True Blood blog : An Interview with Michael McMillian

by Gianna Sobol
Gianna: Good morning, Michael!
Michael: Good morning, Gianna!
Gianna: Can you talk about your involvement in the newest True Blood comic book?
Michael: You can ask, but I have to warn you that as the co-writer of an official True Blood story, I may have to keep some secrets.
Gianna: Well what goods are you authorized to share?  We'll take what we can get!
Michael: I was just kidding.  Get ready to be "spoilerized."  I'm giving up the goods!
Gianna: Do it.
Michael: I love my fans.  Fire away.
Gianna: How did it come about that you would be writing for the comic series?
Michael: Pluck and constant pestering, really.  I heard they were making a True Blood comic last spring through Alexander Woo, one of True Blood's talented writers.  I immediately started to plot how I would go about scoring myself a story-arc on the book.  I was in the middle of writing LUCID, my series with Archaia and Zachary Quinto's Before the Door Pictures, so I was eager to keep the ball rolling with other comic projects.  Ultimately, I teamed up with my friend Marc Andreyko, a seasoned comics pro, and we pitched ideas to IDW.  I also sent Alan Ball a live panda.  It seems the bribe worked and now Marc and I are writing the comic.

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Helena Bonham Carter And Michelle Pfeiffer Join 'Dark Shadows'

After spending years in development, "Dark Shadows" is finally taking shape. Not only is longtime Tim Burton collaborator Johnny Depp on board for the lead role of 200-year-old vampire Barnabas Collins, but a slew of other actors – Jackie Earle Haley and Eva Green, to name a few – have also joined the fray.
Now, two more names are hopping aboard Burton's adaptation of the 1960s gothic soap, and they're familiar ones. Helena Bonham Carter, Burton's partner and a regular presence in the director's recent string of films, is confirmed for a role in "Dark Shadows."
That news shouldn't come as much of a surprise. No, it's the other name that's considerably less expected: "Batman Returns" actress Michelle Pfeiffer is reuniting with Burton for the movie as well.

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/02/15/dark-shadows-helena-bonham-carter-michelle-pfeiffer/ 

True Blood Season 4 : Someone's taking a trip to fairyland!

Krisena: True Blood? I miss that show so much!
Someone's taking a trip to fairyland! Insiders tell us the show is now shooting scenes in a stage decorated with twinkle lights and greenery that's being populated with beautiful men and women in gold body paint and robes. We're wondering if the fairy folk get as orgy-tastic as the maenad's followers once did? Meanwhile, if you have questions for True Blood executive producer Alan Ball about season four, email us at tvdiva@eonline.com; we're hoping to speak with him at an upcoming event!

Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b226082_spoiler_chat_whos_singing_in_greys.html#ixzz1Ed2Myf7t

True Blood comes to Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo March 18–20

From the Press Release:
Officials at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) have announced more notable guests from the world of entertainment who will participate in the show and take part in panels. Eliza Dushku, the star of Joss Whedon’s "Dollhouse" will be at C2E2 on both Saturday, March 19, and Sunday, March 20, where she’ll be signing both days and speaking with "Dollhouse" co-star and previously announced guest of C2E2, Tahmoh Penikett, in a Q&A session on Saturday afternoon. In addition, famed chef, award-winning author, and popular television personality Rick Bayless will participate in a panel with C.B. Cebulski, writer and talent scout for Marvel, and moderated by Ron Richards of iFanboy and A Taste of Comics. The unique panel, which itself illustrates the broad reach and expansive role of pop culture in the world today, will center on the connections between food and comics on a creative level. Cooking is creativity. Food is art. And that’s the connection to comics. A chef’s knife is the equivalent of an artist’s pencil or brush!

Other guests who have recently been confirmed to appear at C2E2 include Sam Trammell, Kristin Bauer, and Brit Morgan from the cast of the popular HBO series "True Blood". Sam, Kristin, and Brit will be signing as well as participating in a Q&A spotlight panel on Saturday, March 19. As noted, Tahmoh Penikett was recently announced as a guest at C2E2, along with Jon Bernthal and Laurie Holden of "The Walking Dead" and Mark Sheppard (Crowley on "Supernatural"), who will all be appearing on panels at the show. Other writers, artists, and creators appearing at C2E2 include Brian Michael Bendis, China Miéville, Garth Ennis, and Joe Quesada, among many others. Over 250 artists will be on hand participating in C2E2’s Artist Alley.

C2E2 will take place March 18–20 in the South Hall of the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. Autograph tickets are now available at C2E2.com.

“Our guests are incredibly talented, and they are outstanding in their own fields of endeavor,” notes Lance Fensterman, Group Vice President for ReedPOP and Show Manager for C2E2. “This is what makes the pop culture world so unique. Eliza Dushku and Rick Bayless can both successfully appear at C2E2 because we can provide them with legions of fans. Our strength is in our diversity, and we are grateful to our guests as well as our fans for supporting C2E2 and making it as rich and varied as it is!”

