True Blood Crossword Puzzle :Living Dead in Dallas book

Living Dead in Dallas

Living Dead in Dallas Charlaine Harris : Strange relationships bloom in vampire novel

BOOK REVIEW

In Living Dead in Dallas Charlaine Harris picks up on with the story of a feisty Sookie Stackhouse, waitress and vampire lover. Yes, vampire lover. Her relationship with Bill Compton, Bon Temps' resident vampire and-by way of his life pre-Civil War-local historian, has heated up. Residents have come to accept Bill as the ideal of the vampire because of the history he claims in Bon Temps, and also because he loves Sookie, resident weirdo. As Bill and Sookie's relationship picks up steam, she tastes her first battle in the supernatural realm when she comes under attack for possessing telepathic skill and consorting with vampires.

read on

True Blood and Living Dead in Dallas tie-in version

Our very sexy new True Blood posters will also be the cover of the new 'Living Dead in Dallas' True Blood Season 2 tie in book version.



They are available to order now

Bill Compton's middle name ..

In Dead until Dark Bk 1 Sookie dreams that Bill's full name is :

William Erasmus Compton

"Bill," I muttered. I turned to face a stone I hadn't yet touched. When I lay my fingers on it, they traced the letters "William Erasmus Compton." As if I'd been dashed with cold water, my eyes flew open, I drew in a breath to scream, and my throat gave a great throb of pain

In Living Dead in Dallas Bk2 she finds out that his middle name is actually:

William Thomas Compton

I could barely make out the writing.William Thomas Compton,his mother had written, or perhaps his father.Born April 9, 1840. Another hand had written Died November 25, 1868.
"You have a birthday," I said.

Compton family genealogy HERE
Photos -this is the headstone Sookie finds in Bon Temps Cemetery in True Blood.

Nice gravestone image from Lynn, Thanks ! http://lynnpdesign.com/wallpapers

Living Dead in Dallas a look at the cover art

OK, let's try another one ...


This is the cover art for Book 2, Living Dead in Dallas.

What do we see here in the book cover about the story?


You can buy these fabulous prints from the artist , Lisa Desimini

True Blood / Living Dead in Dallas more on Isabel and Hugo

Hugo's betrayl of Isabel and of the Dallas vamps to FotS is not a pretty tail and does not end well for either of them ...

Book 2
"At the time, I thought if Stan Davis wanted to live on Green Valley Road, or in the Hundred-Acre Wood, that was his right as an American. So I defended him against the neighborhood association, and I won. I was real proud of myself. Then I got to know Isabel, and I took her to bed one night, feeling real daring, really the big man, the emancipated thinker."
I stared at him, not blinking or saying a word.

"As you know, the sex is great, the best. I was in thrall to her, couldn't get enough. My practice suffered.
I started seeing clients only in the afternoon, because I couldn't get up in the morning. I couldn't make my court dates in the morning. I couldn't leave Isabel after dark."
This sounded like an alcoholic's tale,to me. Hugo had become addicted to vampiric sex. I found the concept fascinating and repellent.

When we last see Isabel she is not so lovely
Except for the dark blue wall-to-wall, the room was bare. Isabel was chained to the wall on one side of the room—with silver, of course. Hugo was on the other. He was chained, too. They were both awake, and they both looked at the doorway, naturally.
Isabel nodded as if we'd met in the mall, though she was naked. I saw that her wrists and ankles were padded to prevent the silver from burning her, though the chains would still keep her weak.
Hugo was naked, too. He could not take his eyes off Isabel. He barely glanced at me to see who I was Stan said, "She cannot feed off him, though she is hungry. He cannot have sex with her, though he is addicted. This is their punishment, for months.

then finally and chillingly
Stan shrugged. "Three or four months. We will feed Hugo, of course. Not Isabel."
"And then?"
"We'll unchain him first. He will get a day's head start."

** above are some photos of Valerie Cruz who will play Isabel Beaumont in True Blood Season 2

New cast for True Blood Valerie Cruz to play Isabel Beaumont

Valerie looks like the perfect Isabel Beaumont- remember Isabel is the second to Stan Davis ( Sheriff of Dallas) and whose current human man is vamp lawyer, Hugo Ayers.

Valerie Cruz ("Dexter") has landed a recurring role on HBO's incredible vampire drama True Blood where she'll play Isabel, an elegant Hispanic vampire. She is repped by Artists and John Carrabino Management.

