StokerCon 2026

The vampire lurks throughout the history of horror storytelling and serves as a powerful allegory for understanding history, culture, and social forces.  Vampire stories frequently evoke imagery from their 19th century European literary texts of old castles, aristocracy, and Victorian moral strictures.  But once we remove these stories from their European settings and examine the stories that emerged to reflect American culture and history, what new tropes and images best define the vampire canon? Join us as we explore the contours and features that help define the American vampire story and why these stories are essential for library shelves.