Rice, Anne (1941- )

US writer who gained a vast cult readership for both her supernatural novels, such as the Vampire Chronicles 1989, a trilogy, and for her sadomasochistic erotica, as in Beauty's Punishment 1984. She also wrote mainstream fiction, using the pen-name of Anne Rampling.

She was born in New Orleans. Named after her father, she legally changed her name c. 1947. She studied at Texas Women's University 1959-60, San Francisco State College (BA 1964, MA 1971), and at the University of California, Berkeley 1969-70. After a variety of jobs, such as waitress, cook, and insurance claims examiner, she began her career as a writer of erotica and vampire novels. She also used the pen-name A N Roquelaure.