Here is the scene in Living Dead in Dallas, Book 2

Some people think all vampires look terrifying. To me, it depends on the vampire. I remember thinking, when I first met Bill, that he looked incredibly different; but I hadn't been frightened.

The one that was waiting for us in the lobby of Silent Shores, now,she was scary. I bet she made ole Barry wet his pants. She approached after we'd checked in, as Bill was putting his credit card back in his
wallet (you just try applying for a credit card when you're a hundred sixty years old; that process had been abear) and I sidled a little closer to him as he tipped Barry, hoping she wouldn't notice me.

"Bill Compton? The detective from Louisiana?" Her voice was as calm and cool as Bill's, with
considerably less inflection. She had been dead a long time. She was as white as paper and as flat as a board, and her thin ankle-length blue-and-gold dress didn't do a thing for her except accentuate both whiteness and flatness. Light brown hair (braided and long enough to tap her butt)and glittery green eyes emphasized her otherness.

"Yes." Vampires don't shake hands, but the two made eye contact and gave each other a curt nod.
"This is the woman?" She had probably gestured toward me with one of those lightning quick
movements, because I caught a blur from the corner of my eyes.
"This is my companion and coworker, Sookie Stackhouse," Bill said.

After a moment, she nodded to show she was picking up the hint. "I am Isabel Beaumont," she said,
"and after you take your luggage to your room and take care of your needs, you are to come with me."
Bill said, "I have to feed."
Isabel swiveled an eye toward me thoughtfully, no doubt wondering why I wasn't supplying blood for my escort, but it was none of her business. She said, "Just punch the telephone button for room service."

Go Ask Dallas : who are the mysterious weres in the car who bring Sookie back to the Silent Shore hotel in 'Living Dead in Dallas' ?

EA writes:

Dear Dallas-
As I was rereading Living Dead in Dallas, something caught my eye. After Sookie is treated by Dr. Josephus, she and Luna are picked up by two anonymous Werewolves. All we know is that one is male and one is female until the bottom of pg. 182 when the female who is driving asks Sookie if Eric "cross-dates". Luna replies, "You can't date a deader...come on, Deb-uh, girl!" Could that Debbie? As in Alcide's possesivemurderouspsychobitch Debbie?

Hmmm... very good catch EA !

Here is the part from the book - what do you guys think ?

"There's a vampire out front, waiting."
I almost ripped off the blindfold, before I realized that would be a really tacky thing to do. "What does he look like?"
"Very tall, blond. Big head of hair. Friend or foe?"
I had to think about that. "Friend," I said, trying not to sound doubtful.
"Yum, yum," said the driver. "Does he cross-date?"
"I don't know. Want me to ask?"
Luna and the passenger both made gagging sounds."You can't date a deader!" Luna protested. "Come on, Deb—uh, girl!"
"Oh, okay," said the driver. "Some of them aren't so bad. I'm pulling into the curb, little Milkbone."
"That would be you," Luna said in my ear.

Sookie Stackhouse book's dedications, acknowledgments and prologues ( bk 1 & 2)

Here are the dedications and prologues from Dead Until Dark and Living Dead in Dallas.

Dead Until Dark
My thanks and appreciation go to the people who thought this book was a good idea-Dean James, Toni L. P. Kelner and Gary and Susan Nowlin

Living Dead in Dallas
This book is dedicated to all the people who told me they enjoyed Dead Until Dark.
Thanks for the encouragement.

My thanks go to Patsy Asher of Remember the Alibi in San Antonio, Texas; Chloe Green of Dallas; and the helpful cyber-friends I've made on Dorothy L, who answered all my questions promptly and enthusiastically. I have the greatest job in the world.

Introducing the all-new Southern vampire mystery series.

Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-time Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out . . .

Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.

Anubis Air from Living Dead in Dallas: Bill and Sookie fly to Dallas

What we learn about Anubis Airline from Bk 2- Living Dead in Dallas

I'd just glimpsed the polished wood coffin at the edge of the cargo hold.
Bill was such a traditionalist; metal would have been more practical for travel. The uniformed attendants were rolling it to the head of the ramp, so they must have put wheels under it somehow. They'd promised Bill it would get to its destination without a scratch. And the armed guards behind me were insurance that no fanatic would rush over and tear the lid off. That was one of the extras Anubis Air had plugged in its ad. Per Bill's instructions, .
The black jackal's head on the airplane's tail looked savage in the harsh light, which created deep shadows where none had been.

