Readers' Reactions to Angel Time
Readers' Reactions to Called Out Of Darkness
Readers' Reactions to Christ the Lord: Road to Cana
Readers' Reactions to Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt
Reader Letters in Response to Other Books
Reader Letters in Response to Various Topics
Posted 1/26/10
Dear Mrs. Rice:
I met you in the mid 1990's in Birmingham, AL at a book signing. You were gracious to stay until the end and autographed my books at two minutes till midnight.
I have read your works since you were first published. It was with great excitement that I read your recent books about Christ and have just begun Angel Time.
I am so happy you have returned to your faith and that you are writing about the peace and joy of serving our Lord. Thank you for your proclamation of belief and for providing your readers with such
up-lifting/positive works.
May God bless you in your personal and professional life.
Sincerely,
S. Darlene Gray
Posted 1/22/10
My name is Kelly Lynch, I am 24, I have been reading your books for a little over 10 years now. I started with interview sometime in middle school. My mom was a big fan. Read most of your vampire and mayfair witch novels through high school. I am writing you to tell you thank you for your books. You are, and have been such an important part of my life. You have given me thoughts to consider that have made me partly who I am. My favorite of your novels is Memnoch the devil. I read it at a time in my life after I had gone through a period of committing myself to God, and felt almost I was meant to read it at the time that I did. The beautiful way you depicted spirituality has never left my mind. I also connected to the character Dora. My father was a drug dealer(who at the time I was reading it was in prison.). I had considered a great deal about becoming a nun. I felt very meant to read that book. However, the spiritual evolution of your books, which I hoped to continue, did, and they seemed to evolve with me. It was a reaffirming gift. I have wondered if God wants to tell me things, or teach me things through your books, and if that is why they were brought into my life. When I became committed to God I also had strong thankfulness to angels. I have ever since. Years went by and I was having some problems in my life, and asking God, and myself a lot of questions, and feeling very torn and uncertain of what to think of things. During that time I read my favorite author was coming out with books about angels. It meant a lot to me. I felt the old faith that used to consume me, come back. I remembered it and missed it, and wanted it back. I felt I again was meant to read those books. The quote in the front of your book 'For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.' I somehow had never read before, despite my great love of angels. It gives me comfort to know God has said those words to be true. I have your willingness to create for so many people, to thank for that comfort. Thank you for putting in all of the work, the sacrifice, the time to be a messenger for God. Your life and your creations have been a gift in my life that I would not want to have had to have done without. I do hope to read more about angels in the near future.
With Love,
Kelly Lynch
Posted 1/22/10
Hi my name is tosha love and i am 26 years old. i have been a fan of yours since i could read. I enjoy all of your books but it was your vampire cronacles that made me bellive in god again.. Since the year 2000 i have lost 9 really close friends and one dad.. and for a long time after that i stoped beleiving in god.. but then my mom told me to read the cronicles again and i did and they really helped me but it was memnoch the devil that got to me the most.. i have allways thought religion was stupid and i never could get into it but hearing it come from lestst in his words made me stop and think about it..so i really wanted to thank you because without those stories and hearing them in his words i would have been lost forever...i look forward to getting an email back from you because it would be second best to meeting you witch has been one of my biggest dreams for a long time.. so again thank you for not only giving me the chance to find my way in the world but for also giving me my love for lestst and the beautifull city of new orleans.. you will allways be my favorite auther keep up the fantastic work...
sincerly
Tosha love
Posted 1/6/10
Good morning Anne,
I have no doubts you receive many, many e-mails, and frankly I'll be
honoured if you have a chance to read mine. I'm a long time fan of
yours, living in rainy Vancouver and yesterday I ended up having a
conversation about you that I really wanted to share.
My friend and I saw your new book at a store (but I haven't had a
chance to pick it up yet), and of course started talking about the
paradigm shift of your writings. I always have to chuckle when people
are uncomfortable with your new direction. Myself, I'm not religious
(although I am spiritual), but I have read a couple of your newer
books - Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt being one that completely
enthralled me. All I can say to the complainers is "Anne may be
batting for a different team, but she's batting the exact same way!".
In all seriousness Anne, you could write a page about a table cloth,
and by the end of it, I would feel emotionally invested in that
glorious table cloth. Your talent is astounding.
The other thing I have to mention when anyone complains about your
change of direction is I think you've always had spiritual or
religious undertones to basically anything I've ever read of yours. It
surprises me how much that is lost on certain people, but I always
found that even when you were writing about Godless vampires, there
was still a deep spirituality to it through their denials of a higher
power. You may feel that was a point in your life where you lost your
relationship with God, but it is evident through your writing that He
was always with you.
Please continue to change and grow...and take us along on the journey!
Much love,
Jennifer Thomas
Posted 1/6/10
Hi Anne
I have never written to a celebrity before but after reading your
interviews and postings on the net I just wanted to say thank you for
being so vocal about your conversion.
Like you I grew up Catholic but by the time I reached my late teens I
had pretty much stopped going to church. I had alot of problems with
the church's stanch on issues like birth control, abortion, gay rights
and even not letting priests marry. I was'nt an unbeliever yet.
By the time I reached my late twenties I had decided that any type of
relegion was a man-made delusion and became an atheist. I can even
remember the moment it happened. My father and I had been having a
discussion about tigers becoming extinct. His reply was well why do we
need these creatures anyway? I remember thinking what a human way of
viewing things - nothing is as important as us. Why are we so special?
