Book excerpt: Vampires are the hottest topic in popular culture today. From the now classic novels of Anne Rice, to the mega- selling series by Stephanie Meyer to the hit HBO series ?True Blood? based on the bestselling novels of Charlaine Harris, the undead are certainly not dead in terms of books sales. Now, those curious about the history and lore of these creatures can get up to speed in the refreshed edition of The Complete Idiot?s Guide to Vampires. It provides a detailed explanation of the origins of vampires and insight into the fascination they hold in literature and belief. --Complete history and origins of this mythic creature --An explanation of the various rules that vampires exist by --A lively and exhaustive literary discussion of vampires and their importance in fiction