Those days at the beach are drawing to a close. The long afternoons and brief nights are ebbing. The air is turning colder, and good breather children everywhere are being forced out of summer break to once again attend class.

The Fall is coming.

Someone once told me a vampire’s existence is better measured in seasons than years. Years are temporary. Seasons are eternal. They are markers, each representing a perspective, a unique point of view on the passing years, far beyond the space of time that houses them. The same can be said of vampires. A number on a calendar means nothing to us. A single year little different than a single day. But over a long enough span, patterns do emerge. We change and evolve, shifting from one period of our lives to another, with changes as stark as the frozen winter to the warm summer nights.

Enough stalling.

I’m leaving Bloodcopy indefinitely, starting tonight. Another site has been gracious enough to house it in the meantime, so you can still access any part of Bloodcopy on the HBO web site. (www.hbo.com/trueblood)

There are a number of reasons for my departure, though I suppose the most direct involves some unfinished business with an old friend. It’s nothing dangerous or criminal (sorry, devout FOTS members), but it does require my full attention and could easily lead to greater changes in my future.

You could say I’m entering the next season of my life.

This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve suspended this site, so I won’t be rash and swear I’ll never return. Of course, the first time I left I was human. I must admit my farewell message that time still amuses me, where I claimed I was off to seek out new creatures in the world. Little did I know I’d become one of them.

This time I’m going to try a different approach. I’ll resist the temptation to expound on the state of human/vampire co-existence, the strides and back steps we’ve taken, the uncertain future facing us. I won’t recount my incredible experience as a member of Gawker, the new oddities I’ve faced since my maker called me back home. I won’t even thank each and every single person who’s joined me along the way. Comment on their insightful comments and thoughtful contributions. Tell them I’ve learned far more from them than they could ever from me.

I’ve said all these things before.

Instead, I’ll simply wish you pleasant evenings on your own travels. And do take good care.

Vampires may not be the only other creatures sharing your world.

I’m thrilled to report that the Maenad seems to have left town.

Not sure whether it was coerced, defeated, killed, or simply got bored, but I’d like to wish it a hearty Bon Voyage all the same. With the creature’s exit, humans have returned to normal, at least relatively. They seem to have little memory of their actions, but have taken great pains to explain their recent acts nevertheless: aliens, mind control, a few are even specifically blaming a resident named Maryann Forrester for some reason.

Gotta love that human capacity for denial.

But as my title alludes (lifted from a quote by my favorite German philosopher for those who care to look it up), I can hardly blame them for it. Human life is so short, the burden of responsibility for each and every act would quickly prove overwhelming. Selective memory seems as good a solution as any.

Sometimes I wish vampires could share in that benefit. That we could forget-

No. One more night, Andrew. You promised yourself.

So yes, the humans have regained their minds and are mostly blissfully unaware. But in between concocting rationales, I certainly hope they also set aside some time for clean up. The town is a mess. Graffiti, litter, pieces of what I can only assume was once a pot roast- and that’s just on my front lawn.

On the plus side, emergency services seem to up and running, and if anyone is in need of a police officer, I can easily think of one recently reinstituted detective who’ll gladly answer the call. From what I understand, Planned Parenthood may also be in strict demand in the very near future. Naughty, naughty breathers. And don’t even get me started on the paint job the town sign –

I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore. I’ll explain myself tomorrow.

I promise.

So it seems like I’m well behind the bell-curve on this one. While I’ve been sitting in ignorance, a number of undead (including a friend who doesn’t even live in the area) have determined the creature that’s taken up residence in town is a Maenad.

It’s a pity nobody came to me sooner, as I happen to be an expert, a foremost authority, perhaps the greatest single wealth of knowledge ever to exist on the Maenad. And because I’m in a good mood, I’m going to share everything I know:

….

Again, in Spanish:

….

WHAT THE HELL IS A MAENAD?!

I’m sorry to lose my composure like that, but this thing has gotten way way way under my cold skin lately. To be honest, I wasn’t thrilled when my maker called me here from NYC. But I dealt with it. I figured, hey, it’s pretty there. It’s quiet. It’s a nice small town where I can relax. Now there’s some beast with a name I apparently can’t even pronounce correctly living square in the middle of town. I’ve tried to do online research to learn more, but that’s the beauty of the internet: everyone’s free to contribute. Conjecture, rumor and outright fantasy are welcome, making it fairly difficult to even begin to separate fact from fiction.

In the absence of any other options, I’ve decided to construct an open letter to the Maenad. If anyone associated with it (or is it a he or she?) could manage to pass it along and translate it into whatever manner of communication appropriate to the Maenad, I’d be most appreciative:

Dear Sir/Madam/Powerful Flesh-Consuming Creature:

Welcome to Bon Temps! I’m so glad you’ve taken residence in this town, as things were so so so dull before your arrival.

Frankly, if it were up to me, I’d have you stay for the natural duration of your lifespan, or eternity, if that should be the case. Unfortunately, I’m not in charge, and I have it on high authority from whatever being or God you answer to that you’re needed in North Dakota immediately.

Please make all necessary arrangements and conduct your journey post-haste, releasing all humans under your control in the process.

All the best,

Andrew

P.S. If before you release your humans you could instruct them to clean up the giant mess they made, that would be capitol!

The tragedy in Dallas is still fresh in our minds. A horribly misguided breather self-detonated in a full nest, injuring humans and vampires alike. People are outraged. And they have the right to be. But a small group of vampires is taking it a step further, looking to enact measures to assure it never happens again.

They are calling for a ban on silver.

I find this ridiculous.

It’s not that I don’t see the dangers of silver. It’s readily available in numerous forms. It requires no license or background check. And as Dallas showed, in the wrong hands it can be deadly.

Ironically, that’s my biggest argument for why it shouldn’t be banned. Think of it this way: we vampires announce ourselves. It becomes clear that our bodies suffer very little damage, that we possess great strength and speed, and that we feed on blood. Sure, we’ve got a synthetic substitute, but that’s a pretty big leap of faith to expect from humans. We promise we won’t hurt you, even though we’re basically designed to prey on you. And guess what? By and large humans are willing to at least give us a chance. If we can’t respond in kind, what chance do we ever have of coexisting in peace?

My second argument is one of practicality. Humans have used silver for thousands of years. It’s been a currency and precious metal, it’s used in photography, dental care, mirrors and optics, conductors, batteries, the list goes on. Would banning require all these inventions to halt? Are we expecting modern civilization to completely shift to accommodate our unique biology? How about wooden poles for fencing? Pencils? Why not ban tanning beds and UV lights while we’re at it?

So humans, I say enjoy your earrings. Keep your fillings. Process your film. Any vampire who finds fault with it should take a long look in a (silver) mirror and ask what he’s really frightened of.

It’s a lesser known fact that when a vampire lets a human drink their blood, the impact isn’t only physical. Humans will often report frequent dreams about the vampire, sometimes quite visceral and vivid in nature. But does the opposite occur? Will a vampire who feeds on a breather dream about them as well?

Come to think of it, do vampires dream at all?

Normally you’d think I was quite capable of answering the question for myself. But even in my human days I could never recall my dreams. Sometimes I doubted I even had them. This hasn’t changed since I became undead, though it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the case for all vampires.

I considered conducting an informal poll, but thought better of it. The very notion of dreaming is somewhat personal, and since no vampire has ever found fit to share their dreams (if they occur, that is), I can’t help but feel it would be somewhat poor form to ask. That and frankly, I don’t want to look like a complete idiot if it’s somehow common knowledge and my mere asking proves just how young a vampire I am.

But let’s suppose vampires can dream. In some cases I can imagine them being quite similar to the ones humans have. Showing up to your nest without clothes; nightmares of sunlit rays poring around you; the horrific feeling that your fangs are falling out as a symbol of powerlessness.

Where things get a bit trickier is in the realm of good dreams. Humans can fantasize increased power or sexual prowess. Their nightly rest can produce positive outcomes with work, great achievements and eternal glory. But what use are these to a vampire? Of course, we can find satisfaction in positive occurrences, but frankly, they are often well within our reach. Even great tasks aren’t insurmountable; we can well afford to take our time.

The obvious counter is a dream of watching a sunset. A secret wish for the ability to exist during the day. But this isn’t nearly as big a deal as some humans might believe. After all, if we really missed the sun so much, why would we allow ourselves to be turned in the first place?

So maybe the better question isn’t if vampires dream. It’s whether we ever stop dreaming.

Man, I love being a vampire.

Some of you may recall a post I wrote awhile back about vampires entering the workforce. As we’re about to celebrate a national holiday dedicated to the American worker (which originally started in Canada, but I digress), I can’t help but feel a certain pride that vampires can finally stand up and be celebrated alongside their breather co-workers.

I would like to extend my own hearty appreciation to all those who frequent the graveyard shift: the letter carriers who specialize in overnight deliveries, the personal assistants who can type faster than their bosses think, the construction workers who don’t need a forklift. I congratulate the ever growing list of doctors, lawyers and businesspeople who were willing to spend so much time in night school, the tradesmen and artisans who would risk prejudice and loss of patronage by announcing themselves as “vampire small business owners.” Even those whose careers haven’t changed, who provided clandestine services to undead to help us navigate the time before our revelation, but can now openly offer their services.

Of these, there are two individuals I’d like to single out. Chester is a vampire who once resided in Illinois and became involved in the Pullman Strike of 1894, the conflict that would eventually lead to Labor Day to become a national holiday. He still remembers the details vividly, and uses the lessons learned as he now serves as the chief foreman of his own night-based workforce. His employees universally laud him as fair, honest and willing to discuss his employees’ concerns without fear of repercussions.

The other is an undead who has truly gone above and beyond in his choice of employment. Though his modesty led him to make sure he wasn’t mentioned by name, this vampire is a member of the fire department in a major city. Unlike other hazards, fire is dangerous to our kind, and the fact that he’s willing to risk his life alongside the others is a lesson in courage and selflessness we can all admire.

So again, here’s a big thank you to all you honest wage-earners out there. Have a day off. You’ve earned it.

For such a new vampire I’ve often been told I have an old spirit. This might explain my relative disinterest in video games. In my human days, I never owned a game console, never rushed to buy the newest shoot em up or sports franchise. This often put me squarely in the minority among my peers. But being a vampire would change things.

Vampires are an ancient race, witness to numerous games that have come and gone, and it is only the best of these that can survive to maintain our interest. Chess. Knucklebones. Marbles. Even a pleasant evening of cards. So surely this relatively new fad of computerized entertainment would fail to hold sway.

Or so I thought.

I was shocked to accept an invitation to an undead friend’s dinner party the other evening, only to learn that afterwards we would be engaging in some game where we pretend to sing and play guitar. Even more surprising, none of the other guests seemed to mind. In fact, they were delighted, and began a conversation of their favorite selections. Magical quests to uncover artifacts, extraordinarily violent gore fests (although I’ve been told the blood inevitably looks completely fake), one undead even professed his love for a game that entails simply directing a human character through a virtual world populated with other avatars.

Why would vampires have such interest in video games? Our reflexes make even the most complicated mere child’s play. The scenarios crafting us into deadly beings or great heroes offers little more power than we have in real life as undead. Why waste time facing an enemy made up of digital code when we can face a true battle of wits against a real opponent?

I asked this outright at the party, the other vampires looked at me like I was insane.

“It’s fun, Andrew. Try it.”

Honestly, I still fail to see the point. But I did manage to learn something that night. My singing voice is no better now than it was when I was alive, as the computerized crowd at this make-believe rock concert told me in no uncertain terms:

You Suck.

*(Yes, this is an image from a video posted by the FOTS. But given the Newlins’ recent troubles, I figured they wouldn’t mind if I borrowed it for usage on my sinful, non-wholesome pro-vampire site.)

Now, on to the main event. Quick update on the mass hypnosis turning local breathers into maddened children:

Nothing’s changed.

In fact, things may even be getting worse. From all accounts the police station is in shambles, the streets are littered with trash, and someone pilfered the top choices from the local butcher. One, ahem, under-clad couple romping outside my home happily informed me the “God who Comes” is coming. Not sure what that means, but I’m caught between hoping this alleged deity shows up to put an end to the whole mess and fearing the arrival may worsen matters.

Really, I’d love to ignore it altogether. This seems to be a human mess, by and large. But frankly, it’s annoying. I much prefer Bon Temps as it was before and would gladly see it return to form. Fortunately, there may be help on the way.

I’ve heard whisperings that the Queen herself is expecting a visitor from the area. Though it could be about another matter altogether, I’d at least like to think it’s related to our little homespun human problem.

Given that this blog is read by mixed company, I’m not at liberty to provide details about the Queen or the larger vampire hierarchy. But let me put it this way: if every vampire in the region were part of one big company, the Queen would be the big boss. Just getting an audience with her is no small honor. She’s wise, powerful, and from what I’ve heard, excellent at party games. If anyone will know how to end the cranial occupation, it’ll be her.

Let’s just hope she’s in a sharing mood.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I can’t bear the noise outside my home any longer. There must be somewhere I can find peace and quiet in this town. I think I’ll try Merlotte’s.

Apparently information isn’t doing the trick. Those PSAs aren’t reaching the audience. The numerous tales of relapsing addicts, overdosing teenagers and ruined lives are spinning past you like a broken record.

How else can I explain that, despite the fact that the bulk of the human population of Bon Temps is caught on one big mind warped bender, one member of the populace has still managed to gain a reputation as the go to source for breathers looking to score V?

I don’t know this person’s identity, though I imagine I’m not the only undead interested in finding out.

But this is not an inquisition. It’s an appeal, both to those who would purchase vampires’ blood and the individual selling it. And no, I’m not going to rely on the current tactic, remind you that the drug is addictive, deadly and could well prove a one way ticket to a life any right minded person would wish to avoid at all costs. Because apparently some of you could care less what V can do to you.

So instead, I’ll remind you that the dangers of V extend past the drug itself. Because unlike other narcotics, this one comes from a source with sharp teeth, extraordinary strength, and, at times, a short temper. Forget avoiding the authorities, or your parents. Those who deal in V run the risk of being caught by something far worse.

To be certain, I’m not outright saying that vampires have an open policy of harming humans that use V. But at the same time, with so many vampires killed and drained, I just have to believe there’s at least one or two undead who would welcome the opportunity to issue payback.

