Author of the day: Anne Rice

Anne Rice is the American author who wrote The Vampire Chronicles and many other books, which are estimated to have sold more than 100 million copies. She was born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien on October 4th, 1941 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Howard O'Brien and Katherine Allen O'Brien. Anne grew up in New Orleans in relative poverty, and New Orleans subsequently became the city where many of her novels are based.

Anne Rice's mother believed that by naming her Howard she would have an unusual advantage in life.
Anne legally changed her name from Howard to Anne in 1947.
Anne Rice's mother died when she was 15 and Anne was sent by her father to St. Joseph's Academy, a school Anne detested.
Anne's father remarried and moved the family to Texas, where Anne met her future husband.
Anne married Stan Rice on October 14th, 1961; she was 20 and he was almost 19.
Anne and Stan moves to San Francisco in 1962, where Anne obtained her B.A. in Political Science.
Anne and Stan's daughter and first child Michele was born in 1966, but developed leukemia and died in 1972. Their second child Christopher was born in 1978.
Anne Rice's novel Interview with the Vampire was based upon one of her earlier short stories. She turned the short story into a novel in 1973. It sold in 1974 to Alfred A. Knopf. It was published in 1976.
Anne Rice's next two books were The Feast of All Saints and Cry to Heaven, which were historical novels.
The books that Anne Rice wrote as part of The Vampire Chronicles include Interview with the Vampire (1976), The Vampire Lestat (1985), The Queen of the Damned (1988), The Tale of the Body Thief (1992), Memnoch the Devil (1995), The Vampire Armand (1998), Merrick (2000), Blood and Gold (2001), Blackwood Farm (2002), Blood Canticle (2003), and Prince Lestat (2014).
Anne Rice wrote four erotic novels under the pseudonym A. N. Roquelaure including The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty's Punishment, Beauty's Release, and Beauty's Kingdom.
Anne Rice wrote two erotic novels under the pseudonym Anne Rampling including Exit to Eden and Belinda.
Anne Rice wrote two books in The Wolf Chronicles titled The Wolf Gift (2012), and The Wolves of Midwinter (2013).
Anne Rice wrote two novels under the series titled New Tales of the Vampires including Pandora (1998), and Vittorio the Vampire (1999).
Anne Rice has written many books under several different series including The Lives of the Mayfair Witches (three books), Vampire/Mayfair Crossover (three books), Songs of the Seraphim (two books).
Anne Rice wrote two books about Christ titled Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt (2005), and Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana (2008). A third titled Christ the Lord: The Kingdom of Heaven is in progress.
In 2008 Anne Rice wrote a non-fiction book titled Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession.
Anne wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of Interview with the Vampire.
In total Anne Rice has written more than 30 novels. Her novels have been adapted into movies and mini-series, as well as comics.
Anne Rice's son Christopher Rice also became a best-selling author.