This morning brought the news that Anne Rice, the great dame of American Horror Writing, past away. Her son broke the news. Her first book and most famous book “Interview with a Vampire” in 1976 when she was 35.

I am ten years older than she was when she published her first book. A book that shaped so many people’s imaginations. A book that went on to become a series and sparked even more imaginations. Something that I aspire to do as well.

The first book I ever had an author sign was by Anne Rice. It was 1995, I was working as an intern at the law firm where my older sister worked. It was the summer that Granny would die. We had already rushed from Alexandria, Virginia, to Salisbury, Maryland to see her. I remember walking into her hospital room and her yelling at me. She was mad that we had dropped everything. Or that is what memory tells me. The signing with Anne Rice happened a week later, Tish took me to I believe Springfield Mall, and we waited for hours to see her.

I remember the book store was underground and everyone came down a set of escalators. Anne descended the escalator in wedding dress so huge it seemed to swallow her. It took us another hour to make our way to her. I was too nervous to have her address any of the inscriptions to me personally, so she simply signed her name. I cherished those books. A week later, Granny was in intensive care and a decision was made.

We buried her two rows over from a boy named Justin. A boy who made us all smile. I remember because the proximity of his grave was pointed out. I was happy that she was so close to someone that she knew.

Anne Rice will be laid to rest in a private service in New Orleans near those she loved in life. Sometime next year a celebration will take place for all of us to take part in according to her son. Her readers brought her so much joy. Let us celebrate her life so she will life on like her characters will live on beyond our own life spans.