Phone Message Transcript: October 12, 1997
[appearing on Anne's fan phone line]

"Hello, guys. It's October 12, 1997 and this message is extemporaneous, as are all the messages, so if I've stumbled, please be patient. I love you so much.

It's a beautiful Sunday, and you must file this under "Wonders Never Cease". The Times-Picayune, locally, has given VIOLIN an unqualified rave review. How astonishing. I'm passing on the word. I still firmly believe that reviews seldom if ever teach us anything, but it's awfully good luck, and I'm quite delighted. And I'm delighted especially for those of you who have probably recommended my books to people, and those people have probably come back to you and said, "But she got an awful review in the paper." Well, you can show them this one. (Laugh) I don't toss it off, though, it's a very well written, very thoughtful review by Susan Morrison. Again, I must not change my basic views toward reviewing, simply because I got a good one. We must push our little boats into the wind with all fortitude, regardless of what happens.

I have some things to tell you. Okay, you know we have The Anne Rice Collection in The Rink. It's our store where we sell all kinds of random merchandise. As I told you before, I went on a trip to Florida and bought all kinds of things for the shop that have to do with our vampire role. This is a really a labor of love. It's just my dream; my own little shop where I can put little pyramids made of agate and small gold-plated Egyptian figures and things of that kind. It's in The Rink on Washington and Prytania. But the real jewel of our merchandising at the moment is a beautiful doll, a true creation of art made by Paul Crees and Peter Coe. Now Paul Crees and Peter Coe have been making dolls for years, and anybody who's in the doll world knows their dolls. They recently made a knock-dead gorgeous doll of Faranelli, the opera singer, who is in fact a real character from the 18, 1700's and late 1600's. They also made a knock-dead beautiful Queen of the Night from Mozart's The Magic Flute. They made exceptional dolls. Their dolls are very similar. They do all the sculpting and painting themselves. They dress the dolls exquisitely, and they import them from London. Well, Peter and Paul have finished The Vampire Lestat. Lestat is in his red velvet cape, it has gorgeous gold braid and lace, and it has been done very much under my guidance, but it represents a totally original concept, in many respects, by Peter and Paul. They've conformed to my specs, you might say, and they have created something which has it's own integrity and is a marvelous and unique version of The Vampire Lestat. It's just terrific, and they'll be launching it at the, they'll be showing it at the toy fair in 1998 in New York, but it can be ordered now through Celia and Susan's Dolls, 800 East Hallandale Beach Boulevard, Hallandale, FL. I'm going to give you Susan's, I'm sorry, I'm going to give you Celia's telephone number, very slowly, 954 (is the area code) 954-458-0661. 954-458-0661. That's for those of you who want to contact Celia about the dolls. Believe me, I am not pushing this. The dolls are a labor of love with me. Any of you who followed my work know that I love dolls, dolls appear in every book, one way or the other. There are the witch dolls in The Witching Hour, they are Mr. Ash's beautiful antiques and contemporary dolls in Taltos, they're always there. There was a doll shop in Interview with the Vampire that was burned. There was a doll maker named Madeleine who deeply loved the child vampire Claudia. Claudia has a scene with her dolls in The Queen of the Damned, part of which made it in to the movie of Interview with the Vampire. In any event, I'm passing it on to you if you want to know it. If you don't want to know, believe me, don't do it. I mean, this is one of those enterprises, our merchandising our dolls and so forth where creativity and energy meet the material, and form some kind of alchemy. But it is not an effort to take your money, and let me remind you that a penny saved is a penny saved. So don't buy the dolls if you don't want to. (Laugh) But I want to let you know in case you do.

Peter and Paul have been here, and after listening to their dazzling British accents for two days, I think everybody on my staff should learn how to speak with a British accent.. I can't do it, I mean, well, being an Irish-American, it's impossible for me, but really, they're so charming. They're very well known, as I said, in the doll world. If you go in any doll shop, if you buy Doll Reader, Doll Maker, you will see the advertisements for Paul Crees and Peter Coe and the dolls that they've been making for years. I'm very honored that they have been willing to work with me on my characters and we've been willing to do The Anne Rice Collection together, as we call it. I think perpetually, so that The Anne Rice Collections Presents the Vampire Chronicles, created by Paul Crees and Peter Coe. I'm very eager for them to turn out some Mayfair Witches, but we haven't gotten to that yet. I'd love to see Rowan Mayfair in her wedding gown, Deborah in her deep blue Rembrandt style gown, both of them wearing the Mayfair emerald. Anyway, it's in the works, it's in the works.

