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 Writers Exchange E-Publishing. Aside from DARK CHANGELING and CHILD OF TWILIGHT, its direct sequel, the novels, novellas, and short stories listed below don’t have to be read in any particular order.

Key to Publishers:

AQ: Amber Quill Press
EC: Ellora’s Cave
HS: Hard Shell Word Factory
(Although these publishers have gone out of business, most of the books are still available on Amazon in some form. In addition to the self-published re-releases noted in parentheses, the collection HEART’S DESIRES AND DARK EMBRACES and several novels have been reprinted by Writers Exchange E-Publishing.)

Stories and Novels in Chronological Order Within the Series:

“Payer of Tribute” in the fanzine GOOD GUYS WEAR FANGS 4 (2005)
(Reprinted in Kindle e-book VAMPIRE’S TRIBUTE)

“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)
(Reprinted in Kindle two-novel omnibus TWILIGHT’S CHANGELINGS)

“Demon on the Hill” in the fanzine GOOD GUYS WEAR FANGS 4 (2005)
(Reprinted in Kindle e-book VAMPIRE’S TRIBUTE)

“Tall, Dark, and Deadly” (EC)
(Reprinted in Kindle e-book VAMPIRE HEAT)

CHILD OF TWILIGHT (HS)
(Reprinted in Kindle two-novel omnibus TWILIGHT’S CHANGELINGS)

“Incunabula” in HEART’S DESIRES AND DARK EMBRACES (AQ)

SEALED IN BLOOD (AQ, reprinted by Writers Exchange)

CRIMSON DREAMS (AQ, reprinted by Writers Exchange)

“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; available as an e-book)

“Night Flight” (EC)
(Reprinted in Kindle e-book VAMPIRE HEAT)

“Blood Hostage” (AQ)
(Reprinted in Kindle e-book ARDENT BLOOD)

PASSION IN THE BLOOD (AQ, reprinted by Writers Exchange)

“Heat in the Night” (EC)
(Reprinted in Kindle e-book VAMPIRE HEAT)

“Therapy for a Vampire” (NIGHT TO DAWN magazine issues 35 and 36)
NIGHT TO DAWN issues can be purchased here:
Night to Dawn

“Werewolf Watch” (NIGHT TO DAWN issue 37)

“Vanishing Breed,” by Leslie Roy Carter, reprinted in TOMORROW SUCKS, edited by Greg Cox (Baen Books)

A few other stories have appeared in the out-of-print fanzine GOOD GUYS WEAR FANGS, which ran for four issues. Secondhand copies occasionally appear online. Issues 1 through 3 of this zine contain two more Nigel stories, a Roger/Britt story, and an alternate-universe STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION fanfic 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.”)

Characters Central to More Than One Work:

Reynard: “Payer of Tribute,” “Demon on the Hill”
Roger: DARK CHANGELING, CHILD OF TWILIGHT, “Therapy for a Vampire,” “Werewolf Watch”
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; reprinted by Writers Exchange).

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