Questions and Answers with Charlaine from Houston Library Appearance

The videos are now posted here. The photos are in a little slide show below. Sorry about the video quality but it was cramped quarters and remember to turn up the sound!

The first question asked was from the lovely Object Desire and she asked, Did you ever anticipate that people would spend this much time trying to figure out what you're gonna do next?

I think of myself as a very straight forward person. I don't think of myself as devious. And I'm really bewildered ..by the absorption in my hidden motives I mean it is entertaining to me; don't get me wrong, sometimes I think "Gosh, I wish I had thought of that: that's so much smarter than the actual plot.

Question about Eric getting his memories back that he's acting a bit different towards Sookie. Is he gonna keep that up or is he gonna go back to old Eric?

He's gonna keep it up! At least, in the next book. Eric & Sookie's relationship will be fraught with meaning.

Question about the accents. Do you think they're pretty accurate?
She was surprised at first. And then I thought well they're all trying really hard. You know after you watch an episode you get used to it and it's ok after that. The guy, who plays Sam, Sam Trammel, is from Louisiana. The guy who plays Lafayette is from Alabama. So there are some true born southerners in the cast.

I was wondering how you came up with the series for Sookie. How did you come with writing it?

She says she wanted to write a series about a girl who was dating a vampire.And that was my initial concept. So I developed her character based on that one fact about her. I figured she had to have some kind of disability or she wouldn't want to date a vampire. So after some thinking - which actually pretty tasteless about what kind of disability she would have I mean I'm talking wooden leg here I finally decided that telepathy would work.

Changes in story for True Blood
she is a little mystified at some of them but she knows that a purpose will be revealed

Anne Rice had southern Louisiana vampires and they were all full of angst and the can't have sex - so she went with Northern Louisiana vamps and sex.

Alan told her that there would be changes dues to his want to appeal to a broader demographic.

She asked him about Sookie's white dress and wanted to know when she bought it?
* he said he didn't know, that the writer just wanted to write a story with a woman in a white dress running through a graveyard

What are her favorite Sookie characters?
. Sookie, because she has fun with her and because she knows her so well and she knows what she'll do d do in almost any situations. Writing fun its got to be Pam because she's so fun and because she will usually do something really outrageous.

CH says she's really not that devious.

Question about dangling plot lines
. She says sometimes she has just forgotten them . When fans ask about particular ones she makes a post -it note and sticks it the wall and if she can she answers it in the next book

Will be ever see Bubba
. Alan say he can't tell her , maybe he's still thinking . She says sh'd have Bruce Campbell play him

Options and how Sookie became True Blood
. She had three offers and when one of them was Alan Ball she knew she'd be foolish to not go with him. She also thought he could handle the quirkiness of the combination of blood, sex and humor because of how he handled 6 feet under . And he sent her lots of pink roses

What character from the Sookie books would she spin off to create a new series of books?
. Stan Davis , sheriff of area 6 in Dallas . Or if she wanted to write gay porn it would be the King of Mississippi

Who does she prefer Eric or Bill?
. She says they both have strong points . Doesn't favor either one

What is the favorite book that she's written?
. Shakespeare Champion

Changes in Sookie between TB and the books
.CH says the TB Sookie looses her temper faster . CH really likes Anna Paquin and what she's done with Sookie

Changes to Bill
. An audience member wanted Ball to allow Bill eot levitate and she didn't know why they didn't let him

How many Sookie books will she write?
. She has contract for 10 Books ( or one more after Dead to Worse ) -(the audience gasps ) . She is sure her publisher will write her a new contract ( much applause) for more books


Is the amount of gratuitous Jason sex part of the demographic that Ball is looking for ?
. Yes, she thinks so

If anyone would like to have a copy of a photo without a watermarks contact me and I'll be happy to share, also remember to leave a comment to be eligible for the drawing we will have for an autographed book!