Editing Vampire literature (section)

===21st century===
Many books based on vampires are still being published, including several continuing series. [[Paranormal romance]], inspired by Anne Rice, but mostly dropping the open sexuality of her characters in favor of more conventional sexual roles, is a remarkable contemporary publishing phenomenon.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2006-06-28-vampire-romance_x.htm |title=USATODAY.com - Romance fans: Vampires are just our type |website=[[USA Today]] |access-date=2008-09-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110717090930/https://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2006-06-28-vampire-romance_x.htm |archive-date=2011-07-17 }} Vampire Romance</ref> Romances with handsome vampires as the male lead include [[Lynsay Sands]]' Argeneau family series (2003&ndash;), [[Charlaine Harris]] ''[[The Southern Vampire Mysteries]]'' series (2001&ndash;2013), and [[Christine Feehan]]'s Carpathian series (1999&ndash;).  However, [[Laurell K. Hamilton]]'s ''[[Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter]]'' series has again shifted the genre boundaries from romance back toward the territory of erotica.

The [[occult detective]] subgenre is represented by [[Jim Butcher]]'s ''[[The Dresden Files]]'' fantasy series (2000&ndash;), and [[Charlaine Harris]]'s  ''[[The Southern Vampire Mysteries]]'' (2001&ndash;).

In the field of juvenile and young adult literature, [[Darren Shan]] wrote a 12-book series (''[[The Saga of Darren Shan]]'') about a boy who becomes a vampire's assistant, beginning with ''[[Cirque Du Freak]]'' (2000) and ending with ''[[Sons of Destiny]]'' (2006). A film adaptation has been made of the first three books called ''[[Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant]]'' (2009). He is also currently writing a prequel to the ''Saga'', a series of four books all about [[Larten Crepsley]] (one of the main characters) starting with ''Birth of a Killer'' (2010) and finishing with ''Brothers to the Death'' (2012). [[Ellen Schreiber]] created a young adult series about Raven Madison and her vampire boyfriend Alexander Sterling, starting with ''Vampire Kisses'' (2005). In [[Scott Westerfeld]]'s young adult novel ''[[Peeps (novel)|Peeps]]'' (2005), the protagonist carries a contagious parasite that causes vampire-like behavior.

Count Dracula also continues to inspire novelists, for example [[Elizabeth Kostova]] in ''[[The Historian]]'' (2005).

Swedish author [[John Ajvide Lindqvist]]'s critically praised vampire story ''Låt den rätte komma in'' (2004), about the relationship of a 12-year-old boy with a 200-year-old vampire child, has now been translated into English as ''[[Let the Right One In (novel)|Let the Right One In]]'' (2007) and [[Let the Right One In (film)|a film adaptation]] has been produced. The story takes place in [[Blackeberg]], a suburb of Stockholm. This particular novel does not follow the modern romantic trend, and instead focuses on a human-vampire friendship. Crucially, it retains many of the vampire traits popularized by ''[[Dracula]]''.

[[Dimitris Lyacos]]'s second book of the ''[[Poena Damni]]'' trilogy ''[[With the People from the Bridge]]'' handles the vampire legend in the context of a ritualistic post-theatrical drama performance.<ref>Max Godwin Brown, With the People from the Bridge. Versal Magazine, Amsterdam 2015.http://www.versaljournal.org/blog/2015/3/12/with-the-people-from-the-bridge-by-dimitris-lyacos</ref> In a dystopian setting, under the arches of a derelict bridge, a group of social outcasts<ref>Bethany W. Pope, With the People from the Bridge. Ofi Press Magazine, Mexico City 2015.http://www.ofipress.com/lyacosdimitris.htm</ref> present an unconventional, non-Gothic version of a vampire drawing from ancient Greek religion<ref>An interview with Dimitris Lyacos. The Writing Disorder Magazine, Los Angeles 2015. {{cite web |url=http://writingdisorder.com/dimitris-lyacos/ |title=Dimitris Lyacos - the Writing Disorder |work=The Writing Disorder |date=19 June 2015 |access-date=2015-06-22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622160514/http://writingdisorder.com/dimitris-lyacos/ |archive-date=2015-06-22 |author1=Writdisord }}</ref> and literature, [[Christian eschatology]] as well as traveler reports of vampire epidemics in the Balcans.<ref>Vampires, Burial and Death. Paul Barber. Yale University Press 2010.</ref> The story is recounted in a [[minimalist]] style that makes no explicit mention to vampires, the undead, graves or the Underworld, conveying, nevertheless, the underlying theme unambiguously and in striking physical detail.<ref>Ada Fetters, Review of Dimitris Lyacos's With the People from the Bridge. The Commonline Journal, Seattle Washington, 2015 {{cite web |url=http://www.commonlinejournal.com/2015/12/review-of-dimitris-lyacoss-with-people.html |title=The Commonline Journal: Review of Dimitris Lyacos's with the People from the Bridge &#124; Editor Note by Ada Fetters |access-date=2015-12-08 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208204751/http://www.commonlinejournal.com/2015/12/review-of-dimitris-lyacoss-with-people.html |archive-date=2015-12-08 }}</ref>

