Anne
was born 4th October, 1941 and was named Howard Allen O'Brien
after her father. She named herself Anne on her first day of
school after being asked by a nun what her name was. Before
her mother even had a chance to respond she blurted out Anne,
her mother thought that if that is what she wanted her name
to be, then so be it.
She lived in New Orleans until she was 16yrs old, then her father moved the family
to Richardson, Texas (Anne's mother had died 2 years previously and her father
remarried). She attended Richardson High School and this is where she met Stan
Rice, the man she was destined to marry.
Anne and Stan met in journalism class after he moved from sitting alone at the
front of the class and sat right next to her. They became good friends and started
dating after Anne graduated and even though Anne eventually moved to San Francisco,
they remained in contact constantly until in 1961 when Stan sent Anne a telegram
proposing marriage. They were married that same year on 14th October in Texas
then moved to San Francisco and settled in Haight - Ashbury.
Here they both attended San Francisco State University, both earning bachelor
degrees. Stan was getting recognition with his peotry and Anne was getting published
in the Transfer. In 1969, they moved to Berkley and it is here that Interview
With The Vampire was born in the form of a short story and she was also having
other works published.
On 21st September, Anne gave birth to a baby girl who was named Michele. In 1970,
Michele was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Over the next 2 yrs Anne looked after her
daughter and finished her masters degree. On 5th August, 1972, Michele past away
and the Rice's mourned her death heavily.
In 1973, over a 5 week period, Anne turned Interview With The Vampire, into a
novel. She submitted it and it was rejected until 1974, while attending a Writer's
Conference, Anne met agent Phyllis Seidel who agreed to represent her.
In 1976, Interview With The Vampire was published, with the film rights being
sold to Paramount for $150,000 with a ten year option.
Following the publication of Interview With The Vampire, Anne and Stan started
travelling. On 11th March 1979, Anne gave birth again and this time to a healthy
baby boy, Christopher.
Anne continued her writings, venturing into many different forms. In 1989 they
moved to back New Orleans and bought a house at 1239 First Street in the Garden
District, and still live there to this present day. |
