P. N. Elrod

Last updated
P. N. Elrod
BornPatricia Nead Elrod
1954 (age 6970) [1]
OccupationWriter and editor
NationalityAmerican
GenreFantasy, horror, mystery, urban fantasy
SubjectVampires
Website
www.facebook.com/p.n.elrod/

Patricia Nead Elrod (born 1954) [1] is an American novelist specializing in urban fantasy. She has written in the mystery, romance, paranormal, and historical genres with at least one foray into comedic fantasy. Elrod is also an editor, having worked on several collections for Ace Science Fiction, DAW, Benbella Books, and St. Martin's Griffin. She self-published a signed, limited edition novel under her own imprint, Vampwriter Books.

Contents

In 2010, she was nominated for the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award in Urban Fantasy. [2]

In 2011, she was presented with the RT Book Reviews Pioneer Achievement Award in Vampire Fiction. [3]

Her suspense short story, Beach Girl, won the 2011 Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine Readers Choice Award. [4]

Overview

P. N. Elrod's start in professional publishing began at TSR writing gaming modules. [5] She has published more than twenty-five novels, beginning in 1990 with her Vampire Files urban fantasy series, featuring hard-boiled private investigator Jack Fleming and his partner, Charles Escott, girlfriend, Bobbi Smythe, and other recurring characters. The 12 books and counting are set in 1930s Chicago. Jack's first case was solving his own murder. [6]

Next came the Jonathan Barrett, Gentleman Vampire series, set during the American Revolution. 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 three book Lord Richard, Vampire series from Baen Books are set in a different universe than the Files & Barrett books, but 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 with her sequel to Dracula, Quincey Morris, Vampire. Quincey was killed at the end of Dracula, but is resurrected as a vampire himself, albeit a different breed than the infamous count. Lord Richard makes a brief cameo appearance in the story, and Morris' vampiric state is attributed to a previous blood-sharing with Nora Jones from Elrod's Jonathan Barrett series.

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 its sequel, I, Strahd: The War With Azalin, have garnered her critical acclaim from mainstream reviewers.

With The Adventures of Myhr she broke 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 several collections including Time of the Vampires, Dracula in London, and with Roxanne Conrad (aka Rachel Caine) 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.

In 2006, she edited an anthology of supernatural romance stories, My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding, which made the USA Today Bestseller list,[ citation needed ] and won the 2006 P.E.A.R.L. Awards for best anthology.[ citation needed ]

She followed it with My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon , released in January 2008 from St. Martin's Griffin. [7] It made the New York Times Bestseller extended list [8] and won an honorable mention in the 2007 Pearl Awards for best anthology. [9]

The anthology, Strange Brew, from St. Martin's, also reached the New York Times extended bestseller list in July 2009.[ citation needed ]

Her collection Dark and Stormy Knights, also with St. Martin's Griffin, was released in July 2010.

Also sold, a new steampunk series, On Her Majesty's Psychic Service, to Tor Books in 2010.

In April 2011, Elrod was presented with the RT Book Review's Pioneers of Genre Fiction Award for "Forging the Way in Vampire Fiction Since 1990." [10]

Her short story, "Beach Girl", published in the November 2011 edition of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine , was presented with first place for their annual Readers' Choice Award. [4]

Her collection, Hex Symbols, was released by St. Martin's in June 2012.

Bibliography

Jonathan Barrett, Gentleman Vampire

  1. Red Death (1993, 2004 re-release)
  2. Death and the Maiden (1994, 2004 re-release)
  3. Death Masque (1995, 2004 re-release)
  4. Dance of Death (1996, 2004 re-release)

Ravenloft

Abridged, three-hour audiobook from Random House, performed by Roddy McDowell

Both available as audiobooks, unabridged.

Vampire Files

#TitleAlso InPublication

Date

Comments
1Bloodlist1990
2Lifeblood1990
2.5Vampires Prefer Blondes [11] Chicks Kick Butt2011
3Bloodcircle1990
4Art in the Blood1991
5Fire in the Blood1991
6Blood on the Water1992
7Chill in the Blood1998Winner of the Lord Ruthven Award, best novel 1998
8Dark Sleep1999
9Lady Crymsyn2000
10Cold Streets2003
11Song in the Dark2005
11.4Grave-robbed [11] Many Bloody Returns2007
11.5Her Mother's Daughter [11] My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon2009
11.6Hecate's Golden Eye [11] Strange Brew2009
12Dark Road Rising2009
12.5The Devil You KnowApr 2009Signed, limited-edition novella, Vampwriter Books
12.6Dark Lady [11] Dark and Stormy Knights2010