Because we've convinced ourselves we are. We've even created a god
who looks like us and has told us so. Being an overly rational person
I then used science to further justify my beliefs.
Evolution told us we were created over hundreds of thousands of years,
dinosaurs had been here before us- why was that if we were the chosen
ones? The universe is billions of years old. Why the hell would God
wait so long to make us if we were so special. Time only runs forward
and will end one day when the universe collapses in on itself. That
means the end of everthing. Do our lives really have to have a
reason? Maybe its all just an incredibly lucky set of chance events
that led us here and we want to think we're more.
>
> On a relegious note Jesus and other prophets were obviously the mentally ill of their day. Why would God really need to send his son to save us if he loved us anyway. Why do we never see any miracles or signs of his presence that we can believe in? Are the literally trillions of people who have lived and died over the centuries really going to all be in one place one day forever! Death is scary but living on forever, a concept I still cannot wrap my brain around is scarier. I am sure you have had some of those same thoughts yourself. How do you reconcile yourself to them?
I actually was pretty content as an atheist, even when my dad died,
and as I got older other people in my family began passing on. I read
Christiopher Hitchins, Richard Dawkins, Isaac Asmiov and Bill Maher
among others to keep me grounded in what I believed. I never really
had any doubts until recently.
The last six months have been really difficult. I gave up drinking (
a decade long addiction) and started really looking at myself. I
did'nt like much of what I saw and began wondering what the hell
happened? I am sure a lot people start thinking that when they see
forty looming. I began reading different material than what I normally
would including Francis Collins, CS Lewis and many NDE. I've been
opening up my mind and heart to the idea that there really are things
in this world that science cannot even begin to explain. I am not
sure I will ever fully return to the church, but I do feel like I am
returning to God.
Sometimes I do wonder if I am merely being delusional, not wanting to
accept that death is the end,that there is a reason for why we are
here, but for the first time in a decade I am actually interested in
learning more about life beyond the here and now. At the least its
woken me up, and made me realize how I need to treat other people
around me better and not take them for granted. That each day is a
gift. I also need to start thinking about the world as a whole and
not just my small corner of it. I have been self-obsessed for too
long. Its a hard human trait to let go of.
I wrote this email though because I wanted to say thank you Anne for
being so open about your return to the church. Its really hard to
explain how I am feeling to people I know because they are either
still atheists, or have never had doubts about their faith and can't
understand my feelings. I read in one of your posting that you read
emails so I took the opportunity to share my story with you. I found
alot of your words hit home and I just wanted to say thank you for
sharing them. In this increasingly secular world I feel its becoming
harder than ever to believe in something beyond the human. Your story
was very inspiring to me.
>
> I read the footnote you included in your first book about Christ in a link that someone provided. I have to say it was really fascinating and I will be try to read some of the material from the authors you mentioned. I've already looked into Howard Storm's story. I have to admit it scared the crap out of me. I know scientists will explain this as a dying brain shooting off chemicals but I just can't help thinking- what dying brain would honestly do that? Make the final moments horrific and then turn it completley around. At the least his story gave me hope that God really does love everyone. I am also inspired to pray now for the people I have lost.
On a final note, I am sorry to read that so many people have been
critical of you and in some cases have even turned on you for
returning to your faith. Please try to ignore them. For each person
who feels that way I am sure there is another who feels you have
greatly inspired them. I am one of those people. I will be watching
your videos out of darkness when I get the chance.
I hope you are feeling well and taking care of yourself. I read your
diabetic and I know how horrible that disease is. I lost my father and
grandmother too early because of it. I read you lost your husband many
years ago, I was sorry to hear that. From what I've read of him, and
how you talked about him, he sounded like an amazing person. I can't
even imagine losing someone you loved for forty-one years. You truly
are a strong person Anne.
I feel kind of silly writing to a person I really don't know but I
felt like this was something I was compelled to do. I look forward to
reading your books on Jesus's life. I may even convince my mother the
non-reader to do the same. Lestat is probably my favourite male
character of all time. Even ahead of Fitzwilliam Darcy. You are a
master storyteller.
Posted 12/30/09
Dear Mrs. Rice,
I wanted to thank you for your wonderful literature. I am an avid reader and have been for several years now. When reading your Essay on your earlier works, I caught this...
"In 1976, I felt that the vampire was the perfect metaphor for the outcast in all of us, the alienated one in all of us, the one who feels lost in a world seemingly without God. In 1976, I felt I existed in such a world, and I was searching for God. I never dreamed that the word, vampire, would prevent people from examining this book as a metaphysical work. I thought the use of the word was a powerful device."
I wanted to share with you that the particular use of the vampire, and the creation of Lestat, in particular, reached to the outcast in me. Through troubled childhood, teenage, and young adult years, I could escape to your literary world and feel as though I could relate to the characters on some level of understanding. Surprisingly to most, perhaps, it was actually the Vampire Chronicles that guided me back to a firm belief in Christianity. Reading the characters' struggles with religion reflected my own. I had asked many of the same questions as they do in your books, and it was through realizing that I am not alone in feeling how I did, that I managed to regain my beloved beliefs.
And, for the record, like many...I was reading novels about people.... I wish the general populace would realize that just because a book is about a vampire doesn't mean the vampire isn't a person or that he/she deals with human struggles, relationships, and beliefs.
