Send us a text

The supernatural world of vampires has captivated audiences for generations, but how these stories represent Black characters reveals much about our evolving cultural consciousness. In this thought-provoking episode, we dissect three influential vampire shows through a craft and representation lens, tracking a remarkable evolution from tokenism to authentic storytelling.
Starting with The Vampire Diaries' Bonnie Bennett, we examine how this powerful witch was relegated to a perpetual supporting role—repeatedly dying to save her white friends while being denied the romantic storylines and character development afforded to others. Despite Kat Graham's compelling performance, Bonnie's character exemplified the "magical Black friend" trope, complete with European-based magic systems that ignored potential connections to African or African-American traditions.
True Blood's Tara Thornton marked progress with her direct confrontation of racial issues (memorably asking a vampire if he'd owned slaves) and fuller backstory. Yet the show still trapped her in the "angry Black woman" stereotype and ultimately disrespected her character with an unceremonious off-screen death—a stark contrast to how white characters' storylines concluded.
The conversation peaks with AMC's Interview with the Vampire, which reimagines Louis as a Black man in early 20th century New Orleans. This adaptation demonstrates how powerful storytelling can be when a character's racial identity informs rather than incidental to their journey. Louis emerges as a fully-realized protagonist whose experiences as a Black man directly shape his vampire transformation.
For writers crafting characters outside their cultural experience, these examples offer valuable lessons in authenticity, research, and the importance of sensitivity readers. We discuss how representation isn't just about inclusion but about creating characters with cultural specificity and genuine depth.
Subscribe to Craft Chat Chronicles for more insightful conversations about writing craft, representation in fiction, and the evolving landscape of storytelling. Visit jdmayal.com for show notes, writing resources, and upcoming workshop information.

Link:

Support the show

🎙️ Craft Chat Chronicles with J.D. Myall
Candid conversations on writing, publishing, and creative life — featuring bestselling authors, MFA students, and writers at every stage of the journey.

About J.D. Myall
J.D. Myall is the co-chair of Drexel University’s MFA Alumni Association and a publishing and library professional. She is the creator and host of Craft Chat Chronicles, where she interviews authors, agents, and industry insiders about the art and business of writing.

Her work has appeared in Ms. Magazine, Writer’s Digest, and HuffPost. Her debut novel, Heart’s Gambit, releases with Wednesday Books/Macmillan in February 2026.

When she’s not conjuring magic, murder, and mayhem on the page, J.D. mentors emerging writers through workshops and alumni programs, fostering community among aspiring and published authors alike.

💜 Connect with J.D. Myall
📸 Instagram
🌐 Website & Media Kit
💌 Newsletter
🔗 Linktree
💜 Level up your writing process with Scrivener — the powerful tool used to draft and organize novels and podcast scripts. 💜

Try it here: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener-affiliate.html?fpr=craf...