.jpg)
Posts
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."
read on
Monday, June 22, 2009
Charlaine Harris : Bestselling author hasn't forgotten years in Orangeburg
'True Blood:' Who's That Girl?
Last night's "True Blood" featured an evisceration, a shocking trip home for Jessica, a near orgy and one hilarious mall-set scene that called Bill and Eric's sexuality into question. Yet, this morning, all I can think about is that girl who played Christian singer Amanda Jane and her song, "Jesus Asked Me Out Today."
So I forced Sam to morph into a dog so he could track down the actress who played the pigtailed pop star. Three bad leads later, he led me to Molly Burnett. The 21-year-old actress -- who really performs that song -- regularly stars on "Days of Our Lives" as hell-raising Melanie, so her fans will undoubtedly love seeing her as the naughty-but-nice singer.
PopWrap: Where did that genius track come from?
Molly Burnett: [The writers]. I thought it was great because here you have this provocative pop star moving around like Britney Spears, talking about saving herself for Jesus. It's gold.
PW: There is a lot of Miss Spears in your performance, did you look to her as an inspiration?
Molly: I kind of did my own thing, but I may have referenced Britney a la the catholic school girl pig tail days!
Read on
Sign up to attend the Fellowship of the Sun institute
The Real Path To Eternal Life
One of the most difficult truths for humans to accept is that our time in this world is limited. We can only experience so many eras, seasons and sunrises in the time we are given. But vampires, in their endless role of seduction and temptation, are preying on this constraint, offering us "immortality" — as if existing hollowly for eons were any alternative to a real, purpose-driven human life. In todaays Reflection of Light, we'll talk more about vampires' "turning" of humans and the real path that God offers to eternal life.
http://www.fellowshipofthesun.org/
Recap: "True Blood" Episode 2, Season 2 from LA Times
Back at Bill's mossy mansion, he and Sookie lie in bed and talk about the challenges that newbie vamp Jessica presents. They are just too cute in the afterglow of their make-up sex. (And in living rooms across America, women sigh, perhaps with dismay, over Stephen Moyer's chest-wax job.) In regard to Jessica, Bill laments that she has no humanity, is in the grips of overwhelming transformations and cannot control her impulses.
"So how is that different from being a teenage girl?" asks Sookie. Dad joke! Nice one, Sook.
Meanwhile, at Fangtasia, Pam looks at Eric's hair and frets, "This is a disaster. We'll have to go much shorter than we planned." Thank God, Eric's long hair is so last century. The pair are quizzing Lafayette about the gay vampire Eddie whom he used to have sex with in exchange for the V that he sold illegally to thrill seekers (I imagine drinking V makes you feel as though you've unscrewed your skull and poured a satchel of pure MDMA directly onto your brain). Lafayette says he thinks Jason kidnapped Eddie.
The answer doesn't satisfy Eric and it's back to the dungeon for Lafayette and on to another plot line for us. Jason is on a silly school bus on his way to leadership camp. He meets an earnest but creepy former high school football player named Luke McDonald who swiftly becomes his bunk make and arch-nemesis.
Back at Mary Ann's house of endless fruit and weed, Tara tries to uncover Eggs' secrets. He is forthcoming: He has done time for dealing and using drugs, he's broke, and when Mary Ann found him he was living under a bridge. Yay, a winner! But none of that matters because Eggs has pecs that could crush skulls and abs that a girl could grate cheese on.
read on
Loving True Blood in Dallas Blogtalk Radio: True Blood Ep. 2 'Keep this Party Going' discussion and review
Please join me tonight Loving True Blood in Dallas at Blogtalk Radio
Let's recap and discuss Sunday night's episode.I will have on 2 special guest reviewers.
Joining me tonight is the amazing Pop Culture critic for the Huffington Post and True Blood reviewer, Mark Blankenship and from the fan forums the wonderful BillOhBill or Bob will be giving us her take and we will take your calls !!!..
Wow !
Our brand new amazing chat room opens at 8:45 show at 9:00 pm cst.
We can't wait to hear from you !
Call-in #(646) 929-0825
"What is the best 1990s vampire movie?"
