Vampire Story Backdrop for Kids Book

Just in time for Halloween, a Portland, Maine, children’s writer has put a Rhode Island twist on a book about vampires.

Sarah L. Thomson comes to Barrington on Saturday, Oct. 29, to take part in Barrington Books' annual Children’s Books Authors and Illustrators Event. She is one of eight writers who will be signing books at a family event with a Halloween spin.

Thomson has written more than 25 books for children of all ages.

“It really is hard to categorize me,” she said from her home. “But it keeps my life interesting when I do a variety of things.”

Her vampire book is titled “Mercy: The Last New England Vampire.” It uses as a backdrop to the contemporary novel the true story of Mercy Brown, who lived in Exeter in the 1890s and was believed to be a vampire after she died of tuberculosis.

“The book is about a 14-year-old girl dealing with changes in her life,” said Thompson.

She ends up interacting with the characters in the legend, including a confrontation with a vampire to save people she loves, the author said.

Mercy’s parents thought she was attacking her brother from beyond the grave. They had her body exhumed and found that her heart was filled with fresh blood. They decided she must be a vampire. So, they cut out her heart, burned it and then fed the ashes to her brother, said Thomson, to no effect. He died, too.

The book targets readers 12 and older.

Thomson began writing children’s books after editing them for 10 years for two well-known publishing companies in New York City.

“I discovered the authors were real people like me,” she said. “In my heart, I always wanted to be a writer. And I always loved children’s books. I write what I like to read the best.”

Thomson wrote one book and had it published before she left New York City for Portland. She will be signing books and meeting young readers – something she likes to do because "I can connect with them."

Click here to go to the page set up for Mercy. It should help to get you in the mood for Halloween.