On Vampires...

Continuing the Dark Shadows Meme I started earlier:

I've been thinking about why I loved Caleb Morley and Barnabas Collins so much and other modern-day vampires not so much.

I've always been attracted to were-animals so I haven't really put vampires in any of my stories, except one slightly erotic paranormal short story I never finished - and the vampires in that story were female, southern and killing off Union boys.

So why Caleb Morley of Port Charles fame? That's easy--Michael Easton was (is) very hot and I loved the tattoo on his arm. One of the few younger men to whom I'm even a bit attracted even when he's no longer a vampire.

And then there's Barnabas. Ah. Barnabas...where do I begin:
Sympathetic vampire. It was a curse by a thwarted love that made him a blood-sucking immortal.
Not handsome in that Richard Burton bad skin type of "not handsome" - I can't explain it. Someone else please try.
A bit of a British demeanor with a hint of nobility.
Obviously intelligent.
And then there's the silver-headed cane...something about a man, carrying a cane.

I know Johnny Depp will no a marvelous job of portraying Barnabas. But Jonathan Frid did it live for 1000+ episodes. He IS Barnabas.