Who wrote the book "Interview with the Vampire"?

Anne Rice (born October 4, 1941) is an American author of gothic fiction, Christian literature, and erotic literature. Born in New Orleans, Rice spent much of her early life there before moving to Texas, and later to San Francisco. She was raised in an observant Catholic family, but became an agnostic as a young adult. She is perhaps best known for her series of novels, "The Vampire Chronicles", revolving around the central character of Lestat. Books from "The Vampire Chronicles" were the subject of two film adaptations, "Interview with the Vampire" in 1994, and "Queen of the Damned" in 2002.

"Interview with the Vampire" is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac, who tells the story of his life to a reporter. Rice composed the novel shortly after the death of her young daughter Michelle, who served as an inspiration for the child-vampire character Claudia. Though initially the subject of mixed critical reception, the book was followed by many widely popular sequels, collectively known as "The Vampire Chronicles". A film adaptation was released in 1994, starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, and the novel has been adapted as a comic three times.