His eyes were fixed on the baggage handlers who were clearly visible in the hold of the plane. They were wearing black and silver jumpsuits with the Anubis logo on the left chest. Then his gaze flickered down to the airline employee on the ground, who was preparing to guide the coffin onto the padded, flat-bedded baggage cart.

The two baggage handlers in the plane had swung down to the ground. Now they bowed deeply. The one who'd guided the coffin onto the cart said, "Shit!"
before he bowed, too (new guy, I guess). This little piece of obsequious behavior was also an airline extra, but I considered it way over the top..And I guess that was what it looked like to the baggage handlers, who were wrapped up in their role-playing as Anubis Air attendants. The upshot was, they didn't help me, even though I yelled, "Let go!" at the top of my well-developed lungs.

"We'll talk about it in a more private place," my vampire said, glancing at the men and women who'd begun to gather around the plane to check out the commotion. He stepped over to the uniformed Anubis employees, and in a quiet voice he chastised them for not coming to my help. At least, I assumed that was the burden of his conversation, from the way they turned white and began to babble. Bill slid an arm around my waist and we began to stroll to the terminal.

"Actually, it was pretty exciting," I admitted. "After I made sure the Anubis people had stowed you on their plane, and I was boarded on mine, the woman showed us what to do when we crashed. I was sitting on the row with the emergency exit. She said to switch if we didn't think we could handle that. But I think I could, don't you? Handle an emergency? She brought me a drink and a magazine." I seldom got waited on myself, being a barmaid by profession, you might say, so I really enjoyed being served

The Anubis people had sworn up and down that his coffin would be delivered within three hours. We'd see. If they didn't make it, we got a free flight.

So I was open to listening to them. I'd heard your name pass between Stan and Isabel, so I passed it on to the Fellowship. They have a guy who works for Anubis Air. He found out when Bill's plane was coming in, and they tried to grab you at the airport so they could find out what the vamps wanted with you.

Vamp Meals on Wheels : Fangbanger room service from Living Dead in Dallas

"I am Isabel Beaumont," she said, "and after you take your luggage to your room and take care of your needs, you are to come with me."

Bill said, "I have to feed."

Isabel swiveled an eye toward me thoughtfully, no doubt wondering why I wasn't supplying blood for my escort, but it was none of her business. She said, "Just punch the telephone button for room service."

Measly old mortal me would just have to order from the menu. But as I considered the time frame, I realized I'd feel much better if I waited to eat after this evening's business was finished.

After our bags had been put in the bedroom (big enough for the coffin and a bed), the silence in the little living room became uncomfortable. There was a little refrigerator well stocked with PureBlood, but this evening Bill would want the real thing.

"I have to call, Sookie," Bill said. We'd gone over this before the trip.

"Of course." Without looking at him, I retreated into the bedroom and shut the door. He might have to feed off someone else so I could keep my strength up for coming events, but I didn't have to watch it or like it. After a few minutes, I heard a knock on the corridor door and I heard Bill admit someone—his Meal onWheels.

There was a little murmur of voices and then a low moan.

Unfortunately for my tension level, I had too much common sense to do something like throw my hairbrush or one of the damn high heels across the room. Maybe retaining some dignity figured in there, too, and a healthy sense of how much temperament Bill would put up with. .....

Soon I heard the outer door open and close again, and Bill knocked lightly before coming into the bedroom. He looked rosy and his face was fuller.close again, and

True Blood Gets Even Sluttier. No, Really.

From i09.com I must admit the "barely legal " room service is what jumped out at me too. Now, in the book, Living Dead in Dallas Bill does call for 'room service' in the Silent Shore but no we will see Jessica doing it.

The promiscuous vampires of Alan Ball's True Blood series will be taking a road trip, according to some newly leaked plot details. Sounds like the vamps are about to get a whole lot skankier. Spoilers!

A casting call for an episode in season two calls for Jason to become a soldier! Ooh, Jason in uniform — nice. Also Bill, Sookie and annoying baby vamp Jessica go on a road trip to Texas where they find another mind-reader and pick up some hookers.

