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Accident Among Vampires or What Would Dracula Do?
Issaquah, Washington, USA 1951
My name is Norma Mae Rollins. I’m fourteen and an illegal vampire. I miss my mom, but new ghoulish appetites force me to remain with my creator. Bill didn’t mean to transform me. At least, that’s what he claims. His frightening temper, relentless lies, and morbid scientific experiments makes it hard to know what to believe. However, someone snitched about Bill’s experiments to a nearby Coven. Now both of our corpses will burn. Bill won’t run. He is curious what happens to a vampire after final death. I don’t want to die again. It hurt so much the first time. Bill thinks his vampire boyfriend might shelter me. I must brave an eternal existence with elder vampires and other monsters who don’t think I ought to exist. Oh and figure out who I am allowed to eat. A vampire’s reality is nothing like the movies.
My name is Norma Mae Rollins. I’m fourteen and an illegal vampire. I miss my mom, but new ghoulish appetites force me to remain with my creator. Bill didn’t mean to transform me. At least, that’s what he claims. His frightening temper, relentless lies, and morbid scientific experiments makes it hard to know what to believe. However, someone snitched about Bill’s experiments to a nearby Coven. Now both of our corpses will burn. Bill won’t run. He is curious what happens to a vampire after final death. I don’t want to die again. It hurt so much the first time. Bill thinks his vampire boyfriend might shelter me. I must brave an eternal existence with elder vampires and other monsters who don’t think I ought to exist. Oh and figure out who I am allowed to eat. A vampire’s reality is nothing like the movies.
420 pages, Paperback
Published June 19, 2021
4 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Guizzetti
36 books353 followersElizabeth Guizzetti currently lives in Seattle, WA with her husband. When not writing, she loves hiking and birdwatching.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 9, 2021
I don't normally read vampire, werewolf, or zombie stores, with a few exceptions. But I had ready several of Guizzetti's books and enjoyed them, so thought I'd take a look. In spite of the obligatory blood and violence, I enjoyed the book. Somehow the author keeps us focused on Norma and her problems, and the rest fades into background. It's a different sort of coming-of-age story as Norma deals with her loss of of her mother and other human contacts, the mood swings of her sometimes violent vampire "father," and then trying to learn the rules when she's taken into a coven. She's intelligent, persistent, resourceful, and still definitely a teenager as she researches vampire behavior and tries to avoid "final death."
July 11, 2021
I love the Paper Flower Consortium Universe. The stories are rich with its coven’s backstories. This one tells the tale of fourteen-year-old Norma Mae Rollins. Guizzetti does a fabulous job growing the relationship between Norma and her bloodline progenitor Derrik. A tender, funny struggle between a teen and her “grandfather”. Trusting someone after a trauma—whether human or a vampire—can be difficult and yet rewarding. I enjoyed the smooth transitions between Norma’s diary entries and the coven’s dictations and memoires. Well done.
June 15, 2023
Recommended
Certainly not the typical horror book, very good description and writing skills. Twists were real Twists, and hence I recommend reading this book
Certainly not the typical horror book, very good description and writing skills. Twists were real Twists, and hence I recommend reading this book
January 8, 2022
Equally charming and chilling
Four source documents hold Elizabeth Guizzetti’s vampire novel together: the Diary of Norma Mae Rollins, the Journal of William T. Caruso, the Memoire of Lady Agata and Personal Dictation of Derrik Miller. These first-person, personal accounts tell Norma’s story, beginning with her death and rebirth on the 17th of November, 1951.
‘Accident Among Vampires or What would Dracula Do?’ is a charming, well-written book that goes a long way to explain some of the vampire goings-on in Guizzetti’s world of the Paper Flower Consortium. Engaging from the very start, it is graphic when it comes to the life-essentials (death-essentials?) of this group of vampires, without the gratuitous adult themes seen in ‘True Blood’. At first, Vampire Bill seems an unfortunately coincidental choice of name, but Guizzetti teases us with “Bill, Derrik, Larry, Norma, what kinds of names are those for vampires!?”
Bill, who prefers Norma to call him Dad, plucks fourteen-year-old Norma from a night out with her friends as part of his ongoing quest to create more vampires, seemingly for the good of the world. Something about Norma’s pluckiness makes her his first success in 73 attempts, much to her chagrin. Norma takes to her new status, quickly understanding that her return to family and friends would end badly for them. So instead, she does as any good daughter would do and follows daddy’s instructions as he attempts to create more progeny.
