Writing partners?

[xguhx.livejournal.com]

I needs them. Maybe it can be you!?

Also, has anyone ever read Dhalgren? What a strange novel...

Vampires/Stories About Them

[trykynyx.livejournal.com]

Hi, this is my first post and I have a question. It's kind of got to parts/sides and it's about vampires/stories about them.

For readers: With the influx of vampire literature into popular culture (Twilight, True Blood, Vampire Chronicles, etc.) do you find yourself bored with the subject? Jaded maybe (this is me, not naming any names)? What do you look for in a good vampire-centered story? What do you avoid? Do you like your classic vampires or are you interested in variations?

For writers: How do you make your story different? What cliches do you avoid? What rules do you stick to? Do you find it's a turn-off or turn-on when you tell people you are writing a story about vampires? Do you work with the traditional vampire (no sun, garlic, wooden stakes) or do you stick with blood-sucking and go off-road from there?

I'm just curious because I'm writing a story about a human girl and a vampire that started out as an anti-Twilight thing to tease my sister (well that and Noah Cyrus' pelvis, but never mind).  It's really changed a lot since then, and no longer has a thing to do with the Twilight series (this is me also saying I have nothing against it now, it's not really my thing, but I can see the appeal, end disclaimer), for or against. (In fact it's more about child soldiers and recovering from abuse, but that's another set of questions.)

I was just curious to see what other writers have to say on the subject. Thanks for your time!