Check out the casting details from Spoiler TV:

[DRIVER]
30 to 45, this suspiciously pushy driver, whose thoughts are violent and dark, is sent by Fellowship of the Sun to abduct Sookie when she arrives at the airport. Instead, he is glamored (hypnotized) by Bill and Jessica, and experiences a wide spectrum of emotions and outbursts, from fear, to relief, to embarrassment as his will is usurped and his behavior is dictated. He is ultimately released to return to his superiors and tell them that Sookie "never showed up" (which is what he now believes)...GUEST STAR (33)

[BELLBOY / BARRY]
This uniformed, 19-year-old bellboy at a Texas hotel brings Sookie and Jessica room service (a handsome guy to feed off of). To Sookie's surprise, Barry can read her mind, and he grows increasingly freaked out as they communicate silently sptv050769...CO-STAR / RECUR(?) (54)

[YOUNG MAN / TRAVIS]
21 years old and very handsome in his hotel bathrobe, he is Jessica's polite, barely legal "room service" (B negative blood)...CO-STAR (54)

So does this mean Jessica and Sookie become friends? Because I can't see anyone tolerating her incessant whining, but then again they both like to be painted the martyr. I can't wait for the hot hooker room service blood-letting!

http://io9.com/5142555/true-blood-gets-even-sluttier-no-really

Paging Dr. Ludwig : Season 2- Episode 3 "Scratch my Back"

So it looks like we have the Maenad attack in Episode 3 of Season 2 of True Blood


Eric rushes Siookie to Fangtasi and the healing in the book , takes place on the new red couch in Eric's office where Sookie'e life is saved by Dr Ludwig and the 4 vamps ( Eric, Bill, Pam and Chow) The vamps each drain Sookie of her tainted, poisoned blood from the Maenad attack. She is healed by the draining in combination with Dr Ludwig's special healing licking and she is given a fresh transfusion of human blood...

Sookie really barely survives this attack ...

The scene in the book:

Pam came in then, with the doctor. If I had hoped Eric meant a regular doctor, like a stethoscope and tongue depressor kind of person, I was once again doomed to disappointment.
This doctor was a dwarf, who hardly had to bend over to look me in the eyes. Bill hovered, vibrating with tension, while the small woman examined my wounds. She was wearing a pair of white pants and a tunic, just like doctors at the hospital; well, just like doctors used to, before they started wearing that green color, or blue, or whatever crazy print came their way. Her face was full of her nose, and her skin was olive. Her hair was golden brown and coarse, incredibly thick and wavy. She wore it clipped fairly short. She put me in mind of a hobbit. Maybe she was a hobbit. My understanding of reality had taken several raps to the head in the past few months.
"What kind of doctor are you?" I asked, though it took some time for me to collect myself enough.
"The healing kind," she said in a surprisingly deep voice. "You have been poisoned."
"So that's why I keeping thinking I'm gonna die," I muttered.
"You will, quite soon," she said......

"She is the healer," Eric said, in a rebuking kind of way. "You must accept her treatment."
"Oh, all right," I said, not even caring how sullen I sounded. "By the way, I haven't heard an 'I'm sorry' from you yet." My sense of grievance had overwhelmed my sense of self-preservation.
"I am sorry that the maenad picked on you."....

"It's on the way," she said. "This is bad."
"Start," Bill said urgently. "She's changing color."
The dwarf leaped from the couch and bent to examine my eyes.
She shook her head. "Yes, if there's to be any hope," she said, but she sounded very far away to me. She had a syringe

Later in the scene and the best line of the scene

"What happened?"
Pam relaced her fingers around her knee. "We did as Dr. Ludwig said. Bill, Eric, Chow, and I all took a turn, and when you were almost dry we began the transfusion."
..Also, I had no shirt on. Or anything else. Above the waist. Below, my jeans were still intact, though remarkably nasty.
"Your shirt was so ragged we had to tear it off," Pam said, smiling openly.
"We took turns holding you on our laps. You were much admired. Bill was furious."

Review of Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

By Fantasy girl

This is the second book in the wildly popular Southern Vampire Mystery urban fantasy books written by Charlaine Harris. This book opens with our heroine, the lovable, plucky, Sookie Stackhouse, finding the dead body of a friend in the backseat of the local police detective's car. Because the detective in question was at home at the time of the murder, it's obvious that the body was killed at a different location and placed in the car.

Sookie learns that her friend had recently attended a local sex party. She thinks the members of that group might know something about her friend's murder so she starts "snooping" by using her special mind reading talent. Since Sookie works at the local bar she's afforded lots of opportunities to hear what the locals are thinking.

