Tag Archives: vampires

Le Fanu’s “Carmilla”

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One of the best ghost story writers of the 1800s was Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. Fans of this type of literature are probably familiar with him, especially those who enjoyed an older style of writing.

“Carmilla” is arguably the best vampire story that predates Bram Stoker and Dracula. It contains some genuinely scary scenes. It also has strong lesbian elements.

I first read “Carmilla” back in high school, but that was so long ago that most of the details had fallen out of the holes in my head when I reread it for the first time last weekend. My memory was that I had really enjoyed it when I was a teenager, and I wasn’t disappointed this time. Continue reading →

F. Marion Crawford’s “For the Blood is the Life”

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F. Marion Crawford

Today, August 2, marks the birth of Francis Marion Crawford (1854-1909). Although he wrote only a handful of short stories dealing with the supernatural and horror, he is still considered one of the best writers of ghost stories. If he had only written “The Upper Berth”, is place in the literature of the fantastic would be assured. The story was highly regarded by none other than H. P. Lovecraft, M. R. James, and H. Russell Wakefield. Highly regarded.

I’m going to look at one of my personal favorites, “For the Blood is the Life”.

Crawford uses the familiar technique of a tale within a tale. The story opens with an unnamed narrator (presumably Crawford) and an artist friend having dinner and enjoying a smoke on the roof a tower the narrator owns. It’s summer, and they are on the roof to escape the heat.

The artist is looking out over the land, and he sees a mound with what appears to be something on it. When the artist says the mound looks like a grave, the narrator confirms it is. He decides to go down and have a closer look at what’s on it. Continue reading →

When Dracula Seeks Revenge

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Dracula’s Revenge
Charles R. Rutledge
ebook $2.99

Here’s a seasonal little book you’ll want to read if you like well-written vampire stories.

Charles Rutledge has been writing dark fantasy set in Georgia for a few years now, and he’s got a set of recurring characters that are loving homages to writers of by-gone days.  While this story isn’t set in the fictional town of Wellman, it does feature the occult detective Carter  de Camp.

Jennifer Grail is a detective who gets called in on a strange murder. The victim is found in his home, his throat slashed open but with no blood.  The reader knows this isn’t an ordinary murder. Continue reading →

Announcing The Vampire Stories of Robert Bloch

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If you get the Haffner Press newsletter in your inbox, then you already know about this. But if don’t (and why not, I might add), then you’ll want to know.

One of the greatest writers of the macabre in the 20th Century was Robert Bloch.  I’ve written about him before. Like here. And here. And here. While he will probably always be best known as the author of Psycho, Bloch was many other things as well, including but not limited to a master of the short form. a member of the Lovecraft circle, and an accomplished screenwriter.

Haffner Press has announced The Vampire Stories of Robert Bloch.  Tentative publication date is sometime next year. Here’s the table of contents: Continue reading →