Belated anniversary musings

Time flies. I just remembered that my blog's first anniversary has come and gone. You see, I started this blog on 20 September 2011 as an offshoot to my previous effort, Diary of an amateur vampirologist. Amazing. It's been more than a year, already.

You've probably noticed I haven't been updating as much of late. Life's been getting in the way. Also, few things have been inspiring me to write here. I don't see this blog as a 'job', so much as an outlet of expression. I only write about vampy things that interest me—and not much has been piquing my interest in the vampire world, lately. At least, not enough to write about.

For instance, I did wind up watching the Dark shadows remake—on DVD. It was as shite as I expected it to be. House of dark shadows (1970) is far-superior to Burton's airbrushed comedy-horror. See that, instead.

That's not to say I've been totally dormant. I've been active in my role as co-admin of The Highgate Cemetery Vampire Appreciation Society. The group's anniversary's coming up on 27 October. Come join us!

The thing that broke the dryspell was being tipped-off about the 30 October 2012 Jonathan Ferguson lecture. I'm genuinely excited by that. If I was anywhere near Leeds, I'd be there in a heartbeat! If you're able, check it out. 

Dr Leo Ruickbie's witchcraft blog

Ferguson wrote the brilliant 'To kill a vampire' article for Fortean Times, no. 288 (2012). Grab that issue (left) if you can. It features another excellent article, by Leo Ruickbie. Readers may recognise him as the author of A brief guide to the supernatural (2012).

A brief guide serves as a classic example to why you (ok, I) shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I was expecting a threadbare pop-culture treatment, but it's incredibly well-researched. Ruickbie certainly knows his stuff. I bought it along with a stack of other books in my latest 'book spree'. Stay tuned for a write-up on that.

Speaking of things to watch out for, my Amazon trawlings have upturned a cache of upcoming books I'm really enthused about. What did I find? Stay tuned for that, too!

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I mentioned that not much had been interesting me in the vampire world of late, but there is something that caught my attention. Andrew M. Boylan recently interviewed Mark Devendorf and Mauricio Chernovetzky—who're responsible for an upcoming adaptation of J. Sheridan LeFanu's 'Carmilla', Styria.

There was a particular portion of the interview I found particularly intriguing:

T_ttlg: Your research tied suicide with vampirism… more specifically mass suicides. Could you tell us more about that?

MC: Yes, what Mark and I realized was that Vampirism not only occurred in the past, but it still happening today. Sociologists and psychologists have simply given it a more scientific name: "Suicide Clusters."

MD: These cases all follow a similar pattern: In a small community or town, one person dies or commits suicide. Soon another person, usually a friend or relative is haunted by the dead person until they fall ill or kill themselves. Soon, then the "infection" spreads until dozens are dead. Barring communicable diseases, the only explanation pre-modern villagers had was the supernatural notion they called "Vampirism." 

It sounds like a compelling theory and I'd love to read more on it, but I'd give it credence if suicides were a predominant characteristic of vampire cases. They're not. 

The pattern's similar, mind you—someone in the community or family dies; those visited by their 'ghost' die soon after. Repeat. 

But the victims don't kill themselves. They die soon shortly after visitation in circumstances similar to psychosomatic disorder.

Troll meme generator

Or, in the case of New England 'vampire' attacks, waste away from something 'suspiciously' sharing symptoms with tuberculosis—as tastefully rendered by this meme I just created (above). I hearby dedicate it to Michael E. Bell, author of the brilliant Food for the dead (2001).

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I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the members of this blog, my readers and casual browsers, alike. You guys make it worthwhile. Cheers!

A stake in vampire killing kits

At the 7:29 mark, we see a bunch of people getting ripped-off during an auction—inadvertently, it would seem, but the auctioneers. It's taken from the season 1, episode 1 edition of Auction kings (26 October 2010).

If you can't be arsed watching the clip, a vampire killing kit winds up being sold to a telephone bidder for US$12,000—far higher than the US$7,500 asking price.