And these undead don’t take kindly to excuses. So whatever reason you’ve come up with to justify your act, whether you’re using the money to fund your education, donate to charity, or buy a new pair of shoes, please trust me when I say it’ll make no difference to the vampire who catches you in the act.

I’d like to tell you about an extremely frightened human being. His name is Chuck.

Chuck suffers from what would today be called an anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, in his day psychology has not reached its heyday and there is no chemical or therapeutic relief for his fear. Simply venturing out of his home in the morning amounts to an almost insurmountable horror. Carriages passing by, loud noises, even at times friendly passers-by fill him with such dread he breaks into a cold sweat.

Now I’d like to tell you about an extraordinarily brave vampire. His name is Chuck.

Chuck claims there is nothing on this planet that frightens him. An easy boast, but I’ve heard accounts from several different sources that back up his claim. According to one, he was once tied in silver, surrounded by a complete mob of angry breathers looking to burn him alive. He was laughing at them.

On one hand, this transformation makes sense. After living as such a frightened creature, the shift into a nearly indestructible existence would be empowering, to say the least. However, this would also seem to suggest that all vampires should be fearless. Even the bravest breathers pale in ability to the most newly turned vampire. But this is not the case. Tales abound of undead begging for mercy before losing their fangs at tribunals; misguided breathers have long boasted about vampires reduced to a blubbering mess before facing a stake.

So what is it that makes a vampire like Chuck? Why are some vampires fearless, while others aren’t?

I don’t have an answer, but Chuck did offer me his opinion. “It’s random, man. Just like people, some of us are braver than others. I just got lucky.”

Before we begin, you’ll have to forgive me. I seem to have awoken this evening with something of a superiority complex.

Like every vampire, I was once human. I slept at night. I ate all manner of grains, meats, and fruit. I worried about getting old. But then I became something else. I would no longer require air to breathe. My speed and strength would increase sevenfold. And when a creature came into town an enacted a form of mass hypnosis that turned everyone into oversexed teenagers with caffeine for blood, I would find myself unaffected.

To be more specific, I would not choose to use my neighbor’s lawn gnomes as models for sexual acts that are still illegal in several states.

I would not attempt to start a group cheer of “I’m with stupid.”

I would not declare “Hey Paul, watch me beat the crap out of this fire hydrant!” Then actually try to do it.

Sadly, this is only the beginning of the activities consuming the breather residents of Bon Temps as of late. As dawn approaches, I must drown out hoots, hollers and curious shouts to “Get Sam!” (whoever that is), only to awake the next evening to find several people relieving themselves on my front lawn.

Yes, even as a recently turned vampire I know enough to realize there’s a highly unconventional presence at work here. These humans are not in their right minds. But I’m having trouble forgiving them. Why is it breathers have such weak minds? At times it’s like they’re begging to be manipulated, and in this case someone or something has gladly answered the call.

Part of me feels I should try and determine the source. As one of the few sane people left I may be in a unique position to try and stop it. But frankly, I don’t feel like it. Call me selfish. Call me uncaring. I just can’t handle watching another stark naked man run headlong into the side of a building swearing he’s found the end of the rainbow.

So if anyone needs me, for the rest of the week, I’ll be reporting from an undisclosed location with cable TV.

It’s commonly stated that vampires never see daylight. But this isn’t entirely accurate. A vampire can see the sun. Watch it rise in brilliant glory. Take in every single streak of its dawning light.

And it will be the last thing he ever sees.

The act is called “meeting the sun.” I’ve never seen it firsthand, but I hear it’s an astounding sight, both terrible and beautiful. The vampire literally dissolves into oblivion, embracing the rays as they blind and burn him.

Most undead believe the decision goes beyond any human comprehension, that it takes unthinkable wisdom and perspective to end something that does not end, to sacrifice immortality. While I don’t doubt it, something about the act strikes me as unmistakably human, perhaps as close to it as any vampire can ever come.

After all, what could be more human than dying?

I can think of several vampires offhand who would be horrified by this statement. See it as tantamount to blasphemy, comparing the vampire’s unique decision to end his reign on this world to the brief ripple that is a human lifespan. But this isn’t about time, the number of years it takes to rightly determine his time has come. It’s about the ending itself. It’s about mortality. This is what separates us from humans. Whether a vampire’s existence spans one year or thousands, the fact remains he never has to accept that human truth that somewhere, sometime, everything ends. To meet the sun is not only to accept that, but embrace it. In a sense, no matter how ancient, it’s as though a vampire has decided to use his final act to become human again.

Maybe I feel this way because I’m so young, but I just can’t picture ever reaching that place. In vampire terms I was barely turned yesterday, but still I look forward to every single moment of my existence, to all the possibilities it offers. I don’t want to waste a single night, even in a life that doesn’t put any limit to their number. I want to live forever.

Why would any vampire choose otherwise?

Please please please tell me you saw the recent segment on TBBN where the AVL’s Nan Flanagan effectively skewered the wonder twins, Steve and Sarah Newlin. While the act of blatant terrorism they committed (reported on in find detail on the American Vampire League’s website) is far from a laughing matter and frankly, should result in no less than full criminal charges, the not so subtle hints of acrimony between the Newlins provided great theater to all who eagerly await their house of hateful cards to come crashing down.

‘You need to read you some St. Paul, missy?’ ‘I hate your hair?’ This wasn’t an interview room. It was a playground.

I have no idea what may have caused the lovebirds’ rift. The Newlins are such spiritually enlightened and cheerful people, bound by love (and a mutual hatred of the undead)- what could possibly tear them apart? I tried to get answers from the source. Unfortunately, both Mr. and Mrs. Newlin were unavailable to speak with a vampire reporter, but the person who answered the phone was kind enough to remind me I’d burn in Hell as a creature of Satan.

Fortunately, any threats of eternal damnation seem slight compared to the hell on earth these two are about to face. And while it’s not polite to glow in the misfortune of others, in this case I’m all too happy to make an exception.

Is there a full moon I’m missing? Has the entire town taken part in some kind of electric acid test? Is Mardi Gras really late this year?

Whatever it is, resident breathers have been acting extremely peculiar lately, as Bon Temps more closely resembles the peak of spring break in Lake Havasu than the quaint town I remember. And even more strangely, the participants are not college students, but otherwise respected members of the community. A lot of them. From what I’ve heard, the local cool tank has been overflowing and officers have taken to driving old school drunk wagons rather than take part in their normal law enforcement rounds.

Thankfully, so far the frenzied behavior seems limited to the misdemeanor category- public displays of (extremely) indecent exposure and intoxication rather than any violence against property or each other. But let’s be honest with ourselves, inebriated humans tend to get rowdy. And I fear it may only be a matter of time before things start to spiral to more destructive and dangerous places. I honestly can’t remember anything I’ve seen quite like it, and that includes backstage parties during fashion week in New York. Though I obviously haven’t been around to see what transpires during the day, there’s a regular nightly fever pitch of activity. Like all at once everyone in town is suddenly –

Wait a minute. Now that I think on it, there does seem to be a really odd symmetry going on. Sure, a mass party would lead to possible mass drunkenness. But from what I’ve been told, this is happening all over town. Like it’s not one big party, but a number of smaller ones, all starting at the same time. Like something was directing it. Some master DJ who can get the party started in several places concurrently.

Granted, it’s possible I’ve just forgotten what it’s like to be a human in full throttle party mode. But I can’t help but wonder if there are forces at work here beyond gin and juice.

Contrary to what some will tell you, becoming a vampire does not entail losing your conscience. Sometimes I wish it did.

In many ways I consider myself fortunate. I was turned only after the invention of Tru Blood. I have never needed to find a living blood source. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been tempted, that I haven’t been drawn to the sight of an open wound, a pulsing jugular. I want to tell myself it’s not that I wish harm on anyone. For centuries, vampires were forced to take human blood in order to sustain themselves. It’s in our nature. It’s a simple fact of life. We are predators, designed with an instinct to seek our prey.

But then there’s that other feeling. When I imagine feeding not just as a means of satiating hunger, but to satisfy another craving. The knowledge of dominance. To hold another life in my hands, and in one instant, control their destiny. Sadly, I believe this too, is part of being a vampire. With such great power can only come the desire to use it, to objectify others who are not capable of what we are.

I hate myself at times like this. I hate knowing that vampires can feel this level of detachment. In my human days I would be tempted to call it evil. But now it occupies a greyer area. It’s enough to make one wonder if humans and vampires can ever truly coexist. There are times I’ve doubted it.

But then I remember the other side of the equation. I may feel these things, but I have never acted on them. There are many humans who can’t say the same. I don’t need to look hard to find acts of unspeakable cruelty committed by humans upon one another. To find humans who can be just as evil and predatory. Oddly, I find this comforting. Both humans and vampires have such a ways to go before reaching a truly civilized existence. Both of us have to confront our darker nature to truly coexist.

Who knows, we may even be able to help each other along the way.

I wish I could say I was surprised. After my post on vampires in the Old West last week, I was contacted by an undead, adamant that I detail another historical subsection of vampires, those who abandoned the shores of the Old World for a life of adventure on the high seas.

Yes, apparently there were vampire pirates.

I was extremely skeptical at first. Here, the problem of daylight seems somewhat insurmountable. While the ships had lower decks, the inability to navigate at all during the day, when visibility made the chance of an encounter with a hostile vessel markedly higher, would almost seem to defeat the whole point. But, as this vampire was quick to remind me, his claim was that he was a vampire pirate, not that he rode on a vampire pirate ship.

His method was actually fairly simple. Recruiting mostly took place at night in taverns. Upon learning about a ship, it was fairly easy to slip in undetected. During the day he would rest in a coffin made specifically to resemble treasure chests. Then, at night he was free to slip in among the rest of the night shift crew (lots of people on these ships, nobody paid that close attention) and slip away to feed as necessary. Sometimes, he’d even make a game of it and found a great deal of enjoyment seeing others walk the plank for murders he’d committed. (Before anyone gets too up in arms, these were pirates, not innocent babes, and murder was rampant among humans already).

Along the way he claimed to meet a number of interesting characters, including some historical figures- Blackbeard (tough exterior, but delicious), Henry Morgan (not bad for a breather), and Barbarossa (would cry in his sleep).

I couldn’t help but wonder if he was pulling my leg, and to be honest I’m still not sure. Forgetting all else, pirates generally sought riches and rum- what use could these things be to a vampire? I half-expected to get an answer extolling the joys of life on the open ocean and the unique experiences it offers. But this would-be pirate claimed a different motivation:

“I really, really, really hated Europe. Where else was I supposed to go?”

Kids. They’ll almost always find a way to push boundaries. Even if they’re dead.

Back in the Gawker days, I reported on a growing phenomenon among younger vampires that involved filming themselves performing extreme acts - jumping off buildings, throwing and catching impossibly long football passes – all for the delight of their breather friends in what came to be dubbed the “V Games.” While any self-respecting vampire (or at least one around long enough to know better) would scoff at such blatant showmanship and misuse of a vampire’s power, it seems the trend has survived, albeit in a slightly different form.

(Before getting into details, the participants I spoke with made me promise to note that any humans involved do so willingly.)

Extreme Feeding.

The name basically says it all. Of course, the concept of extreme sports to a vampire is quite a different thing, as the threat of broken bones or horrible falls no longer applies, and these intrepid undead have found ways to “up the ante.” According to accounts, variations include jumping out of planes to feed on skydivers mid-flight, “dawn racing”, or speeding after humans on motorcycles just before daybreak, and, for the aquatically inclined, diving into the ocean to feed off great white sharks.

Allegedly, some vampires even find this too tame, and forgo any notions of feeding to concentrate purely on the most masochistic and dangerous “extremes”: late night hide and seek in silver mines, jousts with wooden poles (no shields), and, perhaps the most insane, skateboarding in Chernobyl.

Granted, there may well be exaggeration involved. Even if vampires are engaging in such activities, at least this time they have the good sense not to film it.

Somebody, tell me I’m overreacting. Tell me the rumors are just idle talk. Tell me that vampires and humans haven’t declared all out war in Texas. Somebody.

Anybody.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned a string of anti-vampire hate crimes throughout the South, and feared possible retaliation. Now a wave of chatter is blasting it’s way from the region, specifically in Texas (which houses the Fellowship of the Sun), including one report from @BonTempsGossip of a “showdown.”

Right now, I can’t confirm or deny anything. Everything I’ve heard ranges in credibility from unsubstantiated second hand accounts to the vague end product of lengthy games of telephone. The whole mess seems to center on a conflict between breathers and undead in the vicinity of the church. Who may have started it, or for what reason? I can’t say. Nor can I say for certain just how far things have escalated, or if there’s any loss of life on either side. I’m trying my best not to fear the worst. As you can see, I’m not doing a very good job.

So rather than fan the flames of what may well turn out to be a four siren false alarm, I’ll let the truth come out before taking any further action. I sincerely hope others will do the same.

This is a true story.*

There’s this guy, let’s call him Ted. Ted’s parents were divorced when he was very young, and he lived with his father, rarely seeing his mother at first, and eventually not at all. Perhaps because of this upbringing, Ted had spent his life drifting through unhealthy relationships, and recently a particularly rough break up had left him with low spirits and a strong bought of insomnia. While up watching late night television he saw an ad for a phone chat line offering the chance to speak with a real vampire. At first he laughed it off, but ended up seeing it again the next night. And the next. Finally, curiosity overwhelmed him and he called.

Ted ended up speaking with a woman, Annie, who was eager to tell him about the “pleasures of the undead.” However, Ted found himself more curious about vampires in general than any salacious activities they could offer. She explained this was against the rules, but he persisted. Figuring he was the one paying for the call, she agreed to only offer minor details about herself. Taste in music, interest in modern dance, a love of swimming under the moonlight. Ted ended up speaking with her nearly until dawn, at which point her need to sleep (and the max on his credit card) forced the conversation to come to an end.

Ted enjoyed it so much he called the next night. This time Annie made a request. She couldn’t remember what the sun looked like. Ted recalled his most memorable visions of the sun rising and setting. He described the majestic colors, the feeling of awesome power standing beneath it. Again they spoke late into the night, and by now Ted had decided to request she meet him in person. She refused, and asked him not to call again.

Ted honored her wishes, but couldn’t stop thinking about her nonetheless. He couldn’t say just why, but he felt something while he spoke with her. Something that was lacking through much of his life. A connection.

