<Tr> <Th> OCLC </Th> <Td> 2132415 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Followed by </Th> <Td> The Vampire Lestat </Td> </Tr> <P> 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 a large number of widely popular sequels, collectively known as The Vampire Chronicles . A film adaptation was released in 1994, starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, and the novel has been adapted as a comic three times . </P> <P> A vampire named Louis tells his 200 - year - long life story to a reporter referred to simply as "the boy" (the character's name is revealed to be Daniel Molloy in The Queen of the Damned). In 1791, Louis is a young indigo plantation owner living south of New Orleans . Distraught by the death of his pious brother, he seeks death in any way possible . Louis is approached by a vampire named Lestat de Lioncourt, who desires Louis' company . Lestat turns Louis into a vampire and the two become immortal companions . Lestat spends time feeding off the local plantation slaves while Louis, who finds it morally repugnant to murder humans to survive, feeds from animals . Louis and Lestat are forced to leave when Louis' slaves begin to fear the monsters with which they live and instigate an uprising . Louis sets his own plantation aflame; he and Lestat kill the plantation slaves to keep word from spreading about vampires living in Louisiana . Gradually, Louis bends under Lestat's influence and begins feeding from humans . He slowly comes to terms with his vampire nature, but also becomes increasingly repulsed by what he perceives as Lestat's total lack of compassion for the humans he preys upon . </P>

Who wrote the book interview with a vampire