A seller named 'Edwin'—who repeatedly emphasises that he's keen to make a down payment on his house—had presented a supposedly antique vampire killing kit to Paul Brown.

Brown is clearly impressed by the kit, but drafts his father, Bob, in to take another look. Much to my amazement, Bob gives it the seal of approval—but tellingly recounts a story commonly associated with such kits (10:13). Indeed, it's even been established that he's sold 'two or three of these kits' before (2:55). 

He's also familiar with the exorbitant prices they sell for, likely on account of their pseudohistory; namely, that they were manufactured in Europe during the 19th century for use by travellers against the undead. 

Bob does little more than glance it over; a common practice when such kits are 'examined'. The stories seem proof enough, even though no auction house or museum—including Ripley's—has actually verified the associated tales.

Thankfully, not everyone falls for this routine. In the 24 October 2011 episode of Pawn stars, 'Rick or treat', a seller tries to palm one off for US$9,000. Thankfully, Rick Harrison immediately sees through it. 'There's some stuff that doesn't make sense to me . . .' (3:11); the kit utilises vampire lore associated with Stoker's novel, Dracula (1897), for instance, a mirror—that looks remarkably clean for something well-over 100 years old.

Stoker invented the vampires-don't-have-a-reflection-in-mirrors trope, which automatically pushes the kit's date further up the 19th century. Harrison also takes issue with the 'obsolete' gun included in the kit, recognising that it's something that's been retroactively added to the kit. I'm glad that some dealers don't take these things hook, line and sinker.

Unfortunately, 'antique vampire killing kits' are a thriving trade. I call it the Blomberg Effect: what likely started as a few novelty kits manufactured in the 1970s, soon turned into a 'trade' as media coverage revealed the kits selling for ludicrous prices. The rest, onward, are cash-ins—like this US$4,995 example by Tracy L. Conway.

'Antique' vampire killing kits are fake. They're generally cobbled from actual antique components—be it firearms, Bibles or prayer books, or the kit box, itself—and other items which are artificiality aged. They often come associated with a backstory—their main claim to 'authenticity' is that they were manufactured in the 19th century as a traveller's item for journeys in Europe. Occasionally the name 'Ernst Blomberg' or 'Nicolas Pomdeur' will be mentioned.

The weapons and wards in the kits, however, are often post-Stoker allusions to vampire lore. Remember, Stoker's Dracula was fiction, not a chronicle of vampire lore. He was at liberty to make stuff up. Auction houses and museums aren't.

Caveat emptor!

How to kill a vampire

I was recently contacted by Julia Lumley, Royal Armouries' Communications Officer, who asked me if I'd be 'interested in a talk by Jonathan Ferguson, titled How to Kill a Vampire, where he will be talking about the various means of slaying vampires in both folklore and fiction, including the real story behind the mysterious vampire killing kits.'¹

Readers may recall Ferguson from the previous entry—he is the Curator of the Royal Armouries in Leeds. He also wrote a brilliant article for Fortean Times (no. 288, 2012) called, 'To kill a vampire', which concerns itself with the glut of supposedly antique vampire killing kits that've been appearing in museums and auction houses within the last two decades. I think it's fair to say that Ferguson is an expert on the topic.

Lumley's email added, 'There will also be a chance to see the kit up close' and 'Is this something you would be interested in featuring on your blog as a follow up story?' Wouldn't I!

Unfortunately, I can't see the talk or the kit up close—as much as I've love to—because I'm on the other side of the world. 

However, if you're in the UK, near there or even planning a visit, Ferguson will be giving his lecture on 30 October 2012, 6.30pm at the Royal Armouries' Bury Theatre, Leeds. His talk concerns

the various means of slaying vampires in both folklore and fiction, including the real story behind the mysterious vampire killing kits.

How much will the lecture cost? A measly £5. That's it.

The lecture goes for an hour and a half and you get to see one of these fabled kits up close. Cheaper than a movie. 

Lumley's also provided me with a stack of promotional pics to share²—the ones that line this blog entry. I pass them onto you, dear reader.