Then, about a week later, Annie called him. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him either. She wanted to meet. Ted felt butterflies on the way over. Almost like he was a kid again going on his first date. He arrived at the location and eagerly awaited her to join him. After a few moments, Annie arrived, looking stunning. Ted rose and met her gaze.

His mother stood before him.

*Okay, it’s not a true story. But then again, who’s to say it hasn’t happened?

Vampires have been in existence for some time. Our lives have spanned generations, centuries, eras. I’ve heard of vampires who were present for the fall of Rome, only to return as tourists to see the ruins of the very buildings they once occupied. Undead have witnessed the bubonic plague, fled from Mongol hordes, I’ve even heard one who claims to know the real reason behind the demise of the Maya. But of all these historical accounts, one of my favorites has always circulated around the Old West.

Vampires in the Western American territories have often enjoyed reputations as among the most rugged and resourceful. They eschewed the comforts of civilization for open land, lived more solitary existences with less pull from the structured societal vampire hierarchy. They weren’t interested in striking their fortunes in gold or precious metals, they needed no promise of cheap land. They did it because they enjoyed the lifestyle, even the dangers that came with it.

Make no mistake, of any time and era, this was among the more hazardous for vampires. Traveling at night was dark and perilous, as the trails were often deserted and poorly marked, if at all. And while they had little to fear from settled camps of breather cowboys (which, I’m told made for especially easy…uh…meals), the numerous Native American tribes were another story altogether. The very disadvantage in weaponry they had against Western settlers made them all the more deadly to vampires, and I’ve heard wooden arrows and expert marksmanship led to the demise of no small number of undead. On the plus side, I’ve never heard a single instance of a vampire who lost a gunfight or duel, though obvious circumstances led many to be labeled cowards for failing to show up for challenges issued at high noon.

Plenty of these original cowboys are still among us, though by and large I believe they’ve settled down considerably. I’ve encountered one who was more than generous in recounting “old times” for a curious vampire, and in telling it became all too clear how much those pioneering days meant to him:

“Didn’t have much back then. Just you, your horse, and whatever lay in your path as you rode off into the moonlight. It was dangerous. It was uncomfortable. It could get lonely. And if there’s a better way for a vampire to live his life, I still haven’t found it.”

I haven’t been around nearly as long as this ex-cowboy, but I’ve gotta say I tend to agree with him.

Some of you may have read my earlier entry decrying Detective Andy Bellefleur for his shoddy police work and making mention of what appeared to be a minor drinking problem. Denizens of Bon Temps most likely know things have gotten worse since then: numerous instances of public drunkenness, nonsensical rants, and, of course, a curious obsession with finding a large brown pig, all of which has combined to get him suspended from active duty. However, I come to praise Detective Bellefleur, not to bury him. Okay, praise may be too strong a word, but sufficient to say nobody will accuse me of kicking a man while he’s down.

(I’ll admit up front that I don’t know Detective Bellefleur personally. Most accounts I’m referencing are second hand, though substantiated by more than one person.)

Detective Bellefleur seems to be trying quite hard to restore his credibility, suggest that his recent accounts are not liquor fueled rambling, but the coherent acts of a competent officer. Instead, he’s only succeeded in making himself a laughing stock, reducing his words to a punch line. Yet for this very reason I can’t help but wonder if we shouldn’t be taking him more seriously. Or, put another way, just because most of what he says sounds incoherent, possibly unbalanced, it doesn’t mean it isn’t real.

Drunk or not, Detective Bellefleur is still a detective with years of experience. He’s spent his career searching for the truth. More than that, he’s searched for truths he can prove beyond any doubt. Lately, his claims have gone so far in the other direction that one has to wonder what possible motive he’d have to voice them. Many would argue that’s the point, that his alcoholism is ruining his reason. Maybe, but something about this is just too… random. Seeing a large pig in a dollhouse? Claiming your neighbors are in a cult of zombie satan worshippers? I find it hard to attribute these statements purely to “too much of the drink.” In addition to being completely bizarre, frankly they’re just too creative for a mind dedicated to such concrete pursuits as detective work. Which leaves the alternative: maybe Detective Bellefleur isn’t making it up.

I can offer no proof in the other direction. Substantiate any of Detective Bellefleur’s claims. But I still think they may deserve a second listen. After all, if a few years ago someone claimed vampires were real, and residing in Bon Temps, do you think you’d have reacted much differently?

There’s been a good deal of discussion about healthcare lately. Attempts to broaden coverage of medical expenses for citizens across the country. I don’t pay much attention. I don’t need to. I’m a vampire.

Most people don’t consider this when they think about the undead. Breathers are so focused on our quasi-immortal lifespan, how we don’t age and, barring a specific (and short) list of conditions, we do not die, they seldom note another critical aspect of our existence:

Vampires don’t get sick.

Yes, failing to feed or rest can weaken us, and there are still some ailments that can affect us (Hepatitis D being a big one). But practically speaking, we are immune. We never get colds, fevers, upset stomachs. We do not fear coronary disease, kidney failure, or deadly strains of virus. A vampire will never require a decongestant, pain reliever, or even an antacid after over-eating. Our health is so infrequently a consideration, it’s easy to forget altogether how fragile our bodies once were.

I am as guilty of this as any vampire. Though I was turned only a short time ago, I find it difficult to remember what it feels like to be ill. But I will do my best to keep it in mind. Any time I miss the sunset, accidentally contact silver, or bemoan the limitations of being at rest when most of the world is in motion, I will remember that I will always have my health. Countless others are not so lucky.

To that end, I noted with some concern among the comments that certain individuals fear their entries were deleted or removed.  Please know that I had nothing to do with this, and would not seek to censor anyone’s opinion or point of view.  And as the question of the Fellowship of the Sun’s involvement, I suppose I can’t fully rule it out, but hope that their focus on spreading misinformation about vampires would leave them little time to attempt to disrupt this website.

- Andrew

Much has been made of vampires offering breathers the chance to experience feeding at the hands of an undead. But now it seems that breathers have gotten wise to the fact that vampires are also willing to pay for the privilege of doing the biting. It’s little surprise, then, that more and more stories are circulating of humans who make their necks available for cash, or blood hookers, as they’re more crassly known.

Men and women of all shapes, sizes and blood types are available to the discerning client. From what I’ve heard, some are willing to perform the act in public view, complete with well-rehearsed shrieks of joy (or horror) while being fed upon, while others can be ordered directly off the menu at hotels like room service.

It’s not my place to judge this from a moral or legal standpoint, but I do have to wonder: why pay for something so many are willing to do for free? One anonymous vampire explained, “you don’t pay for them to let you bite them, you pay so they’ll leave afterwards.” I tried not to cringe too much as he said it.

Ultimately, I suppose people have their reasons and the service won’t be going anyway anytime soon. But I can’t help view this the same way I view dating someone where you work: convenient, maybe, but just plain lazy.

A new evil has taken residence in Bon Temps.

No, not a deadly creature or flesh eating tiger, something potentially far worse. Something that, if left unchecked, can quickly grow out of control and alter the very fabric of our beloved town. This evil takes different forms: hemp clad college students, burned out baby boomers, idealistic environmentalists. But to most they are known by a single word: Hippies.

I have no idea why this particular subculture would gravitate to the area. I’ve heard no plans for a massive jam band festival or protest for the legalization of some illicit substance, the stores here don’t sell hacky sacks or organic herbal hairspray. But still, they’ve come, and it’s impossible to ignore them. Because where hippies gather, drum circles are certain to follow. Incessant banging, “groovy” rhythms, unique percussive tones from unconventional world instruments, all contributing to a cacophony that overwhelms all else, particularly the efforts of a certain vampire to enjoy a quiet evening at home. And it doesn’t stop there. Judging from certain noises best not described here, I believe the ancient hippie ritual of free love is also taking place.

I fear things will only grow worse. We must act. We must end the hippie presence. Before it’s too late.

The American Vampire League website has reported on a recent string of anti-vampire hate crimes occurring across Southern states, including neighborhoods in Dallas, Beaumont and Baton Rouge. Even worse, it appears these aren’t isolated incidents, but part of larger coordinated effort from an extremist group targeting undead communities.

It’s difficult not to start pointing fingers. I have my own suspicions of who could be involved, but it would be rash and frankly, unfair, to start listing them here without further evidence. I still believe that the majority of breathers in this area, and others, are good people who wish no harm on vampires. And one small group of hateful, misguided individuals won’t change that opinion.

I hope others keep this in mind as well and exercise restraint. I’ve heard rumors of vampires in Texas and their willingness to take extreme measures when threatened in the past. But in this case retaliation may only fan the flames; better to let law enforcement handle it. Those responsible will get what’s coming to them soon enough.

Sarah Newlin recently presented her latest “Reflections of Light” video on the FOTS website. Being a vampire, you might assume I’d automatically despise anything she says out of principle. But in this instance, she actually makes one valid point, specifically her objection to vampirism as a “hip trend.” Here, I couldn’t agree more. Vampire have existed for centuries, and though humanity at large has only recently been made aware of us, the notion of people flocking to join our ranks or emulate us simply because it’s new and exciting is both dangerous and imprudent. Living as a vampire is a permanent and serious choice, and not one to be taken lightly.

Of course, the rest of the video is pure schlock. For those of you who don’t want to waste a few minutes of your life listening to bigotry, here’s the crib notes version:

Hi I’m Sarah Newlin look at me I’m pretty and have blonde hair and perfect teeth just like all those girls you wished you took to prom.  My husband uses more hairspray than I do but that’s okay because we are righteous and good and have lots of friends unlike those evil, mean nasty vampires who want to eat your babies.   And as I finish we’ll fade to white as a metaphor for goodness and light just in case you didn’t get the message because why be holy when you can be holier than thou?

Nicely done, Sarah.  Nicely done.

Bon Temps seems to have a thriving artist community. Here is a collection of art featuring a number of local townspeople in Bon Temps and parts thereabout. I’m not certain why these specific individuals were selected as the subjects of so many different pieces, but there is some excellent work, a strong counterargument for those who believe the only worthwhile art scenes are in big city galleries.

It’s a natural part of life. Or death, depending on your point of view. At some point in their existence, a vampire may end up turning another. The reasons are varied, but one thing remains constant. A newly turned vampire will leave their old life behind, meaning by and large their maker is their only true family. It falls on the maker to be a role model, a teacher and companion, at least for a time. Ultimately, the maker and progeny often part ways, but the bond remains. Years, decades, even centuries can pass, and if the maker calls, the vampire must answer it.

The relationship is complex and goes beyond the human concept of family bonds, but inevitably there is a parental component to it. And just as humans reach a point where they begin to declare their independence, become their own selves, vampires also come to create their own existence beyond their maker’s teaching.

Which brings me to this past weekend. After calling me back to Bon Temps, my maker returned overseas. Friday evening she made a surprise visit, nominally to settle affairs. I owe my maker my very existence and there is nothing I would not do for her. Sharing my humble nest, arranging for human day laborers to dry clean her clothes, chauffeuring her around on any number of errands- it gave me pleasure to serve her. However, she also took the opportunity to offer constructive criticism on how I’m living my afterlife, ranging from how I’ve decorated my nest to my choice of friends to my “taste in that obscene music” (her term for anything written after 1890).

She certainly meant well. It’s simply her opinion on how her progeny should exist. But, like countless breathers in their teenage years, I had to assert my independence.  Remind her that I am not her. I am my own vampire, and have the right to make my own choices. While her reaction was less than ideal, I think we made serious progress.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to finish raking the yard. Again.

Admit it, the lower cargo holds of sailing ships weren’t the most pleasant way to spend a month or two. Hiding in the luggage compartment or cargo holds of planes destined somewhere in the vicinity of your destination was a tiny bit demeaning. And I won’t even get started on what a pain getting your coffin onto a painted wagon was in the olden days.

But now things are different. With the Great Revelation have come companies that openly cater to vampires. For undead who like to travel in style, it doesn’t get much better than Anubis Air. These people really know how to please their clientele, and not only because there isn’t a single bat reference in any of the company literature. Voyaging vampires are allotted comfortable travel coffins and courier service to and from their chartered plane, assuring daylight no longer needs to be a factor in your itinerary.

For those vampires who wish to spend the night portion of the trip outside the coffin, I’ve heard the vessels carry a broad assortment of blood substitute, as well as a stocked traditional bar for any breathers who may be accompanying you. Adding in accounts of music channels that cover nearly any era and convenient routes to most major destinations, and it seems the era of the Bon Vivant vampire has finally arrived.

This is Daphne, one of the newer servers at Merlotte’s. She’s built up quite a reputation in her short time there, but unfortunately in this case there is such a thing as bad press.

I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her firsthand, but people who’ve sat in her section have had plenty to say. Though described by some as “sweet” and “pleasant when you first meet her”, many others have provided much less flattering descriptions, such as “forgetful”, “slower than evolution”, and “completely unfit to serve as a waitress of any kind for any person ever.” Dropped plates, incorrect orders, and extended wait times seem commonplace in the accounts of these unhappy breathers, despite their insistence that Merlotte’s is normally a great place to grab a bite.

Hopefully Daphne will prove a better server for vampires. After all, a simple order of Tru Blood shouldn’t be too hard to keep straight.

There’s something in the woods. And it is deadly.

Rumors are spreading. Some claim it’s a beast with six heads, others a new breed of mutant ware. Horrible growling has been heard, stories or entire hordes of livestock taken in a single night. Of course, anything new and mysterious is often met with exaggeration and hyperbole, and I doubt most of these details are accurate.

Whatever this creature is, people are right to fear it. There’s reason to believe it’s attacked at least two people so far, based on my reports of a healer summoned to Shreveport to deal with a highly unusual wound and these photos I recently smuggled out of the Bon Temps morgue:

(WARNING: DISTURBING IMAGES)

What connects these two attacks is the presence of a toxin so powerful even vampire blood can’t neutralize it, and though I’ve heard the healer managed to save one victim, obviously another wasn’t so fortunate. In addition to the wound seen here, her heart was removed while she still drew breath.

This clearly suggests a conscious intent on the part of the beast (or whomever controls it), but it’s impossible to say what purpose or motivation drives it. But make no mistake, it is dangerous to breathers and undead alike.

For my part, I’ll be avoiding the woods at any cost.

It’s confirmed.  Someone with intimate knowledge of the healing arts recently made a stop in Shreveport. A rare occurrence only made more curious by the secrecy surrounding it.

“A healer was summoned, though I will not say by whom or for what purpose,” said an individual who insisted on anonymity.