In the meantime, Bill Compton, Sookie's vampire boyfriend, informs her that she's been summoned to Dallas to help the local vampire leader find his missing brother. Sookie doesn't really have a say in the matter since she'd promised to do the vampires a favor previously in exchange for the lives of several humans. Therefore she and Bill head to Dallas.

It's here that Charlaine Harris provides additional insight into the modern day vampire world she's created. In order to get to Dallas Bill must fly in his coffin on a special airline, Anubis Air, which specializes in transporting vampires across the country. Sookie is on the same flight but sits in the passenger area of course.

Once they arrive in Dallas she's approached by a human who attempts to abduct both she and Bill. Fortunately, this occurs after dusk and Bill is able to save them. This encounter proves to be more important later in the book.

Read on http://www.content4reprint.com/culture-and-society/books/reviews/review-of-living-dead-in-dallas-by-charlaine-harris.htm

THE FUN-DEAD: ALAN BALL, HBO AND AUTHOR CHARLAINE HARRIS HAVE MADE US ALL WANT TO BE VAMPIRES AGAIN WITH TRUE BLOOD.

by Mr. Norman Maine

So you think Alan Ball (Six Feet Under) and HBO have made vampires cool again? Wrong. They may have brought it to your attention but it’s the eight great books by author Charlaine Harris that’s really brought vampires back and made us all want to be one…again. It’s the continuing saga of the adorable Sookie Stackhouse, with her ‘disability’ (she can read minds), her merry band of Southern-fried friends and family, of course, vampires.

These books are so much fun that you’ll want to go from one to the next right away and honestly, you should. Harris provides the consistency that was missing in the Ann Rice vampire books. Because the Rice vampires were basically about the vampires and their own kind, and the Harris books are more about humans and their relations with vampires, Harris has allowed herself a bigger playing field. Not only is there room to grow and expand on her original ideas but the addition of the synthetic blood in the first book gave her an opportunity to explore the vampire mind without having to have them chomp someone every night to stay alive—although there is certainly plenty of chomping.

Harris also kicked open the locked door of the vampire actually having sex with humans; well really, of vampires having sex at all. For a long time the allure of the vampire was, and still is, very sexual and what made it so hot was that it was always such forbidden fruit. Could they, couldn’t they? Dracula was very charming and in the Coppola version, Dracula (Gary Oldman) actually did have sex with the lovely Lucy, but he was in the form of a beast, or what looked like a beast. In Interview With The Vampire it was Lestat (Tom Cruise) and Louis (Brad Pitt) and then Louis and Armand (An- tonio Banderas). And although Rice created a very powerful homoerotic subtext, nothing physical came of it: their sex was sharing victims. But Harris has taken it to a whole new level with the notion that vampires can do it, seem to be really good at it and are at least as horny as their un-undead counterparts.

So far Ball and HBO have done a really nice job of taking the first book of the series and molding it into a TV show. Granted, HBO allows a freedom that the networks can’t match but they have had their share of really awful shows as well—remember John From Cincinnati, and Lucky Louie? Actually, I must admit that personally I thought the crass and hysterically vulgar Lucky Louie was brilliant. Anyway, The first episode of True Blood was dull and didn’t inspire much hope; the second episode was much better—subsequently the show built viewership each week and was consistently better each episode as well. True Blood turned into a genuine hit and created its own subculture of vampire fans and lovers, so much so that HBO has renewed the show for a second season. But knowing HBO as we do, we can expect to probably wait a minimum of 12 to 18 months for another season of True Blood. So to feed our blood lust, as it were, here is a brief review of the next three books in the “Dead” series. In our next issue we’ll cover the last four. By the time you’re done reading them all it should be time for the second season to premier!

BOOK 2—LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS:

In the first novel of the series, Dead Until Dark, Sookie met and fell in love with Bill the Vampire. While some of her neighbors looked down on Sookie for her relationship, others were more accepting of her unusual boyfriend. In addition to the uneasiness of her human friends, Sookie has some challenges from the undead side of her relationship. Given the mostly secret and politically complex nature of vampire society, Sookie is obligated to assist Bill when her unique talents are needed.

Here Sookie is required to travel to Dallas, accompanied by Bill, to assist in finding a missing vampire. The investi- gation is almost immediately complicated by an attack and evidence of spying on the local master–something that the vampires frown upon, and vampires frown a lot. We soon learn that our world is inhabited with other supernatural creatures, which Sookie thought were only myths. As it turns out they live in the shadows of society, a place once reserved for the vampire; some of these other children of the night are helpful, others deadly. Sookie’s life is soon threatened, to say nothing of her affections.

