Q&A with True Blood author Charlaine Harris

AMERICAN author Charlaine Harris is best known for vampires-in-the-deep-south True Blood novels featuring heroine Sookie Stackhouse. On Wednesday, she's signing books in Nottingham.

What inspired you to start writing vampire/supernatural stories? Is the deep south really that spooky or did you grow up watching Hammer Horror films?

I had reached a crossroads in my career, and decided to write something different. It seemed interesting to write about a young woman who was dating a vampire. Any region of the US can seem creepy, I'm sure; I just specialise in the south.

You've created a world of "supes" although the fairies have gone. (I'll miss 'em, I love the way you gave them Irish names). Are there any new beings to come?

In the next book there's an incidental character who's of another race. And there are still some fairies hanging around. Hope you enjoy them.

What did you think of the True Blood TV version and were you able to have any input in the series? (They did seem to go overboard on the sex.)

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