Biography of Anne Rice: Queen of the Occult

Anne Rice “Evil is always possible. Goodness is difficulty” (“Anne Rice Quotes”). Being one of the most cryptic and fascinating authors of gothic novels, Anne Rice was christened “Queen of the Occult” without objection. From the day she was born, Rice had always been a unique individual. Being given the name Howard Allen O’Brien, it’s obvious she wasn’t destined to fall in with the norm. Her extensive list of novels display the sheer one of a kind flair that only Anne can capture. Born in New Orleans in 1941, Rice immediately despised her birth name. By the age of six she decided to change the masculine name to a more feminine one; Anne. But life was turned for a tail-spin when her mother suddenly passed away. Her teen years flew by in a daze and soon Anne moved out starting her new life independently. After only a short time, Anne met Stan Rice, a poet and aspiring artist. They were married on a Saturday evening on October 14, 1961. Soon after marriage, the couple had their first child, a daughter named Michele. Disaster wasn’t too far off though, seeing as Michele died of adult Leukemia in 1972 at age five. It was a tragic loss, but Anne didn’t give up her dreams of motherhood. At age thirty-four, Rice gave birth to Christopher; a healthy baby boy. Now living in the San Francisco Bay Area, Stan and Anne both continued their careers. Stan worked on his art, while Anne wrote her first novel and best-seller, Interview with the Vampire. In 1976, Anne’s first novel was published. Interview with the Vampire quickly became a best-seller and jump-started Rice’s future career. The book quickly erupted into a series entitled The Vampire Chronicles. The story follows Lestat de Lioncourt, an eighteenth century French nobleman. Books two through five are in his point of view, while the first and continuing are told by different characters. In her writing, Anne uses many different types of literary techniques and common themes. For example, Rice’s

Cited: "Anne Rice Quotes." The Quotations Page. 13 Mar 2009 . Eberhart, John Mark. "Anne Rice Returns to the Religion She Knew as a Child." 25 Oct 2008 24 Mar 2009 . Lyall, Sarah. "The People Have Spoken, and Rice Takes Offense." 11 Oct 2004 25 Mar 2009 . Nelson, Katherine. "Anne Rice: Biography." 09 Mar 2009 .