And welcome to Vampirologist.com. This website is a spin-off from my Facebook group, “The Vampirologist“, which, in turn, spun-off from my blog of the same name.
So what’s this site’s purpose? And what’s a “vampirologist”?
A vampirologist, simply put, is someone who studies vampires. Is it meant literally? Do they strap vampires to operating tables and dissect them? No. So let’s clear that up right away. They study vampires as a subject through a variety of academic perspectives, be they cinematic or literary criticism, anthropological and folkloric interpretations or psychoanalytic overviews. Just to name a few.
However, this site’s purpose is much simpler: it’s intended to unite people interested in vampires. No matter what your personal investment in the subject is, be it scholarly, a casual browser or if you’re a member of the Vampire Community, there’s a selection of groups and forums covering all aspects of vampirism. Many websites in the field tend to concentrate on one specific element of vampire interest or identity. The Online Vampire Community (OVC), for instance, has a very strong web presence. On a personal level, I’m particularly impressed by the work of the Atlanta Vampire Alliance. But what if you just want to talk about vampire movies? What if you want to talk about your favourite novels, instead? What if vampire folklore’s more your cup of tea? All bases are covered here. And if they’re not, they will be.
I want this site to preserve the spirit of my Facebook group: free and open discussions on the subject and its various aspects, under the banner of a respectful community. I’m particularly humbled by the fact that my group is composed of people with differing levels of personal investment in vampires, but show enough tact, humour and friendliness toward each other, that conversations are often insightful and rewarding—even when opinions are diametrically opposed! I tip my hat to them all.
But the biggest credit for this site’s creation goes to Sufi Mohamed, the editor-in-chief of IndieJudge. His solicitations for articles for the magazine’s upcoming “Vampire Edition” lead him to me. Truth be told, I’ve long-desired to have a website as an offshoot to my vampire groups and blogs, but he showed the passion, drive, tenacity and belief to personally invest in its creation. He was impressed with the way my Facebook group is run and felt it could expand elsewhere. We traded ideas and lo, this site was born—from his own personal investment. I’m very blessed to know him—and you will be, too, from your own interactions with him on this site.
Last but not least, what do we want from you? Do you have stories to share? Something vampire-related to sell? Make new friends? Network? Do you just want a place to chill out and shoot the breeze on all things vampire-related? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
“Welcome to my house! Enter freely. Go safely, and leave something of the happiness you bring!” —Dracula (1897)