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The "Vanishing Breed" Vampire Universe
My vampires belong to another species, humanoid but not truly human, sharing Earth with us. This group of connected works was inspired by my husband's short story "Vanishing Breed," originally published in my 1970 anthology CURSE OF THE UNDEAD under the pen name "Niel Straum." Other influences that shaped this universe as I developed it, such as Suzy McKee Charnas's THE VAMPIRE TAPESTRY, George R. R. Martin's FEVRE DREAM, Elaine Bergstrom's SHATTERED GLASS, and Jacqueline Lichtenberg's THOSE OF MY BLOOD, are discussed at length in my nonfiction book DIFFERENT BLOOD: THE VAMPIRE AS ALIEN from Amber Quill Press.
Key to Publishers:
AQ: Amber Quill Press (www.amberquill.com)
EC: Ellora's Cave (www.ellorascave.com)
HS: Hard Shell Word Factory (www.hardshell.com)
Stories and Novels in Chronological Order Within the Series:
"Payer of Tribute" in the fanzine GOOD GUYS WEAR FANGS 4 (2005)
"Voice from the Void" in HEART'S DESIRES AND DARK EMBRACES (AQ)
"The Pale Hill's Side" in HEART'S DESIRES AND DARK EMBRACES (AQ)
DARK CHANGELING (HS)
"Demon on the Hill" in the fanzine GOOD GUYS WEAR FANGS 4 (2005)
"Tall, Dark, and Deadly" in THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT 2 (EC)
CHILD OF TWILIGHT (HS)
"Incunabula" in HEART'S DESIRES AND DARK EMBRACES (AQ)
SEALED IN BLOOD (AQ)
CRIMSON DREAMS (AQ)
"Technical Adviser" in HEART'S DESIRES AND DARK EMBRACES (AQ)
"Scavenger Hunt" in HEART'S DESIRES AND DARK EMBRACES (AQ)
EMBRACING DARKNESS (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
"Night Flight" (EC) (stand-alone e-book novella; reprinted in EC print anthology DARK DREAMS)
"Vanishing Breed," by Leslie Roy Carter, reprinted in TOMORROW SUCKS, edited by Greg Cox (Baen Books)
A few other stories have appeared in fanzines that are out of print or no longer easily available.
GOOD GUYS WEAR FANGS, Issues 1-3 are not currently available; it may be possible to find secondhand
copies online. Various issues of this zine contain two more Nigel stories, a Roger/Britt story, and
an alternate-universe STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION fic featuring one of my vampires as an ensign
on Picard's Enterprise. (If it were not an alternate-universe tale, this one would fall after
"Vanishing Breed.") For information on ordering the newest issue (No. 4), contact the editor at
ggwfzines@aol.com or order directly from Neon Rainbow Press at
www.neonrainbowpress.com.
Characters Central to More Than One Work:
Reynard: "Payer of Tribute," "Demon on the Hill"
Roger: DARK CHANGELING, CHILD OF TWILIGHT
Claude: "Voice from the Void," "Tall, Dark, and Deadly," CHILD OF TWILIGHT
Nigel: "Incunabula," SEALED IN BLOOD
Gillian: CHILD OF TWILIGHT, "Night Flight"
Roger and Claude also make cameo appearances in other characters' novels. Valpa, who stars in
"Vanishing Breed," makes cameo appearances elsewhere as well. Nigel is a nephew of the "Dr. Jameson"
mentioned in "Vanishing Breed." Dr. Britt Loren, a primary (human) character in DARK CHANGELING
and CHILD OF TWILIGHT, appears as an important secondary character in my werewolf novel
SHADOW OF THE BEAST (AQ).
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