I read Mina and the Undead earlier in the year and I was absolutely absorbed into this nod to the 90s. As a teen (and probably a little before this…) I was completely obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Amy McCaw’s book was a real throwback to this era whilst still feeling like a fresh take on the horror genre. If you’re interested in reading my review, you can find it here.

Today, I am excited to have a guest post from the author herself all about her favourite vampires.

If you’ve read my review, you’ll see why I now no longer like the author. Sorry Amy, meeting James Marsters once would be enough to cause this, but more than that? Add that to Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley (who have all been on my wall at some point in poster or calendar form) and you have made me way too jealous 😂.

Anyway, putting my jealousy aside, let’s take a look Amy’s favourite vamps…

My favourite vampires

I was in my early teens when I discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Interview with the Vampire. Since then, I’ve read and watched anything I can find involving vampires. My favourites have changed over the years, from the virtuous do-gooders (yes I’m talking about Angel) to the ones with snappy dialogue and questionable morals.

Mick St John

Moonlight is a little-known vampire TV show from the makers of Angel and has a pretty similar premise: vampire private detective on a journey of redemption. Alex O’Loughlin played Mick St John and I actually found him a more interesting character than Angel. He has that same brooding quality but also a tendency to fly off the rails, which is always intriguing! He’s deeply flawed and has a long, dark history that unfolds as the series progresses.

Damon and Stefan Salvatore

I go back and forth over who is my favourite Salvatore brother. Stefan was my brother of choice in the books, but I like Damon on TV. I think the reason I can’t choose between them is that they balance each other out and make the show so much more interesting. Damon is usually being lovely and almost redeemable when he turns around and snaps someone’s neck. I’ll often get bored of Stefan’s angst when he suddenly goes ripper and Damon is the good brother again. I was very lucky to attend a Vampire Diaries convention a few years ago and met Ian Somerhalder (Damon) and Paul Wesley (Stefan), and they were just as lovely as I hoped (and Paul Wesley was surprisingly hilarious).

Louis and Lestat

Two of my original vampire favourites were Louis and Lestat. Like the Salvatore brothers, I find it hard to separate them, because I love the rapport (and in this case chemistry) between them. Lestat is the charming and sadistic counterpoint to Louis’s brooding despair. I like how Anne Rice can explore the spectrum of responses to being a vampire between the two of them. Sadly, I haven’t managed to meet Brad Pitt (yet), but I did meet Christian Slater outside a London theatre. He plays the interviewer in Interview with the Vampire, so I’ve included the photo here.

Eric

One of my more recent additions to the list is Eric. I’ve read a lot of the True Blood books, but it’s the TV show Eric that I find the most appealing. His humour always tickles me, and I’m obsessed with his friendship with Pam. Their relationship is really different and refreshing. Eric is a well-written character, and I always understand his motivations. Alexander Skarsgard plays the role brilliantly, and I’m sure I’ll do a True Blood rewatch in the near future 

Spike

I’ve saved the best for last. In my early teens, I found Spike entertaining, but I didn’t realise how much I liked him as a character until I rewatched Buffy in my later teens. His character development is one of my favourite story arcs in any book, movie or TV show. I won’t go into the details in case of spoilers, but not many characters go from cool villain, to having their power taken away, to love interest and ally. It’s probably no surprise to anyone who knows me that I’ve met James Marsters quite a few times, and he definitely lived up to my expectations!

Amy McCaw is a YA writer and blogger. She’s the author of Mina and the Undead, a YA murder mystery set in 1995 New Orleans

Her main interests are books, movies and the macabre, and her debut novel has elements of all of these. If Amy’s not at a book event or reading, she can usually be found scribbling away in her writing room, surrounded by movie memorabilia and an out-of-control signed books collection. Unsurprisingly, she’s a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan and has gone to conventions to meet James Marsters more times than she cares to admit.

Amy also loves travelling and has a particular affinity for America. She’s visited 29 states, 13 Man Vs Food restaurants and many bookish locations, including the cities where Twilight, Interview with a Vampire and Vampire Diaries were set.

If you want to talk with Amy about books or 90s movies, you can find her on Twitter – @YAundermyskin.

Thank you so much Amy for such an insightful piece; it’s no wonder your book has such an authentic feel when you are such a fan of the genre yourself!

If you’re interested in reading Mina and the Undead, you can pre-order it here!

Emily x

📚 Book gifted by publisher