Transylvania, Louisiana by Evelyn Smith (Infinity Publishing www.infinitypublishing.com 2008)
Review by G.L. Giles

There are many vampire novels set in New Orleans, Louisiana, and this vampire novella is partially set there, towards the end of the book, as well. However, it’s primarily set in Transylvania, Louisiana: a country town. Hence, the title. This fast-moving tale centers around a boy named Billy who’s on his way to meet up with his father, in Alexandria, Louisiana, after his mother dies. It’s easy to sympathize with Billy’s character who has recently lost his mother and must then endure a vampire attack when he hitches a ride with a strange albino fellow with pink eyes traveling about at night in a black Mustang. Talk about adding insult to injury! Yet, Billy manages to escape after being bitten by the vampire named Jack, only to be found and attacked by Jack again. Turns out Billy’s a pretty tough kid, able to withstand multiple vamp attacks before all is said and done. He’s aided by a bible-thumping-postal employee named Viola who keeps holy water, crucifixes and wooden stakes on hand. Besides that, she’s been blessed with superhuman bravery. She rescues Billy at one point and protects him from another vamp attack later on. Then there’s an intriguing Goth girl character called Lilith, who also happens to be the familiar of the vampire named Jenny. Jenny was the vampire who made Jack, though she’s not the one who ultimately destroys him. I found this book a good debut offering as it was refreshingly not of the sometimes overly sappy Twilight Series vein. It gives new fodder for the imagination, too, as these vampires aren’t your run-of-the-mill not able to withstand any sunlight sort. Rather, they are able to go out and about in sunlight more and more the older they get. I give it an 8 out of 10.