These questions have been paraphrased from the originals. Answers provided by Anthony Hogg, founder/president of the Vampire Studies Association (VSA). If your question isn’t answered here, contact us.
How do I join the VSA?
Membership is open to all who agree to our rules and purpose. View our membership page more info.
Where can I purchase the Journal of Vampire Studies?
The journal is available through many online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Booktopia. Copies can be purchased directly through me via email, but this is a less reliable means of transmission than established retailers because the print on demand system we use does not offer item tracking. If you’re prepared to take that risk, email me here. Choose Publications from the Subject field.
Can I subscribe to the Journal of Vampire Studies?
Not yet, but I am hoping to work out a financially viable model for readers. In the meantime, the journal is stocked by various online retailers. Watch for notifications of upcoming issues through this website and our social media accounts. Our latest issue is also available online for free.
How do I submit an article to the Journal of Vampire Studies?
Read the guidelines in “Notes for Contributors,” Journal of Vampire Studies 3 (2023): 157–60, https://archive.org/details/journal_of_vampire_studies_3_2023.
Can you make me a vampire?
No. I don’t have that capability. Neither do our committee members.
Are vampires real?
In the spirit of free inquiry, the VSA does not have a corporate view on this question. To provide context, the question is usually asked in regard to the supernatural, undead variety; the kind that can “turn” other people into vampires. Personally speaking, I’m not aware of any evidence establishing the existence of such beings. Indeed, Paul Barber convincingly frames vampire belief system stemming from misunderstandings of the decomposition process in Vampires, Burial, and Death: Folklore and Reality (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1988).
There are, however, living human beings who identify as vampires (and many have a spiritual/supernatural component to their vampire identity). For more info on the latter, read Joseph Laycock’s Vampires Today: The Truth about Modern Vampirism (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2009).
It should be noted that the desire by many people to become a vampire is exploited by scammers who sometimes request money or exploitative material in exchange for “turning.” Avoid.