Let me answer some of your questions quickly. I got a great call Saturday, and the person said "Mrs. Rice, come to the Midwest and sign". I'd love to, but I can't. This is not the year. Then I got a call, a really nice call from Katrina in Houston. Thank you, thank you, thank you for telling me that you enjoyed your trip to New Orleans. I'm thrilled. Now, Heather in Seattle. You told me not to mention condos, because you clean them. Heather, I live in three priceless condos. One in New York, one in South Beach Miami, one in Naples, Florida and they've influenced all my writing. What can I do, what can I do, Heather, except say, this is what you've got to do, get yourself some earphones and a Walkman and put on the most sublime music you can, classical or rock, and play that at a fairly, you know, acceptable volume while you clean the condos, and maybe everything will change.

Okay, I've got to talk fast. The machine is going to cut me off. You know how that is. Leave me a one minute message after the beep in case we lose each other here. Let me see if I can go on. Somebody saw my web page; yes, it was Jamie from Atlanta. Yes, Jamie, the Corbitts did the web page with my cousin Daniel Manning, who is a treasure, and we try to update it as often as possible. I don't know how to access, but I'm very, very, very proud of it. Oh, Meredith - thank you for saying happy birthday. I did make it to 56 years of age on October 4th, and I'm astonished. I just never thought I would live this long, and I feel like a girl, I feel like Triana in my new novel, VIOLIN. I feel just as youthful and exuberant as Triana. I still can't play the violin, but anyway, it's a wonderful time, and I'm working on some rock music lyrics for some rock songs, and I'm just, just going to be a rock star. Ha-ha, well, the band doesn't want me as a star yet. I can't name the band, they're a famous New Orleans band, but they're going to let me sing and appear. I mean, this is just too cool. And the lyrics are just pouring out of me. I've been listening to Bob Dylan all night. I listened until 3:00 this morning, you know, reacquainting myself with the marvelous, like the famous Tambourine Man and other such songs, and I'm writing my own original songs for this band. Anyway, all this has to do with a birthday. Every birthday is a rebirth, I suppose.

Now, what else can I answer? THE MUMMY is in production with James Cameron, the genius who brought TERMINATOR. Jim will do a magnificent job, and if sequel are ever done to The Mummy, I think they'll probably be in movie form with Jim, James Cameron. James is, as you know, quite incredible. He changed movie history and TITANIC, his new movie, is going to come out. I won't see it until it comes out on disk because I don't go in to theaters. And that brings me to another question. Heather, you said to be sure you watch The Vampire Journals. I will, I will as soon as there is a tape or disk available, I will see it.

Let me see, now David in Utica, New York. You asked me about Rosie. I will be on Rosie very soon, but I don't know the date. As soon as I do know the date, I will tell you. Yes, I do know about Tom Cruise's first wife, Mimi Rogers, and I think she's a stunning actress and I think she's absolutely marvelous in BULLETPROOF HEART, this movie that I'm recommending. And thank you for that.

Now someone called at about 3:00 p.m. on October 11th and told me an idea for a novel. But this is the thing, guys. I appreciate this, but I never take anyone else's idea. If you have an idea for a novel, create your characters and write that novel--it's yourS. My head is crowded with ideas and I wouldn't dream of taking one of your ideas because it wouldn't be fair to you. So don't tell them to me on the machine, please, because at the very worst they might block me. But anyway, go for it yourself. If you're, you know, swinging, as you make this message, if you're rolling and rocking, get yourself a tape recorder and dictate the novel. I mean, who knows, everything goes.

Now what else can I say? First signing October 15th at Britton Trice's Garden District Book Shop. Signing again on Halloween that will be open to people with books from all over the country. Both of these in New Orleans. Coven Party November 1st. Our wonderful concert with Leila Josefowicz, our classic violinist, will Uptown. We'll give you a definite location. I don't want to give out the name now because the church that we're having it at doesn't really have the information to answer phone calls, so let me just say it will be on Jackson Avenue Uptown in the Garden District. It's a church you will remember, and Leila Josefowicz's violin music will blow you away. We will give away at the Coven Party any tickets we have left.

I see ten coming, they're going to cut me off. I love you, I love you, I love you. I'm on Walton and Johnson tomorrow and I intend to get them in trouble with the FCC. Howard Stern, here I come. Goodbye. Take care. "