I suppose I just wanted to say that, despite the criticism your work may recieve due to whatever "shift" you've made in your work, you've helped at least one person gain confidence, regain faith, and escape from reality for a bit with each book. The Vampire Chronicles are my favorite, but I haven't read a book of yours I haven't lovingly devoured. Thank you for that!
I will continue reading your work until I have read every word...
Margaretta Williams
Posted 12/7/09
Hi Anne,
Sorry to call you this way, so informal. But to me you became so
intimate and your emotions and feelings, expressed through your books,
so close, that calling you simply Anne is the best way to express my
affection and admiration for your work and for you, as the amazing
person you are. I write from Brazil and I'm 22 years old, of which I
am your fan for 10 years now.
I am a big fan of all your books, and The Vampire Chronicles
accompanied me throughout my adolescence. I started reading your books
when I was 12 years old. And at that time I stopped talking to God. I
say talking, because I have never failed to notice him around me, as a
warm breeze with the smell of roses, recomforting. No matter what I
thought of Him, He was always there, by my side. Watching and awaiting
for me. For years I stopped to talk and think about God. I held myself
in an worldly life. All that mattered was the human being. I was
always placing the humanity above the Divine. For me, we were the Gods
of our lives.
I was finishing my catechism and already in my last year of course the
questioning began: God really exist? How could he allow evil to
dominate the actions of human beings? After finishing the course I
left the church and God. During the 10 years that were to come I had
never entered into a church, even in Masses in honor of my late
grandparents. The idea of believing in an invisible force, that
science could not explain, was insanity to me.
Were difficult years, where I found myself surrounded by a sadness and
an excruciating agony. Nothing could make me happy, even the beauty of
the world of your books. Like Louis, I found myself condemned to a
miserable and empty life. I wandered by different religions and,
unfortunately, some obscure ones. Always looking for the key to my
happiness. Always looking for Him. My faith in humanity has been
shattered, and I found myself lost. The world has no longer any beauty
and I locked myself in my own inner darkness.
More than a year ago I have been watching your videos on Youtube. Your
beautiful words have cherished my days of solitude. And yesterday, at
dawn, I reborn. The flame warmed my soul and gave me the long lost
comfort. It was faith. I was ready to talk again with God and He was
talking to me.
Suddenly, I found myself believing in the Divine, the feeling inside
me. My soul was renewed.
I cried. I smiled.
I was again in the presence of God, who received me with open arms.
And I want to thank you for helping me in hard times with your
wonderful books and also in my moment of transition, with your real
and generous words. Please, know that you have been an important part
in my rediscovery of God and I am forever grateful.
Thank you and continues to write, please.
Guilherme Alves
Posted 10/23/09
Dear Anne,
I have long been a fan of yours, though I have yet to explore your
more recent works, having read neither your account of your own return
to God, nor your works on the life of Christ. I feel I must share
with you the experience I have just had while reading your work,
though I feel I must provide some personal background for a full
understanding of it. I promise to be brief, and can only hope you
will read on to the end. I promise that if you get there you will see
my intent is neither to question your beliefs nor to ask for
explanations of them, despite where the next few sentences may seem to
be heading, rather my intent is to share a deeply meaningful change
I’ve undergone, which came about based on careful contemplation
sparked by your work.
I am 27, nearly 28, and for my entire life I have never believed in
God. I am a scientist who has believed in nothing I couldn’t have
explained to me in terms of evidence, testable and challengeable
theory, or physical/visible phenomena. I have for as long as I can
remember longed for faith, even praying without belief for it, coming
to believe more strongly that faith is misguided and foolish. Only in
the past few days did I learn of your return to the Catholic Church of
your youth, which stunned me. I began to read some of the interviews
on your website where you talked a bit about your reawakened
spirituality. I read that you accepted that life unfolds according to
God’s plan or wisdom and that there is no way for us to understand
this plan in this world, that trying to justify suffering and pain as
a part of that plan is a fruitless task, that you have come to accept
that you must trust in the Lord, trust that in his presence the pains
of this world will not matter anymore, or at least will be understood
and accepted with love. I intend to read your newer books to discover
more about your faith, having been so startled by what I read, I
couldn’t imagine how the Anne Rice I’d known from the books I’d read
was the same person speaking in those interviews. Today I have had
the first glimpse of how that is possible, not from one of the new
books I’ve yet to read, but from one I’d read before.
I am nearly finished reading The Queen of the Damned for the third or
fourth time, though the last time was so long ago I can’t remember
when it occurred. I have for the first time in memory experienced
what I can only describe as a glimpse of what it means to have faith
in God. My tears began to spring as I saw in my mind the great family
tree in the Sonoma compound of Maharet, as seen by Jessica and the
others. As I read your words, “The Great Family is Arab, Jew, Anglo,
African; it is Indian: it is Mongolian; it is Japanese and Chinese.
In sum, the Great Family is the human family.”, I saw how this was
true for everyone the world over. The ideas flooding my mind filled
me with a sense of oneness with all who have ever walked the earth.