While not necessarily allies, healers and vampires have often found themselves in close proximity, if for no other reason than our blood does make for an excellent healing agent. But in this case, I don’t believe this healer’s trip was motivated out of collecting blood, as the nature of the visit was described as “immediate” and “urgent.”

I’ve heard whisperings the patient in question is a breather who holds some level of importance to a fairly important local vampire, though offhand I can’t imagine anyone who fits that description.

Given the extremely specialized abilities of a healer (no to mention the steep cost), it’s clear this is no small matter.  Is it possible this is somehow linked to the vampires performing regular searches outside the vampire bar as of late? If so, it means that whatever they’re looking for, they haven’t found it.

I can only hope that more healers aren’t required before they do.

Recently stumbled upon the newest shapeshifter video making it’s way around the “interwebs”- in this case a segment of “World’s Greatest Pet Bloopers” where an adorable Yorkie hoping to place at a dog show morphs into a decidedly less adorable stark naked man. Though I’m no authority, it was always my understanding shapeshifters controlled their transformations. Given this recent spat of canines cum primates caught on film, one has to wonder if the ability to take animal form carries with it a proclivity for exhibitionism.

On a side note, while the judges were shocked and horrified, they did give the human high marks for obedience.

For those of you who follow my commentary on twitter (@AndrewBloodcopy), I’d invite you to also follow @BonTempsGossip. I don’t claim to personally know all those mentioned therein (or vouch for the accuracy of all the details), but something tells me these are more than idle rumors.

At present, one specific tweet has proven especially intriguing: vampires searching the woods around Fangtasia (a vampire bar in Shreveport). While I’m not yet at liberty to comment on this, sufficient to say it’s far from common knowledge, and if our gossiper’s contacts prove this good moving forward he/she may prove a very, very rich source of information.

The Fangbanger trend is showing no signs of slowing down. From concerned parents’ groups, to news specials, to an internet video of coeds offering “tips” to those with vampire lovers, the public is being inundated with the notion of human vampire coupling.

For those that choose this path, I say more power to you, but at the same time, it’s important to note that not every human is rushing off to find the closest bite, and not every vampire is ready to prey upon the first breather that shows him or her attention.

I bring this up because of a site I recently found depicting signs your ex is a fangbanger. Though I don’t doubt for a second that vampires have led to break up of some human couples, it doesn’t mean that any breakup is automatically the product of a night spent in the company of the undead.

Speaking specifically to this list, it seems fairly evident it’s been compiled by breathers, containing inaccuracies, exaggerations, and a some entries intended only to be humorous. It is an entertaining read (though contains some mature content), but please take it as amusement, not a definitive how-to-guide to blaming glamour as the reason your relationship went sour.

This is Jason Stackhouse. He’s been suspected (and acquitted) of a few murders recently, but luckily, he’s now found his calling, joining the crusade to rid the world of the vampire menace. Like Jason, you can join in too and share in His Holy Light; all you need is a pure heart, stout belief that vampires are inherently evil, and a major credit card (though I believe cash is preferred).

Yes, turns out that leadership conference I mentioned a few weeks ago is in full swing, as Rev. Steve Newlin has set about training the next wave of bigoted breathers looking to stamp out anything with fangs. Not content to simply let these “great young leaders” find their place in the Rev. Newlin’s army of hate, I’ve made it my business to find out exactly what’s going on at this Texas retreat.

Lucky for me, I can be quite resourceful, and have managed to get an inside track of the itinerary. For those of you who just can’t wait until you’re “chosen” to join in (or don’t’ have enough money to cover it), you’ve missed out on a rousing game of capture the flag, talented thespians improving how to best confront those misguided vampire sympathizers, and a performance by Amanda Jayne of her new song “Jesus Asked Me Out Today.” Almost enough to make me wish I were still human and eligible to join. Only the exact opposite.

So why single out Mr. Stackhouse? Apparently he’s gotten special recognition, both from Rev. Newlin and his wife, Sarah. Kudos Jason- on behalf of the vampire community I’d like to offer my sincere congratulations.

Maybe sometime we vampires will have the chance to tell you in person.

I think it’s time we take a moment to remember exactly what principles this country was founded on: tolerance, liberty, and equality.  I mention this not because of a sudden patriotic fever, but because it seems so evidently lacking lately.  Vampires may not be “normal people” in the narrow definition of some, but we are unquestionably an ever-growing segment of the population.  Put simply, even if we don’t breathe or sunbathe, that doesn’t mean we don’t deserve the same rights and protections as others.

As if this needed further demonstration, I’d like to point out that the American War for Independence was not fought by daywalkers alone.  Vampires served a number of key positions and played no small part in the eventual outcome of the war that led the English to abandon our shores in the first place.  This country is ours as much as anyone else’s and to treat us differently would be, well, un-American.

Okay, it’s not just that upcoming holiday that’s led me to point all this out.  Perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not, recently-elected Senator David Finch has thrown his support behind State Senator Adams’ bigoted Prop 188 bill, which would require vampires to register their blood with the state and face criminal repercussions is that blood is sold (even if it’s stolen by drainers, for example).

It’s a bad idea from a misguided leader.

I went to the mall the other day, and can’t believe what I saw.

For as long as I’ve been a vampire, stores have been offering “authentic vampire wear.”  Lace, leather, 14 shades of midnight black, with the occasional touch of red velvet now and then to add a bit more color.  Because being undead obviously makes you a Goth, too- just ask that nice lady whose bar has been doing so well since our revelation.

Well guess what?  Retailers are finally getting the hint.  Fashion bigwigs have introduced a new line of clothing that reflects the latest trend in vampire wear.  This “prepster chic” as it’s being labeled, seems an odd choice- more college co-ed than nightwalker, and I believe that’s exactly the point.  To further avoid stereotypes, vampires have ditched the skull rings and black leather for plaid skirts, khakis, and yes, even polo shirts.

Personally, I hope this is one trend that lasts, not only because it’ll help broaden horizons about vampires, but because, frankly, not all of us can pull off that all night rocker look.

So breathers beware, if you really want to emulate the vampire look, it may be time to track in those combat boots for docksiders.

I like cops. They risk their lives to do a great service and by and large are among the most heroic breathers out there. But we’re all aware of the one bad apple theory, and sadly, today’s subject is slowly rotting to the core.

Ladies and gentlemen, submitted for your approval, one Detective Andy Bellefleur.

Once a proud member of Bon Temps’ finest, Andy’s fallen in a bit of a bad spell lately, what with a body being found in his squad car, numerous (unofficial) citations for public drunkenness, and an unsolved murder caseload that seems to be growing by the moment. But it doesn’t end there. Apparently now Detective Bellefleur can’t even handle a simple noise complaint.

This evening (last night for those of you reading this in daylight), I was enjoying a quiet evening at home when I couldn’t help but overhear a nearby party. Like it was in my living room. I’ve never met this neighbor (I believe her name is Maryann), and without a standing invitation I was powerless to enter the home to ask for quiet. My only alternative was to call the police, and learned I wasn’t the first to issue a complaint. But they assured me Detective Bellefleur was hot on the case.

Apparently Andy didn’t get the memo, because after several hours it had only gotten louder. Another call to Bon Temps police led to the revelation that Andy had arrived some time earlier and the noise would go away ‘any moment now.’ If by ‘any moment now’ they meant right up until I crawled into my coffin at daybreak then yes, the detective’s task was completed in full.

Nice work, Andy. Real nice.

DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS, NV
Not so much of a stretch.  Vampires in a city basically designed to be open 24 hours, replete with dark, secretive locations and any number of “back rooms.”  However, you’re looking in the wrong part of the city.  There’s a common misconception that vampire prefer seedy areas, but remember- many of us also have plenty of years of accumulated wealth.  So without exposing the addresses of vampires who don’t want curious individuals banging down their doors, I’ll just say you’ll have better luck looking at high roller suites at certain reputable casinos.  If you can get past security, that is.

NYIRBATOR, HUNGARY
Yes yes, we’ve all heard stories of a certain historical countess who used to bathe in servants’ blood.  Even before the Great Revelation, she and Vlad the Impaler were always near the top of the list for humans seeking to prove our existence.  But in this case you’re barking up the wrong tree.  This was just a countess with really, really odd habits, not the grandmother to a whole lineage of bloodsuckers.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Again, a tad bit vague, aren’t we?  I mean, why not just say somewhere in the West Coast?  Yes, there are vampires in San Francisco.  It’s a big city.  And the Haight-Ashbury district alone proves there are enough human spectacles to assure that vampires could blend in fairly easily anywhere from the Castro to Marin Valley.

A NIGHTCLUB CLUB IN SALT LAKE CITY, UT
Close, but no cigar.  Though vampires definitely like to find entertainment in the evening, actually living in a nightclub just doesn’t sound all that appealing.  Though I suppose it would be convenient upon meeting an eager fangbanger- cheap cab fare just to lead them down into the basement.

Had a chat with my Maker and ended up convincing her to let me stay in Bon Temps for awhile.  Odd really- this place is so closely associated with my human life, you’d think I’d want to avoid it like daylight.  But life here has gotten really, really interesting lately. So much that I’m more than happy to hang around and keep up my reporting on Bloodcopy.

Coincidentally, I also just got my hotel bill for the week, and realize my stay will definitely require new accomodations.  I found a site that’s been really helpful for my search for a nest.  There are a number solid tips for nightwalkers, but I personally like the guard dog option. Once I get settled, I think I’ll make a visit to the pound to make a new best friend.  Apologies in advance to the mailman.

One last thing before I set off nest-hunting, a piece of unfinished business from my Gawker days.

I’d like to give a special thank you to the night cashier at the convenience store by my NYC apartment.  No fewer than 40 times did I arrive at some late hour to pick up Tru Blood, and not once did he make a bite reference, fang joke, or any other comment on my status as a member of the walking dead.  If more people were like him, we may reach a day where vampires are treated just like everyone else.

Just learned about a new film festival making it’s way onto the stage.  The “Fangies” as they’re so awfully labeled, will feature television, documentary and feature footage “either directly employing vampire actors, directors and producers” or “of a nature that accurately portrays real vampires.”

I’m pleased to announce that several of the items highlighted on this blog have made their way into competition.  So if you haven’t had a chance to see the clips we’ve shown from a Vampire TV Drama, documentary about a Busker for Vampires, Vampire Film Noir, or a unique Vampire Dentist - now’s as good a time as any.

Let’s just hope this doesn’t lead to vampire thespians being inevitably typecast.

Bon Temps police have yet another murder case to add to the docket.

Just when I was starting to get all the events of the past few weeks straight, I just learned a body was found in the squad car of Officer Andy Bellefleur.  Officer Bellefleur is not a suspect at this time, as local whispers suggest he was nestled away at the bottom of a bottle when the crime occurred.

The victim has been identified as Nancy LeVoir, a cashier at DeSoto’s pharmacy who also moonlighted as a voodoo priestess of sorts who went by the nom de plume “Miss Jeanette.”  Of course, some have already jumped on the bandwagon and assume a vampire must somehow be involved (clearly not paying attention to the body count register I submitted last post).

In a small bit of silver lining, the victim has since been in contact with Ouija boards across the nation, promising she’s doing fine and hopes to be featured in an upcoming episode of supernatural haunting on basic cable.

Last week we were treated to a new video from Reverend Steve Newlin, doing his best to make sure California doesn’t hog the spotlight in the realm of biased marriage laws.

Apparently, this wasn’t the only trick in the good Reverend’s bag.

I have it on good authority that the Fellowship has started hosting “leadership conferences” as part of the Rising Sun Institute, where very special “chosen ones” (who can afford the entry fee) are being whisked away to undisclosed locations in Texas to become the new vanguard in the war to rid the world of the vampire plague. Aforementioned fee is quite steep from what I understand, but really, you can’t put a price on salvation… right Steve?

Lucky for you, a trip in the other direction is free.

As a human I always had a little trouble sleeping while I was in Bon Temps and oddly, becoming undead hasn’t done much to change the habit. So instead of tossing during those final hours before dawn, I usually end up channel surfing. This time it was well worth it, as I caught the latest episode of The Perspective. It’s reassuring to know that despite my departure, the vampire bandwagon continues to roll right along.

But for the record, I still can’t place Ms. Davis’ accent.

Though firmly nested back in Bon Temps for the time being, I’m still determined to keep track of vampire events in all parts of the world.  Turns out I didn’t have to look long.  The Perspective’s Victoria Davis has just interviewed Top Chef Tom Colicchio, a friend of vampires in his own right, who has now directed his talents towards a dish humans can enjoy while dining alongside guests who prefer Tru Blood.

While I’ve heard it’s delicious, Tom’s recipe also looks a good deal like our synthetic blood substitute- so do be sure to clearly label which is which when hosting dinner parties of mixed company, or your evening may end up much shorter than expected. 

Bon Temps…my quiet little hometown.  Not so quiet lately.

Just spent the past two hours visiting a hairdresser with over 278 years of experience.  Not that I couldn’t use a bit of coiffing, but it’s also info central for all the local goings on Bon Temps.  And at present the rumor mill has spun off its axis, much of it coincidentally involving some of the local townsfolk I interviewed in my human days.

(Yes, being a vampire my old life shouldn’t hold interest, but I think the sheer level of action warrants an exception in this case.)

I’ve lost track of the body count, but I think humans are slightly ahead of vampires at this point.  Breathers are far and away leading in the responsible for said deaths category, due in large part to one hate-filled psychopath who played friendly Cajun by day and bloodthirsty serial killer by night.  However, it’s also my understanding a special counsel was convened to deal with a vampire who killed one of his own to protect his human (who happens to be “special human” with powers of her own).

I’d love to get into more of the grisly details, but frankly I’m still trying to sort it out myself. 

Also- I’ve gotten a special request to put out feelers to locate Lafayette Reynolds, a cook at Merlotte’s bar.  While you may or may not recognize from his webcam exploits, apparently there’s another illicit activity that has put him squarely on the radar of a number of vampires in town.

I never thought I’d say this, but being back in Louisiana is making me miss the peace and quiet of Manhattan.

The latest installment of The Perspective with Victoria Davis has arrived, where you will find all the vampire videos and news that made headlines this week.

Highlights include a clip of a vampire gymnast, the latest PSA from the American Vampire League (and an anti-vampire spot from the Fellowship of the Sun), and a shape-shifter caught in the act of shifting.

Enjoy!

