some of the monthlies that I like in the section for awhile before stripping them out. My bad. LOL

Posted by ev_bookwyrm217 Dec 11, 2007 5:19 pm ET

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Vivi, Sonja Blue rocks! I can still see that one scene in a club where some ballerina chick is doing a dance before the vamps, and there's like blood streaming out from her... Weird, and yes, very dark.

MaryKate, my favorite authors? I do find I pick up paranormal a lot: Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison, Lynn Kurland, Holly Black, Melissa Marr, Kresley Cole, Emma Holly, Gaiman, Pratchett, Christopher Moore, Lyda Morehouse. I love a good meaty historical romance, too. Yes, I worship Kinsale for Flower From The Storm. And Alexandre Dumas rocks! I also read a lot of natural history on the senses or anything by Oliver Sacks (he's a neurologist with a passion for neurological disorders). Currently reading...wait for this...Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope. Yep.

Posted by MicheleHauf Dec 11, 2007 2:27 pm ET

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