One of the first 2010 vampire films: DAYBREAKERS

I'll update my list of upcoming vampire movies soon, but I wanted to remind everyone that January will welcome the first of the major 2010 vampire movie releases. If you're unfamiliar with Daybreakers, a sci-fi thriller starring Ethan Hawke that's coming to the U.S. January 8, check out the most recent trailer...

Interview with graphic novelist Louis J. Pecsi

I'm thrilled to have graphic novelist Louis J. Pecsi, author and illustrator of Nosferatu the Untold Origin, with me as a guest today. He's been drawing since childhood and has created various effects for TV commercials and independent films. His newest project is a book that's a beautifully illustrated prequel to the classic 1922 film Nosferatu, featuring the iconic vampire Count Orlok.

Catherine Karp: Thanks for joining me, Louis. Please tell us a little about the storyline of your novel.

Louis J. Pecsi: Nosferatu the Untold Origin begins with the 15th-century crusader Count Orlok, who must burn, Elsa, a powerful witch at the stake for her refusal to worship the God of Rome.

As Elsa’s flesh is consumed, she places a curse upon Count Orlok, which transforms him into Nosferatu the vampire. As Nosferatu, Count Orlok finds himself an outcast in the village that bears his name. In an attempt to seek answers, Orlok journeys to Dracula’s castle and finds Dracula suffers from a similar curse. Unable to find a cure for his affliction, Orlok begins a 4oo-year journey that leads him to encounter ghosts, spirits, and even Van Helsing, a vampire slayer, who proves to be responsible for slaying his friend Dracula.

CK: The book contains nearly 300 full-color paintings. How would you describe the artwork?

LJP: I guess the best way to describe my art for the book is as an homage to the silent movie and my attempts as an artist to evolve into the direction of utilizing the tools of the digital age.

CK: How did you find the inspiration to create so many illustrations? How long did it take to produce them?

LJP: The art is inspired by the silent movie with its usage of heavy grease paints on the actor’s faces, which I tried to translate into the look of my book. I also looked at some of the German surreal art from that time for inspiration (I really like the original silent movie poster for Nosferatu). The art actually took close to two years to create. The art was drawn and painted by hand using a computer as a medium. The techniques I am developing I call digital paint. The reason I use this term is to clearly separate my art from the word computer graphic, which most people think of as the computer creating the finished art.

CK: What was it about the film Nosferatu that stayed with you and inspired you to create this graphic novel?

LJP: First and foremost it is one of my favorite films. I feel the look of the vampire, Count Orlok, is one of the most frightening depictions of the undead ever conceived of for the silver screen. With that notion in mind, I watched the film and wanted to create a back story for the character that would depict him as his own vampire and not a mere copy of Dracula (which is what Nosferatu originally was and also the reason Bram Stoker’s widow won a lawsuit against the distributors of Nosferatu).

CK: Are you a fan of vampires in general, or is your love of the genre mainly due to this particular story?

LJP: I am a fan of the vampire genre. I prefer most of the older films (1920s up to the 70s). One of my favorite vampire films is Dracula (1979), starring Frank Langella and Laurence Olivier . This film truly captured the essence of Dracula and the mythos that surround him, including his ability to transform into a bat (this film contains one of the best bat transformations put on film).

CK: You've said, "One of my best pieces of effects work is an old man makeup I created for a short adaptation of Poe’s 'The Tell-Tale Heart.'" I'm a huge fan of Poe myself, so I'd love to hear more about your work on this project.

LJP: My job on this film was to create the special makeup effects, which involved turning a twenty-two-year-old actor into an aging old man with a milky white eye. The makeup was sculpted out of clay and molded out of foam pieces. All together it took about 6 hours to apply and looked hellishly real. It was an incredibly rewarding project.

CK: Do you work mainly in the realm of horror, or do you enjoy other genres, as well?

LJP: I enjoy all genres, but horror and science fiction are my favorites.

CK: Where can readers learn more about you and Nosferatu the Untold Origin?

LJP: Visit our website: nosferatuorigins.com or nosferatutheuntoldorigin.com.

