Vampire’s Dilemma

Life doesn&apos;t stop being complicated just because you&apos;re dead. <P> In the old days, vampires were sexy, ruthless, and evil. They could, and would, compel the living to do whatever they wanted. They owned the night. Unfortunately, being undead in modern times has unexpected and disturbing challenges. <P> Now nine authors take an amused, and sometimes grim look at the problems some vampires face in the twenty-first century. In «Thin White Duke in Sneakers,» a newly turned environmental activist and confirmed vegan has some serious issues with his politically incorrect vampire diet. Family life is disrupted in «Uncle Dmitri» when the police suddenly want to know what kindly Uncle Dmitri might be doing at night besides driving a cab. A young artist in «Take My Breath Away» desperately seeks a real vampire to turn her into an immortal only to discover she will still need to get a job to pay her rent. In «The Face on the Coin,» unlife is complicated by obsession, a vampire ghost, and time travel. «Farmer» is a tale of the far-future where humans may well be hunted off the face of the Earth. «Sunrise Decision» is the compelling story of a young marine in Fallujah who can only stop a murderous predator by making his own, personal life and death decision. In «They Shall Take Up Serpents,» a predatory Revivalist preacher is brought to justice by a vampire and a cage full of snakes. In «Sale Season,» intrigue and vampire romance haunt the art galleries of Europe while «Cursed Blood» asks the eternal question: Do you always have to bite the one you love? <P> These authors were inspired to write by various TV shows, from Star Trek, Forever Knight, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (& Angel) to White Collar, Burn Notice, Vampire Diaries, Being Human, etc. and have made the leap from fanfiction to professional writing. All these stories are original universes.