[[Peter Watts (author)|Peter Watts]]' novel ''[[Blindsight (Watts novel)|Blindsight]]'' has explored a scientific basis for vampires, depicting them as an evolutionary offshoot from humanity who were not the dominant species on the planet solely due to an evolutionary glitch making them averse to Euclidean geometry (right angles cause seizures in what is called "Crucifix Glitch", leading to them dying out when modern technology with all its structures swept the world). Implied to have vastly superior intelligence and problem-solving capabilities, they were recreated from gene snippets for special tasks, with special drugs alleviating their crucifix glitch. One particularly important vampire trait is their ability to hibernate for extended periods of time, which makes cryogenic stasis possible and is applied to astronauts via gene-therapy. At the end of the novel it is implied the vampires have taken control of earth and may be exterminating baseline humanity.

In recent years, vampire fiction has been one of many supernatural fiction genres used in the creation of [[Mashup (book)|mashup]]s. These works combine either a pre-existing text or a historic figure with elements of genre fiction. One of the best-known of these works is ''[[Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter (novel)|Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter]]'' by [[Seth Grahame-Smith]], in which the historic [[Abraham Lincoln]] has a fictional secret identity as a hunter of evil vampires.

The 21st century brought more examples of vampire fiction, such as [[J.&nbsp;R. Ward]]'s [[Black Dagger Brotherhood]] series, and other highly popular vampire books which appeal to teenagers and young adults. Such vampiric [[paranormal romance]] novels and allied vampiric [[Chick lit|chick-lit]] and vampiric [[occult detective]] stories are a remarkably popular and ever-expanding contemporary publishing phenomenon.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2006-06-28-vampire-romance_x.htm Vampire Romance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805040230/http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2006-06-28-vampire-romance_x.htm |date=5 August 2011 }}</ref> [[Leslie Esdaile Banks|L.&nbsp;A. Banks]]' ''[[The Vampire Huntress Legend Series]]'', [[Laurell K. Hamilton]]'s erotic ''[[Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter]]'' series, and [[Kim Harrison]]'s ''[[Hollows (series)|The Hollows]]'' series, portray the vampire in a variety of new perspectives, some of them unrelated to the original legends. Vampires in the [[Twilight (novel series)|''Twilight'' series]] (2005–2008) by [[Stephenie Meyer]] ignore the effects of garlic and crosses and are not harmed by sunlight, although it does reveal their supernatural status.<ref name="slate">{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/id/2205143/|title=I Vant To Upend Your Expectations: Why film vampires always break all the vampire rules|last=Beam|first=Christopher|date=20 November 2008|website=Slate Magazine|access-date=2009-07-17|archive-date=16 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110916173859/http://www.slate.com/id/2205143/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Richelle Mead]] further deviates from traditional vampires in her ''[[Vampire Academy]]'' series (2007–2010), basing the novels on Romanian lore with two races of vampires, one good and one evil, as well as half-vampires.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/kir/lifestyle/79852562.html|title=Vampire buzz takes bite in Kirkland|publisher=Pnwlocalnews.com|date=21 December 2009|access-date=2010-12-05|archive-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715094826/http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/kir/lifestyle/79852562.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In recent years, there has been more vampire fiction that discusses more political issues. These political issues usual revolve around gender and sexuality. This was first seen with Fanu's ''Carmilla'' in 1872. Today, female vampires represent womanhood and the tension of cultural norms. Especially when it comes to sexuality. These ideas are explored in new novels such as, Kat Dunn's ''Hungerstone'' (2025) and ''Woman Eating'' by [[Claire Kohda]]. ''Hungerstone'' is a contemporary novel retelling that of ''Carmilla''. It explores sapphic relationships, while also discussing womanhood in desire. While, ''Women Eating'', discusses the need of desire and acceptance in society through the appetite of a vampire. Through speculative fiction, like fantasy or science fiction, political topics can be discussed in metaphors. Especially for gender and sexuality topics. Vampire fiction has been a great example of this, that is still relevant today. <ref>{{Cite book |last=Hobson |first=Amanda |title=Gender in the Vampire Narrative |date=2016 |publisher=Sense Publishers |isbn=978-94-6300-712-2 |pages=3 |language=English}}</ref>