Anne Rice, Beloved 'Vampire Chronicles' Author, Dead at 80

By Stephanie Downs

Gothic novelist Anne Rice has died. Rice, who was famous for novels such as Interview with the Vampire and The Witching Hour, died from complications of a stroke according to her son Christopher Rice. On social media, Christopher not only shared the news of his mother's passing, but he also issued a lovely tribute to her. 

On Saturday night, Rice's son shared that the author died as a result of complications from a stroke. She was 80 at the time of her death. Christopher, an author in his own right, noted that his mother died almost exactly 19 years after his father, Stan Rice, died. He wrote, "The immensity of our family's grief cannot be overstated. As my mother, her support for me was unconditional — she taught me to embrace my dreams, reject conformity and challenge the dark voices of fear and self-doubt. As a writer, she taught me to defy genre boundaries and surrender to my obsessive passions."

Christopher continued to write that he was at his mother's bedside when she died. Shortly before her passing, Rice's younger sister, Karen, told her, "What a ride you took us on, kid." Rice's son added, "I think we can all agree. Let us take comfort in the shared hope that Anne is now experiencing firsthand the glorious answers to many great spiritual and cosmic questions, the quest for which defined her life and career." Christopher ended his message by speaking directly to the fans on Rice's Facebook page, writing that the account brought her "much joy" in her later years.

"Throughout much of her final years, your contributions to this page brought her much joy, along with a profound sense of friendship and community," he wrote. Rice will be laid to rest at the family's mausoleum at Metairie Cemetary in New Orleans. Christopher shared that this will serve as a private ceremony for those closest to the author. There will be a public celebration of life event held in Rice's honor next year in New Orleans. This event will "invite the participation of her friends, readers and fans who brought her such joy and inspiration throughout her life."

Rice rose to fame following the release of her first novel, Interview with the Vampire, which was published in 1976. The novel was a part of Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series, which also included 1985's The Vampire Lestat and, most recently, 2018's Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat. Her books have not only sold millions of copies worldwide, but they have also inspired numerous film and television adaptions such as the 1994 film Interview with the Vampire that starred Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.

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