P. N. Elrod

P.N. "Pat" Elrod is an American fantasy writer specializing in novels about vampires. Her work falls into areas of fantasy and (in some cases) mystery or historical fiction, but normally not horror, since her vampires are the heroes.

Her first vampire novels began with the Vampire Files series featuring hardboiled PI Jack Fleming. The 10 books and counting are set in 1930s Chicago. Jack's first case was solving his own murder.

Next came Jonathan Barrett, Gentleman Vampire, set during the American Revolution. The series has been re-released by BenBella Books, with all new material added. The twist on these historicals is that Barrett and his family are on the side of the British throughout the revolution, offering a unique point of view of the times.

Another series co-authored with actor Nigel Bennett, who played the evil yet seductive LaCroix on the television show Forever Knight, is of a very different character, but still features a good guy vampire. The Lord Richard, Vampire series from Baen Books consists of three novels and counting. While set in a different universe than the Files & Barrett books, this "James Bond with fangs" maintains Elrod's premise that there are different breeds of vampires co-existing out there.

Using this premise, she has linked her universe to that of Bram Stoker by writing a sequel to Dracula called Quincey Morris, Vampire. Quincey was killed at the end of Dracula, but is resurrected in this book as a vampire himself, albeit a different breed than the infamous count. Lord Richard makes a brief cameo appearance in the story.

Also quite different, and qualifying as horror, are the Dungeons & Dragons-related books in the Ravenloft world featuring the dark and sinister vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich. These books, I, Strahd: Memoirs of a Vampire, and it sequel, I, Strahd: The War With Azalin, are true horror and have garnered her critical acclaim from mainstream reviewers.

With The Adventures of Myhr she has broken into the humorous fantasy genre. Myhr is half-man, half-cat and all adventure, magically jumping from world to world spreading the good news about pizza and Beatles karaoke. His partner is a cranky wizard fond of techno raves and obscene T-shirt art.

Elrod has authored around two dozen short stories in the fantasy, romance, science fiction, mystery, and horror genres, and edited three collections: Time of the Vampires, Dracula's London, and with Roxanne L. Conrad, Stepping Through the Stargate: The Science, Archaeology, and Military of Stargate SG-1 The latter is non-fiction and has contributions from world famous scientists, doctors, the USAF military, FX wizards and actors from the TV series.