Guest Post: Movie Vamps and YA with Lisa Gail Green!

*originally posted on September 15, 2011 @ Reel YA*

For Reel YA's first guest post, I'd like to introduce you to the fabulous Lisa Gail Green! Not only does she have an awesome blog, she's also a HUGE fan of YA paranormal stories. And today, she's here to talk about one of her fave paranormal creatures: vampires. 

Take it away, Lisa!

Amparo asked me to write a guest blog in answer to the following question: Which movie vampire should have their own YA novel?

It’s a fun question! So many possibilities, really. I mean, Lost Boys seems far too obvious. Blade is awesome, but he has his comics. And well, Edward is clearly taken. But in my opinion, there’s only one real answer here.

Bela Lugosi’s Dracula.

Before you cry foul, let me explain. See, I know Dracula is actually a book by Bram Stoker. I get it. And I know there have been countless movies made since the 1931 classic. But seriously – picture it – Dracula, the YA novel.

Brooding and mysterious, locked in his sixteen-year-old skin forever, Vladimir Dracula is cursed to feed on the life-blood of innocent humans. When he meets Mina, he falls fang over heels, but how can she ever love a monster?

It’s got the love triangle, the handsome immortal, the misunderstood monster, and the horror.

I can picture it now, a scene with Mina being lured outside to find Dracula, who fights against his instincts, knowing they will only lead to her death. Talk about teen themes to explore. Fighting against those intense emotions and urges isn’t always easy. Come to think of it, injecting raging hormones into any bloodsucker would be a fun ride. It almost writes itself…

Van Helsing would certainly be an interesting teenager, too. I could picture him being a modern day honors student with secret kick-butt abilities.

Mina would be the confused and smitten girl. Of course we’d make her a bit stronger and more independent than the typical female heroine. The same with her friend Lucy.

And of course we can’t forget Renfield. I’d make him a popular jock, who under the mind control of Dracula, becomes his unwilling servant and loses his grip on reality.

Forget the movie, now I really want to read this book.

Which movie vampire would you give his/her own YA book to?