My family, my brothers and sisters, parents and children, all of us
connected, from the beginning, now, and forever. Then I thought how
horrible all violence and hate truly is, how could anyone hurt their
own flesh and blood? In a flash of pain, terrible and utterly
devastating, yet only lasting for a moment, I thought how evil must
God be to allow this family to be so blind and to cause so much
suffering within its own ranks. I thought how could any afterlife
ever make up for all of the suffering that we have inflicted upon
each-other? It was then that I felt for a brief instant, for the
first time believing that I could imagine how all the suffering, which
for so long I held in my heart to be the truest proof that there was
no God, greater proof even than the science which I hold in such high
esteem, how this suffering could be canceled out and made up for by
God in Heaven. I could feel that in the divine presence we can all at
once feel every emotion ever felt and that will ever be felt by every
soul in existence. That by simultaneously feeling the suffering of
the innocent with the evil of the guilty who were responsible the two
would cancel each-other out. Within ourselves we would punish the
evildoer for his sins and in so doing the pain and suffering as well
as the evil would be canceled out leaving the, by comparison,
innumerable acts of goodness and love for us to feel. The wonderful
acts of compassion and kindness which when given only multiply, the
lover and the loved both gaining from each act, that these bonheurs
would only build upon one another. Such a singular moment, where all
love is combined and all evil rendered innocuous, this is surely what
the presence of God must be.
I know I have not found God, I do not yet believe.
Only I can see now the possibility of finding faith in my life, and I
am more than a little bit excited. I can see myself now searching for
belief without secretly knowing that I will never find it. Your words
were the catalyst of this reaction, and I thank you for them. I hope
this letter finds you well and that it conveys how much this
experience means to me, even though it may seem to be so small a
thing. I know you are far busier than I and so while I would very
much love to know your thoughts on my letter I will not be
disappointed if I only have the thoughts I imagine might be yours;
though I still ask, perhaps unfairly, that you pray for my success in
finding my faith.
Sincerely,
Evan Charles Brewster
Posted 10/5/09
Dear Mrs. Rice
Thank you so much for all of your wonderful books! My favorite aspect of all of your writings are the amazing way you have of describing beauty, and finding it in the most unconventional people things and places.
In 1998 I was one of the lucky few you allowed to tour the public rooms of the amazing house at First and Chestnut in New Orleans, and would also like to thank you for that wonderful gift. Imagine my
surprise when your docent informed the group that we might take pictures if we wished! Well, this truly was a gift.
Recently mentioning those images I took that day to a stunned co-worker caused her to positively flip out and demand that I bring them to work for her to see the next day, as she is also a great fan of your work. She called me the next AM to remind me! Well, of course she enjoyed seeing them very much; and also ecouraged me to post them on "FLICKR" the free photo sharing website so that all of your fans might have the chance to enjoy them as well. This seemed like a good idea after briefly searching the net and finding thousands of images of the outside of the house, but only MLS interior shots since the house is currently listed for sale. I found these images to be cold and devoid of the amazing energy i had experienced that day and so decided to sign up for the service and post them there for all to see.
I am writing to you to invite you to post the link on your website, if you wish, so that all of the Mayfair books fans can click and see the real rooms which were obviously such an inspiration to you. I havelooked at some other fan sites and found them a bit creepy for my taste so had thought to approach you directly. Please excuse me if this is too forward.
Thank you again for your generosity all those years ago for allowing the opportunity for me to fulfill a dream and experience the amazing house you so beautifully described in your books...
Yours Sincerely, Admiringly, and Gratefully
Jeff Hillenbrand
Posted 8/23/09
Dearest Anne:
I'm a huge fan and always have been but until recently I wasn't fully aware of the impact you and your novels have had on my life. I am an ordinary mother struggling with everyday life of home and children and during this gracious mess I was living, trying to raise a teenage son seemed to be the most difficult. When my son was 14 and not able to drive on his own, I became more his taxi and less his mother. We had nothing in common as his loves involved football, war history, dirt biking and video games. This was far too much for a plain 'ol mother to compete with. There was little conversation between us anymore and of course if I brought up anything that was of interest to me, I would get the old eye roll. To him, I was the biggest "dork" and would never be allowed to be around him while he was with his friends Oneafternoon, while I was waiting on him in the car at football practice, I was reading "Interview". Just passing the time until the taxi duties were to resume. Once Jason got into the car, he was ready to go. I asked if we could wait just a moment, I was almost to the next chapter and even though I had read "Interview" many times, I wanted to complete this chapter. He proceeded to tell me how stupid vampires were and that I needed to get back to reality. We ran our errands that afternoon and during our ride home, I asked him to do one thing-read the first page of the book. Just the first page and that would be all I wanted. After a little hesitation he obliged (after all he was captive in my car). He read what I asked him to and put the book down. Nothing more was said. While I was preparing dinner thatevening, Jason came to me and asked if he could read "Interview" when
I was through. I told him he could read it now if he'd like and gave him the book directly. From that day forward, we had something to talk about. I had the hardbacks of the "Vampire Chronicles" and
"Mayfair Witches" and ordered the paperbacks so that we could read them together (actually, I had already read them all but couldn't pass this opportunity). Our discussions were mainly over dinner which would drive my husband and other children crazy, and on our drives to and from school or practice. I loved every moment of those times- every moment. Even if we didn't agree on something, it was still wonderful. A few years have passed since we finished the series and life has gone on. My son and I are much closer now and for that I appreciate you even more than you could possibly know. Last weekend, I was cleaning out our basement and boxing up things that I was to give my sister for a garage sale. I asked Jason to do the same with his room. He brought out a box full of water guns, army men and other childish toys. He inspected my box and found the paperbacks of the "Vampire Chronicles" and asked me what I thought I was doing with them. He said directly to me, "What are you thinking? Those are "our" books. You can't just sell them". I didn't realize how much they had meant to him. He picked them out of the box and took them to his room. That was a surreal moment in my life. And I thank you for that from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for creating the tool that brought my son back to me.