If you visit please leave a comment . The book is also on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com.

CK: Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your work. Best wishes for your gorgeously crafted novel.

Holiday video: An American Vampire Christmas

Happy holidays!

Contest winner and other tidbits

The winner of my contest for the first three issues of Seizure Offline is misskallie2000. Congratulations! Please send your snail mail address to catkarp [at] gmail [dot] com.

Thanks to everyone who entered by listing his or her pick for the best holiday present for a vampire. Suggestions ranged from "Estee Lauder's self tanner for the face to give that healthy glow all year long" to "dental floss to keep those fangs healthy."

In other news, I've been alerted to an article called "The Creepy Origins of the Best Horror Movie Bad Guys."

And don't forget to vote for the Best Vampire Book Covers of 2009.

I'm on a reduced blogging schedule right now and won't be checking my email as much. Happy holidays!

End-of-December goodies

I'm heading into two weeks of family time, so I'll be on a reduced blogging schedule.  Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday season!

Don't forget to participate in my current December events:

~ Enter to win the first three copies of the literary journal Seizure.

~ Vote for the Best Vampire Book Covers of 2009.

I'll be back in 2010 with an updated list of upcoming vampire movies, more vampire Music Mondays, contests, and plenty of other goodies. 

Guest blogger David Henley's online book tour and contest

Guest blogging with me today is David Henley, author of a new vampire series called The Quiet Darkness, published in Seizure, a brand-new collection of serialized fiction. David is kindly offering the first three issues of the print edition of Seizure, to be given away as a set to one lucky winner. After reading his guest post, head to the comments section and list your pick for the best holiday present for a vampire. I'll pull a winning name from the entries on Tuesday, December 22.
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Hey Suburban Vampires,

I’m here guest blogging about my new vampire series you can sink your fangs into. It's called The Quiet Darkness and can be read in Seizure (http://www.seizureonline.com/the_quiet_darkness/) in free weekly installments.

I don’t want to give away too much but I’ll introduce you to one of the leads that has just entered the story. Our sultry heroine, Elena, was raised by the Elder himself, but still feels a bit of an outsider to the rest of the brood and wanders the earth alone. To be honest she’s a bit of a man-eater, and I don’t mean that figuratively.

She felt him watching her at the bar for some time and wondered what thoughts passed through his mind. Will he, won’t he? Perhaps her seductress outfit was a bit strong for him, a looking-for-a-lover black dress with viciously delicate lace bands pushed down from her elbows.
...Later on, in the moment of climax, she sank her teeth into his neck, draining him to his second-last breath. He would never mention it to anyone, of that she was sure.

(Installment 14: http://www.seizureonline.com/the_quiet_darkness/2009/09/part_14.html)

The person watching her, Christian, becomes a pet of hers, and she tolerates a romances of sorts. But be warned, The Quiet Darkness is not all kisses and bites; it's the ongoing struggle between light and dark, where it's not just humans versus vampires, and follows the bloodsuckers' gruesome battle amongst themselves.

And now to Seizure: part fiction magazine, part website, and part publisher, Seizure offers a new platform for writers looking for exposure and readers after something fresh. Started in September this year, Seizure serializes fiction to build an audience for emerging authors. Content is released in parallel online and offline, and at the end of the story a final book is released.

We have just unveiled issue 4 of Seizure Offline, which features the ongoing stories of Rufi Cole, Stephen Ashworth, and David M. Henley (my The Quiet Darkness), an original short story from Alan Baxter, and a new cartoon from the Breakfast Epiphanies series. Everything is available online for free, but if you prefer reading in book form, Seizure Offline can be found on Amazon and other online retailers (your support is greatly appreciated).

And it’s not all vampires at Seizure, but each story has its own bite.

David Henley
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Don't forget to leave a note with your pick for the best holiday present for a vampire in the comments section, and you'll be entered to win the first three copies of Seizure Offline.

Winner of Amy Gray's HOW TO BE A VAMPIRE

The winner of of my contest for Amy Gray's How to Be a Vampire is maggiemay. Congratulations! Please send your snail mail address to catkarp [at] gmail [dot] com.