Despite some fantastical elements, this tale mainly plotted like a mystery. The story starts with a dead body, feeds us our share of investigation and the obligatory fighting for survival. While the mysteries are a major plot device, Sookie’s character arc, as well as her almost accidental exploration of the world around her, is the key element to this story. Sookie Stackhouse is a very likable main character and Harris’ gift of keeping her pleasant through the books is a gift—she remains humble, proud, and brave. Sookie possesses unusual talents but still holds true to the stereotype of believable small-town waitress. I certainly won’t give away anymore of the plot here, but I will tell you that this book, although good, is not as good as the first or subsequent titles; but it’s still worth reading.

BOOK 3—CLUB DEAD:

Club Dead features shape-shifters and werewolves now living side by side with humans. As usual, Sookie seems to possess the gift for getting into trouble. This time around we (eventually) find Bill, who was planning on leaving Sookie for another Vampire until he suddenly goes missing. Sookie’s confused emotions are the subtext of the plot for this entry. Being the third novel of the series, Sookie’s relationship with the Vampire world is well established. Sookie’s ‘gift’ makes her something of a misfit in the human world, but clearly very useful to the Vampires.

The plot of Club Dead is familiar but still interesting. Sookie is in danger from the very beginning of the novel. At first her enemies appear to be Bill’s captors. However, she soon pisses off a group of Werewolves who may or may not be linked to Bill’s kidnapping. Such a vast palette of enemies provides plenty of opportunity to create life-threatening situations for Sookie, and Harris crafts them well. The great mystery surrounding Bill’s kidnapping is a bit forgotten along the way, but it all wraps up nicely in the end. Club Dead is not a novel that will stand up to deep scrutiny, but it is good fun.

BOOK 4—DEAD TO THE WORLD:

The fourth book in the series finds Sookie back in Bon Temps still fuming at her ex-boyfriend vampire Bill. This time around all that Sookie wants to do is wait on tables, watch cable, and not get beaten up by yet another supernatural creature. In fact, when Bill announces he is bound for Peru to do research, she is even a bit pleased. But nothing lasts, and while driving home one night she finds Area 5 Vampire Sheriff Eric wandering around in various states of undress, confused and lacking any memory of who he was. Suddenly Sookie, who finds the new Eric much nicer than the old one, (we all know by now how conniving and ruthless Eric can be) is embroiled in a war that pits a coven of extortionist witches and werewolves who thrive on vampire blood against every supernatural creature in the Shreveport area. To make matters worse, Sookie’s perpetually half naked brother Jason disappears, leaving her worried to death and depending on a crazed, mixed crew of vampires and a somewhat ditzy fairy for support and protection.

Of course, the secret of this series is the fact that our somewhat “blond” heroine Sookie is a lot tougher than you might think. Yes, she is emotional, attracted to the spookiest men, has zero fashion sense—and lets not for get her “gift”—but time and again, through it all she has learned to pick up the pieces and carry on. If you don’t count her taste in men, Sookie’s actions generally makes sense. This is an easy read and a fun one. Harris again ties up MOST of the loose ends but leaves enough for the next book; and thankfully for the reader/viewer, Alan Ball, HBO and Sookie, there’s always going to be another book!

http://www.sohojournal.com/?p=1600

This is my favorite Sookie Stackhouse book- Dead in Dixie

What you've never heard of that title ? Sure you have it was published just for Science Fiction Book Club in 2003 and it combines Dead until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas and Club Dead INTO ONE book !!

It's 612 page hardback book and I just love it -- check out the cover ... yes that is Bill and Sookie and check out Bill's archangel wings of blood.

Dead in Dixie
By Charlaine Harris,
Published by Science Fiction Book Club, 2003
ISBN 9780739434710
612 pages

*(Living Dead in Dallas will be published in hardback in January- it only was published in paperback in 2002)

Sookie Eric said " Yield to me "

Great Sookie, Eric Bill scene from the end of bk 2

"Sookie," Eric said. I didn't think he'd heard a word. "Yield to me."

