Before I knew it, I’d read one book after another. Then I noticed how many more shows and movies came out about vampires. There is “True Blood” and “The Vampire Diaries,” and of course, the Twilight saga. So what is all the fascination with vampires?

The whole concept seems a little reminiscent of the original fascination with vampires from our dear childhood, when it all started with the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” television show, where Buffy meets Angel, a handsome vampire, and they fall madly in love. Real life isn’t like that. No matter how often someone hopes a person is going to change in a relationship, there always seems to be some inevitable letdown — well at least when it comes to dating bad boys.

Then again, didn’t we learn in third grade that opposites attract? It all started with magnets. Little did most of us know then that the truth about magnetics would have far greater meaning in our adult life, especially when it came to love and relationships. These girls just have a pull toward the vampire guys in their life. Sure they accept the danger, because the guy is a total hottie. I mean, I’d be OK with it.

There always is the possibility the girls just might be gold diggers.

Think about it, centuries of living — there is bound to be some sort of accumulation. Why marry a doctor who will spend all his time working, when you can marry a vampire who has all the time in the world for you?

Plus, you can’t hate a forbidden love story. Shakespeare brought it to the world in the 1500s with the play “Romeo and Juliet,” showing everyone how love conquers all. Maybe that’s the appeal.

The idea is of a love forever, for eternity, not just a lifetime of love. Romeo and Juliet died to remain together, so what is so bad about converting to an immortal? Then all the worry about when the end is going to come, and how much time they have left together is going to be a moot point. Bella and Edward: the new Romeo and Juliet. Who knows? It might be Sookie and Bill for all you “True Blood” fans.

Maybe the real appeal of all these vampire shows and books is the feeling of escaping reality. After all these long days dealing with Spanish, chemistry or accounting, what better way to stop thinking about school than to watch a show about a life that is so beyond our own capabilities? Somewhere most people can escape to a time or a place that doesn’t resemble reality at all. A place where you never know what harm will come to the helpless human girl and if the vampire’s interest is strong enough to save her from the cruel world, brought on mostly by his dark world of evil, murder and danger. However, the place appears to be in Podunk, USA. It’s any small town, with bad accents, where the idea of getting caught creates more drama.

When it comes to vampires, they’re everywhere. Not literally, of course. I hope. The thing about vampire stories is that they have everything. It’s a love story, it’s edgy, there’s drama. It appeals to both men and women. It was only a matter of time before America found the new Harry Potter. A more formidable, stronger and better-looking Harry Potter.

It’s Edward Cullen, and yeah, I’m on team Edward.