So, what do you think guys? Are you up for it? If you're able, do it. It's a fantastic opportunity and Ferguson certainly knows his stuff. Don't miss out!

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^{1. J Lumley, email, Friday, 12 October 2012 2:04:25 AM.↩}  

^{2. ibid.; J Lumley, email, Monday, 15 October 2012 8:03:00 PM.↩}

Update 2

For the previous instalment, click here. So, what's been happening lately? Firstly, I decided to do some 'chasing'.

After mentioning the upcoming Kickstarter-sponsored book, The undead and theology, I got to thinking about something else I'm incredibly keen to see published: the papers presented at 'Vampire (&) science: a trans-disciplinary conference'. Why? Here's a list (pdf) of them. What a brilliant cornucopia!

The last I heard about it, the event's organiser—Clemens Ruthner—was shopping around academic publishers. Has any progress been made? I emailed him on Tuesday and got this response: 'Yes, we are discussing a publication entitled Vampire(&)Science, same title as the conference', adding 'I should know more after the summer. You can gladly post it' (Tuesday, 3 July 2012 6:58:25 PM). Sweeet!

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Facebook

Speaking of the Kickstarter project, it's coming along nicely. One of its editors, John W. Morehead, sent me the typeset manuscript on 26 July. It looks great. In fact, the book's cover was publicly unveiled today (left).

On the 27th and 28th, I submitted revisions for W. Scott Poole's chapter, 'The vampire that haunts Highgate: theological evil, Hammer horror, and the Highgate vampire panic in Britain, 1963–1974'. Some readers may recognise his name from a recently-published book called Monsters in America: our historical obsession with the hideous and the haunting (2011). It's one of many on my Amazon Wishlist.

The first part of the book concerns itself with vampires, consisting four essays by Vicky Gilpin ('Vampires and female spiritual transformation'), Joseph Laycock ('Crossing the spiritual wasteland in Priest'), Jarrod Longbons ('Vampires are people, too: personalism in the Buffyverse') and, of course, Poole.

If you're a zombie or 'other undead' fan, there's goodies for you, too.

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A coupla reprints got caught up in my Amazonian trawlings for upcoming books; but there was one more I missed. It turns out David McNally's Marxist study, Monsters of the market: zombies, vampires, and global capitalism—mentioned here—has actually been published before.

BRILL, an academic publisher based in Amsterdam, released it last year. In hardback. I'm guessing the paperback reprint is intended for a broader audience, because the xii, 296 pp. hardback edition goes for €99.00 ($136). Yikes!

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I was saddened to find out about the passing of my favourite photographer, Simon Marsden; but surprised to find out it happened several months ago.

Palazzo Editions

Marsden's last book, Vampires: the twilight world—'Published to coincide with the film releases of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn (Part I) and Brad Pitt's Vlad, about the life of the real Dracula' (left)—was released 6 October 2011.

 I grew up with Marsden. The first book of his I read—ok, flicked through—was Phantoms of the Isles: further tales from the haunted realm (1990). Borrowed it from my local library. At the time, I was deeply into the supernatural—particularly ghosts.

That lead to his 1994 book, The journal of a ghost hunter, which, unlike Phantom, features some vampire content. With hindsight, story-teller's a better description for Marsden than 'ghost hunter'. Nonetheless, what an incredible legacy he's left us with. He sought out supposedly haunted locations for his shots; and other settings associated with horror and the supernatural. His main influence was Poe. The pictures themselves, are wonderfully broody and atmospheric. See for yourself via his archive. Simon Marsden, R.I.P.

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The Royal Armouries in Leeds recently acquired a '19th century vampire-slaying kit'. I've written about such kits before—here, here and here. I've even interviewed the man primarily responsible for obtaining the world's largest collection of these supposedly 'antique' kits.

If you're not familiar with my position on these kits, here goes: they're fake. There's no contemporary evidence for their manufacture. Their back-stories are highly dubious. They often feature 19th century artefacts—like pistols, prayer books or Bibles—but other components are artificially aged. Despite this, they often sell for thousands at auction houses.

