MANILA, Philippines — Anne Rice, the best-selling author of “The Vampire Chronicles,” passed away on Sunday (Saturday in the United States) at age 80.
Her passing was confirmed by her son Christopher Rice in a Facebook post on her official Facebook page.
“Earlier tonight, Anne passed away due to complications resulting from a stroke,” said Christopher in the statement.
According to Christopher, who is also an author, Anne taught him to “embrace my dreams, reject conformity, and challenge the dark voices of fear and self-doubt. As a writer, she taught me to defy genre boundaries and surrender to my obsessive passions.”
“Let us take comfort in the shared hope that Anne is now experiencing firsthand the glorious answers to many great spiritual and cosmic questions, the quest for which defined her life and career,” he said.
Rice authored over 30 novels, the most iconic of which is the novel and film series “The Vampire Chronicles.” The first book, 1976’s “Interview with the Vampire,” was adapted into a movie starring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunts and Antonio Banderas.
Another novel in the series, “Queen of the Damned,” also received a film adaptation in 2002.
Her other works include the historical novel “The Feast of All Saints,” which received a miniseries adaptation, and the Christian book “Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt” and its sequel, “The Road to Cana.”
“Christ the Lord” also received a film adaptation in 2016 titled, “The Young Messiah.”
Anne Rice also penned novels under the pseudonyms Anne Rampling and A.N. Roquelaure.
Her books have sold over 150 million copies, making her one of the most popular and best-selling authors of all time.
In commemoration of her life, a special event will be held next year, which will be open to the public and will invite the participation of her friends, readers, and fans.