Jason is a senior in high school and an extraordinary student. He is president of his class, member of many committees and is more creative and imaginative than I could ever have hoped for. His future plans are to attend NYU and pursue a decree/career in film production and creative writing. And I love him!
Thank you again,
Your loyal fan
Jennifer Powell
Posted 8/23/09
Dear Anne,
Although I have never written a fan letter to anyone in my 33 year old life before, I feel compelled to write this one. I have been a fan of yours since I first read Interview with a Vampire in 1992 as aSophomore in High School. I read the whole series in a few weeks I was absolutely glued! When I went to college at the University of Dallas (a Catholic university), I moved away from contemporary fiction and delved into the classics weathering UD’s great books based core curriculum. I decided to study literature. I myself turned away from my Catholic faith and fancied myself an atheist for a couple years in college. After graduation and as I continued to study and read, I kept having a gnawing sensation that I was missing something…that I was missing something big.
While earning my Master’s degree, My mentor taught me that the highest form of literature includes four levels: The literal, analogical, topological and finally anagogical levels. When she had studied atVanderbilt, she wasn’t Catholic, but it was through reading books (both “dark books” like you mention in your essay and “Christian” books) that it became evident to her that the Catholic faith was the
way to the Truth. She considers books to be her reason for conversion because the truth of each novel (even depressing Hemingway novels) unveils either consciously or subconsciously the reality of the worldeither with the Resurrection or without it. Yes, a world without God is frustrating…depressing…sad! I believe Lestat would agree with that. So would Jesus. So, my mentor was converted by literature and I believe I was as well.
It is my belief that all things true lead us to Christ whether we acknowledge it or not. I am so very gladyou haven’t denounced your earlier works because they were an integral part of your journey back to God, and by their very nature reveal the human mind’s desperation to make a connection with Christ on this earth (let’s not forget that Dostoevsky’s Raskolnikov is redeemed by a prostitute in Crime &Punishment!) For us, there is no redemption without sin, it is a reality of the world. It is an even greater joy to me that you, an artist, understand the importance – the necessity – of producing art that reflects that spiritual journey. I am grateful that your journey has led you back to God and believe He is speaking through you to all of your readers.
When I was on family vacation a few weeks ago, my mom and I were talking about you and she told me of your conversion back to Catholicism. I was filled with joy to know that one of my favoritecontemporary writers had now dedicated her writing to Jesus with a focus on resurrection/redemption vs. alienation (although both are ways to Christ, the former is far more pleasing to Him). I am sorry I
didn’t know this several years ago when you actually converted, but now that I do, I find myself jumping out of my skin with excitement to read your new fiction. I promise to write back when I have had achance to read all of them.
I have already ordered Christ the Lord, Out of Egypt and Christ the Lord, the Road to Cana from Amazon and can’t wait to rip the package open! I feel like it is Christmas!
Thanks for the years of entertainment and many more years of entertainment to come!
God Bless,
Teresa M. Gorman
Posted 8/4/09
Dear Mrs. Rice,
I'm not really sure how to start this off, so I'll just get right into it--I've been a fan of your books since Iwas a pre-teenager, specifically The Vampire Chronicles though they expanded into others shortly after, and those books carried me through some very turbulent years of my life (though I guess every teenage thinks that of their life). The one person I could connect to during this time was someone who made me feel less alone in the world, and she also loved your books as much as I did. She introduced me to them, in fact. Together we had a slightly silly but still fun fascination and appreciation for
your characters, your prose, your skill with words and the stories you crafted--they'd make us weep when they wept, ache when they ached, and feel joyed when they were joyous. Even though I think I was too young to really "get" a lot of what you were saying in your work (though after I'd finish a book it would hit me in waves), my appreciation from then was and still is absolutely genuine. Your books made me appreciate life in a way that's hard for me to describe. I was miserable and mostly alone back then, and yet your books made me appreciate.. being human, I guess. I don't mean human as in the
distinction between "mortal" and "immortal," but human as in a person on this Earth and in this world, with a soul and a heart and, God willing, a long life to live. Your books and your characters helped me
see the beauty of all that, even through pain or sadness. I can't begin to thank you for this. It's a gift.
Truth be told, I was inspired to write this after watching Interview With the Vampire for the first time in almost six years. The aforementioned friend and I would watch that movie a lot--with the consequence that we basically memorized most of the lines (totally surprised that I still know them to this day!). I remember being really pleased that you wrote the screenplay, and I hope that in the
transition from script to screen your "voice" and vision weren't compromised too much or lost. The movie holds a similar beauty to me as your Chronicles, and as I lost all of your books in a flood some
years back it'll help hold me over until I recomplete my collection--not that I'm complaining. When I was younger I'd politely talk my mother into buying one of your books when we were at the bookstore, until I was able to do that for myself, and it was always a distinct joy to have a copy of your work and read it well into the night. I actually stayed up for nearly 20 hours reading Memnoch the Devil. I can't think of a nicer way to delay sleep, personally.
