The Savannah College of Art and Design, otherwise known as SCAD, is my alma mater, a fact I am proud of. I graduated there with a BA in Illustration with a minor in Art History. I had originally wanted to be a children’s book illustrator, but as you can see, I ended up taking a different path. Thanks to Google Alerts I discovered that there is a full page dedicated to me in SCAD’s Alumni Association’s Blog. Please drop by for a quick visit and leave a comment in the box.

Righting a Wrong

July 7, 2010 | 4 Comments

I was at Amazon the other day looking up my newest book, “Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology” to see what the pub date is (July 15, 2010 btw) and I noticed that I had reviews up for my last book, “Haunted Historic Greensboro.” Eager to see what they were, I clicked on the links and zipped on over. Read more

Since it’s in public domain, I see no reason why not to post this short story here for everyone’s reading enjoyment. Originally published in a London periodical called New Monthly Magazine in 1819 it was conceived by Polidori while he and Lord Byron were on holiday at Lake Geneva.

Lord Ruthven, the vampire of the story, was the first dapper and rich vampire, more along the line of what we associate with vampire today-suave lady-killers, literally.

I am not sure how true it may be, but I have been told by several people that the correct pronunciation of Ruthven’s name is “Riv-in” and not “Ruth-in,” much in the same way that the British pronounce the surname “Saint John” as “Sin-jin.” If anyone knows the truth of this, I am eager to know no matter how it is properly said. Read more

A little while back I received a series of questions through my contact link that I felt was well worth sharing from a fan, “Barb.” Some of her questions were very intriguing and a few of them I have never been asked before, which is a shocker for me, as I have been asked a lot of questions over the years. So, with her kind permission, I am sharing my answers to her questions here as opposed to a private reply, which is my norm. I hope you enjoy! Read more

Scorpion Equinox, an on-line radio show hosted by Dawn O’Creene and Jennifer Geronimo has invited me to appear on their show June 16, 2010, 5:30 EST. Their show chooses guest that that inspire and educate listeners on topics that are not necessarily main stream enabling their listeners to feel vitalized, inspired, and enlightened with the knowledge they share. Read more

After something of a lively debate in the comments section of my blog, “The reality of VAMPIRES” I thought maybe it would be a good idea to reach out and ask the question to everyone.

“What do you think a vampire is?” Read more

I just received even more good news from my publisher, McFarland.

My upcoming book, “Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology” was in an ad that appeared in School Library Journal, page 157, Vol. 56, No. 3 March 2010

At every lecture I attend, every panel I speak on, every conference and interview I give, I am inevitably asked the question “Do you believe that vampires are real?” And without hesitation or doubt in my mind I consistently answer in an unhesitating and unwavering “No.” Usually that is where the topic ends, the person interviewing me choosing to move onto another question, but from time to time I am asked with the follow-up “Why is that?” I’ll tell you.

Read more

I just received more good news from my publisher, McFarland.

My upcoming book, “Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology” was in an ad that appeared in Choice, page 1207, Vol. 47, No. 07 March 2010.

To take a quote off of their web site:

“More than 35,000 academic librarians, faculty, and key decision makers rely on the reviews in Choice magazine and Choice Reviews Online for collection development and scholarly research. Choice reaches almost every undergraduate college and university library in the United States.”

I just received more good news from my publisher, McFarland.

My upcoming book, “Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology” was in an ad that appeared in Library Journal, page 54, Vol. 135, No. 3 February 15, 2010. I hope the image I attached will show up.