Ah, the holidays! Chestnuts roasting, stockings hung by the chimney, city sidewalks dressed in style, people laughing, mulled cider spices warming the blood… Yes, blood. I have to think of the vampires. They enjoy the holidays, too. One of my favorite things about this time of year is snuggling by the fire with a good book. What does an author of vampire stories read during the holidays, you ask? Some childhood favorites: 1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. Sometimes shopping makes me feel like a Grinch, but the Whos down in Whoville always bring out the best in me. My heart grows three sizes with every read. Bring on the roast beast! 2. The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Like lead character Sara Crewe, I’ve always been a princess in my own mind. The magic of Sara’s imagination in keeping the hard times from getting to her always reminds me, in a way, of the magic of Christmas. And of course, she has her own sort of Christmas miracle at the end. Did you know that The Little Princess was originally based on Charlotte Bronte’s abandoned manuscript Emma, about an heiress being abandoned penniless at a…