Well, that was pretty direct.
"No," I said, in the most definite voice I could summon. "No."
"I will protect you from Bill."
"You're the one that's gonna need protection!" When I reflected on that sentence, I was not proud of it.
"You think Bill is stronger than me?"
"I am not having this conversation." Then I proceeded to have it. "Eric, I appreciate your offering to help me, and I appreciate your willingness to come to an awful place like this."
"Believe me, Sookie, this little gathering of trash is nothing, nothing, compared to some of the places I have been."
And I believed him utterly. "Okay, but it's awful to me. Now, I realize that I should've known this would, ah, rouse your expectations, but you know I did not come out here tonight to have sex with anyone.

Bill is my boyfriend." Though the words boyfriend and Bill sounded ludicrous in the same sentence, "boyfriend" was Bill's function in my world, anyway.
"I am glad to hear it," said a cool, familiar voice. "This scene would make me wonder, otherwise."
Oh, great. Eric rose up off of me, and I scrambled off the hood of the car and stumbled in the direction of Bill's voice.

"Sookie," he said, when I drew near, "it's getting to where I just can't let you go anywhere alone."

Tara , Sookie and Andy find Lafayettes body

bk 2

So I was cheerful when I went to work. When I saw the Buick sitting all by
It's lonesome in front of bar, I remembered Andy's surprising binge the night before. I have to confess, I smiled when I thought of how he'd be feeling today. Just as I was about to drive around in back and park with the other employees, I noticed that Andy's rear passenger door was open just a little bit. That would make his dome light stay on, surely? And his battery would run down. And he'd be angry, and have to come in the bar to call the tow truck, or ask someone to jump him . . . so I put my car in park and slid out, leaving it running. That
turned out to be an optimistic error I shoved the door to, but it would only give an inch. So I pressed my body to it, thinking it would latch and I could be on my way. Again, the door would not click shut. Impatiently, I yanked it all the way open to find out what was in the way. A wave of smell gusted out into the parking lot, a dreadful smell. Dismay clutched at my throat, because the smell was not unknown to me. I peered into the backseat of the car my hand covering my mouth, though that hardly helped with the smell

Oh, man," I whispered. "Oh, shit." Lafayette, the cook for one shift at Merlotte's, had been shoved into the backseat. He was naked. It was thin brown foot, its toenails
painted a deep crimson, that had kept the door from shutting, and it was 's corpse that
smelled to high heaven I backed away hastily, then scrambled into my car and drove around back behind the bar, blowing my horn. Sam came running out of the employee door, an apron tied around his waist. I turned off my carand was out of it so quick I hardly realized I'd done it, and I wrapped myself around Sam like static-filled sock "What is it?" Sam's voice said in my ear. I leaned back to look at him, not having to gaze up too much since Sam is a
smallish man.

see my post http://lovingtruebloodindallas.blogspot.com/2008/11/this-little-piggy-went-to-market-this.html

Lafayette’s death described and the Eric/ Bill Sandwich that save Sookie’s life

I could taste the flavor of Eggs's thoughts. He was remembering Lafayette, thin brown body, talented fingers, and heavily made up eyes. He was remembering Lafayette's whispered suggestions. Then he was
choking those happy memories off with more unpleasant ones, Lafayette protesting violently, shrilly .
~~~

I reached in another direction, wormed into the head of Mike Spencer, found the nasty tangle I'd expected, found that as he rolled Cleo's breasts in his hands he was seeing other brown flesh, limp and lifeless. His own flesh rose as he remembered this. Through his memories I saw Jan asleep on the lumpy
couch, Lafayette's protest that if they didn't stop hurting him he would tell everyone what he'd done and with whom, and then Mike's fists descending, Tom Hardaway kneeling on the thin dark chest . . .I love the violence of sex, I love the reek of drink," she said dreamily. "I can run from miles away to be there for the end."

"You hit him during sex," the maenad said to Tom. "You hit him, because you are proud, and his subservience disgusted and excited you." She stretched her bony hand to caress Tom's dark face. I could see the whites of his eyes. "And you"—she patted Mike with her other hand—"you beat him, too, because you were seized with the madness. Then he threatened to tell."

~~~

The fear pouring out of their heads began to fill mine up, and run out. I covered my face with my hands. I threw up the strongest shields I could fashion, but I could still barely contain the terror. My back arched, and I bit my tongue to keep from making a sound. I could feel the movement as Bill turned to me, and then Eric was by his side and they were both mashing me between them. There is not a thing erotic about being pressed between two vampires under those circumstances. Their own urgent desire for my silence fed the fear, because what would frighten vampires? The dog pressed against our legs as if he offered us protection.

What the hell is a Maenad ?

