So I'm going on the CH website like a kid peaking under the Christmas tree (and Santa was debunked at an early age for me so this is a very strange sensation).

Anyway, there's still nothing up but the old Sookie cover for the Touch of Dead was removed from the homepage. Therefore, making room for NEW POSTS!!! So, consider me the holiday narc. Will update if something new appears....

yay!!!

yeah I noticed there's been a few things moved on the homepage in the last few days - something was deleted earlier in the week.  God I wish she'd hurry it up it's just getting ridiculous.

The whole frigging world has seen the cover by now anyway - except everyone on her forum lmao - I really fail to see the point in dragging it out.

I'm getting pissy and impatient.  Can you tell?

Hey peeps! Here are some more questions CH has answered. The first poster was asking if there was any particular reason that Eric got really excited when Sookie told him it was going to snow. A second poster asked what Eric meant when he said "Do you regret Quinn?"

That's interesting...it was a very ambiguous question and I thought he meant did she regret ever being with him.  Interesting that he meant something else.

And the snow thing!  Of course a viking would love snow!  I hadn't even thought of that.

And can I say that those are very direct answers for her.  She must be feeling generous for Xmas lol.

I always thought he meant if she regrets break up with Quinn, becouse then she explained she rregtre him becouse she could had done a huge misteke to break up wih him, she never did him a true chance i think....What really makes me happy and proud of the Viking is thet he knows her very well...this question was a sign of respect for her....he could had not ask but he was brave i guess.....he wanted to be sincere with her and she was sincere with him too....

.he wanted to be sincere with her and she was sincere with him too....

  Mony, yeah I agree wtih you. I always thought that was referring to the breakup. And I always thought it was the most fortright, honest exchanges between E & S. I mean she actually told him she enjoyed his company! That's major for Sookie.

yeah she said she is happy with him, she said He is her man now!!!that's a big step for Sookie.....Eric always told her the truth however, of course not everything, but what he always said was real....i'm in this way to...i always tell the truth, maybe not everything but what i sai it's honest....It' s a good thing for them....i really hope they will have time to talk a lot in the next book, is a thing that I love in them....they talk, they laugh and they get each others...my finger are crossed.

Hi guys... Maybe move this to the triangular tableau thread?

A poster asked if the svm vamps can tell when a woman is on her period. Its interesting to know that CH had written a scene about that in one of the books, before she had to take it out. I always wondered why other vampire books didn't deal with this. Its a natural part of a woman's life. But there was reference to this in DD was it, with Bill and Sookie?

Hahaha I'm glad she addressed that.  Inquiring minds did wonder about that.

I read a fanfic a while back that had a discussion between E/S on this subject.  It was really well done...now I want to read CH's version.

There was something in DD where Sookie said that Bill flared his nostrils because he could smell that she had her period...

That was it Caro!

Oh, and look at this! Sorry if it has been posted here before, but I don't remember reading this. So...here:

6880 duckpond100 2009-10-19 07:49
Well, there would certainly be a lot of issues to settle, gertt, since in the vampire world Eric and Sookie are married. Even if it's only the equivalent (in human terms) of the old "common-law married," it's a definite status to the vampires.

I'm thinking Quinn is going to be in the novella I'm writing for the Sookie Companion.

Charlaine Harris  

Wow. I have to stop, I just keep finding things I want to share with you guys.

2291 caligula 2009-08-15 20:14
So this question came up in the TB thread and I thought I'd ask it here as well. I know there's blood bonds with humans and vamps in the Sookieverse, However how does the maker and child bond work? Can they feel each others feelings if they're within proximity or is that strictly for humans?  

2292 duckpond100 2009-08-16 08:15
Strictly for humans. It's more like they have a deep understanding and connection.

Charlaine Harris

such a shame....i really woulf like to read about "lady time" with a vampire, is something that even most of others vampire books never talk about!!

I think i'd miss that Fanfiction Aaine, do you remember the title?

I hope CH would talk even a little in next books....^^

I wrote a great scene about that, but my editor made me take it out. For some reason, she thought it was in bad taste . . . go figure!

Oh I really have not been agreeing with her editor's calls that's for sure! I would have loved to have read that scene.

I'd think that vamps would love lady time. It also seems like a very nice alternative to wearing a tampon.

