Friday, October 30, 2009

A Writer goes on a journey: Charlaine Harris

from Writer goes on a journey

Background

Charlaine Harris looks like a very sweet mother figure, with three teenagers, three dogs and a duck. It’s probably cliché to say this, but she doesn’t look like the sort of person who would dream up the darkly handsome Bill, or frighteningly fine Eric. Vampires, werewolves, shifters and a whole bunch more, Charlaine Harris is the pinnacle of the sub-genre that has so captured the reading world. It’s not just romance and sex Mills and Boon style; Harris ultimately is a mystery writer.

She has written over 30 novels and numerous short stories since 1990. Her most famous series is that of the Southern Vampire Mysteries, also known as the Sookie Stackhouse novels (2001). It was barely a few years before Alan Ball, executive producer of Six Feet Under, brought Harris’ popular book onto television with the series True Blood. Gathering brilliant talent such as from England, Sweden, Australia as well as the US, the series has received critical acclaim and attracted many awards.

Charlaine is working on the 10th Sookie novel, Dead in the Family, and also on a new series she started in 2005, Harper Connelly.

Q&A

  • Where were you when you thought of Sookie and her story?trueblood2

Sitting in my office, which is a separate building attached to my house.

  • Do you find the characters sometimes take control of the story and take you to places you didn't expect? (What was the most surprising moment when a character did this, what moment did you not expect?)

The writer should always be in control. Those sudden moments when everything falls into place are the best reasons to be a writer. Of course it’s not the characters taking control; it’s another part of your brain, a part that knows the characters so well it’s suggested a plot twist.

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True Blood Dallas Halloween Treats from readers

Thanks to everyone who sent their Halloween recipes , photos etc

Ash on her very nice foodie blog [butterflyfoodie.blogspot.com] says 'Here's some spooky treats I just posted to my blog!'


creepy black ball cupcakes and vampire bitten cupcakes

The lovely Rita sent some photos of her den decorations ( left)
and the wonderful Lady Jane shares her Pumpkin Roll recipes.
Get busy!

*Remember my email was down and maybe missed some emails-if you sent me something and don't see it send it again, please!





Pumpkin Roll

Dark Shadows at Twilight: A Paley Center Vampire Weekend

Super vampire fun! Wonder why they didn't do this closer to All Hallow's Eve? The New York branch of the Paley Center just announced a vampire themed event the weekend of November 13th, with screenings of several past PALEYFEST events—with reunions of the casts and creative teams of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, True Blood, and Dark Shadows, and more. Didn't know they did an Angel Paley event in 2001! There will also be a live panel with a bunch of bloggers and editors. Also:

"The Paley Center for Media has partnered with Entertainment Weekly to explore what’s going on. EW’s Ken Tucker will moderate a panel of informed fans to debate the relative merits of vampires across media, with special attention to the rankings of the Paley Center's TV Vampire Poll (vote through November 2). A display of EW’s coverage of the undead phenomenon will be on view in the Spielberg Gallery through November 15."

note: love the comparison of Angel/Spike to Bill Compton/Eric Northman in that poll.

Click below for the deets:
http://paleycenter.org/dark-shadows-at-twilight-a-paley-center-vampire-weekend

Twilight-themed restaurant planned for Wash. town

Won't be long until we see a Merlotte's in Shreveport, huh ?

FORKS, Wash. — A new restaurant set to open next year in Washington state will be called Volterra after a city in the popular Twilight vampire novels, which are set in the town of Forks.

Owners Annette and Tim Root told The Peninsula Daily News it will be a family restaurant, and they have applied for a liquor license.

Forks already has the Twilight Lounge that features concerts and other events for fans.

The Twilight books and movies have brought vampire tourism to the remote former logging town on Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

The Chamber of Commerce says thousands of visitors come asking questions, such as whether it's safe to go camping with the vampire problems in the area.

Information from: Peninsula Daily News, http://www.peninsuladailynews.com

True Blood and Vampire Wines for Halloween

Another proof that Halloween is influencing the market at all levels is the wine business. Really, one key difference between the wineries in the United States and the wine makers in Europe is that the American wine makers explore other avenues than the wine connoisseur language. Let’s face it, when I host a party I am looking for a wine in the $13 to $20 price range to serve my guests. I go for a crowd pleasing wine in red and in white.

Going back to Halloween, vampires are in. There are many TV series and movies on vampires. In fact, we almost selected True Blood as the theme for my husband birthday party (more on that, later). It is sad that at the time, I did not know that I could have ordered a True Blood wine from Vampire Vineyards. Although $30 is too much to serve at a 35-guest party, I might have bought 2 or 3 bottles as a display.

Vampire Vineyards produces several wines with names that scream Halloween. You can choose between Vampire, Chateau du Vampire (Vampire Castle) and Dracula. The advantages with these is that you do not have to made your own wine label. Hopefully for us, that line ranges from $9.99 to $19.99.

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'True Blood' actor ( Sam Trammel) happy to help hometown

From Charleston Daily Mail

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- For actor and Charleston native Sam Trammell, West Virginia's shifting seasons have a certain familiar charm.

"I love coming back. It's just so pretty, especially this time of year with the leaves changing. It's stunningly beautiful," he said.

Transformation is a concept Trammell is quite comfortable with. He currently plays shape-shifting bartender Sam Merlotte on the fantastical HBO series "True Blood," based on the novels by Charlaine Harris. Merlotte can shift into different animals - most often a border collie - and then revert to his human shape.

It's this theme of metamorphosis that brought Trammel back to the Mountain State this week. The actor, who spent the majority of his childhood in Charleston and now lives in Los Angeles, is headlining "HallowEast," a four-day fundraising effort organized by the East End Main Street program. The event is designed to promote growth and sustainability in that historic area of the capital city.

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Anna Paquin interview

True Blood : Inside the Writer's Studio photos



Here are some great shots from the event at WireImage

SEE more here

True Blood Music Video of the Day : Wrong by Depeche Mode



Wrong by Depeche Mode LYRICS

Thanks, sabaceanbabe