I'm very pleased that the Chronicles came to the conclusion that they did, and I always will be, and I just wanted to let you know that, speaking for myself here, I'm happy to hear you say you won't return
to them or try out the characters once more. I think you've given the fans of the Chronicles more than enough to be satisified with, and I agree with you saying it would be dishonest to give it another go. Also, I completely understand how that is no longer a focus for you and your writing. Writers have the luxury of moving on, even if the subjects of their novels seem to live in a mobius strip of time in their respective books.
I hope this doesn't come across as offensive, patronizing or blasphemous, as I'm not exactly religious nor am I lacking faith, but I'm very happy that you're open about your religious beliefs since, to me, you're a very kind, clear voice of reason. Yourself and those like you should be what society and the public focuses on instead of those who take their faith--any faith, regardless of religion--too far and to the extremes of promoting hatred. Basically, I'm happy that you've found peace and I only wish you much, much more of it in the years to come.
Your website suggested I should indicate whether this may or may not be used on your site--I don't mind you using it, should you want to.
Thank you for being an inspiration in my life and in my writing. You were my first "favorite author," and you still are to this day.
Sincerely,
Kristin Snyder
Posted 6/30/09
I love your work. I feel such a strong connection with what you write. I have so many emotions and thoughts. You put into words images and ideas that I just can't assemble on my own. Sometimes it's as though I am so many personalities living amongst my self or selves, in one body.
Whether I'm reading a vampire novel or a Christian fiction, I feel so close to something beautiful. The way you capture the raw carnal side of human nature. The beauty, the eroticism, the love, the faith, the passion. I just want to dig my hands deep into the earth itself sometimes, as if I'll pull out a piece of myself. What is it that makes us so special as a species? I am Earth bound, yet at times I
feel so close to God. What are we suppose to take away from this experience? I think we're suppose to relish in our terrestrial bounty. Why else would we begin our journey in Eden? I think a basic physical life, ignorant of what's behind that curtain is just one lesson in our soul's education. Someone once said, "we are not human beings seeking a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience". Perhaps that person is correct. I'd like to think so.
I am eagerly awaiting your newest series. I'm sure you'll have a perspective that will captivate and a brilliance that will awe....as always.
Thank you Anne, for all you have given me,
Jennifer Sarafin
5/9/09
Hi! I have been an avid reader of many of your works for many years. I have read and enjoyed your Vampire saga and do plan to read your latest works. I find your works deep and insightful and full of
stunningly beautiful imagery. I'm writing this letter in thanks to you for all the hard work that you have put into your novels. Being an amateur writer and poet myself, I know that every writer puts a small
piece of their heart into every word. I know that there must be some small, hurtful people that have felt slighted by your decision discontinue your Vampire series. Let me assure you that I am not one
of them. I admire you for your moral steel. It must be hard to set aside something in which you have put so much effort. Do not let anything steer you from what you perceive to be a moral and just
decision. Your conscience is your guide to your faith and it should never be ignored. Follow your passion. I hope it leads you to happiness first and to great and wonderful things that your fans can share second.
Your loyal fan,
Ryan
10/10/08
Anne, I listened to you the past two days on Focus on the Family. Let
me say welcome back to the kingdom. Our lives seem very similar and to
hear that you have diabetes makes our lives even closer as I have been
a diabetic for more than 40 years. I pray for healing and better
health so you may continue what I believe God has called you to do.
I too was raised in the church, but started wandering when I was 16
and when my mother came down with cancer on my 20th birthday and did
not live I rejected God and went out into the world. It took me almost
30 years before I realized my errors and knew that God had been there
all along. I saw what I was doing to my relationship with my wife and
my children. I confessed my brokenness and prayed for guidance.
Thankfully the Lord continued to guide me and today I know that HE
truly lives in my heart and soul. I am looking forward to purchasing
and reading your novels and passing on your testimony to as many as I
can.
Thank you again and God bless.
Your brother in Jesus Christ
Tom
10/7/08
Ms. Rice,
The subject of you has never been out of place in my family. My mother loves your novels. Sheparticularly loves the Mayfair witches. My husband loves the vampire novels. Lestat is by far, his favorite. My best friend also loves the Vampire Chronicles. Her favorite character is Lestat's mother. I love the movies. (I have never been much of a reader.) Many times we have debated over which of thecharacters or novels are truly your best. Which of the movies stayed true to the novels. Which novel should be made into a movie next. So, as I said, you have for many years, in some way, been a part of thefabric of our family. My husband even dedicated some time to writing a small personal story, in which, the characters, also two vampires, take a trip to meet you.
I remember, as a young girl, I think about 14, loving the "Interview..." movie. It was before Brad Pittwas overexposed, and how can a 14 year old not watch a movie with Christian Slater, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Antonio Banderes all in one movie? I must have seen it 30 times!
Which means, I have also seen your introduction in the beginning 30 times. I was quite intrigued by this woman who, had the most unusual dark hair, cut in a bob, dark lips, and clothes that almost seemed to be period pieces. Definitely not the figure of many people you see in Laughlin, NV - where I lived. But, as a young Christian, what I remember mostly about it was thinking you were so sad. You really, to me, seemed to have no joy. Though I loved and still love your characters and story, I could certainly see in it a darkness - one that I could appreciate to watch as a spectator, but also knew it would take a very sad person to dedicate so much of their thought and passion to writing so many novels about it. Later, I worked at a bookstore, where I would stock and alphabetize your books. Again, I remember seeing your picture on the back and still thinking you seemed
sad.
