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his eye. “[But] he knows who is loyal to him . . . The two of us have long running jokes and conversations [and he] has been known to ‘pop fang’ once in a while if one of us says something he finds particularly intriguing.” It’s nary a night that the Belles aren’t checking in on one another on Twitter, sharing jokes, or toasting to the end of a long week, their connection played out to anyone following their daily travails, almost always peppered with a sly flirtation with their favorite vampire.

“Loyal to our Viking, wenches through and through” is the motto of Misty’s Viking Wenches, and from the books to the screen, they’re Team Eric all the way. “Eric is just so true to himself,” Misty begins. “He never wavers in his desires . . . [and] Alexander Skarsgård is a perfect Eric, incredibly sexy with a hint of a softer side.” When asked if she hopes to see Sookie end up with Eric, Misty says no, explaining, “Personally, I want Sookie to end up with someone she can have a normal life with. Kids, football games, and a big family around her. . . . Besides, I want Eric all to myself.”

But beyond her role of head wench, Misty also administrates the online Sookie’s Book Club (ssbookclub.wordpress.com). With over a thousand people following them on Twitter, the club meets in a chat room every Sunday evening to discuss Charlaine Harris’s novels, detail by detail. They have a newsletter, fan fiction, and recommended reading lists, all working to create one of the most dedicated and regular online gatherings of readers. “We discuss two chapters a week,” Misty says. “I usually start with a recap and we go over the plot, characters, and our favorite lines.” Belles and Wenches are both welcome, and Misty has her “sheriffs” on hand for when things get out of control.

Beyond the awesome ability of the internet to gather people together to have these conversations is its ability to host them after the fact. Each chat is posted on the blog for members who couldn’t attend, so they never have to feel left out. “We have a great community,” Misty boasts. “Viking Wenches, BillsBelles, a Man Wench. We have vampire lovers of all shapes and sizes. Shifters, weres, fairies, and teacups. The book club accepts all. We get along really well and are ready to defend our vamp-of-choice like a pack of wolves.”

Shadaliza Monterosa, Mistress of The Vault at www.trueblood-online.com, models a fang-watering bottle of Tru Blood. (Shadaliza Monterosa)

Doug Knipe may well be the lone wolf in this pack as one of the men Dallas invited to appear on her show about the men who love Sookie. A rabid fan of urban fantasy (UF) and paranormal romance (PNR), Doug Knipe is the proprietor of www.SciFiGuy.ca, winner of the Best Speculative Fiction Blog for the 2009 Bloggers Appreciation Week. Sci Fi Guy is a powerhouse of commentary, community, and connectivity. It offers book reviews, news, and opinions on UF, PNR, and science fiction and fantasy (SFF), along with an incredible array of interviews, giveaways, and vlog guest appearances by authors. Knipe cites the likes of Anita Blake, Harry Dresden, Sookie Stackhouse, and Rachel Morgan as his first forays into the urban fantasy and paranormal genres. “Coupled with all manner of supernatural entities and imaginative world-building,” Knipe says, “I find the genre always has something new and exciting to offer.”

Originally Sci Fi Guy was born out of a desire to host a dialogue with other SFF readers, but as he reviewed more and more UF/PNR titles, he came to know that community better, and branched out to include interviews and overall coverage of the scene, a move that drew an incredible and engaged group of people right to his virtual doorstep. “Everyone participates — the writers, fellow bloggers, and readers,” he gushes. “They are amazingly friendly — almost family — smart and well read across many genres. The majority are women with a smattering of men. Guys still don’t seem to have embraced UF but they’ll come around.”

When asked to sum up his feelings on the books versus the series, Knipe says it’s like comparing