Interview with the Vampire is a gothic horror and vampire novel by
American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on
a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de
Pointe du Lac, who tells the story of his life to a reporter. Rice composed
the novel shortly after the death of her young daughter Michelle, who served
as an inspiration for the child-vampire character Claudia. Though initially
the subject of mixed critical reception, the book was followed by many widely
popular sequels, collectively known as The Vampire Chronicles. A film
adaptation was released in 1994, starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, and a
television series premiered in 2022.