A short story about a Black film studio and a vampire. Published in 2023 in the anthology Entertainment to Die For
“Go stand over there by the stairs, Earl. In this scene you’ve just entered the vampire’s castle. He’s expecting you ’cause there’s food on the table and a fire going in the fireplace, but he hasn’t arrived yet, got it? He’s still coming in the coach. You think the castle is creepy. You call out but the Count doesn’t answer. You think you hear the coach’s hoof-beats — you’re looking around, sorta scared…”
“Wait,” said Earl, putting up a hand. “Is he gonna beat my ass for breakin’ into his castle? Is that it?”
“No, he’s not. You’re supposed to be working a real estate deal for the guy, okay?”
“If you say so.”
I actually thought Earl had asked a pretty good, logical question, being a colored man dressed in, well… overalls, in a count’s castle.
AVRIL ADAMS 