Effective at Sundown today, I’m taking back control of Bloodcopy and leaving the Gawker network.

Far as breakups go, this is way more on the pleasant side. I get custody of the site and all the Tru Blood, while Gawker keeps the house, car and the pets. We’ll remain friends, and be certain to keep in touch.

The reason for the split is there’s another woman in my life now. Specifically, my Maker. That vampire who first gave me entry to the undead club. She’s ordered me back to Bon Temps, asap. All you vamps know what I’m talking about. For those humans who may be less aware, it means I take my leave immediately, no questions asked.

No, I’m not in trouble. Quite the contrary, actually. Though I can’t share all the deets here (hush hush vampire stuff), basically my talents have been noticed and my Maker’s so proud of me she’s thought up a new use for them.

In the meantime, Bloodcopy.com will return to being owned and operated by yours truly. I’ll still be reporting on the latest in vampire culture, and maybe even toss in a bit of local flavor to suit my new digs. Much as I’m hesitant to admit it, part of me is curious just what’s been going on since I left town.

1-877-To-Bite-U. The only late-night sexy party phone line for those who want to speak to a real, dead, hot vampire. Call 1-877-To-Bite-U. Now. You know you want to. We’re waiting for your call…our fangs are tingling just thinking about it.

1-877-To-Bite-U / 1-877-862-4838

Here’s the latest commercial from Tru Blood, our tried-and-tru(e) sponsor.

A new public service announcement reminds you that if you are planning on sleeping with a vampire, get tested for Hepatitis D. It may not make humans sick, but it can make vampires seriously ill.

Get Tested. It’s only fair.

Beware the dangers of birch. Well, to be more exact, birch logs whittled by a man with silver muttonchop sideburns.

Guess the burns were scarier than the prospect of encountering a thirsty vampire. Totally get it.

A rogue band of Roth University students staged an anti-anti-vampire protest at a recent fund-raising banquet featuring their notoriously bigoted dean. This bastard doesn’t want to admit vampires to the university because they can’t “conform to the class schedule.”

Seriously? Switching a few classes to start after sundown is worth several millions in tuition money? Ok, Dean-o. Whatever you say.

Not sure if this stunt will bring about any real change, but we’ve got to give the protesters credit for the fake blood over the head. Tres dramatique!

TBBN’s latest “Buster of the Week” segment features a street hustler named Mickey, a woman in a questionable hat, and our pal Peter Jensen putting the kibosh on a vampire-biting scam.

While we’re happy this scheme has been exposed, what gives us the most joy while watching this clip is the fact that the lady in the questionable hat is a closeted fangbanger. All kinds. All kinds.

Vampire’s blood, or V, is a scourge on our nation’s youth. State Senator Adams lost his son to a V overdose—don’t let the same thing happen to your child.

Make vampire blood registration mandatory. Vote YES on Prop 188. Don’t let another child die.

Paid for by the Vote Yes on Proposition 188 committee.

Here we go again. Another shape-shifter has been caught on film turning from animal to human (in both cases, from dog to human). This clip is courtesy of an amateur videographer who happened to be filming the street corner containing his dream home (ahem).

A blind lady and her seeing-eye dog walk into his frame…and ouila! Another naked fat dude. But this time, he’s squatting. Not a good look.

Not sure what provoked the poor shifter to turn right there. It’s a bit curious. But whatever the reason, trust us, this videographer didn’t “computerize” anything. It’s a wonder he knew how to turn the camera on.

Here’s a disturbing feed from the deposition of a vampire accused of hiring daytime guys to, um, move some money ’round. The crack team of investigators can’t even fathom that vampires exist; where have they been living, under their kitchen floors? Oh wait, that’s the vampire.

Anyway. They should know better than to provoke a vampire trapped under a light bulb.

The P.I.s of the worlds have a new racket: catching straying husbands and wives in flagrante delicto with members of the undead community. It’s a rough job, and this leaked clip from a feature-length docu-drama featuring the world’s world-weariest cheater-hunter makes us want a shot of whiskey.

Here’s audio plus transcript of a 911 call made from an alleged vampire in a dire situation. Several news outlets are broadcasting it with a “Vampire Sex Gone Wrong?” banner atop the segment, suggesting that the frantic caller accidentally bit her lover.

It’s quite eerie to hear anyone (or thing) in such distress. But it’s important that calls like this get out there—even though they are reminder that vampires can be dangerous, they are also a reminder that we do make mistakes and are remorseful about them. The vampire who made this call is surely still struggling with the weight of her accident.

And the 911 operator, as usual, still struggles with the weight of her irritation at those who need emergency help. Maybe she should look into a job at the DMV.

We received this clip from everyone’s (everyone’s meaning humans’ and vamps’) favorite cop show. The clip features a K-9 unit cop and his loyal partner Jerry cuffing a perp (awkwardly) using, er, unusual methods.

The collar takes place in the warehouse district of an unnamed city. We think it’s NYC, but we get why the location isn’t named: a shape-shifter is involved, and they are usually sensitive about being outed. Our pal Jerry here, however, doesn’t seem to mind. He’s about as out as out can get. He just keeping coming out. And out.

We haven’t really talked much about the two-natured. They obviously exist, and obviously use their talents for good. At least the ones we’ve encountered do. It’s a shame that most of them still live a closeted existence, but the more videos like these making the rounds, the closer they edge toward their own Great Revelation. Vampires support the idea, but we imagine that the number of “out” shifters will be far less than that of vampires. It’s just too easy for them to blend in.

We love our sponsors here at Bloodcopy, and here’s the latest from our oldest and most faithful supporter, Tru Blood.

Here’s the latest installment of The Perspective with Victoria Davis, vampire culture’s news roundup program.

Again, Bloodcopy is pleased to have brought you these viral videos last week—about all things glamour-ous, from a vampire dentist’s special techniques to a man being persuaded out of a suicide attempt by a friendly vampire.

A new schlock-peddler has appeared on the infomercial scene. This one’s trying to sell you a pill that will give you vampire “powers” (read: sexual prowess) without the side-effects of crisping in sunlight or getting severe lacerations from a silver bracelet.

Something tells us the V-Longate Dude came straight from a continuing-ed improv class, not from between the legs of his hot girlfriend. But these snake-oil peddler sorts, besides being the shiftiest characters to ever ooze across the earth, have proven that they can lead some pretty intense behind-the-infomercial lives.

But this guy still doesn’t strike me as the closet fangbanger type.

Oh, the frat boys. They’re always coming up with new and exciting ways to humiliate each other to the point of guaranteeing mid-life therapy. Now, joy of joys, we vampires are getting roped into the whole scene.

Over the weekend, a reader sent in this frat-house footage of a vampire using a bit of glamour to make his brother believe that he is in love with a beer-pong table. I’m sort of obsessed with our guido narrator. And what’s his excuse? No vampire would glamour him into doing that to his hair.

If this video is to be viewed as a microcosm of youth culture, then we have some breaking news for you.

Teenage girls have found a new reason to flash their boobs in public (and on camera)—vampires. Hallelujah! It’s not just for Mardi Gras beads or baseball caps anymore!

One problem: location. These nymphettes are trying to entice vampires to appear out of nowhere at cemeteries. More breaking news: we don’t hang out in cemeteries. But if anyone wants a free show, head to one after midnight during Spring Break week and apparently it’ll be boob city.

A mystery guest from this year’s Bloodcopy launch party sent in this video of his quest to root out a vampire. And he finds one. And a couple of fangbangers, too. Which isn’t that surprising, at a vampire-friendly media party offering free shots of TruBlood.

I myself witnessed a pretty hot-and-heavy hookup behind one of the potted ferns. That always happens at media parties.

Celebrity sex tape scandal alert! I use the word “celebrity” lightly, as this one features a very, very dim star in the constellation that is Hollywood.

The video shows one Daniella, part of a short-lived reality program (she was voted out Week 1 for hiding cookies under her bunk, so don’t stress if her visage doesn’t leap to the forefront of your mind), messing around with a mystery man she calls a vampire.

Is she really succumbing to his glamour? Or playing a little game for publicity’s sake? Something tells me that Miss Daniella would do anything to keep her mug in the spotlight.

But there’s something about the guy’s annoyance level that seems, I dunno, really effing believable. So maybe it is real.

Yeah, yeah, the vampire tossing the pigskin in this human reader-submitted video has one serious arm. The fact that something like this causes such a bro-moment among the humans watching has us puzzled. We’re strong. That’s how we roll. Bro.

The theme today for videos seems to be glamour. We saw how it can be used to save human lives. Now, in this clip, we see how it can be used in place of anesthesia during a dentist visit.

Damn. Wonder what her “pleasant experience” was.

Most people think glamour (for those not familiar, it’s a form of hypnosis performed by vampires, or the act of using it) is only used to manipulate humans into doing whatever we want them to do.

True, it has helped some of us get out of traffic tickets, calm a particularly threatening human, or erase the short-term memories of innocent witnesses to a particularly bloody scene, but this clip will show you that glamour can be used for good.

Remember this the next time you think of calling one of us a bloodsucker.

This video shows what can happen when a group of humans is confronted by a recently-turned vampire.

First, you should know that the freshly-undead vampire, intoxicated with his or her new skills, is pretty much game for anything. Drunk on their own power, yadda, yadda, yadda. Second, kids are kids, vampire or not. Third, kids get drunk and drunk kids are trouble.

So, yeah, people are jumping off of roofs and surviving to entertain their friends. Ok, fine. We suppose if vampires doing parlour tricks is the new gimmick that’s fine with us. Being found entertaining is way better than being found menacing. Sometimes.

In the interest of keeping you up-to-date, we wanted give you a roundup of what’s been inspiring rooftop-smoker chit-chat here at HQ so far. Plenty of material out there. For now:

In the first one, a street musician capitalizes on current trends.

The second one gives us a peek at Zack and Jessica from the tween hit The L.E.S. as they play out their romantic troubles under the watchful eye of a carefully-lit badminton-racquet art piece.

And the last one? Our favorite.

Remember that whole gymnastics scandal at the Olympics? Yeah, we know, just barely. Us too. Anyway, a new scandal is brewing concerning the world of elite gymnasts—young girls competing at the top level of the sport are being accused of being vampires.

Upon close viewing, it does look like the athlete in question has an extra spring in her step.

Get this: A vampire is being prosecuted for a murder committed over 100 years ago. Law enforcement cobbled together some evidence etched in stone or something and formally arrested him just the other day.

Nice going. I’m sure the great-great-great-great grandchildren of the victim will finally feel some relief. (Shake of head implying this is ridiculous.)

Riddle me this: How are they going to assemble a jury of this vampire’s peers? What if he’s convicted? What are they going to do, lock him in a cell with silver bars for the rest of eternity? Vampires can’t “live out” their sentences, folks, and there are ways of getting around silver bars.

Vampires have their owns system of justice. We prosecute and punish according to our own laws. Human courts shouldn’t be able to try vampires and even if they do sentence this guy, I guarantee you he will be out in no time. He’s got friends on the outside who will see to it.

Here’s the latest installment of The Perspective with Victoria Davis—vampire culture’s round-up of viral videos and news that made headlines this week. Bloodcopy broke a few stories this week. And made a few headlines of our own…

Girls have been posting slutty videos of themselves online since the dawn of the Internet. The first webcam installed in the first sorority house probably spawned a thousand hits on the interim treasurer’s site. And we all know that Internet sluttiness has only increased since then.

To that end, this week Bloodcopy has been sent some, shall we say, interesting videos, some more, shall we say, compelling, than others. We thought we’d offer you a trio of young fangbangers showing off their prized possessions: bite marks. It is Friday, after all.

(Note: Not all vampire-lovers are fad-obsessed exhibitionists. You know, like how not all interim sorority treasurers go to Cabo for Spring Break and lift their shirts for a crappy baseball cap. But if these girls are of age, we’re all for them, uh, sharing their passion.)

Monday night as I was kicking back in the nest watching the latest all vampire reality show, happily watching Carlos be a total jerk to his nestmates.

This disturbing ad popped up, nestled between an insurance commercial and new car spot.

Apparently, a new PSA campaign featuring real-life broken-down bloodheads bemoaning their status as V addicts has begun. The ads are a course in grittiness, and (I hope) a wake-up call to all of you who think that trying just one drop of vampire blood is a harmless endeavor.

V is no joke, people. It’s our blood and it should stay in our bodies. I know, I know, we feed on your blood (or at least want to), but some things in life aren’t fair.

—Andrew

This video, of a hardworking, up-and-coming vampire comedian has given me a case of the mal humor. Let’s talk about bad moods for a second. We vampires do love a mood. In fact, I’d say a lot of us are just straight up moody.

Have you seen one around an empty case of TruBlood? Not cute.

Hecklers, though an occupational hazard, can put even the most experienced comedian in a bad mood. A particularly nasty heckler might even make a former-sitcom-star-turned stand-up, say, lash out at the audience while being recorded on some frat boy’s camera phone.

But heckling a vampire is a dangerous endeavor. Nothing puts vampire comedians in a worse mood than hecklers. We are in a delicate situation, people, and don’t take kindly to outright slurs in a public setting (or a private one, for that matter). Provoking a vampire who is just trying to do his thing, then filming his reaction, then throwing the video up on the Internet is like teasing a puppy with a cracker then eating yourself. Well, not exactly. But it’s mean.

Be kind. Or else.

—Andrew

Despite the fact that there seems to be growing acceptance of vampires in daily life (as seen in Monday’s airing of the L.E.S.) , there are those of us who are reluctant to take that step out of the coffin.  I can fully appreciate their reasons for protecting their true identities.  Although I don’t like to speak about my own personal issues here, it’s true that since coming over, I’ve witnessed some of the most bigoted human behavior that I thought possible.  The emailed death threats are only part of it.

So I have a great deal of admiration for my fellow vampires who make their existence known, but I also have deep understanding for those who do not.  And believe me, there are more vampires out there than anyone can fathom.  Many of them are even known to you as various celebrities, sports stars, CEOs, or politicians.  Along with the computer programmers, plumbers, managers, chefs, monks, and salesmen - those everyday sorts that you interact with all the time and never paid a second glance… until now.

Being a vampire, I know a lot of things that humans are not privy to.  Not all of it is strictest secret - it’s just that vampires never thought about sharing that information before.  Now that humans seem to be taking the baby steps in making our coexistence work, we’re doing our part as well.