Her Majesty's Psychic Service series

  1. The Hanged Man [12]

Other novels

Co-writing with Nigel Bennett

Anthologies and collections

Anthology or CollectionContentPublication

Date

EditorPublisherComments
Dracula, Prince of DarknessThe Wind Breathes Cold

Caretaker

1992 Martin H. Greenberg DAW
Vampire DetectivesYou'll Catch Your Death1995 Martin H. Greenberg DAW Vampire Files story
Celebrity VampiresA Night at the (Horse) Opera1995 Martin H. Greenberg DAW
Women at WarFugitives1995 Lois McMaster Bujold

Roland J. Green

Tor
Time of the VampiresThe Witch's Mark1996

2004

P.N. Elrod

Martin H. Greenberg

Mob MagicThe Quick Way Down1998 Brian Thomsen

Martin H. Greenberg

DAW Vampire Files story
Dracula in LondonWolf and Hound2001P.N. Elrod

Nigel Bennett

Assassin FantasticMyhr's Adventure in Hell2001 Martin H. Greenberg

Alexander Potter

DAW
FamiliarsDog Spelled Backwards2002 Denise Little DAW
Creature FantasticThe Tea Room Beasts2002 Denise Little DAW
Vengeance FantasticThe Astral Outrage2002 Denise Little DAW
Death by HoroscopeBossman2002 Anne Perry

John Helfers

Carroll & Graf
Murder Most RomanticThe Scottish Ploy2002 Denise Little
White House Pet DetectivesIzzy's Shoe-In2002 Carole Nelson Douglas Cumberland House
Kittens, Cats, and CrimeThe Breath of BastMar 2003 Ed Gorman Five StarVampire Files story - Escott
Sorcerer's AcademySilva's Dream DateSep 2003 Denise Little DAW PB
The RepentantSlaughterOct 2003 Brian Thomsen

Martin H. Greenberg

PBVampire Files story
Vampire Files Volume 1Bloodlist

Lifeblood

Bloodcircle

2003Vampire Files Books 1-3
Magic ShopsTarnished LiningsFeb 2004 Denise Little DAW PB
Death by DickensDeath in Dover2004 Ann Perry anthology
Rotten RelationsKing of Shreds and Patches2004 Denise Little PB OOP
Stepping Through the StargateVillains I Love to Hate2004P.N. Elrod

Roxanne L. Conrad

Farscape Forever!: Sex, Drugs and Killer MuppetsFarscape Villains I've Known and Loved2005 BenBella Books
All Hell Breaking LooseThe Name of the Game2005 DAW
Essay for Horror: Another 100 Best BooksThe Night StalkerSep 2005 Kim Newman Carroll & Graf
Kolchak, the Night Stalker ChroniclesThe Why of the MatterOct 2005 Moonstone Books
My Big Fat Supernatural WeddingAll Shook Up2006P.N. ElrodWinner of the 2006 Pearl Award for best paranormal anthology.
Vampire Files Volume 2Art in the Blood

Fire in the Blood

Blood on the Water

2006Vampire Files Books 4-6
The Kolchak CasebookPower HungryJan 2007 Moonstone Books
Many Bloody ReturnsGrave-robbed2007 Ace Science Fiction Vampire Files story
My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon Her Mother's Daughter2008P.N. ElrodHonorable Mention, 2007 Pearl Award, best paranormal anthology.
Strange Brew Hecate's Golden EyeJul 2009P.N. ElrodHonorable Mention, 2009 Pearl Award, Best Anthology
Vampires: Dracula and the Undead LegionsThe Company You Keep2009 Moonstone Books Vampire Files story - Kroun
Dark and Stormy KnightsDark Lady2010P.N. Elrod St. Martin's Griffin Vampire Files story
Chicks Kick ButtVampires Prefer BlondesJun 2011 Tor Vampire Files - Bobbi Smythe
The P.N. Elrod Lunch Time Reading OmnibusJun 2011P.N. ElrodVampwriter BooksB0051PC6N8,
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine Beach GirlNov 2011original story; winner of EQMM Readers Choice Award for 2011 [4]
Vampire Files Volume 3Chill in the Blood

Dark Sleep

2011Vampire Files Books 7, 8
Vampire Files Volume 4Lady Crymsyn

Cold Streets

2011Vampire Files Books 9, 10
Vampire Files Volume 5Song in the Dark

Dark Road Rising

2012Vampire Files Books 11, 12
Hex AppealOutside the BoxJun 2012P.N. Elrod St. Martin's Griffin Vampire Files universe story, Ellinghaus & Goldfarb

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