To enter the contest, you had to list your favorite vampire of all time. The top choice: Anne Rice's Lestat.

Thanks to Weldon Owen Publishing for offering the giveaway.

Music Monday: Gothic-style Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah

Last week's Music Monday featured dark alternatives to traditional Christmas music. In my house, we celebrate two holidays this time of year, so I wanted to offer similar suggestions for Hanukkah. I've got the perfect song: Black Tape for a Blue Girl's Gothic take on "Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah." But -- like trying to shop for Hanukkah decorations at the Target in my town -- sometimes you have to travel to another site to find what you're looking for.

"Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah" appears on Dark Noel, an album I mentioned last week. I can't find a video or a song snippet that I can upload here, so you'll need to click on the album cover below to find a clip. It's worth the extra drive, though...just like hunting down a tasty latke.

Vote for the Best Vampire Book Covers of 2009

Amazon.com is currently celebrating the Best Book Covers of 2009...but they didn't include any vampire covers. Here at Suburban Vampire, I'm celebrating the Best VAMPIRE Book Covers of 2009, using nominations that came from my visitors. Each subject's poll is located below the Amazon links/cover thumbnails. Voting will run until January 5, 2010.

BEST VAMPIRE FICTION COVER OF 2009 NOMINEES:




Best 2009 Vampire Children's/Teen Fiction Cover Nominees:


Best 2009 Vampire Graphic Novel Cover Nominees:


Best 2009 Vampire Nonfiction Cover (including fun dating/how-to books) Nominees:



And the winner of my contest for a $10.00 Amazon gift card is jacabur1. Thanks to everyone who sent nominations!

Suburban Vampire featured on HORROR FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Robyn at HorrorBlips wrote a piece called "Horror for the Holidays" today that's sure to please festive fans of darker entertainment. A sample:

"Horror For The Holidays" features posts from some of our friends around the web, highlighting the dark side of December. Hopefully these testaments to the terrible will help ease your fears about your own pending holiday nightmares. Or at least make your next family gathering seem a little less nightmarish.

I'm pleased to say that my "Merry Scary Christmas" post is one of the features on her list of entertaining holiday highlights from 26 horror blogs. Be sure to check it out...

http://horrorblips.dailyradar.com/story/horror-for-the-holidays-1

Last day for Best Vampire Book Covers of 2009 nominations

I'm taking nominations for the Best Vampire Book Covers of 2009 until this Saturday, December 12. If you submit nominations, you'll automatically be entered into a drawing for a $10 Amazon gift card.

Nominate Covers Here

Thanks...and good luck!

City of Eternals

Ohai.com is inviting 100 users from Suburban Vampire to City of Eternals, the web's first free vampire game world. Each visitor will receive 100 ohais (virtual currency that will cost actual money once the game is open). City of Eternals is in the private alpha stage; there are still features to come and things to improve.

Link to get the invite: http://www.cityofeternals.com/promo-forms/suburbanvampire

For more info, please visit www.cityofeternals.com, www.vampiresdigest.com, and www.ohai.com.

Contest: HOW TO BE A VAMPIRE

Weldon Owen Publishing has offered one free copy of How to Be a Vampire by Amy Gray, illustrated by Scott Erwert.

From the publisher:

For those who join the decadent realm of the vampire, eternal life holds juicy perks — charm and strength, shape-shifting and flying, telepathy and super-powered senses. But then again, one becomes . . . so terribly hungry. Is there an etiquette for feeding without causing a scene? How do you set up your crypt? What supernatural foes will make your blood run co lder? In this elegant, edgy resource, the newly immortal will find everything they need to know, including:

- a quiz to determine your true vampire persona
- ways to turn into a vampire — or when a kiss is not just a kiss; and why you should take a look at your family tree
- a transformation checklist, including canine teeth and UV sensitivity
- a makeup and fashion guide to looking damned good (or just damned)
- knowing your weaknesses, from garlic, stakes, and sunlight to an obsession with counting
- 10 signs that your boyfriend is a vampire, including super coolness (body temperature-wise) and a habit of sleeping in
- a field guide to vampiric variations around the world and throughout history

If you'd like to enter to win, simply list your favorite vampire of all time in the comments section. I'll draw a winner Tuesday, December 15. US and Canadian entries only please. Good luck!