As to the book’s title, Norma knows all about vampires because she has spent her teenage years watching horror films. So, she is unsurprised that she is a telepath and eventual clairvoyant and already knows her boundaries:
“What about fire?”
“Fire can kill us too.”
“What about a stake in the heart?”
Fearing these questions might go on all morning, I kissed her brow. “That would pretty much kill anyone.”
Yet Bill has a temper, and his creation of an underage vampire has angered his fellow bloodsuckers. Norma goes on to feel judged for her father’s experiments on humans, but ultimately, Bill knows what needs to happen, as he explains in the Last Statement of William T. Caruso.
Guizzetti is a skilled storyteller and knows her world exceptionally well. The styles of her various narrator help to keep the book moving forward, and there are sufficient viewpoints to overlook the lack of true descriptive prose. However, it is not clear if the reader should be cheering Norma on because some of her traits—inherited from Daddy Bill—are unseemly for a young lady, vampire or not.
Four source documents hold Elizabeth Guizzetti’s vampire novel together: the Diary of Norma Mae Rollins, the Journal of William T. Caruso, the Memoire of Lady Agata and Personal Dictation of Derrik Miller. These first-person, personal accounts tell Norma’s story, beginning with her death and rebirth on the 17th of November, 1951.
‘Accident Among Vampires or What would Dracula Do?’ is a charming, well-written book that goes a long way to explain some of the vampire goings-on in Guizzetti’s world of the Paper Flower Consortium. Engaging from the very start, it is graphic when it comes to the life-essentials (death-essentials?) of this group of vampires, without the gratuitous adult themes seen in ‘True Blood’. At first, Vampire Bill seems an unfortunately coincidental choice of name, but Guizzetti teases us with “Bill, Derrik, Larry, Norma, what kinds of names are those for vampires!?”
Bill, who prefers Norma to call him Dad, plucks fourteen-year-old Norma from a night out with her friends as part of his ongoing quest to create more vampires, seemingly for the good of the world. Something about Norma’s pluckiness makes her his first success in 73 attempts, much to her chagrin. Norma takes to her new status, quickly understanding that her return to family and friends would end badly for them. So instead, she does as any good daughter would do and follows daddy’s instructions as he attempts to create more progeny.
As to the book’s title, Norma knows all about vampires because she has spent her teenage years watching horror films. So, she is unsurprised that she is a telepath and eventual clairvoyant and already knows her boundaries:
“What about fire?”
“Fire can kill us too.”
“What about a stake in the heart?”
Fearing these questions might go on all morning, I kissed her brow. “That would pretty much kill anyone.”
Yet Bill has a temper, and his creation of an underage vampire has angered his fellow bloodsuckers. Norma goes on to feel judged for her father’s experiments on humans, but ultimately, Bill knows what needs to happen, as he explains in the Last Statement of William T. Caruso.
Guizzetti is a skilled storyteller and knows her world exceptionally well. The styles of her various narrator help to keep the book moving forward, and there are sufficient viewpoints to overlook the lack of true descriptive prose. However, it is not clear if the reader should be cheering Norma on because some of her traits—inherited from Daddy Bill—are unseemly for a young lady, vampire or not.
June 13, 2023
"Accident Among Vampires Or What Would Dracula Do?" is a captivating and unique vampire horror novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the perspective of a fourteen-year-old illegal vampire named Norma Mae Rollins. Set in 1951 in Issaquah, Washington, the story follows Norma as she grapples with her newfound existence as a vampire and the complexities of her creator, Bill, whose morbid experiments and volatile temper keep her trapped. Guizzetti's storytelling is masterful, painting a vivid and haunting portrait of a vampire's reality that defies popular movie portrayals. The author skillfully blends elements of horror and family drama, delving into the challenges and conflicts faced by Norma as she navigates her existence as an accidental vampire. The exploration of identity, survival, and the search for acceptance adds depth and emotional resonance to the narrative. What sets this book apart is its time period and the fresh perspective it offers. By setting the story in 1951, Guizzetti adds an additional layer of intrigue and atmosphere, capturing the essence of that era and infusing it with the supernatural elements of vampires and monsters. "Accident Among Vampires Or What Would Dracula Do?" is a gripping and imaginative novel that offers a fresh take on vampire lore. Guizzetti's ability to craft complex characters and immerse readers in a richly imagined world makes this a standout addition to the horror genre. Fans of vampire fiction and those seeking a unique and engrossing read will find themselves captivated by this enthralling tale.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews