You might be wondering, what's a guy called "Herman" doing in a place like this? It's simple, really: I'm a vampire hunter.

Emerging author, Raven Starr has been writing since she was 15 years old. In 2007, some of her poems are featured in When Times Moves On (Anchor Books), a new poetry anthology. She is also publishing her first novella, The Vampire's Embrace (TreePress.net) and a short e-book, Fantasy (Red Rose Publishing).

August 22, 2007 (Boston Herald / Laurel J. Sweet) -- A Jamaica Plain "vampire" who drank the blood of his wheelchair-bound grandmother after shooting her to death is trying to sell his amateurish art online to bankroll "a new start" if he’s freed.

The moments come and go, painfully slow
A stillness in the air, as time decides to stop
Thoughts slipping through a passage of the mind
Quivering as they wish to explode across the void
It is these days that I detest; patience wears thin
Teetering on the edge of love and life
Yet the phone does not ring and the mail is late
How long should I give and never receive
Coming so close only to pull away once more
Awkwardness riddling two paths becoming one
Wicked are the clouds that swirl with abandonment

Ever dream of seeing your name - or a friend's - immortalized in a published book? Brighton Township author Colleen Gleason might be able to help you achieve your dream. She is giving away the chance to name or be a walk-on character in her forthcoming book, "When Twilight Burns."