What the hell is that ? Who the hell is Maryann ? Who was that naked lady in the road with the huge hog when Tara crashed ?

A Maenad is -- In Greek mythology, Maenads (Greek: Μαινάδες) were the inspired and frenzied female worshipers of Dionysus, the Greek god of mystery, wine, and intoxication, the Roman god Bacchus. Their name literally translates as "raving ones". They were known as wild, insane women who could not be reasoned with. The mysteries of Dionysus inspired the women to ecstatic frenzy; they indulged in copious amounts of violence, bloodletting, sexual activity, self-intoxication, and mutilation. They were usually pictured as crowned with vine leaves, clothed in fawnskins and carrying the thyrsus, and dancing with wild abandon.

She appears in Bk 2 and attacks Sookie as a way to get Eric's attention because she wants to be given a tribute ( remember the car and big house ?) it gets more complicated and involved as the book proceeds

bk 2
*...Excuse me, ma'am, but what are you? If you don't mind me asking."
She smiled again, and I shuddered. "Not at all. I'm a maenad."
That was something Greek. I didn't know exactly what, but it was wild, female, and lived in nature, if my impressions were correct.
"That's very interesting," I said, grinning for all I was worth. "And you are out here tonight because . . . ?"
"I need a message taken to Eric Northman," she said, moving closer. This time I could see her do it. The hog snuffled along at her side as if she were tied to the woman. The smell was indescribable. I could see the little brushy tail of the razorback—it was switching back and forth in a brisk, impatient sort of way. "What's the message?" I glanced up at her—and whirled to run as quickly as I could. If I hadn't ingested some vampire blood at the beginning of the summer, I couldn't have turned in time, and I would've taken the blow on my face and chest instead of my back. It felt exactly as though someone very strong had swung a heavy rake and the points had caught in my skin, gone deeper, and torn their way across my back.

*....Chow said, "The god entered some women so completely that they became immortal, or very close to it. Bacchus was the god of the grape, of course, so bars are very interesting to maenads. In fact, so interesting that they don't like other creatures of the darkness becoming involved. Maenads consider that the violence sparked by the consumption of alcohol belongs to them; that's what they feed off, now that no one formally worships their god. And they are attracted to pride."

**.....I took a deep breath. "I'm worried .."My mother used to tell my father that they love a proud man," he said, and for a moment I thought he was still teasing me. But I looked at his face, and he was not. "Maenads love nothing more than to tear a proud man down to size. Literally."
"Yuck," I said. "Anything else satisfy them?" "Large game. Bears, tigers, so on."

**......"I've spent a few evenings in the woods with her, yes. As Sam, and in my other skin."
"But she's so evil," I blurted.
Sam's back stiffened. "She's a supernatural creature like me," he said evenly. "She's neither evil nor good, she just is." "Oh, bullshit." I couldn't believe I was hearing this from Sam. "If she's feeding you this line, then she wants something from you." I remembered how beautiful the maenad had been, if you didn't mind bloodstains. And Sam, as a shapeshifter, wouldn't. "Oh," I said, comprehension sweeping me. Not that I could read Sam's mind clearly, since he was a supernatural creature, but I could get a lock on his emotional state, which was—embarrassed, horny, resentful, and horny.
"Oh," I said again, somewhat stiffly. "Excuse me, Sam. I didn't mean to speak ill of someone you . . . you, ah . . ." I could hardly say, "are screwing," however apropos it might be. "You're spending time with," I finished lamely. "I'm sure she's lovely once you get to know her. Of course, the fact that she cut my back to bloody ribbons may have something to do with my prejudice against her. I'll try to be more open-minded." And I stalked off to take an order, leaving Sam open mouthed behind me.

*......"Hello, messenger," the maenad said to me. "I forgot to introduce myself last time, my canine friend reminds me. I am Callisto."
"Miss Callisto," I said, since I had no idea what to call her. I would have nodded, but Andy had hold of my neck. It was sure beginning to hurt.
"Who is this stalwart brave gripping you?" Callisto moved a little closer.
I had no idea what Andy looked like, but everyone on the deck was enthralled and terrified, Eric and Bill excepted. They were easing back, away from the humans. This wasn't good.
"I love drunkenness, and you are very drunk," Callisto said happily. "I love pleasures of the flesh, and these people are full of lust. This is my kind of place."

Scenes from True Blood:

tara swerves to miss what in the road ?



tara after wreck and in jail



tara at Maryann's home