A Brief Moment with Anne Rice

When it comes to novels based on vampires, New Orleans author Anne Rice is one of the most well-known authors.

Anne Rice was born in New Orleans on October 4, 1941, as Howard Allen Frances O’Brien. Upon beginning school, Rice appointed herself the name Anne, which she legally changed in 1947. At the age of 15 Rice’s mother passed away and the following year her father moved their family to North Texas, where she would meet her future husband, Stan Rice. The Rice family went on to have two children, Michele, who died of Leukemia at 5 years old, and Christopher, who went on to also become a best-selling author. Her upbringing is shown to have greatly influenced her writing, as New Orleans forms the backdrop for many of her works.

The first book Rice published was Interview with a Vampire (1976). The book began as a short story but was converted into a novel when Rice was grieving the loss of her daughter Michele. Years later Interview with a Vampire, was adapted into a movie starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. Following Interview with a Vampire, Rice published more vampire books in a 13 book series known as ¨The Vampire Chronicles”. Aside from “The Vampire Chronicles, ” Rice also published several more multi-book series and single novels. Anne Rice has also been known to have written under the pen names Anne Rampling and A.N. Roquelaure. Her son, Christopher Rice, has become a best-selling author and helped his mother co-write Ramses the Damned (1989). During her lifetime, Rice’s books sold over 100 million copies, making her one of the best-selling authors of modern times.

Anne Rice passed away on December 11, 2021, in Rancho Mirage, CA after complications brought on by a stroke. The celebrated writer was 80 years old at the time of her death. Although Rice is no longer here with us on earth, her intriguing gothic stories and memorable characters will always be remembered and celebrated by readers for years to come.