Anne Rice Redefines "Never." Update: Anne Rice's response
In a CT article by Cindy Crosby published just over two years ago, novelist Anne Rice--famous for her dark stories about vampires--spoke of her return to her Catholic faith and said she would from now on write about Christ. While she did not repudiate her earlier work, saying it was a record of her spiritual journey, she said she was through with vampires:
I would never go back, not even if they say, 'You will be financially ruined; you've got to write another vampire book.' I would say no. I have no choice. I would be a fool for all eternity to turn my back on God like that.
And for a while, she was true to her word, writing the first two works in a series about the life of Christ. The second, Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana, is due out on March 4. After a planned third installment on Jesus, Rice plans to return to her vampire chronicling. But isn't that going back on her word? Rice answers Time this way: "I don't see it as a violation of my promise, because I won't be writing about vampires in the same way." And indeed, her new promise--to put the stories in a Christian framework with an accent on redemption--sounds interesting. But Time isn't buying, commenting: "Still, it is difficult to see it as anything but a change of heart."
I cannot pretend to see into Anne Rice's soul, but to me this is a troubling turn of events. Whatever the merits and drawbacks of writing one final vampire novel, her vow was all-encompassing, seemingly linking her eternal destiny to keeping it. I am reminded of the following verses:
When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
UPDATE: For Anne Rice's explanation of her decision, see her official website.
Anne Rice responded to this blog post today:
Thank you for your gentle write-up of my casual remark in a Time interview regarding Christ the Lord, the Road to Cana. My vow to the Lord was that I would write for Him, and for Him alone from then on (2002). I will keep that vow. If this new vampire book, which is no more than an idea, cannot be entirely Christian and redemptive in content, if it cannot be for the Lord, I assure you, it will not be written.
My vocation is to continue the story of Our Lord's life on Earth and I am doing it. --- it's amazing how this small remark to Time's interviewers became something I never imagined. --- I've been flooded with emails for three years about having left my old characters, and more than once it has been suggested to me that they could be revisited in a redemptive or Christian framework. That was the idea.
And by the way, the book is no more than a dream. The consecration to Christ that I made in 2002 is rock solid, thank Heaven, and I pray for the faith and strength to maintain it.
- Anne Rice
Posted by Stan Guthrie on February 25, 2008 8:45AM
Comments
Isn't this just an example of why we should not make vows? She may have very good reasons for changing her mind. And changing your mind is something different from breaking a vow. So we should follow bibilcal admonisions to not make vows.
Posted by: Adam S at February 25, 2008
Thank you for your gentle write-up of my casual remark in a Time interview regarding Christ the Lord, the Road to Cana. My vow to the Lord was that I would write for Him, and for Him alone from then on (2002). I will keep that vow. If this new vampire book, which is no more than an idea, cannot be entirely Christian and redemptive in content, if it cannot be for the Lord, I assure you, it will not be written. My vocation is to continue the story of Our Lord's life on Earth and I am doing it. --- it's amazing how this small remark to Time's interviewers became something I never imagined. --- I've been flooded with emails for three years about having left my old characters, and more than once it has been suggested to me that they could be revisited in a redemptive or Christian framework. That was the idea. And by the way, the book is no more than a dream. The consecration to Christ that I made in 2002 is rock solid, thank Heaven, and I pray for the faith and strength to maintain it. Anne Rice.
Posted by: anne Rice at February 25, 2008
Now I think the most Christian thing we can do is leave Anne to get on with going wherever the Lord leads her.
Posted by: Wellwisher at February 26, 2008
Wow. It's nice to see that the nasty habit of judging your fellow human being is still going strong in Christian pop culture. And by "nice," I mean it blows. I wondered how long it would take before supposed Christians started turning on her, since they spent decades ignoring the Catholic messages in the Vampire Chronicles and denouncing them as satanic! Anne Rice has never followed the crowd, and if she's not going to keep writing fanservice for crazed Midwestern housewives and gussied-up Goth kids, she's certainly not going to change her creative output for you.
Years before "Christ the Lord," I saw a gaggle of Goth kids at one of Anne Rice's signing events, lined up outside, waiting for their turn to get their copies of a Vampire Chronicle or two signed. Were they discussing their video games, TV shows, or Satanic hobbies? No- they were arguing excitedly with one another about the nature of transubstantiation. These people were personally engaged in questions of spirituality, morality, individuality and redemption, and gravitated to Rice's novels because these books address the need for intellectual and emotional treatments of these very Christian subjects.
And you're dissing on her now because she's CONSIDERING not writing every single book about Jesus from here on out (not "for," "about." There's a difference). This is the root of religious-inspired censorship right there. What makes you think you have a right to dictate what's appropriate material for a Christian to write? How are you the arbiter of how an individual ought to keep her personal promises to God?
Anne Rice, if you're reading this, any respect I might have for Christian spirituality comes from you. I could never join the Jerry Falwell club, and will remain a proud Pagan till I die, but I can see what attracts people to this spiritual system. You took the convoluted system of social control, moral oppression, and intellectual bullying that is the outsider's experience of Christianity in the Bible Belt and you showed me what good there is in it. The Devil's Road is a truer expression of Christian values than the Moral Majority will ever be. As increasing numbers of American Christians find themselves having to choose between God and birth control, between God and their gay friends and neighbours, God and women's rights, God and science, God and intellectual freedom, you will see more of them striking off on that road.
