I have really grown to love tales of vampires. Many of the films I have been drawn to are about the lesbian vampire trope which I find very interesting. However, vampire lore is an endlessly ripe area for new and interesting stories.
Black Ambrosia was originally published in 1988. It got a reprint with Vallencourt Press as a part of Grady Hendrix’s paperbacks from hell series. I was excited that there were some female writers working on horror paperbacks at the time, and specifically one that had an interesting vampire tale to tell. The story is about Angelina a girl alone in the world, who becomes a killer. A seductive voice lures Angelina into pursuing her dark impulses. She believes she is bringing peace to her victims but she also has to satiate her increasingly desire for blood.
Jakob’s Wife is one of my favorite films from this year and will be on Shudder this month! It is directed by Travis Stevens who wrote the film with Kathy Charles and Mark Steensland. It stars horror legends Barbara Crampton and Larry Fessenden as a married couple who have settled into their long life together. The appearance of Anne’s former flame reminds her of the free spirited girl she was, someone she has long forgotten. While working together they come across a vampire who turns Anne who embraces her new lifestyle, however Jakob is not too pleased with his wife’s new behavior.
These two stories are about female vampires at very different times in their lives. Angela is young and inexperienced but slowly grows into the woman she wants to be. Anne has a similar transformation, being a vampire helps her to connect with all that she has been missing in her life. These stories are fascinating character studies that deal with transformation and empowerment.
The Neon Banshee 