In this case, the Royal Armouries purchase is intriguing because it was apparently 'left to a Yorkshire woman in her uncle’s will'. However, the article also notes:

“We’ve yet to establish a firm date for our kit,” added [Curator, Jonathan] Ferguson.

“It’s Victorian in the sense that it’s made of Victorian components and intended to represent something from the mid-19th century.

“It’s 20th century in terms of when it was actually put together, inspired by post-Dracula vampire fiction.

“We will be carrying out tests to confirm the facts, but we know it will attract a lot of interest from our visitors.”

It's good to see some balance in the curator's comments, but it does make me wonder why the armoury bothered acquiring the kit, without validating its date first.

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Speaking of which, I picked up a copy of Fortean Times (no. 288) on 13 July. The cover story was 'To kill a vampire' by Jonathan Ferguson—the guy mentioned in the previous article. His article details the history and prevalence of vampire killing kits. Certainly worth the cover price.

Considering the quality of the article, I was honoured to see I'd been cited four times in his list of references. Cheers, Jonathan!

Upcoming books 4

Dr. Bob Curran

In the previous instalment, I mentioned a few details had to be sorted before publishing this follow-up. Essentially, there were two upcoming books I'd stumbled upon. They seemed 'familiar', so I double-checked whether or not they were reprints—by contacting their authors.

While that was going on, I also received two updates on upcoming works—one's only just been published. Therefore, this is the first edition of 'Upcoming books' to feature a 'Special mention' and 'Update'!

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25 September 2012

 

Fangs: everything the modern vampire needs to know / Amy Gray

Readers may be familiar with Gray's previous book, How to be a vampire: a fangs-on guide for the newly undead (2009). Is this a follow-up? I had my suspicions, as the subtitle indicates a very similar theme. So I contacted Gray by e-mail, asking whether it was an original or a reprint.¹ She said, 'Fangs is a reprint of the 2009 title. From what I understand, it's a rejacket so the only difference is the cover art', adding 'It's a little bit of a shame because there is so much more content I wanted to add about the history and archetype of vampires in cultures around the world.'² A shame, indeed. Including her extra material could've at least justified the book's retitling as a new or revised edition, but there you go.

30 September 2012

 

Dracula / Elizabeth Miller

I didn't realise this book in Parkstone Press' 'Temporis' series might be a reprint, until I saw its inclusion on Kyle Van Helsing's blog: 'So anyways, this book is a hardcover edition of a previous release.' That info isn't mentioned in the book's Amazon description. How did he know? Trawling through the Amazons, I did find references to a similar work published on 1 February 2001 and 15 June 2001; both hardcover. Miller's publications page lists, 'Dracula. 134 illustrations. New York: Parkstone Press, 2001. Also available in French and German editions.' Might this version be an update? On June 28, I posted a message on Miller's Facebook page, asking whether the book was a reprint. She said, 'It's a reprint - so is not as up-to-date as it could have been. Published initially by Parkstone Press (2001) in coffee-table book format in English, French & German.' Mystery solved.

1 October 2012

 

The rise and fall of the femme fatale: from gothic novel to vampire tale / Heather L. Braun

A femme fatale is 'is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations.' The vampire connection was established by the 'vamp', a figure made popular by Philip Burne-Jones' 1897 painting, The vampire and Theda Bara's movie stardom. I'm aware of at least two other books specifically devoted to this subject: Andrea Weiss' Vampires and violets: lesbians in film (1993) and Pam Keesey's Vamps: an illustrated history of the femme fatale (1997). However, Braun's subtitle suggests an emphasis on the vampiric aspect. Will it pan out? Wait and see.

