Phone Message Transcript: July 19, 2002
[appearing on Anne's fan phone line]

"Hi there guys, this is Anne Rice. It's July 19th 2002. It's a gorgeous day here in New Orleans, I don't have the slightest idea what the temperature is out there; I just know it's scorching.

I've been writing since about...gosh 8:00 I guess. I started to read and then I started to write. I'm having a ball (laughing). I'm writing another Southern novel with my vampires again. I wanted to tell you just a little bit more about BLACKWOOD FARM, the book that's coming out this October. BLACKWOOD FARM is really one of those big family novels all about the Blackwood family. Quinn Blackwood becomes a vampire and he refuses to leave his family...the Blackwoods. And they are quite an amazing bunch and they live in this huge house, called Blackwood Manor; and it's on a huge piece of land that also includes a strip of swamps called Sugar Devil Swamps, and it's actually venturing into that swamp which is the cause of his downfall. But anyway, I'm very excited about that book. It's a very living thing to me. I'm still making new tiny editions to it as it goes to press, practically. They're sending me the galleys and I'm adding teeny little things to it even while I speak. I love the character. I love the character Quinn, he's 23 years old....no actually I think he's 24 by now. And the book is dedicated to my son Christopher Rice, only. It's one of the few books that just has a solitary dedication. And meanwhile; speaking of Christopher, he just got a contract for his 3rd novel, and he's planning on taking a trip to Asia this year. I'm so proud of him. I'm so proud of his writing. My sister Alice Borchardt published a book called THE DRAGON QUEEN this year, that did very well. That's...gosh, I guess her fifth novel. So we're really a writing family.

Anyway that's what going on here. Immersion. Immersion in writing. Insulation from the heat outside by walking around this great big house with the air conditioning churning and the 18 inch think walls keeping us cool. I'm getting ready to take off to the beach to really get into this novel I'm writing now...which I don't have a title for, and I will probably finish it in about a month, and then I'll come back and get ready to go on tour in the fall and get ready to see you guys. I'm enjoying listening to your messages, by the way. I do get every single message you leave. I read them all, which are transcribed by my assisiant.

Oh, let me tell you about THE WITCHING HOUR. You've been asking me alot about that one. THE WITCHING HOUR is going to be a primetime series on NBC. It will be 12 hours. It's being written by John Wilder, who did a fabulous job adapting FEAST OF ALL SAINTS. We have a whole team...Mark Wolper is the producer, John Wilder is the writer, I'm a producer, my beloved Ross is a producer Jennifer O'Conner, our contact person at NBC, is simply wonderful. We've had our first meeting down here in New Orleans, we're hoping to shoot in New Orleans. John is a very faithful adapter. He understands your feelings and mine. He's a very faithful adapter. It's going to be a wonderful adventure. If we shoot early next year, I don't know if we'll be Fall 2003; I don't know, I'm not sure, but it could be Fall 2003, it could actually be. It could actually come out in the fall. Twelve hours on t.v. in primetime on NBC and then of course it will probably have a life in dvd, also. But twelve hours for the three books of THE WITCHING HOUR. I guess they are already thinking about who they want to cast. I mean this is a wonderful experience.

Well listen, I'm going to go guys. Leave me a message. I love you very much. Take care. Those of you who are writing, keep the faith...all of you keep the faith! I love you, I love you...Bye Bye."