Tickets for the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), which is organized by ReedPOP (who also put on the New York Comic Con), are now available via the C2E2 website. Further information about all ReedPOP shows and activity is available through Lance Fensterman’s blog.

'Vampire Diaries' Dolls Take A Bite Out Of Toy Fair 2011!

Few "Vampire Diaries" watchers wouldn't love to wake up next to dashing Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) or his equally drool-worthy brother Stefan (Paul Wesley) every morning, and now those fangirl fantasies can come true. Well, sort of...

Damon, Stefan and Elena (Nina Dobrev) got "dolled" up (literally) for Toy Fair 2011, where they made their miniature and very plastic debut.

http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2011/02/14/vampire-diaries-dolls-toy-fair/

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

True Blood: Happy Valentine's Day from Hoyt and Jessica

Parrack was asked how Hoyt celebrate Valentine’s Day with Jessica?

4. If you were writing the episode, how would Hoyt celebrate Valentine’s Day with Jessica?

If I were writing an episode for a Hoyt and Jess V-day, I would have him drive her to New Orleans, catch the Red Eye to NYC, check us into the Waldorf Astoria and sleep all the day side by side with the shades drawn. And then we’d wake up together, take on a Vampire sleep schedule and just be a couple of love birds from the country in the big city. We’d savor the freedom that we crave and relish the fact that no one would know us or our situation. And then we’d have lots of bloody sex…

More here  

The Vampire Diaries - The Dinner Party Extended Preview

Grammy® Nomination for the 'True Blood' Soundtrack

by Gianna Sobol
I was lucky enough to grab a few minutes with Gary Calamar, our music supervisor, about his Grammy® nomination for the great work he did on our soundtrack...

GIANNA: Congrats on your Grammy nomination!
GARY: Thank you!
GIANNA: Any big plans for the awards show?
GARY: I will be attending, I'm really looking forward to it.  It's my fourth nomination, all Alan Ball related - two for Six Feet Under soundtracks, two for True Blood now.  I am indebted to Alan and his wonderful work.
GIANNA: Aren't we all?
GARY: We have some tough competition, so it's really an honor to be nominated.  And I'm excited that Lucinda Williams's song "Kiss Like Your Kiss" is also nominated for best original song.
GIANNA: How did it come about that she would write an original song for the show?
GARY: We met with someone from her publishing company, Warner Chappell, and we were throwing around some ideas and she mentioned that Lucinda was working on some new material.  We already had her on the first soundtrack, we licensed her song "Lake Charles."  So we met with her and her manager/co-musician/husband Tom Overby and told them what we were looking for and she came back with a very rough version, which she recorded in her kitchen, of "Kiss Like Your Kiss."
GIANNA: How did that version turn out?
GARY: It was slow and romantic.  Talking with Alan, he said they were kind of heavy on these adventurous, upbeat songs and would love to have something romantic and nice in the show.  So she finished it for us and I suggested some sort of duet.  We roped in Elvis Costello, who is a friend of hers, and I'm thrilled with the way it came out.

http://www.inside-true-blood-blog.com/ 

Life after Tony Soprano

America's HBO cable TV channel prides itself on 'quality' series that are unfettered by commercial constraints. An interview with top execs Richard Plepler and Michael Lombardo. 

PASADENA, California - HBO co-president Richard Plepler and programming president Michael Lombardo entered their posts as part of a new team after CEO Chris Albrecht quit in 2007. Albrecht left after Las Vegas police arrested him for beating his girlfriend. Not only did Lombardo and Plepler assume their roles as a storm raged behind the scenes, it was shortly before the network aired the final episode of its flagship series, "The Sopranos."

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Charlaine Harris new short story : Down these strange streets coming this fall

The lineup includes a Lord John novella from Diana Gabaldon, a SPQR story by John Maddox Roberts, a True Blood story by Charlaine Harris, a Garrett tale from Glen Cook, an Edge story from Melinda Snodgrass, a Gordianus yarn from Steven Saylor, an incredible WWII mystery novella by Bradley Denton, a Joe Lansdale story than can only be described as Gonzo Lovecraft, and wonderful contributions from Carrie Vaughn, Conn Iggulden, Simon R. Green, Laurie R. King, Lisa Tuttle, M.L.N. Hanover, Patricia Briggs,and S.M. Stirling.

"Death by Dahlia," by Charlaine Harris 

more info Search Amazon.com for charlaine harrishttp://grrm.livejournal.com/195326.html

VAMPIRE DIARIES Author L. J. Smith Fired

Over the past few days, rumors have been flying that author L. J. Smith has been fired from writing the Vampire Diaries series. Now, Smith has seemingly confirmed those rumors in a blog post that mentions she’s going through “a difficult time.” Later in the post Smith says she “wanted and still want more than anything to be able to continue The Vampire Diaries series myself.”
So how can an author be fired from writing her own books? The way I understand it is that Smith signed a contract with Alloy Entertainment back in 1990 and they, therefore, own the rights to the Vampire Diaries books. Allegedly, Alloy and HarperTeen were not happy with the direction Smith was taking the series (SPOILER ALERT: she wanted to focus on Damon and Elena while the publishers were more interested in a Stefan and Elena pairing) and she was fired from writing future books.
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Midnight is due out on March 15, 2011. According to Smith, all the writing in Midnight is her own. The next book in the series, Phantom, will be a mix of her writing and that of a ghostwriter.
So, Vampire Diaries fans, are you saddened by this news? Will you continue to read the books even if they aren’t written by L. J. Smith?