Ewwwwww... I have to say, the idea of menses being appetizing on any level is repugnant to me... If there were vamps in my world, it would be like the days of the red tent where I would keep myself in isolation the entire time....

I can't remember which book, but in one of Anne Rice's vampire chonicles, Lestat sucks the menstrual blood out of his human lover.  It's someone he's emotionally connected to.  I don't remember it grossing me out, the way it was written.  I mean, to a vampire, I guess blood is blood... waste not, want not!

look at it like putting whipcream or chocolate... tasty and sexy.

Mony - it was Ch 9 of I Have Gone Out - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5097994/9/I_Have_Gone_Out

Geez I don't remember that scene & I loved those books. Although that is not surprising  b'c my memory ain't what it used to be, Liann if you remember which book & the scene or who with - will you let me know. I want to read it.

Thank you soooo much Aaine....

OK I have to say, the WHOLE Idea of the period blood and it being appealing is disgusting!!!! However I think it would make a good story line

Sure, Laura, but it's been a really long time since I read them as well.  I know it was a much later one, definitely not the first 3 or 4... I think in that one Lestat had also aquired a german shephard as a sort of companion, and he was having some sort of a religious epiphany. I remember the act itself being quite reverential, and loving.  I'm not even sure if I own it anymore, but now I've gotten curious, too!  I'll try to find it.

Wow. It's scary how bad my memory has become b'c I went "German Shepard! Oh yeah! Hmphf. I have no idea beyond that mention." If you knew how much I loved those books.....at least I never did re-reads. Then I would put myself in a home.

Laura, I found it!  I just PMd you with the section.  Enjoy!

TY!!

For anyone else who's interested, It's in the 5th Vampire Chronicles book by Anne Rice titled "Memnoch the Devil".  The act itself takes place in Chapter 21.  The story is long, involved and complicated, but basically he does this as a way to have her blood but not harm her in any way.

How sweet of him...

I think this is officially random.

OK it's over mama.

Here's something interesting:

when is it coming out?

They're really vague. Sometime later this year. I'm,guessing the fall.

She was talking not about Sookie but about her other character Harper from Grave Series who's is in love or have a very carnal affection for her stepbrother Tolliver Lang ^^

Carnal affection! LOL!! I'll say.....

I have not read the series but I am familiar with the ehhh relationship? I have to say that the notion gives me the shivers... It is more than a little disturbing.. Not because she likes her step brother (I am sure it happens) but because of the Implied belief that they were actual siblings and had know each other long enough for this to be a possibility... Just creepy..

she may be referring to how Sookie and eric are so closely related with the Blood Bond, not necessarily a blood sibling?

In this interview Harris talks about Sookie and Harper, two different story....Harper is from Grave Series.....and the incestuos point was talkin about the other series which talks about Harper who's in a deep affection with her stepbrother.......

She was not talking about Sookie when she mentioned incest....^^

The article was misunderstood but she does let us know. The article is not about Sookie. It is mainly about the  Harper Connelly series. & that was the incestuous realtionship Jeram thought they were talking.

Jeram, I hope you don't mind. I am just going to delete the post.

I don't think there's enough about Stan to support a series, but there are Alcide and the weres or perhaps Pam or Quinn. Pam would be a blast. It could be Eric if he isn't the HEA, unless she sets it in the past, which would fascinating. She could make it about Bill and lose most of her current readership. Despite the vocal rabid BLs, Eric is by far the favorite. Sam has the potential to be interesting, but so far he lacks the charisma to carry a series. Just imagine all the exciting adventures in his bar...NOT.

Personally I think CH is getting tired of writing Sookie. She's milked it about as far as she can go.

I htink she is tired too, especially afterTB, she had a lot of pressure, Bill's death is and example, she wanted to kill him but i guess becouse of the show maybe she couldn't...dunno.....maybe i'm mean, but if she write about Bill she'll lose a lot of readers, i'm not going to buy a bok about him, sorry.....Eric would be great, if she talks about him in the past or a kind of Eric's POV about Sookie at least....