If I am honest with myself, I really had no faith that Christ would claim you. To me, you would die sad.
I hadn't thought of your meloncholy in quite some time, but when I heard you on the radio, I was so blessed to remember! To me, your confession was the Lord telling me, 'Remember Me. Who I AM.'
You see, my best friend (the one I referred to in the 1st paragraph), has abandoned her faith for many of the reasons you refer to in your interview. Too intellectual to be a believer (I say a little sarcastically). We have often spoken of the Lord, and I, trying to be patient, sometimes feel so discouraged. She is cold, and doesn't even seem to try to see. Sometimes I would feel she is so dead inside, she would never find salvation. I was telling myself I had no faith in her. Now I realize I was not placing my faith in God!
Your interview reminded me of who God really is. How he is capable of raising the dead! So, thank you (and thank you, Lord)! I was so blessed! Thank you for making yourself vulnerable, and please continue
to do so!
I was taken back to hear of your recent setback concerning your health and diabetes. Bless you. May the Lord heal you to continue to do his good work! Please know you will have a prayer from me.
Love in Christ,
Amy Wilson
10/7/08
Hello Anne-
I have been a fan since the age of 16, and I am now 31. I just wanted to tell you that I visited yourwebsite recently, and read your essay concerning the renunciation, or lack thereof, of your earliervampire novels. I agree wholeheartedly with everything that you had to say. I actually wrote my college entrance essay on "Interview with the Vampire" and how it affected my philosophy of the world. I gotaccepted to NYU, so I could not have been that far off the mark.
I am a Catholic, and always regarded your vampire novels as existential tales. They are philosophical stories which hold a lot of meaning. The meaning is not that the world is filled with evil and darkness, rather, that we choose what kind of meaning life is going to hold for us. The vampires are just likeus...they struggle with decisions and they have to decide if they are going to hold a negative view of life or a more positive one. I feel that more Catholic readers should give your older stories a chance. They will see that at the end, you are not advocating nihilism, rather, you are asking your readers to analyze their own lives. And in doing so, we see that life is worth living, even in the darkest of times.
I have read all the vampire stories, and will continue to re-read them, for I feel that there is much to be learned on a second reading of a story. I also will be reading your new stories about the life of Jesus Christ, and am looking forward to the release of your memoir.
Please do not ever feel that the vampire chronicles were in vain...they taught me some of life's most valuable lessons and I am sure that they have affected countless others.
All the best,
Christine Cione
10/1/08
Hello Anne,
I began reading your books years ago. Then and now I am amazed at how you were able to weave theimpossible into the realm of what we know to be real. Another thing that has always amazed me is howyou were able to make something as bizarre as a vampire into a being with the same yearnings, conflicts, fears and hopes as the rest of us have. The insertion of history into your novels has always been a source of interest to me. You have had the courage to question and write about subjects that many would be too afraid to bring up (Memnoch, The Devil.)
I read on your site that you had lost your belief in God for a period of time. You did not. The yearning to live a meaningful life is the yearning of one who does believe in God.
I don't think this email is anything that would prove noteworthy in terms of you wanting to publish it, but you can of course. You have in a way, been a friend. A purposeful, risk taking, questioning and
honest friend.
I am looking forward to reading your new novel that comes out in October 2008. You have a skill with writing that is nothing short of genius. Whatever you choose to write about is worth paying attention
to.
Your books have actually helped me through some of the darkest times of my life. When I couldn't do anything but read, or listen to a book on CD, your books somehow helped me. You have been an important part of my life, and for that I will always be grateful.
Thank you Anne,
Debra B.
6/2/08
Anne, I was so happy to see your You Tube video today. Your clarity of purpose as you related how the Lord is leading you as a writer and as a woman of faith was wonderful to hear.
May our Lord and Savior bless you always,
Judy G
5/23/08
Dearest Anne,
Today I watched your most recent youtube video about the vampires, mayfair witches and your new books Christ the Lord and i felt compelled to write to you to let you know just how much i appreciate your past and present work.
When I was just twelve years old I got my hands on my first vampire chronicle, it was Queen of the Damned, and yes I know I should have read Interview first but i read that as soon as I'd put Queen of the Damned down. After reading that first book I was hooked! I was completely and totally in love with this world your brilliant mind had created. And it only got better with the Vampire Lestat which still remains my favourite book even to this day. I have grown up reading the vampire chronicles and I cannot describe to you how much those books mean to me. In a strange I feel that the characters in the books grew and changed with me. So many times I would find answers and life lessons within your pages, and when I need it, I still find solace within the familiar world of Lestat, Louis and Armand.
Anne, you are an excellent author and I look forward to reading your new material as it is released. You have ganied my admiration by being true to yourself and your beliefs with your newest novels and just giving what would they would like, well what they would LOVE actually. But I completely understand that like you said the vampires and the mayfair witches do not belong in your new world of light, and perhaps I would not like them there anyway.
Thankyou again, I cannot begin to praise you enough.
Your devoted reader
Licia Franceschini
8/20/07
Hi Anne,
I own all of your books - most first edition hard cover. There's never been any other author who caught and held my attention as you have. I've seen growth in your books, and it's fun to read along and see how your interests have changed over the years.
My heart broke at the loss of your beloved Stan. But I know he's with you even now and gives you peace and happiness. When I first heard he was sick, I mentioned it to my boss, who had fought her own battle with the disease. She immediately made some phone calls to her contacts in Boston who had treated her. I hope they were able to get in touch and be of some help.