Suburban Vamp asked :
"What is the best 1990s vampire movie?", and 330 of you responded. Not surprisingly, Interview with the Vampire took the lead. My only question was how far ahead it would be from Bram Stoker's Dracula. Here are the full results:
1. Interview with the Vampire, 44%
2. Bram Stoker's Dracula, 23%
3. Blade, 12%
4. From Dusk Till Dawn, 10%
5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movie), 4%
6. John Carpenter's Vampires, 3%
7. Other, 2%
8. Vampire in Brooklyn, 2%
9. Dracula: Dead and Loving It, 0%
there is a new poll for best pre-Twilight new-millennium vampire movies
check it out here
Interview with 'True Blood' vampire Stephen Moyer
Q: Now that True Blood has returned, what sort of reactions have you been hearing?
A: People seem genuinely excited by it. I think that our first two episodes are very much about setting up new ideas for the season, and Episode 3 is when it really starts to show something completely new. I've only seen up until Episode 3, but I was blown away by it. I think it's really interesting television, and it breaks new ground.
Q: One thing we're seeing is that Eric has a larger presence this season. What is that relationship between Bill and Eric going to be like?
A: Well, it starts off as one that is respectful, because he is Bill's elder and because he's a sheriff. Bill has to kowtow to him in many ways, which he doesn't like. What'sreally interesting, I think, is that Alan (Ball, the executive producer) and the writers have set up a modern-day feudal system, like a hierarchical kind of system where you're not allowed to speak down to your elders or the person above you. It's very old-fashioned, and I really like that. So even when Bill is incredibly (ticked) off with Eric's behavior, he has to be very careful with how he voices that.
read onMatt Reeves: From 'Cloverfield' to 'Let the Right One In'
La Times
He reinvented the modern monster movie with "Cloverfield" and is remaking the cult Swedish vampire film "Let the Right One In" for American audiences.
After having directed the "Godzilla"-for-the-Twitter-generation known as "Cloverfield," Matt Reeves was in meetings in early 2008 trying to set up a small drama he had written. An executive at Overture Films asked him to take a look at a then-unreleased Swedish horror film, "Let the Right One In," a hauntingly touching film about a lonely 12-year-old boy who realizes the kind girl who moved in next door is a vampire.
"I was just hooked," Reeves recalled recently. "I was so taken with the story and I had a very personal reaction. It reminded me a lot of my childhood, with the metaphor that the hard times of your pre-adolescent, early adolescent moment, that painful experience is a horror."
Reeves signed on to adapt and direct an American remake of the cult hit, now called "Let Me In," the English translation of John Ajvide Lindqvist's original novel. He recently finished a second draft of the script, currently set in Reagan-era Colorado, and is scouting locations, looking to maintain the original story's chilly, snow-swept environs. The film is scheduled for a fall 2010 theatrical release.
Small-town life inspired Charlaine Harris' vampire series
From Miami Herald
MAGNOLIA, Ark. -- Vampires typically roam the fogged streets of London or the humid nights of New Orleans, opulent worlds filled with beautiful monsters and formal balls.
Trailer parks and honky-tonks didn't fit -- until author Charlaine Harris took a chance with a telepathic barmaid named Sookie Stackhouse.
Now, Harris' Southern Vampire Mysteries series has hit The New York Times Bestseller List, gained fans far beyond her south Arkansas town and inspired a television series on HBO. Though fueled by sex, violence and hints of humor, Harris' novels hold a mirror up to a South where race and societal change permeates through her prose.
Still, the mother of three says her only concern at first was finding something that would sell.
''I'm no crusader,'' Harris says. ``I just like to make a point. If people get it, good. If they don't, OK.''
Stackhouse's fictional hometown of Bon Temps, La., resembles the South in which Harris grew up, a South filled with waitresses who wear Keds sneakers and shop at Wal-Mart. Trailers dot the pastures outside the north Louisiana town, and pickup trucks fill the parking lot of the bar where Harris' heroine works.
True Blood Sucker Punch: Episode Two
from Huffington Post by Mark Blankenship
NOTE: This post contains spoilers.
Welcome to Sucker Punch, the only blog post that ranks the gaudiest moments on this week's episode of True Blood.
Before I get to the latest installment, "Keep This Party Going," let me say that after posting last week's journey through the season opener, I went on vacation. Last night, when I surfed back here to see if anyone had commented on my post, I expected to find five or six responses. Instead, I found forty-nine. That's awesome. I look forward to spending the rest of the season with you guys!
