Back in January, I posted a call for submissions for an anthology of vampire stories. But I didn’t want typical vampire stories. I wanted something different. Nontraditional tales of “vampires as beings of order, continuity, preservation, and conservation; beings concerned with their legacy, with their connection to humanity and the world at large.”

And, wow, did the writing community respond. Submissions flooded my inbox, and I spent the next couple of months happily reading through all of them. Ultimately, I selected twenty-one short stories and poems. Each author tackled the theme in a slightly different way, resulting in an array of stories ranging from the humorous to the bittersweet, from the heroic to the horrific. Some stories might be classified as urban fantasy, others as science fiction; some are straight up superhero stories or historical fiction, while others are closer to classic horror. As such, the anthology is sure to appeal to a wide-ranging audience keen to read some nontraditional vampire stories — and hopefully discover new authors to read, too!

Additionally, I was privileged to work with two very talented artists for the anthology. Mutartis Boswell crafted the delicious cover art, and Hugh Alan created four full-page illustrations for the stories “Family Man” (which he also wrote), “Last Woman” by Geoff Dupuy-Holder, “Fathoms and Phantoms” by Nik Patrick, and “Like a Bee Sting” by Rayn Epremian.

Vampires Save the Day Night: Heroes, Anti-Heroes, and Not-So-Reformed Villains will be available through all major retailers in print and digital formats at the end of August 2025. Pre-order links will be posted as soon as they become available. In the meanwhile, check out this awesome table of contents!

Introduction by Rebecca Buchanan
A Thirst for Justice by Deborah L. Davitt
Family Man by Hugh Alan
Echo of a Shouted Thought by Galen T. Pickett
Through Slats of Bone by Dex Drury
Artie’s Curse by Scott J. Couturier
A Cup at Joe’s by Nidheesh Samant
It’s Your Problem, Too by Amanda Desiree
Huntress: A 2000 AD Adventure by Blaze Ward
Said the Spider to the Fly by Kay Hanifen
A Bad Night at Lennie’s by Ibai Canales
The Vampire’s Lament by Matthew Spence
Last Woman by Geoff Dupuy-Holder
Ruin on the Mountain by Chad A.B. Wilson
Contrary Motion by Spencer Keene
Magical Auction Sniper by Kit Muse
The Show Must Go On by Leah R. Cutter
Fathoms and Phantoms by Nik Patrick
Your Blood Holds So Many Smells by Gerri Leen
When Light Fills the Desert by Patricia J. Esposito
Leaves Under the Sun by Fen Hendren
Like a Bee Sting by Rayn Epremian