Charlaine Harris : Bestselling author hasn't forgotten years in Orangeburg

Before Charlaine Harris became the Number 1 best-selling author of a Southern vampire mystery series, before the seven-figure book deal came through and before the HBO television show based on her novels took off, the unassuming wife and mother spent a decade writing away in her home on Loblolly Street in Orangeburg.

"We lived in Orangeburg for almost 10 years, from 1979 to 1989, or thereabouts," Harris said in an e-mail interview from her home in Magnolia, Ark. "I loved our church there, the Episcopal Church (of the Redeemer). We had some good friends and neighbors. ... For a while, we tried to keep in touch with other couples our age, but with kids and so many activities, that kind of faded away."

However, Harris said she had "just heard from Joy Barnes," a local Realtor who wrote to offer her congratulations on the recent success of Harris' latest vampire mystery, "Dead and Gone."

The ninth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, "Dead and Gone," reached No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list in mid-May and is still firmly entrenched among the top 10.

"Life has already changed a lot. While 'Dead and Gone' was my first number one book, I'd had many other books on the NY Times list," she said. "Yes, my life has changed significantly. It's been fun watching the television show and meeting the cast and crew. I'll probably do a cameo on the show, if we can work out a date that suits both Alan (Alan Ball, producer) and myself. It's more fun going to the bank."

Barnes said she first heard about Harris' recent success during a National Public Radio interview with a filmmaker on the HBO adaptation of the vampire mystery series, "True Blood."

"Then, I read the New York Times online every day and I saw a big article on her," said Barnes, noting the seven-figure, three-book advance cited in the article. "She looks just like Charlaine -- she's still got beautiful red hair. ... It's real exciting that through the years, there has been a lot of talent through Orangeburg."

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