22 October 2012

 

American vampires: their true bloody history from New York to California / Bob Curran

Readers may be familiar with Curran's other vampire works, namely, Bloody Irish: great Irish vampire stories (2002), Vampires: a field guide to the creatures that stalk the night (2005), Encyclopedia of the undead: a field guide to creatures that cannot rest in peace (2006), Vampires (2007) and Biblio vampiro: an essential guide to vampires and, more importantly, how to avoid them (2010). The book's Amazon description suggests it'll be in the 'field guide' vein tapped into by contemporaries like Jonathan Maberry and Theresa Bane: 'The vampires that lurk in the American darkness come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can produce some surprising results.' Will it be in the same league as Michael E. Bell's Food for the dead: on the trail of New England's vampires (2001), the works of Christopher Rondina or even Thomas D'Agostino's A history of vampires in New England (2010)? I'd be surprised if it actually did anything substantially new to the genre. We'll see.

23 October 2012

 

Medusa's gaze and vampire's bite: the science of monsters / Matt Kaplan

Though vampires feature prominently in the title, this work will cover a variety of monstrous wonders: 'What caused ancient Minoans to create the tale of the Minotaur that was imprisoned in a subterranean maze? Did dragons really exist? What inspired the creation of vampires and werewolves, and why have they endured as figures of horror?' I'd be surprised if the coverage given to the origin of the vampire myth will be very substantial, but the author's credentials as a 'noted science journalist and enthusiast of both the hard facts of science and the fantastic fictions of myth' are certainly intriguing.

23 November 2012

 

New vampire cinema / Ken Gelder

Gelder's best-known in vampire circles for Reading the vampire (1994), one of the more popular academic works on the undead. At first, I thought this might be a retitled reprint, till I read its Amazon.co.uk description: 'A study of around forty vampire films, from 1992 to 2010. This book looks at new vampire cinema as a genre, asking what is at stake when the cinematic vampire and the modern world encounter each other'. Should be good.

Special mention

Last year, I mentioned a book in the works by Andy M. Boylan, author of vampire movie review blog, Taliesin meets the vampires. On 29 June, he informed me of the publication of his book via Facebook: 'just to let you know the reference book is out. Only on Lulu at the mo but should be picked up through Amazon etc soon.'

He also said I'm 'referenced twice' in the book. Nice! Boylan's book was published on 28 June. It's called The media vampire: a study of vampires in fictional media. It's sure to be a worthy addition to your wish lists. In the meantime, here's some 'shameless self-promotion'.

Update

You may also recall my involvement in a Kickstarter project to help publish a book called The undead and theology. Here's the latest status on the book by its editor, John W. Morehead:

Among other things, working on manuscript for Theology and the Undead with Kim Paffenroth. Our editor at Wipf & Stock considers this a collection of quality pieces of academic work on a very interesting subject." A few questions to answer and then we move to first proofs to check.

Good to see it's coming along nicely.

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Boylan's tip-off highlights an issue I'd like to address. My primary source for upcoming non-fiction vampire books is Amazon. However, Amazon isn't the only online marketplace for books—but it is the most accessible, convenient and well-known. 

So, if you're an author whose upcoming non-fiction vampire book doesn't appear on Amazon, feel free to let me know. Reprints—retitled or otherwise—don't count, though. But revised editions do. My contact details are on my profile page.

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<sup>1. A Hogg, email, Thursday, 28 June 2012 3:46:02 PM.↩  

2. A Gray, email, Friday, 29 June 2012 9:21:02 AM.↩</sup>

Upcoming books 3

ABC-CLIO

You know the drill: I've scoured Amazon—the American and British versions—for upcoming books on vampires. For the previous instalment, click here. 

I'm flattered to see this segment's inspired another blogger—also a mate of mine. It's funny, because I first 'met' him on Amazon. It's come full circle, in a way.

Some of these finds may be considered peripheral to the subject, i.e. they touch on vampires rather than serve as full-length treatments. Being mindful of catchpenny titles, I've gauged their inclusion in this list by what I assume will be a reasonable and relatively unique take on vampires.