And if God has a problem with Anne Rice's topic choices, let Him write a snarky review in the New York Times! Until that happens, maybe we can just assume God's got better things to do, and so should you.
Posted by: bible belt vampire at February 26, 2008
IMO, it's way too soon to judge the merits and faults of Rice's proposed new vampire novel. She hasn't released any details on the plot and themes of this book. Perhaps this proposed novel is another attempt on her part to reach those who don't know Jesus with the redemptive message of Christ. The time for critiquing her novel is if and when this project ever comes to fruition.
Posted by: LizJ at February 26, 2008
If you haven't read Rice' response on her Web site, do take the time to do so. It makes all of this seem somewhat like a tempest in a teapot -- sorry for the cliche, but it fits this time.
Posted by: Mike Ehret at February 26, 2008
Anne's response was nice and it seems she is still standing strong. I hope the Lord can use her to reach out to those she previously influenced prior to her conversion, he's obviously given her a talent for story telling. Perhaps this new proposed novel will reach those fans. Good for you Anne!
Posted by: A reader at February 27, 2008
How about we just give Anne props for being a fantastic writer. She alone stimulated my joy for reading when a friend persuaded me to read Memnoch. Her words are beauty and that alone is Godly in my eyes. If the books give a person a reason to question their faith then it is their faith that is the problem not the book. I have not finished the chronicles yet but I will finish one day because all that I have read thus far have been an experience.
Posted by: Gene Kent at February 27, 2008
I would just like to point out that the vampîre book which, arguably, remains the most famous to this day is Bram Stoker's Dracula, a remarkable work on Christian community, a belief in the supernatural, and the power of God over the devil. At least, that's the way I saw it.
Posted by: Charlotte Maney at March 2, 2008
All Mrs. Rice vowed to do was to serve God and not to write about vampires in the same way she used to.
Perhaps God is calling her and preparing her to write in the genre she seems to excell in, a genre that many Christian youth go to explore and read.
How wonderful it would be for them to find something written by a Christian!
Anne's vow was never not to write in this genre again. Her vow was never to write in this genre from a non-Christian POV.
As an author and a Christian myself (though not conservative evangelical)I find this market more than ready for whatever Anne has to dish out. My vampire/werewolf novel, Never Ceese, written by a Christian as a Christian was voted book club choice of the month of May 2007 at the American Christian Fiction Writers Association.
Godspeed Anne!
Go where God is calling you.
As far as for the post about Christian's turning on Anne, just remember, there are many types of Christians and they have varied opinions depending on their believes. I dare say that most posting here in defiance of Anne's decision are conservative evangelicals.
Christians like myself applaud Anne for going where God has obviously had it planned for her to go. This genre needs a strong Christian influence. I firmly believe Anne would blow the doors off. I tend to think she wants to write this LAST novel for closure. I for one hope it won't be her LAST but that she'll find she can write in this genre with the same passion she did before but to instead bring glory to God. And yes, without getting all preachy and what not.
Anne you better not be listening to those who are tying to tell you that you've broken some vow!!! Get that book out there!
This genre is your calling. How could it not be?
I believe God wants you there. But that is between you and God.
Posted by: Sue Dent at March 17, 2008
All Mrs. Rice vowed to do was to serve God and not to write about vampires in the same way she used to.
Perhaps God is calling her and preparing her to write in the genre she seems to excell in, a genre that many Christian youth go to explore and read.
How wonderful it would be for them to find something written by a Christian!
Anne's vow was never not to write in this genre again. Her vow was never to write in this genre from a non-Christian POV.
As an author and a Christian myself (though not conservative evangelical)I find this market more than ready for whatever Anne has to dish out. My vampire/werewolf novel, Never Ceese, written by a Christian as a Christian was voted book club choice of the month of May 2007 at the American Christian Fiction Writers Association.
Godspeed Anne!
Go where God is calling you.
As far as for the post about Christian's turning on Anne, just remember, there are many types of Christians and they have varied opinions depending on their believes. I dare say that most posting here in defiance of Anne's decision do not represent Christians as a whole or even a majority. They do seem to be loud and opinionated however.
Christians like myself applaud Anne for going where God has obviously had it planned for her to go. This genre needs a strong Christian influence. I firmly believe Anne would blow the doors off. I tend to think she wants to write this LAST novel for closure. I for one hope it won't be her LAST but that she'll find she can write in this genre with the same passion she did before but to instead bring glory to God. And yes, without getting all preachy and what not.
Anne you better not be listening to those who are tying to tell you that you've broken some vow!!! Get that book out there!
This genre is your calling. How could it not be?
I believe God wants you there. But that is between you and God.
Posted by: Sue dent at March 17, 2008
So sorry about posting twice. Perhaps someone could go and delete my first one. Other than that, well, now I've posted three times. Yikes! :)
Posted by: Sue Dent at March 18, 2008
There was a time when vampire movies had a Christian message - vampires fearing the cross because it is the symbol of Christ's defeat of evil.
But, unfortunately, you rarely see the type of vampire movies anymore that Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee made, and Peter Cushing played the Godly Dr.Van Helsing.
Oh, how I yearn for their return!
Posted by: David A. Wilson at April 17, 2008
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