With series like the "Twilight Saga" and the books that spurred HBO's television series "True Blood," the on-going vampire craze has most readers whimsical rather than horrified.
Ever since the "Twilight" books' release, the seemingly recent obsession with vampires has heightened. Vampire books have been popular since Bram Stoker's 1897 novel "Dracula," but with the second book of the "Twilight" series, "New Moon", hitting theaters in November and with more vampire books hitting the shelves, the obsession is reaching previously unseen heights.
"We can't keep them in stock, especially when "Twilight" the movie first came out," said Lynze Durham, Hastings employee. "People would immediately come in and buy 'New Moon.' As soon as we had them in, they were coming out and buying them. It's still a big deal."
When readers search for the Gothic novels in bookstores, they won't find the series on the shelves in the fiction section. Instead customers will notice the large displays of vampire books and paraphernalia that are appearing in the front sections of most stores.
Many stores and libraries hold book release events to get readers excited about the new stories.
Bailey DeBardeleben, a junior in elementary education, was one of the many "Twilight Saga" fans who spent late hours in a book store waiting for the release of Stephenie Meyer's final book to the series.
"As soon as I found out that we could go get 'Breaking Dawn' at midnight I was all over it," DeBardeleben said. "I made a T-shirt that said Team Edward and waited in line at midnight at Books-A-Million."
Once they finish the "Twilight Saga," Ashley Brown, assistant youth services librarian at the Auburn Public Library, said readers ask for recommendations of what to read next. Since these books have a romantic character unlike the portrayal of most vampires in past books, Brown said she tries to recommend books with similar characters.
"There is always a group of people interested in whatever book, but since 'Twilight' there is more interest and a broader audience asking for the books," Brown said.
Brown said there is usually a waiting list for the books at the library. She also said the books are capturing the interest of many people who before were not avid readers but are now frequent library visitors asking for other books similar to these paranormal fiction novels.
For a more mature audience, Brown recommends Charlaine Harris' books that inspired the HBO series True Blood starting with book one, "Dead Until Dark."
"I love the 'Twilight' books because they are unique romantic stories," DeBardeleben said. "They are not predictable and not cliche love stories. You would think vampire stories would be horror novels, but they are different and interesting and so easy to read."
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