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July 2012

 

Monsters of the market: zombies, vampires, and global capitalism / David McNally

Though its publisher site lists 'July, 2012', Amazon says it'll be released on 11 September. Take your pick. If you like political allegories, then this is the book for you! 'Drawing on folklore, literature and popular culture, this book links tales of monstrosity from England to recent vampire- and zombie-fables from sub-Saharan Africa, and it connects these to Marx’s persistent use of monster-metaphors in his descriptions of capitalism.'

1 July 2012

 

The Dracula dilemma: tourism, identity and the state in Romania / Duncan Light

The best evidence of Dracula's success is reflected in its impact on Romanian tourism; even though Bram Stoker never visited the country. Once Westerners realised that Transylvania wasn't a mythic never-never land, the floodgates opened. So what's the dilemma? According to the book's Amazon description, 'On one hand, Dracula is Romania's unique selling point and has considerable potential to be exploited for economic gain. On the other hand, the whole notion of vampires and the supernatural is starkly at odds with Romania's self-image as a modern, developed, European state.'

30 July 2012

 

Vampires in the New World / Louis H. Palmer

As with the first entry, publication dates for this book are confusing: Amazon.co.uk says July, while Amazon lists 31 January 2013. I've used its publisher's date. The book's description makes it sound like it follows in the footsteps of Nina Auerbach's Our vampires, ourselves (1995), but with an American emphasis: 'surveys vampire films and literature from both national and historical perspectives since the publication of Bram Stoker's Dracula, providing an overview of the changing figure of the vampire in America. It focuses on such essential popular culture topics as pulp fiction, classic horror films, film noir, science fiction, horror fiction, blaxploitation, and the recent Twilight and True Blood series in order to demonstrate how cultural, scientific, and ideological trends are reflected and refracted through the figure of the vampire.'

7 August 2012

 

Haunted New Orleans: Southern spirits, Garden District ghosts, and vampire venues / Bonnye E. Stuart

One of two upcoming books emphasising vampires in association with American's Transylvania: New Orleans. The book's description doesn't indicate how much focus will be on 'vampire venues'— or vampirism, in general—so I'm only working with the title here. That said, New Orleans' considerable vampire 'heritage' should give Stuart a lotta meat to chew on.

11 September 2012

 

Spirits of New Orleans: voodoo curses, vampire legends, and cities of the dead / Kala Ambrose

The second book focusing on America's Transylvania. Must be something in the air. Again, the description doesn't indicate how much focus vampires are gonna get—but 'vampire legends' is certainly more expansive than 'venues.' Its author certainly gets around, though: 'A highly interactive teacher on a mission to educate, entertain and inspire, Kala writes for the Huffington Post, the Examiner, AOL, Yahoo and Fate Magazine and presents workshops nationally on the Mind/Body/Spirit connection including Auras and Energy Fields, Developing Business Intuition, Haunted History and Wisdom Teachings at the Omega Institute, John Edward Presents Infinite Quest, the Learning Annex, LilyDale Assembly, and Daily Om.'

16 September 2012

 

Undead in the West: vampires, zombies, mummies, and ghosts on the cinematic frontier / Cynthia J. Miller and A. Bowdoin Van Riper (eds.)

On first blush, the book—a collection of essays—seems to focus on the Weird West, a genre that combines 'the Western with another literary genre, usually horror, occult, or fantasy.' But its Amazon description indicates it'll also examine Western tropes in association with 'weird' combinations: 'The subjects explored here run the gamut from such B films as Curse of the Undead and Billy the Kid vs. Dracula to A-list features like From Dusk ‘til Dawn and Jonah Hex, as well as animated films (Rango) and television programs (The Walking Dead and Supernatural). Other films discussed include Sam Raimi’s Bubba Ho-Tep, John Carpenter’s Vampires, George Romero’s Land of the Dead, and Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West.'

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I've actually uncovered a few more new books, but I'm 'holding' onto them till I confirm a few details first. So, stay tuned for the next instalment!

Book spree, pt. 3

And now, the thrilling conclusion to 'Book spree'! For the previous instalment, click here.

