Why Vampires are Immortal

I have been enthusiastic about vampires ever since I became obsessed with Duckula as a small child. For me vampires embody the longing for eternal youth. They are magical, brooding creatures with a love of romance and a flair for antiquated fashion. These stylish vampires of contemporary fiction are somewhat different from the loathsome monsters of folklore.

I often wonder how the vampires I write will be received when the book is finally published. They follow the standard conventions of avoiding sunlight and lacking reflections but differ in certain key aspects. Most notably, they leave their bodies in the grave. What their victims encounter is something like a ghost made solid by force of will. Vital energy parasitically drained from the living is what they use to maintain the illusion of being alive.

My fear is that Twilight readers will throw my book down in disgust when they find that the vampires therein are not the vampires they're used to. Why, my vampires don't even suck blood really. They just hover over freshly spilled blood and suck up the ethereal vapors. A stake through the heart won't hurt them much unless the hunter can figure out where their discarded body lies. Even that might prove futile because some vampires inhabit other things (like figurines) instead.

Personally I find my vampires more believable and frightening than the norm. They can pass through walls because they are immaterial, yet they're mightily strong. They avoid sunlight because it shines through them, making them invisible and overpowering their senses. They do not reflect because they are disembodied souls with no face to reflect. Living people see them with their minds and only think they are seeing with their eyes. Because they are empowered ghosts, vampires can communicate directly with the human mind and hold a person in their thrall.

Vampires, like so many other literary beings, have been done time and time again. That doesn't mean that they can't be re-imagined in a new light. The adaptability of the vampire mythos is what truly keeps these stories alive.