books – Vamp Jenn's Corner

The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth Book Review

May 1, 2023June 5, 2023by Jennifer Vasquez9 Comments

John Robb (Photo credit: John Middleham)

“Nothing exists independently; goth was a kind of fever. It just seemed to seep in on a tide of black lace and black leather.”
–Nina Antonia quoted in The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth

Various books have been written attempting to unravel the mystery of the goth subculture and trace its roots. A new text has recently been added to the canon, The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth by John Robb who’s the frontman of the post-punk band The Membranes and head of the online media publication Louder Than War. His behemoth of a book takes a deep plunge into the musical origins of goth, and it’s quite an adventure.

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Literature

Spotlight On Rose Sinister: Vampire Scholar & Author

January 27, 2023March 8, 2023by Jennifer Vasquez13 Comments

Rose Sinister (Photo credit: Rachel Clinesmith, editor-in-chief Vampyre Magazine and owner of Vampyre Cosmetics) — Rose Sinister (Photo credit: Rachel Clinesmith, editor-in-chief of Vampyre Magazine and owner of Vampyre Cosmetics)

Author and content creator Rose Sinister has been on a mission to explore the question, “Why do we tell vampire stories?” This query laid the foundation for her podcast Rose Sinister: Vampires, which she launched in 2018. Since then, she’s branched off to work on multiple projects dedicated to enriching people’s knowledge of these creatures of the night, plus she’s just released her first novel within the vampire genre titled This Crimson Debt. I had the opportunity to interview the writer and read the story, and it’s fangtastic. Don’t worry; there won’t be any spoilers in the following review.

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Literature

12 Unusual Facts About Mary Shelley

August 28, 2022September 29, 2022by Jennifer Vasquez20 Comments

Portrait of Mary Shelley by Richard Rothwell

In 1818, Mary Shelley published her first major work, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. More than 200 years later, the novel is still popular among gothic horror fans. Not only has it sparked numerous movie adaptations, but the monster of the narrative has been the inspiration behind Halloween costumes, haunts and a Frankenstein-themed bar in the UK. The author also continues to be a prominent literary figure today, inspiring countless contemporary horror writers. There’s even an annual holiday commemorating her birthday and notorious book, Frankenstein Day on August 30^th. To pay homage to the author, here are 12 interesting facts about Mary Shelley that may surprise you.

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Literature

The Vampira Diaries Book Review

March 28, 2022May 6, 2022by Jennifer Vasquez15 Comments

Before Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, there was Vampira, famously known as the original Glamour Ghoul. Her pale visage, raven-colored locks, crimson lips, and highly arched brows made her quite the image to behold on late-night television. While she’s revered today as an icon in the underground scene, her claim to fame was short-lived during her time.

In an all-new book called The Vampira Diaries: 1954-1956, author Jonny Coffin gives readers a closer look into the world of the queen of the night. Digging out archives from the grave, he presents a collection of unseen photographs, newspaper clippings and excerpts from her diaries, resurrecting the voice and presence of this dark soul. I recently finished the biography and want to share a bit of what lies on the pages.

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Literature

Midnight Light Book Review: A Poetic Exploration of Life & Death

October 20, 2021March 19, 2023by Jennifer Vasquez2 Comments

“The moon appears in the night sky
Casting our souls into dreams
Endlessly flowing streams of subconscious move over the land”
-Another Perspective
Midnight Light

Image accompanying the poem “Underneath Icicles” in *Midnight Light* (Photo credit: Brian Paglinco)

Verse and imagery entwine in Midnight Light, a book that illuminates darkness and uncovers life pulsating in the land of the dead. It is the creation of two dear friends—writer Michael Pace and photographer Brian Paglinco—who wanted to share their artistic vision with the world, as well as pay tribute to their enduring friendship. The pages contain a series of gothic-inspired poems and photos that transported me to different time periods and places as I explored the work.

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Literature

Richard Delgado’s New Vampire Book Series: The Ancient Chronicles

December 14, 2020August 9, 2021by Jennifer Vasquez5 Comments

The Ancient Chronicles: The Newborn by Richard A. Delgado

What would you do if you were forced to lead an existence that required you to forget your past and succumb to bestial instincts? Author Richard A. Delgado tackles this question in the first book of his new series The Ancient Chronicles: The Newborn. In it, readers meet Leonardo Le’ Muerte, a young man who’s suddenly turned into a fledgling vampire. Without fully realizing the implications of this transformation, Leonardo is forced to adjust to a darker side of life and confront many demons, inside and out.

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Literature, occult

Top 10 Must-Read Dark Books

March 27, 2020September 23, 2022by Jennifer Vasquez13 Comments

book-light

With the current Coronavirus pandemic, life seems to have become its own horror story. A novel illness is running rampant across the globe, streets have become eerily quiet, citizens have been ordered to self-isolate and panic has turned as contagious as COVID-19. But not all is as dire as it seems.

Since we’ve suddenly had to adjust to a new way of existing, I think everyone needs a break from reality and nothing provides that more readily than a good book! I’ve created a list of Top 10 Dark Reads with varying levels of darkness. Some embody gallows humor, while others are just plain morbid. They are presented in no particular order, but I do believe I saved the most sinister for last. Continue reading “Top 10 Must-Read Dark Books” →

Lifestyle

7 Gifts for the Spooky Soul in Your Life

December 3, 2019November 30, 2023by Jennifer Vasquez6 Comments

7 Gifts for the Spooky Soul in Your Life

It’s that most wonderful time of year when the weather gets chilly, colorful lights adorn homes, Christmas trees go up, carols play on the radio and the smell of cinnamon practically permeates the air. And, let’s not forget the holidays are synonymous with gift-giving. Even a dark soul like myself enjoys the season. But, having said that, my macabre factor doesn’t tone down.

I like to compare myself to Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas who had an appreciation for the holiday, but also injected it with his Halloween spirit. He proves that us morbid folk can strike a nice balance between Christmas cheer and ghostly boos. So, what do you buy someone who basks in the darker side of life? To get you started, following is a list of 7 Gifts for Spooky Souls that will work with any spending budget. Continue reading “7 Gifts for the Spooky Soul in Your Life” →

Literature

Author of Honor Series: Part IV

November 28, 2018November 28, 2018by Jennifer Vasquez3 Comments

Book Stack and Tea Cup

The final week of National Novel Writing Month is here and that means this is the last Author of Honor blog post of the series. I knew from the beginning that I had to include this novelist. Besides Anne Rice, she is the only other writer who I can say I’ve read most of her works. She has also been a great inspiration to me. So, without further ado, allow me to introduce the author to conclude the series. Continue reading “Author of Honor Series: Part IV” →

Literature

Author of Honor Series: Part III

November 20, 2018November 20, 2018by Jennifer Vasquez5 Comments

Noose

We are entering week three of the Author of Honor Series! I had a very difficult time choosing who I would feature and being an indecisive Libra does not help. I had narrowed my selection to two candidates, both with interesting backgrounds, but from different time periods. You might be wondering why I can’t just write about one this week and save the other for last. Well, that’s because I already have the final novelist picked, so I had to play the elimination game with this round. After much contemplation, I’ve decided to highlight a contemporary writer with a gruesome family history. Thus the reason for the preceding image. Read on to discover of whom I speak. Continue reading “Author of Honor Series: Part III” →