And it’s only going to get bigger, because—ah shoot, I almost gave it away again, didn’t I?  Don’t worry, just one more day until the big reveal.

Promise.

What a terrible, sad state of affairs. It disgusts me not only to see vampires enslaving humans for their own means, but they have other humans acting as slave masters. Truly foul behavior on both parts. There are enough legitimately interested humans to fulfill the needs of the vampire population. There is no need to entrap them against their will, enslave them, treat them as chattel.

Evil isn’t just limited to vampires or humans. Evil is a choice these individuals have made. And the victims are left to live - and die - with the consequences. My only hope is that the show that aired this footage will work just as hard to assist the authorities in the apprehension of the criminals that appear in it.

So here’s a question for you, dear readers: what do you think of when you hear the word “Vampire”?  Do you think about sex and V and vampire clubs and music with pounding bass lines?  Really???  Vampires have been around for thousands of years and you think all we’re good for is putting on a good rave?

Clearly your parents haven’t taught you the evils of stereotyping.  With all that vampires have to offer you, all the effort we’re putting into this relationship, why do you keep slapping labels on us?  No, we don’t all wear capes.  No, we don’t all crave the blood of innocents.  No, we don’t all wield whips.  No, we don’t all ravish your women and oh by the way, we can see ourselves in mirrors.  We’re trying, here.  We’re reaching out to you.  You may not want to shake our hands, but at least put down the stakes when we offer them.

Not to get too big a head, but it appears that BloodCopy is getting some attention.

I’ve just gotten a copy of the latest episode of THE PERSPECTIVE, hosted by Victoria Davis, and not only is she joining the growing vampire bandwagon by sharing video tidbits featuring we of the pale skin, but she even offers a direct shout out to yours truly (okay, to the site he runs… but close enough).

For those who perhaps haven’t seen our earlier posts on a vampire busker, pissed off Goth bar owner, ATM Withdrawal gone awry, or clips from the latest episode of the L.E.S. , this show does a wonderful job of presenting and contextualizing said videos in an entertaining and tidy news segment. And for those who have seen them… let’s just say nothing’s lost in a repeat viewing, especially with added commentary by the unparalleled Ms. Davis.

Seeing this truly brings a smile to my fanged face, and only further justifies the decision made by some very smart people to bring Bloodcopy — ah, wait I almost gave it away again, didn’t I? No worries, I’ll spill that secret soon enough.

Okay, so while we don’t technically have the ability to fly, we can sure jump a hell of a long way. And we’re not really faster than the speed of light, but let’s just say that a casual jog for a vampire might look like a blur to you, dear readers. And while we’re not exactly juggling skyscrapers for fun and profit, we could definitely juggle you.

I can hear you now. “What are you trying to say, Andrew?” Ah, so direct, so to the point. So now, now, now. Fine. What I’m trying to say is that all these abilities add up to one excellent vampire pastime: sports.

Some of you are probably aware of the various professional leagues that are contemplating allowing vampires to play (but only if each team gets one of us, to keep it fair). I’m here to tell you, having seen some of the wild-ass crazy crap that vampires get up to when they’re bored, sports are about to become 100% more interesting

It’s official, vampires have arrived. On television.

Last night, the premiere episode of the L.E.S. aired, the first show to cast a vampire as a primary character. And while nothing’s official, based on preliminary viewership estimates, it won’t be the last.

Take note: nobody’s running for the pile of stakes or lurking moodily from behind a black velvet cape. The vampire isn’t staring longingly in a field of mist and a girl isn’t running through a forest, screaming for help. The show has actually dared to show vampires as they actually are, showing a real life situation many vampires face as they live openly among humans, in this case dealing with a girl’s open admission that it does make her feel differently about him. A brave and honest moment.

Still, I’d rather see him end up with Stacy.

Beware the wolf in sheep’s clothing.  Or in this case, that helpless little thing you’re stalking.  For your consideration: one young woman, one ATM withdrawal, and one really, really bad day for a robber.

Other criminals: beware.  Stealing isn’t nice, and in the wrong circumstances being impolite could just cost you your life.

Lots of you have been asking about my new life as a vampire.  Understandable, I would’ve asked the same when I was still among the breathing.  But honestly, folks, this isn’t about me.  It’s about us.  This strange new ball of rock just getting used to the idea that humans and vampires are sharing real estate.

Course, we vampires have known this all along, so really the odds are a bit stacked, but don’t worry, we’ll wait for you to catch up.  In the meanwhile, some of you have jumped at the opportunity to profit from us, while others have unfortunately learned your old ways just don’t jive with the new order.  There’ll be more bumps in the road, to be sure, but hey, isn’t that part of the fun?

Perhaps I’m just feeling optimistic today.  I’ve recently received an exciting bit of news, further proof of the progress vampires have made in becoming an accepted part of the mainstream.

But more on that later.

Here’s a profile from the TBBN network about a smart human who realizes that there’s a mutually satisfying way to get along with the vampire world. He’s a street busker, or performer, who discovered that if he learned the old tunes vampires remembered from their youth, he could support himself handsomely.

As I mentioned, many vampires have had a long time to build their coffers, and can count themselves among the well-off. Normally their money goes towards necessities and lifestyle maintenance. But in cases like these - where humans are providing a service they value- vampires can also prove themselves to be most generous tippers.

Who knows. One day years from now I might even be compelled to offer vast sums of money to a street performer who’s bothered to learn about Grunge Rock.

Everyone’s feeling an economic crunch right now. Nobody’s immune, whether they be vampire or human. In most cases, I like to believe that this has led to positive contributions: later business hours, new ranges or products and services, not to mention a number of consumers with years of stored wealth at their disposal. But here’s an interesting video from a news program exploring the other side, how vampires’ coming out of the coffin has had a detrimental effect.

While I don’t want to see humans hurt by vampires (or vice versa), in this case I can’t find myself fully sympathetic. For years, a subset of humans have become involved in the Goth community, a thriving counterculture for people who fantasized about being vampires, or at least some facsimile. In short, they were poseurs, pretenders, claiming powers and abilities that weren’t necessarily even accurate, much less theirs to boast.

So in this case it’s refreshing to see that more and more of them have abandoned those who profit from manufacturing an illusion to seek out the real thing.

While it’s unfortunate that this woman has lost her business, her hate filled rant proves that she’s forgotten any lessons she might have learned from the Goth scene about tolerance.

Great pains have been taken to try and convince humans they shouldn’t fear us.  That the invention of Tru Blood assures that no vampire will ever again target a human for his source of sustenance.  Fortunately, this is true in most cases.  But some vampires have proven more stubborn with regards to their old habits, though in fairness, plenty of humans have developed a taste for our blood, as well.

The result is, although most have no reason to believe a vampire will harm them, some continue to be afraid.  To see us as dangerous.  Yet, as so often happens, this danger also opens the door to a kind of fascination.  An interest in what vampires can do.  An interest in how our abilities make us unique members of society, and how we are attempting to fit in despite them.

It’s little surprise then, that humans are making greater efforts to film us.  Some of these are spectacle driven, depicting physical feats, some show how humans themselves have made alterations due to our existence.  As I understand it, one television program has even been created starring a vampire character.

I look forward to seeing more and more of these as time goes on.  I suppose I should say that these will help my attempts to witness the human vampire social experiment, but more because they somehow remind me of my own attempts to understand vampires through videos in my human days.

So I hope you’ll join me for this new entertainment.

P.S. You can also follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/AndrewBloodcopy.  However, as with these posts, I only write them at night and time delay their delivery, so I can’t respond to direct messages.

Vampires are not human. We can not work human hours. And while we do not engage in most human services, there are any number of others that we alone require.

For years this forced us to rely on others. To serve as mysterious unseen clients or hire human go-betweens, always hiding the true purpose for our odd requests: shipping coffins overseas, forged identification papers, homes fitted with windowless rooms hidden beneath the ground.

But this is no longer the case. Among other things, our revelation has led to vampires serving in workplaces previously reserved for humans. Lawyers who write case briefs long into the night, accountants who specialize in centuries old estates, even peace officers helping to serve and protect during the graveyard shift.

Humans are already coming to find that we constitute a marked improvement. Vampires require no sick days. We will not show up to work under the influence of any drug of liquor. We can perform tasks at speeds far greater than our human counterparts. Some might wonder if companies might one day seek entire staffs of vampire employees.

But for the time being, it is evident that more and more humans and vampires are counting each other amongst their co-workers. One can only hope this doesn’t result in a new understanding of competitive cannibalism.

Humans are not alone in this world.  They never were.

While their ancestors were exploring New Worlds, founding countries and cities, pushing the boundaries of discoveries and progress, we were there.  The history they teach their children, the stories of what came before, many vampires have seen it first hand.  Participated in countless ways in what has been, as well as what will come to be.

In many ways, this planet has always belonged to us more than them.  Our span reaching across eras, not the singular generations that make up one human’s brief life.

Of course, humans and vampires are not entirely different.  Each of us was a human once.  I, myself, was one until quite recently.  And like other humans, I was curious about vampires, wanted to know as much as I could about them.  I even thought I had made progress.  Then I met a woman who gave me the chance to see it for real.  A woman who, at my insistence, made me a vampire.  She and I have since parted ways, but I will never be the same.  I see the world quite differently.  And I have decided it is time to share that vision.

This website will be a place for all, human and vampire alike, to see this ever-altering landscape.  The era of humans and vampires.  A time when the world begins to see vampires not as mere curiosity, but a visible part of the mainstream.  Or perhaps at least less on the fringe of it than we were before.  Just as we have changed and allowed humans to see our true selves, their world is changing too.  In the end, I would like to believe this is a good thing for both parties.  But only time will tell.

This site will cover all topics, good and bad.  The ways vampires and humans learn to help each other, and the ways they seek to feast on each others blood.  While my own voice will provide one point of view, in the end it is up to you readers, live and undead, to make your own judgments.

This era is not written yet.  It is still coming to pass.  And no creature on this Earth can say with certainty what this future holds.   

Andrew’s dead.

This is the only thing that will mark his passing.  The only proof that the Andrew I used to know, the Andrew who was with me during one of the most incredible adventures of my entire life, when we learned that vampires lived among us, that he’s gone now, and he’s never coming back.

There’s a different Andrew in his place now.  One that will never see the sun, will never get scared of growing old, one that will know better than I ever could how the revelation that vampires live among us will play out.

He’ll be seeing it as one of them.

Our meeting was very cordial.  He thanked me for coming, even apologized for the unintended mystery surrounding his note.  He simply intended for me to show up and ask that I hand Bloodcopy over to his keeping from now on.

He never directly told me not to try contacting him again.  He didn’t have to.  His old life is done now.   And I’m a part of it.

Those of you following will probably notice some big changes to Bloodcopy starting next week.  I’m interested in seeing them, too.  Like you, I’m just another reader now.
- Roger

I tried asking some people who worked nearby if they saw who did it. They said no, but one guy was lying, I think. He looked kinda nervous, kept shifting his eyes, then said he had to get back to work. There was nobody else in his store.

Guess it doesn’t matter now anyway. It’s only 20 minutes until my meeting.

I found the spot. It’s a bar, though you wouldn’t really notice by the outside. There’s no sign or anything.

I went inside early to look around. It was too crowded, so I left. That… and that some of the people inside…they’re just not what I’m used to. Nobody was talking, they just stared out.  I think some of them might have been on d- Well, it’s not really nice to say bad things about people. Especially ones you don’t know.

I’ve gone through it in my head dozens of times. I’ve come up with three possibilities. One, Andrew met a girl. This is all some whirlwind romance and he’s asked me here to meet her and tell me all the fun things they’ve been doing. The places they’ve been. Two, he got some lead on a new kind of creature? He decided to chase it down… and just didn’t bother telling anybody what was happening for the last several months.

Neither of which makes any sense at all when you think about it. Andrew could have written me himself about them (or even emailed me). He wouldn’t send a weird note.

Which leaves only one option that fits. Something’s happened to him. Something bad. He’s in trouble, and I have to figure out a way to get him out of it.

Huh. Remember that guy I mentioned from the art exhibit? The one I thought looked like Andrew? I swear that same guy just went into the bar.

Midnight now. I guess I better head in.

The museum I went to last night had just opened up a new exhibit.  Vampire art.  Or, more appropriately, art from vampires.  Seems there’s a pretty big community in the city.  I think most of the people coming to see it weren’t vampires.  It seemed like they were more interested in the idea of vampires creating art than the art itself. 

I wonder if that will change.  If some new creature will spring up and everyone will start paying attention to it instead.  Vampires will slowly fade into the background and one day seem almost like anybody else.

I’ve spent most of today wandering around New York City.  I tell myself I’m looking for clues, but really I think I’m just trying to keep my mind off the answers.

At one point I thought I’d run into Andrew by pure chance.  I saw somebody who looked like him, at least from a distance.  I took this picture of him, I was so sure.

Looking at it now, I don’t he actually looks like Andrew at all.   Do you?

I hung these up all around town. I also handed them out, asking people if they’d seen Andrew (or whatever his name is now). Nobody knew anything, except for one guy who claimed $50 might help him remember. I may be from out of town, but I’m not stupid.

I’ve been at the library for the past few hours. About the only place I’ve found so far that offers free Internet. I’ve spent hours online looking for any news articles published about Andrew over the past few months. I also tried visiting the registry to see if he legally had his name changed. Both have come up empty.

I’ve decided to take a break and see if my posters lead anywhere. It’s not that I’m lazy I just need something to give my mind a rest. I can’t help but feel this isn’t going to end with a happy reunion. Andrew isn’t going to simply show up with a good explanation on why he’s been gone, or tell me about some great adventure he’s been having. I feel like it’s going to end badly.

I need to stop thinking. I’m going to an art museum. I heard they stay open later now to allow vampires to attend the galleries.

This note is the first time I’ve heard anything about Andrew in nearly a year.

We were supposed to continue our search for mysterious creatures in the world. We even had the date planned, the first places we would start looking, maps and guides to lead our way. A week after our last post on Bloodcopy, Andrew disappeared. No word. No warning. I was worried. Filed a police report. Called everyone I could think to call. Nothing.

I’d just about given up hope, when I got this note. The address listed on it is in New York City. Is this where Andrew’s been this whole time? Waiting for me to find him? Guess he got tired of waiting. That is, if he even knew this was sent to me. If it isn’t someone else who wrote this to get me to come to him for some reason I have yet to discover.

