Vampire authors want your blood -- er -- want you to support blood centers
No one ever called Dracula a do-gooder, but one vampire-centric author is rallying bloodsucking fans for charity this Halloween season.
For the entire month of October, proceeds from books sold through the Vampire Books for Blood program will go to local blood centers in the U.S. and Canada.
It's the second year of the sanguine fundraiser, which was founded by Scott Burtness, the author of "Wisconsin Vamp."
"Vampires always get a bad rap," Burtness said. "They're always taking but never giving back. I got some authors together who want to change that perception."
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Last year, five authors got in on the fun, donating a portion of their October net profits to their local blood banks. This year, 10 authors and one screenwriter have joined the cause.
The big names in bloodsucking books — Charlaine Harris, Stephen King, Anne Rice — aren't involved, but Burtness hopes the event will continue to grow. Right now it's at "baby bat stage."
All of the eligible books center around vampires, naturally — but that doesn't mean they're all the same. Within the vampire genre, there are many offshoots, Burtness explained: comedy, horror, romance.
His own book is a horror comedy about a small-town Wisconsin line cook who gets turned into a vampire — for the better. "Suddenly he goes from small-town schlub to rock star. He's better-looking. He's a better bowler."
For a moment, Burtness said, vampires were the hottest monster around, thanks to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the "Twilight" books and movies.
"For 15 years, vampires were everything," he said. "Now the shift has gone more to zombies."
Even though they're no longer the most in-demand monsters of the moment, Burtness hopes vampires and their fanged charms will pull in some money for charity this month.
"There's a perpetual blood shortage — not due to vampires," Burtness said. "This can help raise awareness and support important organizations."
Participating authors will donate directly to their local Red Cross chapter or to Canadian Blood Services; their books are listed on Vampire Books For Blood.