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17 May 2012    

Title: The vampire in Slavic cultures, rev. edn (San Diego: Cognella, 2010)   

Author: Thomas J. Garza

Date ordered: 6 May 2012  

Price: £27.75

Why'd I buy it? I've had my eye on this book for a while, but copies are prohibitively expensive. So, when I saw this version for a much cheaper price, I snapped it up. However, I wasn't expecting it to be a revised edition—because that wasn't mentioned in its description or stock cover photo. I was going to try and get a partial refund on it, but on account of how much buggering about there would've been to do so—involving sending the book back, I figured I'd keep it, instead. 

This work is a big book of leads to me, as it's actually an anthology. It began life as a university reader, after all.

Nordic Academic Press

Title: Interdisciplinary approaches to Twilight: studies in fiction, media, and a contemporary cultural experience (Lund, Sweden: Nordic Academic Press, 2011)   

Author: Mariah Larsson & Ann Steiner (eds)

Date ordered: 1 May 2012  

Price: £24.92

Why'd I buy it? Apart from the cover (left), the 'Interdisciplinary approaches' caught my attention. Vampirology, itself, is a combination of various disciplines; as is vampire studies in general. Think back to David Lowery's division of Buffy studies into fifty 'disciplines, methods, and/or approaches'. I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but Twilight doesn't interest me so much as its success does. It'll be interesting to see what these diverse disciplines drum out of the phenomena.

Title: Ken Russell's Dracula (Cambridge, U.K.: Bear Claw Publishing, 2012)   

Author: Ken Russell

Date ordered: 6 May 2012  

Price: £7.88

Why'd I buy it? I've been intrigued by Russell's take on the story ever since I read a snippet about it in David J. Skal's V is for vampire (1996). The scene where Jonathan Harker uses a rosary as a knuckleduster against the undead? Yep, that's in there. So what stopped the film getting made? Drac-saturation. It was ready for 1979; the same year that saw the release of Badham's Dracula, Herzog's Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht and Dragoti's Love at first bite. A shame it never went into production, as I'm convinced it would've been the best of the lot.

Title: Prima di Dracula: archeologia del vampiro (Bologna, Italy: Il Mulino, 2011)   

Author: Tommaso Braccini

Date ordered: 1 May 2012  

Price: £15.08

Why'd I buy it? Blame Niels. He discussed the book in two posts (this one and this one). The archaeological angle perked my interest. Makes me wish I paid greater attention in Italian class—instead of looking up swear words in the dictionary. Merda!

Title: Write of the living dead: a writing guide for your dark side (Largo, Fla.: Dark Moon, 2012)   

Author: Araminta Star Matthews, Rachel Lee & Stan Swanson

Date ordered: 6 May 2012  

Price: £14.46

Why'd I buy it? I enjoy writing guides. Richard Laymon's A writer's tale (1998) is one of my favourite books. Period. What sold me on this one, apart from its genre-theme, was this: 'Each chapter of the handbook is devoted to a different genre of writing--everything from academic writing (complete with MLA and APA sample essays), business writing, and even poetry and fiction--all of it with a dark and undead twist.' How many horror-specific writing guides can you name that cover academia? Sign me up.

21 May 2012

Title: Entities: angels, spirits, demons, and other alien beings (Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 1995)   

Author: Joe Nickell

Date ordered: 1 May 2012  

Price: £1.80 + £5.84 postage 

Why'd I buy it? Nickell is fast turning into one of my favourite writers. I love the way he applies serious research methods to paranormal topics. His 2011 book, Tracking the man-beasts, cited this one in conjunction with vampy stuff—so I figured I'd reacquaint myself with it. Haven't read it in over 15 years. I'm much more comfortable with its skeptical tone than I was back then. The vampire references are very sparse, but I'm not bothered as I enjoy the book as a whole.

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And that's a wrap. Not sure when I'll go on my next spree, but it won't be for a while. Went a little overboard there. That said, I've had my eye on a few books—upcoming ones, too—so I'll be probably hitting the shopping cart soon enough.