None of this makes any sense. But I suppose it will soon enough.

I bought a bus ticket. It leaves late tonight. The meeting isn’t until the end of the week, but I’m going to try to learn as much as I can. For all I know, I could be walking into some kind of ‐‐‐

Am I really doing this? I don’t know anything about New York. I don’t know where I’m gonna stay. I don’t even know what’s at the address where I’m supposed to go. But I have to go through with it. I know Andrew would do the same for me.

If anybody out there has any info at all ‐ knows anything about Andrew Kasday from Bon Temps, please share it with me here.

‐ Roger

But that’s exactly what did happen and I almost can’t believe it myself. It all started with those strange markings that began to show up around the world, Roger and I immediately jumped in and began Bloodcopy.com as a place to gather and sort all the rumors. And before we could blink an eye we had helped to uncover a secret that humanity never really wanted to know: That vampires walk among us.

Roger and I are proud to have been a part of that but we couldn’t have done it without your help. You folks picked up the baton and ran with it becoming our investigative reporters and spies and helping to uncover all the amazing and frightening details of this life-changing event.

When this all began vampires were just the stuff of legends. But now they have introduced themselves to the world, fought for the same rights as all of you and are “living” among us. It’s crazy to think that you can buy synthetic blood at the local store (not sure why you would want to) and then turn on the tv and see vampires on the nightly news standing next to famous politicians. This story is gonna keep going but I feel like my part and Rogers part has run its course. The more we talk about it the more we are realizing that there must be other mysteries (and other creatures) out there and we want to be the first to find them!

As you know we have already turned over our forums to the HBO site for safekeeping and beginning next week all of BloodCopy will go to HBO’s site. Those guys seem really in tune with all the strangeness that is happening here in Bon Temps so we feel confident they’ll take care of you guys and keep you up to date.

I would just like to say thank you to all of you who have joined us on this amazing journey. Keep an eye out for us on the road as we look for the next world-altering event to cover.

Andrew & Roger

Previous versions can always be found on the About page.

I would have thought that actually meeting a vampire wouldn’t be such a big deal after following the saga from the very beginning but I was dead wrong. I was stumbling all over myself and wondering why the heck I thought this was such a great idea. Anyway here he is . . . Bon Temps very first vampire, Bill Compton.

Anyway, here’s Tara Thornton and Maxine Fortenberry on vampires in Bon Temps:

Guess they’ll be moving into their Armageddon Fortress sooner than planned.

Thanks for sending this Johnny but be careful out there! I don’t think the Fellowship of the Sun will find this amusing or appropriate for kids. Not to mention how mad they are gonna be when they get that catchy tune stuck in their heads.

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We also found some post-rally reactions from various humans and vampires, including someone we haven’t heard from in quite some time - Lamar, the vampire king of California! Glad to see he’s doing okay.

And even sadder, Reverend Ted Newlin of the Fellowship of the Sun seems to think that killing a vampire doesn’t count because a vampire’s already dead.

The AVL has enlisted the cooperation of Senator Bradford, as well as a few other Congressmen, to promote the upcoming rally. It goes without saying that all four Congressmen have now thrown their support behind the Vampire Rights Amendment. Here’s what Senator Bradford had to say about the rally:

AVL spokesvampire Nan Flanagan sees the rally as a golden opportunity for both humans and vampires to show that they want to live together peacefully and equally:

So, readers, what do you think? Will the rally be peaceful? Will it be effective in sending the message that enough violence is enough?

While we are saddened by what occurred in California, we’re also frustrated that the FOTS would be so quick to use this tragedy for its own political agenda. These are lives we’re talking about here, and the FOTS is treating them like pawns in a chess game. We’d like to extend our condolences to the families of those lost. We at BloodCopy.com sincerely hope for peace between humans and vampires and that someone will find the higher road and take it soon.

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We were sent this from an anonymous source who merely included the subject line “$2500/ounce: enough $$ to buy our souls back?”

It appears that some humans have been capturing vampires - perhaps with silver somehow - and draining their blood to sell for profit. Ted Newlin warned about vampire blood being the new heroin a little while back. Now we know what the street price is. Disgusting.

We were intrigued enough to send a query to the American Vampire League and received a terse “No comment” from spokesvampire Nan Flanagan. Probably a smart policy on their part.

A few weeks ago we posted this vampire “primer” with various strengths and weaknesses that vampires had, according to books and movies. Does anyone else know of any more that have been confirmed since the Great Revelation?

The quick reaction by the AVL sort of makes me wonder, though, if there might be something to what Newlin was saying.

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Ted Newlin says this is just the beginning of an advertising blitz coming from the FOTS, presumably to gain more votes against the Vampire Rights Amendment. American Vampire League members, as well as some members of the press, are decrying the FOTS’s “scare tactics,” saying that using children is a “cheap and trite: technique. Others are praising the ads’ “gutpunch” impact.

What do you think, readers? Is it an effective advertisement?

Here’s Reverend Newlin discussing the ad campaign:

The Fellowship of the Sun may or may not be behind it; they refuse to say one way or another. Honestly, either way wouldn’t surprise me. Intolerance doesn’t always have a name or a club to join.

In the pursuit of understanding between human and vampire, I have devoted all of my spare waking hours to completing a preliminary analysis of the four proprietary formulas in the “TruBlood” product line. Using the resources available to me through my laboratory position, I feel I am getting close to understanding the biological needs of the Vampire. I am apprehensive about the possibility that my investigations will be misinterpreted by individuals or institutions as being of ill intent. I want to assure everyone that my research is intended for the betterment of all. I regret that I must take steps to protect my employment status and personal well being by posting this information anonymously via open forum, and so will be unable to communicate directly fellow researchers. In looking for alternatives to academic publication, I quickly realized that Bloodcopy could be a more direct route to the intended audience of this material. It is my hope that this summary will spark discussion, or at least that the diverse readership of Bloodcopy will find this topic of immediate relevance. Thank you for your audience…

Click here for PDF -> Tru Blood research article

Andrew,

Some friends and I went to the Fangtasia party over the weekend. I never leave the house without my sketch pad. I mean, as an artist, you never know when inspiration is going to hit. And it hit in spades at Fangtasia in the form of the bar owner, Eric. He was cool and mysterious. He kept a subtle distance from people and seemed to regard them as a King would his subjects. And I was surprised when he strolled across the room, leaned casually against the bar and stared me down. Once I recovered from nearly swallowing my tongue, I quickly set aside the sketch I had been working on and accepted his obvious invitation. He held perfectly still for the next several minutes as I laid in his features and some rough shading. When I glanced up again, he gave me a small nod and disappeared. I rushed home and stayed up all night working…I was somehow compelled to finish immediately. Here is the finished product. I hope you like it.

Sincerely, Michelle

Previous versions can always be found on the About page.

R.I.P., Anni.

Here’s some footage from the news of Ted Newlin as well as a rally observer:

Nothing really damning there - could have been anything from stakes to pamphlets. But after the van pulled out, she snuck into the warehouse and found a little more:

Could it be that the Fellowship of the Sun has been smuggling… blood? That drug smuggler we posted about the other day - is blood his new, more profitable line of drugs? Does this somehow tie in with what the fangophile on In Focus said about trying a vampire’s blood?

And here’s the kicker - you remember those FOTS members found murdered on the opening night of Fangtasia? Our correspondent said that she saw them hanging around that warehouse frequently, and the last time they were there, the day before they died, they were arguing violently with the warehouse owner. Looks like they were victims of some sort of drug war, not vampires.

Persephone on the BloodCopy forums connected these dots a couple of days ago. She sure seems to be right.

I can guess which party will have a better soundtrack (and more “mysterious refreshments”), can’t you?

Andrew and Roger,

I went to a Fellowship of the Sun gathering last night because I was interested in their message and agree with them to some extent that this vampire thing is a little scary. However I think the FOTS’s methods are scarier. They kicked me out when they found my camera so I don’t know what happened to the vampire they were fixing to burn.

Forget the FOTS. I’m sending in a donation to the AVL today.

Rev. Newlin is seen in the video below clarifying his position on vampires:

However, what seems a bit disturbing is that one of the head honchos of the Shreveport arm of the FOTS seems to have quite a police record. Below is a copy of an arrest report for an assault violation, but rumor has it that this guy is a big-time drug smuggler who has recently found a new, more profitable line of drugs to deal in. If the FOTS wants to keep any credibility, hanging around with guys like this is not the way to do it.

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BloodCopy.com: First of all, I’ve got to ask you why you prefer the term “Fangbanger” instead of “Fangophile.”
Indigo: Ah, mainly because of your blog post that mentioned taking the term and making it our own. Do kids want to keep using the same mean name if the scapegoat accepts it willingly? Of course not.

Fair enough. So where were you when the Great Revelation happened?
A group of friends and I were at a private retreat in the woods and completely missed the news during the weekend. It wasn’t until I arrived to work Monday night that I found out what had happened. I work night shift for a support line.

And what did you think?
“It’s about time!” I had known in my heart for years that vampires were out there. I had been studying their ways since I was old enough to read. I couldn’t wait to take the next step and actually meet a vampire in person.

And have you met any vampires?
Oh yes. Many.

Have you ever been bitten?
Yes I have, but I won’t belittle the experience by talking about it. It’s far too sacred.

What’s the attraction?
When you look into a vampire’s eyes, you’re seeing the accumulated knowledge and wisdom and insight of decades or even centuries staring back at you. Those awkward teenage years that seem to hold so many of us back for years are nothing more than a faded memory for a vampire. Vampires have more poise and self-confidence than any of us could ever dream of having, simply because they’ve had eons to learn what they’re doing right. And when a vampire gazes at you, they can see forever into your soul - and vice versa. It’s not for the weak. It’s magic.

Okay, thanks, Indigo for the interview, and we wish you well in your pursuit of happiness among the vampires.

Given our interview with Fangtasia owner Eric last night, we have to wonder who originally attacked whom on Wednesday night. Of course it’s a tragedy when people end up dead and we send our condolences to the mourning families, but that old saying, “Don’t go looking for trouble or it might find you,” comes to mind.

Eric has asked (well, commanded, really) that his contact information not be shared with the public other than the fact that he’s at Fangtasia in the evenings. For those of you hoping to contact him personally, you’re just gonna have to head to Shreveport and do it face to face.

BloodCopy.com: Thanks for answering our questions, Mr. Northman. I guess the first thing our readership will want to know is if Fangtasia had anything to do with the murdered FOTS members on Wednesday.
Eric Northman: Please, call me Eric. We’re all friends here.

Speaking as Fangtasia’s owner, I can assure you that such an action would never be sanctioned. Our club is out in the open to vampire and human alike. It would be rather silly of us to start breaking laws on opening night.

Did you see any protestors out that night?
I would have had to be blind not to see them. The “protestors” resorted to charming methods of expressing themselves like screaming at my patrons, throwing rotten food at anyone walking in, and brandishing stakes at anyone who looked remotely like a vampire.

Of course we regret that their murder is tied to the opening of Fangtasia in the press, but quite honestly those who play with fire often get burned.

Do you have any idea who committed the murders?
None at all. If I did, I would have turned that information over the police, wouldn’t I?

Andrew, we are trying to create a safe atmosphere for vampires and humans here. I will do what I must to keep it that way. If I find people breaking rules, human or vampire, on my premises, they will be dealt with.

Do you have anything to say to BloodCopy.com readers who might be considering a visit to your bar?
Do not let the unfortunate incident of Wednesday keep you from visiting Fangtasia.

We would love to have you.

I’m not sure if I feel more or less comforted after that brief exchange, but it does appear that Fangtasia and its owners are trying to keep their business above board. We wish them luck with it.

I don’t know about you, but I have to wonder if maybe they ticked off the wrong vampire. Could they have gotten in the face of one of the vampire patrons celebrating the grand opening of Fangtasia? Could they even have been hit by the owners of the bar itself? That Pam seems calm but very intense. And Eric? Nobody really knows about him, or if they do, they sure don’t want to talk about him.

This incident is concerning on many levels and Roger and I hope that we don’t see a return to the violence and mistrust that so plagued the world right after the Great Revelation. Things have been in an uneasy truce since then, but this report of murder is not very good news. Not at all.

Hey Roger & Andrew - I’m just now getting home from the Fangtasia opening party where I’ve been partying with human and vampire alike since they opened at 10 last night. I’m feeling pretty enchanted by it all still. The place was packed full of people. Oh and most of the vampires there were just ethereally beautiful. I got to meet Pam, who you talked about before on your blog, and also the other owner Eric. He’s just amazing and awe-inspiring and beautiful and totally unobtainable. I was far too tongue-tied to try to make conversation with him but I sat and admired him from afar all night long. He sat in his chair like a mysterious deity and his eyes fairly dared anyone to approach him. The air around him almost seemed to crackle with electricity. Well, I know he sure made my hair stand on end, at least! Anyway, keep up the good work and here’s a pic of Eric I snapped with my cell. That’s as close as I dared to get and as far away as I could stand to be from him. Man, I think I need a nap. Later! Sandra

Wow, Sandra - sounds like Eric made quite an impression on you! Glad you had a fun time and thanks for the update.

T.J. has some more information on his blog. Thanks a bunch for the submission!

To put it shortly, they don’t approve of Fangtasia. They also don’t approve of vampires, bars, the AVL, Tru Blood, the VRA, or my hairstyle. They invited both Roger and me to take a long walk off a short pier, among other things, which I won’t repeat publicly.

More disturbingly, they’re making some vague threats against Fangtasia itself, as well as its owners. As we reported earlier, one of the owners is Pam. A couple of the anonymous FOTS emails name the other owner as “Eric.” I’m sure Pam and Eric are big grownup vampires and can look after themselves, but I just want to remind them to stay alert because they are not making any friends in the FOTS right now.

I gotta say my favorite is the guy who wants to season Bigfoot with mustard and gravy and barbecue him.

Really though, this video shows that, despite the Great Revelation, not all folks around here are really that keen about living among other types of creatures. I wonder how many FOTS members there are here in town.

Sandra reported finding this flyer over the weekend when she was out at a club. She said some of her friends also received them at other bars by very vampiric-looking flyer-passer-outers. Looks like the grand opening of Shreveport’s (and maybe all of the state’s) first vampire-friendly bar will be this Wednesday, July 30. After dark, of course.

Blake and Jimmy wrote in that they heard about the place from one of their friends who also got the flyer and they headed over to see what Fangtasia looked like in person. They couldn’t get in because there was a private party that night, but they did manage to grab a picture.