And now back to the important question: When does "Keep This Party Going" go the furthest over the top?
Last week's Sucker Puncher, Maryann Forrester, can almost claim a repeat victory. It's delicious to watch her turn Merlotte's into a writhing almost-orgy, complete with patrons whose eyes turn black as they dance under her spell. You've also got to love a gal who will transform a restaurant owner into a dog. The customer is always right, y'all, and if she says it's time for you to shapeshift, then it's time.
I can't quite give her the prize, though, due to some script holes. For instance, why doesn't Maryann arouse more suspicion when she orders everything off the menu? After what's gone down in Bon Temps, shouldn't the townsfolk be more conscious of strange behavior?
And why-God-why doesn't Sookie do anything after she learns that Maryann's thoughts are both delivered in a male voice and spoken in some crazy ancient language? This is the time to pull Tara aside and say, "Girl, get out. Mercedes McCambridge is doing a voiceover for your hostess at the luxury palace."
also check out Mark's blog http://www.thecriticalcondition.com/
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Talk Blood Ep. 2 live right after True Blood tonight
.jpg)
Live TONIGHT: Talk Blood after True Blood
It's Sunday night again! We've got a whole night of fun planned starting with the the premiere of True Blood Season 2, Episode 2 "Keep this Party Going."
- 8:00pm CDT / 9:00pm EDT: Watch True Blood with @SookieBonTemps who'll be tweeting live from Merlotte's
- 9:oopm CDT / 10:00pm EDT: Tweet @SookieBonTemps and tell her what you thought of the show.
- 9:15pm CDT / 10:15pm EDT: Talk Blood after True Blood chatroom on Blog Talk Radio opens. Join us here.
- 9:30pm CDT / 10:30pm EDT: Talk Blood goes live! Join in the fun here or call in at 646.929.0825 and tell us what you thought of tonight's episode!
Email 'Dallas' or @SookieBonTemps about the show talkblood@gmail.com
New show Blog http://talkblood.blogspot.com/
Join us and let us KNOW what you think....
Talk Blood ( True Blood Ep 2 ) Chatroom transcript
Q&A with the 'True Blood' cast
We hear Eric may be show a more sensitive side in season two.
It’s definitely more personal in season two. It’s more sensitive. You’ll see that he has emotions, believe it or not.
We’ve also heard that there could even be a love connection between Sookie and Eric this season. What’s that all about?
Well, Sookie will see another side of Eric. The same thing as the audience. They’re pretty much only seen one side of him. Things might change a bit.
If you had three words to describe season two, what would they be?
It’s wild, sexy and fun.
all the other cast Q&A here
Happy Father's Day
Happy Father's Day ....
The lovely LadyJane has posted what gifts they gave to the "Dad" in their lives ... or maybe what Jessica might give Bill ?
Tonight’s ‘True Blood’, Episode 2.02 ‘Keep This Party Going’
from Rope of Silicon
I read several comments around the Internet with people saying how the first episode of the second season of “True Blood” was a bit of a disappointment, but if you read my review you would have known the first episode sets up something of a four episode story arc with the following episodes adding much more to the action side of things.
This week we move on to episode 2.02, “Keep This Party Going” I have to first ask how happy you were to see Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) wasn’t the one dead in the back of Detective Bellefleur’s (Chris Bauer) car? For those of you that enjoyed seeing Lafayette alive, yet not well living in Eric’s (Alexander Skarsgård) dungeon, you get plenty more of his story in this one. As a matter of fact, contemplate on the thought of Lafayette as a vampire… What? Not saying anymore…
Eric’s involvement doesn’t stop there as he sets out to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of a powerful vampire in Texas. He wants Sookie’s help, but will Bill allow him to take her?
Meanwhile, Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten) is shipping off to The Light of Day Leadership Conference where he gets his Ring of Honesty made of silver, plays a little capture the flag, giving him the chance to take his shirt off for the ladies, and meets the man likely to become a season long nemesis in Luke MacDonald (Wes Brown). When the two meet Luke tells him his last name is “no relation to the restaurant” to which Jason proves his stupidity asking, “Any relation to the farm?” Jason is just keeping it real.
Read on
.jpg)