Read more: VAMPIRE DIARIES Author L. J. Smith Fired | Daemon's Books http://www.daemonsbooks.com/2011/02/09/vampire-diaries-author-l-j-smith-fired/#ixzz1Dh1SQ3cq

True Blood Question for TV Guide

Any chance that Sookie and Alcide will get together this season on True Blood? — Danielle
NATALIE: "Timing is everything and the timing between those two could not have been worse, so we'll see where the time goes in Season 4," Joe Manganiello says. But factor this in: We're hearing that Alcide's loyalties might be split. His work for Eric is done, but Alcide has a new boss, and his interests diverge from those of Sookie.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Mega-Buzz-Bones-1029015.aspx 

Andy Swist's fantastic new Valentine's Day cards

Check them all out here !

Thanks Andy !

http://andyswist.com/TrueBlood/e-cards

Charlaine Harris' Dying for Daylight PC Game Available for Download This Week!

Late last year we told you about Dying for Daylight, a PC game created by I-play in collaboration with Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels that inspired HBO’s "True Blood". On this Friday, February 11th, you'll be able to download Dying for Daylight and play as Harris' popular vampire character Dahlia.
While Charlaine’s ability to tell gripping, edge-of-your-seat, supernatural stories has transcended several types of media already, Dying for Daylight marks her foray into the world of interactive games.
"Taking a character into the world of games is great fun and allows us to tell stories and bring characters to life in a whole new way," says Harris. "Just like Sookie, Dahlia is a unique and multi-faceted character. Working with I-play to present her in this new way has been an amazing experience, and I can't wait to hear what fans think of the results."
"Charlaine's stories and characters are a huge contributor to the phenomenon surrounding all things supernatural right now," says Tony Leamer, VP Marketing at I-play. "Her writing is so vivid and her characters so interesting that they are a natural fit for a game. Dahlia is already beloved by a legion of fans, and we hope they will love this new story and the way we're telling it."
Check out a trailer for the game below, and be sure to visit the Dying for Daylight website for more. To learn a bit about Dahlia, order a copy of one or more of the short story collections in which she can be found from the Evilshop below.

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Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Retelling 'Dracula' As 'Harker'

Finally, a new Dracula film for vampire fans to sink their teeth into. With sexy, angsty teen vampires infiltrating our pop culture, it seems like it's been a while since there's been some hardcore stake and holy water style vamp films released.
Well, no longer. According to Deadline, Leonardo DiCaprio's production company Appian Way will produce an upcoming adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel called "Harker" for Warner Bros.
Unlike previous incarnations of the book, "Harker" will focus on Scotland Yard detective Jonathan Harker who is tracking Dracula. The script sets him up as a potential new franchise character. And no, before you ask, DiCaprio is not planning to star in the film.

In the 1897 novel, Harker is actually a solicitor who travels to Transylvania to act as a real estate agent for a foreign client named Count Dracula. While there, he finds himself a prisoner of Dracula, who reveals himself as a vampire. After a traumatic experience with Dracula's three vampire brides, Harker manages to escape and finds refuge at a mental hospital, where he suffers a breakdown. His fiancée, Mina Murray, finds him and nurses him back to help, and he successfully joins forces with vampire hunter Van Helsing to kill Dracula once and for all.

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Series Creator Alan Ball Answers 3 Questions for True Blood's New Production Blog

  The Russian film suggestions are interesting!!'


Gianna: What are you most excited about this season?
Alan: I really love the Eric storyline.

Gianna: What's going to shock the fans?
Alan: What happens to Jason...throughout the whole season.

Gianna: Got any advice for fans that are chomping at the bit?
Alan: We're working as fast as we can! In the meantime, I recommend watching the Swedish film Let the Right One In and the Russian films Day Watch and Night Watch.

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HBO Inside True Blood blog

HBO is about to unveil a new way for fans to keep up with True Blood.
The network will announce on Friday a production blog called “Inside True Blood” that will give fans behind-the-scenes details of production on season four. The idea was prompted by the success of the network’s production blog on Game of Thrones.
The blog will have real-time contributions from Gianna Sobol, assistant to series creator Alan Ball, straight from the set.
The first post goes live tomorrow at 9 a.m. at http://inside-true-blood-blog.com and all I know is it contains this sentence: “Today’s call sheet includes the words ‘hostage,’ ‘bites,’ ‘dinner,’ and ‘Eric.’”

read it here 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/11/true.blood.blog.ew/