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Which leads us to your causes, which you’re vocally passionate about. I’ve included links at the end of this interview for those who would like to get involved, as well.

There are way too many causes that need our help. I try to do what I can in my everyday life. I am not one of the heroes like the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, but I can pay attention to who I support when I grocery shop; I can buy recycled paper products; I can buy natural laundry detergent and be nice to our oceans; I can buy free-range meat and rescue my pets. We are more powerful than we can know. Every company does everything they do to get our dollars. We pay their mortgage, so let’s be powerful when we shop. Corporations need us! Right now I am working with IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) on a “Tails for Whales” campaign to help whales from going extinct from unnecessary and preventable deaths like being run over by a ship. IFAW and I are working with LUSH stores to support this project. We need photos of people making the “whale tail” and to shop at LUSH! Both fun and easy!

Is there one question that you wish people would ask you, but don’t?

How do I get my hair so shiny? Just kidding! I do have all kinds of thoughts, rants, opinions, though, that I’m beginning to be so bold as to share with the world on my website. I’d love for people to visit.

For more information on Kristin Bauer, check out the following websites:

Kristin Bauer: www.kristinbauer.com

Abri van Straten: www.abrivanstraten.com

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: www.seashepherd.org

IFAW: www.ifaw.org

Tails for Whales: www.tailsforwhales.org

Kristin Bauer glamours the consumer in a charitable campaign between IFAW and Lush. (Courtesy Kristin Bauer; photo by Larry DiMarzio)

Online Fandom

The Internet and Beyond

Before I put one word into this book, I’d taken to Twitter, Facebook, the HBO True Blood wiki, and iTunes to connect with people who lend their time and resources to the discussion and promotion of True Blood. What do they all share in common, beyond a love for this series? They’re all online, creating platforms that other fans flock to for everything from celebrity news to behind-the-scenes coverage to historical lore to images of favorite cast members to, in one case, their all-but-naked likenesses in the form of some of the coolest printable dress-up dolls since the Ziegfeld Girls. In short, True Blood fans are creative, passionate, and dedicated.

For a one-stop-shopping True Blood experience, fans of the shows can visit the HBO True Blood wiki. A wiki is a collaborative website that focuses on one topic and is run by its users. In the case of True Blood, the HBO wiki is for the fans, powered by the fans. There are images, videos, chats, fan fiction, and places for “Truebies” — fans of the series — to connect, as well as “Bookies” — those who prefer Charlaine Harris’s books. The discussion threads drill down into each episode, the characters, and, of course, the ties each of us have to Bill Compton or Eric Northman.

This is where web admin “Dallas” met a number of other self-professed fans, people who have since become close friends. They’ve even traveled together. Out of this new camaraderie, Dallas launched the highly popular “Loving True Blood in Dallas” (www.lovingtruebloodindallas.com) and subsequent “Talk Blood” radio show, taking to the podcasting airwaves after every True Blood broadcast to rehash and react to that night’s episode. She’s also produced themed shows such as “It’s a Man’s World,” which focused on the men who love Sookie and True Blood and featured an international broadcast during which she interviewed Sookie fans live via Skype from Spain, Peru, Israel, Sweden, and Australia.

Along the way, Dallas has had a few sweet surprises, such as when “Bad Things” singer/songwriter Jace Everett dialed in to declare himself a long-time listener, first-time caller. And her regular guests and co-hosts keep fans coming back for more, including Twitterverse celebrity roleplayer