Music Monday: Merry Scary Christmas

It's that time of year again, when we curl up beneath our blankets and watch classic films about ghosts, green monsters, and sinister men who drive poor souls to suicide. No, I'm not referring to Halloween and horror films. I'm talking about Christmastime and holiday favorites such as A Christmas Carol, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and It's a Wonderful Life.

Maybe it's because it's so bone-chilling cold in parts of the world--or perhaps it has something to do with taking stock of our lives during the past year--but for some reason we tend to desire a little darkness with all our comfort and joy of the season.

Therefore, I'm sharing some ideas for adding a haunting touch to your holiday music collection. In the clips below you'll find Nox Arcana's "Ghosts of Christmas Past" from their album Winter's Knight; Love Spirals Downwards' Gothic rendition of the Grinch's "Welcome Christmas," from the compilation Dark Noel, Vol. 1; and, a more obvious choice, "Making Christmas" from The Nightmare Before Christmas: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. For kicks, I'm also including the Squirrel Nut Zippers' "Blue Angel." The song doesn't appear on the Zippers' holiday album, Christmas Caravan (it appears instead on Hot). But it's a dark, dark take on the angel theme, so I thought I'd throw it into the mix. Spooky Christmas album options appear below the videos.









For more dark Christmas songs, check our the following albums:

Winner: HOW TO DATE A VAMPIRE by Sophie Collins

The winner of my raffle for Sophie Collins's How to Date a Vampire is Honolulu Girl from Trueblood Twilight. Congratulations! Please send your snail mail address to catkarp [at] gmail [dot] com.

Thanks to everyone who entered and for sharing your pick for the best place to take a vampire on a first date. There were some highly thought-out answers...and a few wishes to travel to a bar like Merlotte's from True Blood.

I'll have another contest up early next week.

How to Date a Vampire Facebook Page

Contests (plural)!

All right, I'm sweetening the deal for my Best Vampire Book Covers of 2009 event. List your nominations in the comments section of the original post, and you'll be entered into a drawing for a $10 Amazon.com gift certificate! Consider it my way of thanking everyone for joining me in another year of vampire suburbia.

Don't forget to also enter my contest for Sophie Collins's How to Date a Vampire. I'll be drawing a winning name this Friday morning (December 4).

Speaking of contests, Kris at The Cajun Book Lady reviewed Nicole Peeler's Tempest Rising...which she won right here at Suburban Vampire. Glad you enjoyed Nicole's book, Kris!

I've got another contest lined up for next week. Stay tuned.

BITE and THE FIXER trailers

Two new trailers for upcoming web and TV series are now available. Bite is "an online webisode romantic comedy of vampiric proportions," coming January 2010 (www.twitter.com/bitetheshow). The Fixer is an upcoming television series "produced by New Ronin Entertainment and based on the Lawson Vampire novels by Jon F. Merz" (www.thefixer.tv, www.facebook.com/thefixertv).

Best Vampire Book Covers of 2009

You can currently vote on the Best Book Covers of 2009 at Amazon.com--and doing so will give you the chance to win the books.

But...I didn't see any vampire book covers in Amazon's nominees. Therefore, I'm going to let Suburban Vampire visitors vote on the Best Vampire Book Covers of 2009. Feel free to nominate one book per category (see the list below) in the comments section of this post, and halfway through December I'll let visitors vote on the top nominees. You do not need to list a nomination in every category to have your input counted. Addendum: Everyone who nominates a cover (or covers) will be entered into a raffle for a $10 Amazon.com gift certificate.

Best 2009 Vampire Fiction Cover
Best 2009 Vampire Children's/Teen Fiction Cover
Best 2009 Vampire Graphic Novel Cover
Best 2009 Vampire Nonfiction Cover (including fun dating/how-to books)