I was thrilled when I saw Christ the Lord was coming out. I think my addition to you is the rich history and theological themes that I see in all your books. This one is certainly a favorite. I have to say I was disappointed at the end - because I wanted to keep reading (which actually isn't unusual, but this was different somehow)! I think I may look forward to your next book with more excitement than ever before.
As much as I love the newest, I also still love your older books. Maybe because I personally think they're all…not similar, but good versus evil….no, more God versus Devil, Heaven versus Hell…I see theology in them all. I don't necessarily see Christ the Lord as better, or more honest and pure. I see earlier books dealing with the same underlying basis, but fictional. This isn't fiction - that's the difference I see. I think you've been on this road for a long time and I think everything that came before was meant to get you where you are now - writing Christian literature.
But what does my opinion matter. I love your work. And I think not only are you a popular writer, but also a great writer.
Faithfully,
Amanda Colombo
PS - if you find anything particular that I wrote worth sharing, please feel free.
8/20/07
I have been wanting to e-mail you for years. I don’t need a response. I just want you to know what an impact your books have had on me. I have read 23 of your books. (The only series I have not read is the Beauty series.) I have not had more of an appetite for an author since I was hooked on Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. I did not read all of their books but a good amount, with your books I can not get enough.
Christ the Lord (which I read as soon as it came out) was superb. I really enjoyed it. Often when I was a child I would imagine what Jesus was like when he was my age, and you really captured it. I LOVE the history in all of your books. But the history in Christ the Lord was eye opening and I think, important. It is important for people to know what the times were like during Jesus’ life, in order to understand what he said and where he was coming from.
I was raised Catholic and was in conflict with the Church most of my 34 years of life. My husband and I have now returned to the Church in hopes of giving my 3 yr old son the history that my family gave me. I do not really agree with some of the Churches teachings i.e. homosexuality, birth control, abortion rights, no female priests. I am learning that I can disagree with the Church and still be Catholic and not be a hypocrite. I was a “closet” Catholic for years. I would go to church in times when I needed comfort, I would say my novenas, and pray to St Anthony every time I lost something, but not believe that I was Catholic. I am now realizing that I can be a Catholic even though I have disagreements. I take such a comfort in the rituals and traditions in and of the mass. I feel a sense of attachment to my ancestors when practicing my faith and want my son to enjoy that too. My husband and I are both of Italian decent and I feel that the mass along with the recipe for my Nana‘s meatballs and gravy are sacred and need to be passed on.
I guess it is needless to say that I also am in love with Lestat, Rowan, Michael, Pandora, Merrick, Marius, Mona, Ashlar, Ramses, Julie, Armand, Christoph, Marcel and almost all the characters I have met through your books. I was first “sucked in” by the Witching series then the Vampires got me and I have been a slave to your work ever since. Now that I am waiting for your newest Christ the Lord book, I am devouring your sister Alice’s books. I just read Devoted and am going to work my way through her books.
Thank you does not feel like enough to say. Your books/characters/history has comforted me, enraged me, frightened me, turned me on, turned me off, put me to sleep and woken me up. I can not say thank you enough. I am a HUGE fan and hope to read your books for as long as you write them. What after Christ the Lord series, a series on Mary the Mother of God? I would love that!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
Michelle Opalesky
8/20/07
Anne,
I want you to know how interesting and inspiring I thought your comments on both politics Aug.10th, and your own literary criticism Aug.15th were.
Though I may have some difference of opinion concerning who I actually vote for, I agree with much of what you said about your reasons to support the Democratic party and your decision to politically support Hillary Clinton. We, as Christians Catholic or otherwise, may feel strongly our responsibility to vote according to our conscience but our present system makes that difficult. I reluctantly vote Republican. Neither party actually supports life. I agree with you also that culturally we need change and changing the law does not accomplish that at all. Please keep putting forth your ideas and opinions. They are thought provoking and fresh in viewpoint. Thank you.
Your comments concerning your earlier work and their focus is also such a welcome point of view. All my life I have read anything I could that seemed... I don't know, Whole. Not wholesome but complete in it's theme, in it's argument ,in it's honesty I am a Catholic conservative free thinker who has read almost all of your works and I see them as a progression. To include Feast of All Saints or Servant of the Bones in the tradition of dark literature is correct but there is NOTHING wrong with having used the mythical vampire as a word, as a character. Of course there is no real vampire nor are there dragons but there are states of soul that are just like that (and there may even be angelic/demonic forces that bear resemblance to that as well. I can't say and don't think somehow that humans ought to look to much that direction as it is a distraction from other things.) Literature is always allegory. I think that when seen as a whole, your work is so much more inspiring then just reading Christ the Lord alone. That book however is a work of art. Even if you never wrote anything again that book stands by itself as the greatest depiction of who God is in the World.I look forward with anticipation to your next.
Do not lose heart about the disagreements that arise concerning your novels. Humans seldom understand things from the same perspective and we are often afraid. You have given a gift to many.
If it is of any value to you you may quote this letter. I am however a non-famous non-degreed housewife. Four great kids, one strongly opinionated academic family ( I have five siblings all teachers) and a divorce is part of my self definition but none of that sums me up.I really do enjoy your work. I wish that I could meet and talk with all those people who seem interesting and the list is great but I guess we must be content with all those before us. It never gets dull !!