Also, they got up the courage to talk to the bouncer (big and definitely fanged) and asked them a little bit about the background on the bar because they knew we’d be dying with curiosity. I tell you folks, our reader-investigators are the cream of the crop. Anyway, they heard that one of the owner’s names is Pam, but the bouncer either didn’t know or wouldn’t say who the other owner is.

Now, didn’t we just see a vampire named Pam, in Louisiana, who was saying that she was happy to be able to spend her evenings openly among friends? My money’s on that being the same Pam who just helped to open Fangtasia.

Tru Blood Spill Closes Highway

SUGAR LAND, Texas — A big rig hauling a load of synthetic blood overturned on the Highway 59 feeder in Sugar Land Thursday afternoon. Police believe it will take up to four hours to clean the bloody mess off the roadway.

Meanwhile, the southbound feeder of Highway 59 and Highway 6 eastbound have been closed since 4:30 p.m.

Sugar Land police said the tanker truck was attempting to make a turn from the southbound feeder of US 59 onto State Highway 6 when the truck hit a curb and jack-knifed. The truck was carrying about 8,000 gallons of the synthetic Japanese blood known as Tru Blood, much of it spilled onto State Highway 6.

The driver of the truck was taken to Sugar Land Methodist Hospital and was being treated for minor head injuries.

I heard about this on the news a few days ago but hadn’t been able to find the story online until now. Thanks, Endlessdeep and trueblood_tv!

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Well, I’m not so sure about that. It sounds like the voice of panic and/or paranoia to me. But, you know the old saying, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.” What if the FOTS is right and there are other types of beings roaming the Earth? Are they all as reasonable as the vampires seem to be? Could your kindly next door neighbor lady really be a night hag in disguise?

You gotta admit, it bears pondering. Which brings me to these pictures. My friend Jimmy went camping down by the swamplands last weekend and took these.

In the one of the swamp, he and his camping buddies swear they see eyes or faces everywhere - in the water, the trees, even the bits of sky that poke through. Anyone else see them? Apparently I’m immune to ghostly picture-eyes. (Click it for full-size.)

The second pic of the markings carved into a tree is considerably spookier. Most kids who go out and carve stuff do things like initials and hearts. Who would carve something as weird as this, and what the heck does it mean? Maybe a way for some supernatural beings to communicate? Or then again, maybe just some goth kid carving stuff they think looks cool. My vote’s on the latter, but thought I’d throw it out there for y’all to see.

So if you’re reading this post and you like music, how’s about heading on over to BloodCopy.com’s Last.fm group and joining it? You guys fill up the music list and show people what sort of tunes our readership likes. Roger and I are really interested to see what you come up with.

Ready? Set? Go!

So for the last couple of days I’ve been asking around to the people I see in town about whether they have ever noticed something strange about anyone living in Bon Temps. More than a couple of times, the name “Sookie Stackhouse” came up. I know of Sookie - it’s hard not to know someone in a town this size - but I have just seen her in passing and never really talked to her.

I don’t think she’s a vampire or anything, though. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen her at the store in the daytime. As far as I know, she’s just a cute girl who works at Merlottes.

Who knows? Probably it’s just idle small-town gossip.

We just want to say that the strengths and weaknesses of vampires are really unknown right now. Sure, there’s speculation based on literature and movies, but (perhaps understandably) the vampires aren’t being very forthcoming on what they can and can’t do. So much the better to keep them safe from the likes of the Fellowship of the Sun.

The interviewer asks a good question - just how does one become a vampire? And what’s the deal with trying a vampire’s blood?

Who knows where these terms originate, but sheesh, I think it’s crass. It has echoes of other, similarly-divisive words used to show disapproval of those who are different. Disapproval of those who fraternize with the different ones. Words that drive a wedge between people. I bet the Fellowship of the Sun loves to say “fangbanger.”

Maybe there will be a drive by the pro-vampire crowd to take the word and make it their own. Rob it of the power of negative connotation.

I asked Bon Temps Sheriff Bud Dearborne about the graffiti. He’s a good guy, and happily didn’t bring up any of my own youthful indiscretions. I wonder, though, if he’s in a little bit of denial about the local anti-vampire sentiment.

The Fellowship of the Sun wants to “preserve the strength and purity of the human race by preventing vampires from gaining a foothold in our businesses, government and communities.” In other words, they’re deeply anti-vampire. They’re leading the push against the Vampire Rights Amendment, which would (much like its name suggests) grant equal rights to vampire and human alike.

The American Vampire League wants to “eradicate the fear and hatred of vampires that is caused by both widespread misinformation and an entire race’s punishment for the crimes of a few.” Their head, Nan Flanagan, can be seen here talking about the AVL.

Where do you stand?

Hello Andrew and Roger,

I’m a part-time librarian and a part-time local historian in my little neck of the woods. After the Great Revelation, I became intensely curious to know if any vampires lived near me, and what stories they could tell about olden times. I left a little notice on the bulletin board outside the only store in a 20 mile radius that sells Tru Blood asking for any vampires nearby to contact me. I heard back from one lady who has been here for more than 200 years! Perhaps some day I can weave her stories into that book I always planned to write.

She gave me a copy of her portrait, taken in the 1900s. Although her clothing style has changed, her eyes are just as intense now as they were then.

Thanks, Betty - we took a couple of liberties with your message so as not to pinpoint what area you live in. Seems only prudent with the Fellowship of the Sun about.

Issity was the thousandth member to join our blood sucking family here at BloodCopy!

Roger and I want to thank you most sincerely for building such a strong and passionate community over on the forum and we love reading all your informative, sharp, and sometimes silly posts.

For those of you not signed up yet, we’d love to hear your thoughts on vampires, the Great Revelation, and life in general. Come pay us a visit!

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Wanda: My name is Wanda and I’m unemployed. I used to work at the factory one town over, but it shut down a couple of years ago and I haven’t found work since.

BloodCopy.com: How did you feel when you heard about vampires living among us?

Wanda: I was terrified. I was just disgusted that them monsters are thumbing their noses at us like that.

BloodCopy.com: Thumbing their noses?

Wanda: Yeah, they’re just wagging their butts and saying, “We been killing you for thousands of years but now you can’t do anything to us because we’re making new laws just for us!”

BloodCopy.com: So that’s why you joined the Fellowship of the Sun?

Wanda: Yeah buddy. We can’t let these evil creatures live with us. You know what my neighborhood did last year when some meth dealers from outta state moved in? We went and shot target practice in our back yards every night and walked our dogs with our shotguns in our hands. We were firm, but fair.

That’s what we’re gonna do with the vampires. We’re gonna let them know that we don’t want them in our neighborhoods dealing death, same way we let them dopers know. Police got enough work to do. We like to think of us as a neighborhood patrol.

BloodCopy.com: Have you ever met a vampire?

Wanda: Hell, no, and I don’t plan on it. All I need to know about vampires is what the Fellowship taught me: they are bloodthirsty murdering freaks who may say they’ll drink this Try Blood junk, but they’re gonna kill our cats. And then our dogs. And then our children and brothers and parents and stop only when they run out of food. And we’re the food!

BloodCopy.com: How many people do you know who have been killed by vampires?

Wanda: I couldn’t say for sure because I think the doctors were in on it, but my mama supposedly had a stroke 20 years ago and she was the picture of health. She had smoked for 30 years and never got a speck of cancer, nothing, then boom, one day a stroke just kills her? That wasn’t no stroke. Some damn vampire did her in. This is why we got to keep them away from us normal people. They kill, Andrew! They wanna kill me and they wanna kill you!

BloodCopy.com: Okay, Wanda, thank you for your time.

Oh, wow! I thought I was the only one with the crazy vampire-obsessed family member, but I guess that’s not the case. For me, it was my great-uncle Norman, who lived in the same neighborhood from the 1930s until the 1970s when he died. There was one of his neighbors that he swore never got older, and Norman snapped this shot through the window one evening sometime in the Fifties to prove it. He used to show me that picture when I was a kid and freak me out with vampire stories. Now, I know the face is a little fuzzy, but after Uncle Norman died and we were over at his apartment late packing up his things, I swear I saw the very same guy walk down the street outside. It was 20 years after Norman took that picture and the guy hadn’t aged a bit. And here I am, 30 years after that, wondering if the vampire still lives in that old neighborhood but not quite brave enough to go see. So Mr. Vampire, if you’re out there and reading this, I’ve never forgotten you!

You know, the Great Revelation was one thing that really made us all sit up and think about vampires, but I know personally I hadn’t really paid them any mind before. It’s amazing to think that people had been studying real-”live” vampires for so long.

Looks like legalized discrimination and lawsuits are about the best things the vampires can look forward to these days. Newlin and his Fellowship of the Sun are really doing their best to stir up anti-vampire sentiment. Hate crimes against vampires are spiraling out of control, and law enforcement can’t seem to be bothered to investigate.

These vampires have been living among us for hundreds of years and paid taxes, served their country, and been your neighbors without you ever knowing, Ted. Why start all this trouble when they’ve said over and over that all they want to do is exist in peace?

I don’t want you guys to think I’m nuts or anything, but my family’s always been a little on the strange side. My aunt Lori, especially. She’s been obsessed with vampires ever since I could remember. Back in the 80s she used to follow this one woman around at night convinced she was a vampire. Oddly enough, she was right! I just recently saw this lady in a newscast about the Great Revelation. Now we’ll never hear the end of it from Aunt Lori… oh well! Thanks for the site and keep up the good work.

Truth is stranger than fiction, eh, Julie? Thanks for writing in.

Hey guys, Sandra here. I’ve always been drawn to the vampire mythos, finding the whole concept totally fascinating. You know how they say if you lose one sense, your other four senses become keener to make up for the loss? I wondered what would happen if you lose your sense of being alive. How much more you would feel the nighttime dew on your skin if you didn’t perspire? Or hear the cry of the whippoorwill if you didn’t breathe?

Anyway, I’m getting a little off-track. Many of my friends share my interests, so when the Great Revelation happened, we were really excited and hoping that we could meet and talk to some of the vampires. Last night one of my cohorts said he met a vampire named Pam in Baton Rouge at a club! He seemed a little dazzled by her and couldn’t really say much other than she was beautiful. I’m going to head over there some night this week and see if I can find her. I’ll keep you posted!

Okay Sandra, good luck and keep on your toes.

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Reverend Ted Newlin of the FOTS says that vampires are dangerous and feral. Nan Flanagan of the AVL wonders who the real monsters are. This weekend’s violence looks to me like one of the early salvos in a bitter and long-running war.

And that reminds me - there’s lots of great conversation and community going on in the BloodCopy.com forums, so check them out if you get a chance and come join the conversation.

One of the new players in the vampire political lobbying organizations is the fledgling American Vampire League, or AVL. It’s recently been formed by American vampires who are working towards establishing their legal rights. Here, their spokesvampire Nan Flanagan gives a little more information about the AVL’s goals.

As you can imagine, any time a potentially disenfranchised group is brought to the attention of the American media, the politicians are all over it. Pro and con. Sometimes I think those guys couldn’t agree that water is wet.

Lawmakers in some states have been proposing that the legal definition of marriage be expanded upon to exclude vampire/human unions by adding the word “living” in there. Some want to round all the vampires up and try them for their crimes over the centuries. Others want to grant the vampires amnesty. And on and on.

The fact is, right now the vampires are terribly vulnerable. Not only have they just announced their presence to a fearful world, but they based this announcement on the availability of Tru Blood, which is a product held in monopoly by one group in Japan. If the Yakomono Corporation were to pull a power play and remove Tru Blood from the market, or charge an exorbitant amount for it, or something happened to the company itself, it would leave a lot of vampires in the lurch.

So the vampires are fighting this battle on several fronts: first, depending on Tru Blood and the Yakonomo Corporation; second, facing fear and disgust from the general population; and third, facing potentially legally-sanctioned discrimination by lawmakers who capitalize on the fears of their constituency.

On the other hand, we’ve got lawmakers like Senator Bradford who think their bread is buttered on the side of the vampires and have embraced them with open arms. In this snippet of one of his speeches, he appears to be pledging to work for vampire rights. Whether he’s just planning on just shooting down the anti-vampire legislation or actually introducing pro-vampire bills still remains to be seen.

A couple of newspaper clippings from Illinois and Massachusetts report some apparent vampire deaths. What’s really interesting is that the Boston article interviewed some of the dead vampire’s neighbors, who had no idea he was a vampire. Wasn’t that what the Great Revelation was all about? Vampires announcing themselves?

Lamar, the vampire king of California, left an interesting post on the forum last night saying that the Great Revelation is not voluntary. Another anonymous tipster sent us a message saying that those vampires who aren’t announcing their presence are being “dealt with.” The people under suspicion in the Boston killing certainly sound like they could be vampires: black clothes, dark tinted windows in the car, and so on.

A vampire hit squad?

A while back, Viktor talked about his “business,” and Neiko said they had “industrial contacts.” But how did they manage to make these contacts, gain so much power, and yet remain undiscovered as vampires for so long?

A picture and a comment from one of our readers allowed me a sort of an epiphany. The vampires had to have human conspirators to keep from being outed. People who can do their daytime business for them. Their daytime banking. Like this guy. Our reader has good reason to believe that the man in this picture is actually a banker who works on behalf of the vampires.

How many more humans work for the vampires, and do they really have the best interests of the rest of us at heart?

American commercial

French commercial

Here is episode 5 of the Blood Copy Report, dated July 6, 2008:

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This is news coverage from the Great Revelation, during the period of temporary insanity between the time the vampires made their announcement and the world (mostly) came to grips with it.

Ever since it looked like there was going to be a vampire meeting in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago, we’ve been asking folks around Bon Temps how they felt about the vampire situation in general. Here’s what a few of them had to say about it.

First of all, forum poster tmcDesignHaus says she’s seen a whole bunch of Tru Blood ads in New York City lately -

This store apparently carries Tru Blood, but they were sold out already:

She’s got a bunch of excellent pics here on her blog. Thanks so much for letting us know!

Also, BloodCopy.com reader Leon Bolivar was at brunch this weekend, ordered a Bloody Mary, and got a little more than he expected: it came in a Tru Blood glass.

Last, but not least, Yvonne writes that she saw this ad in New York City:

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly this Tru Blood campaign went up. Thanks to everyone for sharing your pictures.