Actually i'm positive and i think he is her HEA, i don't want to be negative......i mean 9 books with their realationship and in one book she fall for another guy??it' s quite nonsense in my opinion.....but we know by far that this books has nothing about romanticism, but i put my money on Eric as always...^^

I would love if she did a spin off about Amelia. We could learn more about witches, her father, New Orleans, S/E could be cameos.  Just seems like a lot of story lines could come from that.

I'll second that! Plus Amelia's dating life is...colorful. ha.

Has CH ever answered the question: What is Pam's last name?

I always thought Pam's last name was Ravenscroft....but not sure where I read that info....It may be a fanfic fabrication, but for some reason I think that is it.

I have no memory of her ever spoken or anyone else saying her last name. EVER kind of wierd I thought.

I think 'Ravenscroft' came from True Blood.

You are right GEE, I knew I heard it somewhere.  I'm sure she just made one up like Eric made up Northman for his human dealings.  But Ravenscroft sounds very English and of the time period in which she was turned.  Very Gothic.

Yes I thought that when I heard it too - it suits her quite well.

I thought in ATD when she had the chat with Sookie she told her her last name? I could be totally imagining it though.

I can't remember either. I thought we learned her last name in ATD too. I could also be imagining that little detail. I'll have to check my sources...Didn't CH say that was her last name at some point?

She could make it about Bill and lose most of her current readership.

LOL! Oh, Judy. How I love you.

Actually yes she did - somewhere in the Q&A thread. Maybe the 1st one. I will double check.

Here's a new one I thought you guys might like.

 7792duckpond100  2010-01-22 08:17
Bill thinks Eric is a rogue because Bill can't predict what Eric is going to do.

Charlaine Harris

That Bill character, so typical poor thing. IMO, this implies that Bill is definitely a rule follower (his age plus all the thumbs he is under makes it hard to do anything else) and he's prolly jealous b'c Eric's works to be his own man & have his freedom for as much as one can in the vamp. world.

Wow, I find this really interesting for a bunch of reasons.

3179duckpond100  2010-01-18 14:45
I'm not sure you can call that telepathic. Telepathy is being able to hear other peoples' thoughts. Stan can actually send and receive. So I'm thinking that's one of Stan's special vampire gifts, and I'm thinking it's not unique among those who rise to the rank of King or Queen.

Charlaine Harris

Confirmation of Pam's last name.

2132 duckpond100 2008-12-09 07:50
Ravenscroft is Pam's last name.

Charlaine Harris

So interesting!!!!

What was the question about Bill and Eric?I'm quite curious right now!!!

The question pretty much asked why Bill refers to Eric as Rogue who is straying from the old ways?

Big discussion breaks out with her posters and CH answers concisely...

i think it was a good question and even good answer in my opinion....

Ah.... They were discussing Eric staking Long Shadow....

Wow those answers are GREAT!!!!!  Way to go finding those!

Post moved to NEW Spin Off thread.

Thank You for finding out for me. I can never find what I am looking for on the net. Y'all are great with computer searches. Thanks Again. ~Lizzie

Not sure if this has been posted here or not but it's now gone public on a few blogs so I think safe to post here.  Today is Northman day on CH's official site.

The idea is that posters post about the reasons they like Eric in his thread, just to remind the powers that be that although the EL's have been all but hounded from that board, we are still out there in great numbers.  We want to keep it to Eric's character, and hopefully don't end up with hordes of posters going on and on about the shower scene...as wonderful as it was.

The expected antagonism and baiting from certain quarters is to be completely ignored - do not engage!  Just post your Eric love and leave it at that.

So if you get a chance, it would great if people could post.  I don't usually post there but will make an exception just this once

Oh and I forgot - this is Book Eric only.  So no mention of True Blood and no Alex love.

Aaine, what is the link to post there?

http://www.charlaineharris.com

Click on "Charlaine Harris Community Forums" in the top banner to get to the forums.

We are posting in the Eric Northman thread.

Headed over there and found this nugget. The Bill lovers are jumping all over it and whooping with joy. Made me feel like puking.

8034 dawnscrown 2010-01-29 13:57  

heythere57... IMO Eric senses her feelings for Bill, via the bond. Eric wants her to love only him. If Bill were gone, dead dead, that clears the way, again IMO. 

Perhaps for the other reasons you mentioned as well. No matter what, Sookie still cares for Bill. And after DAG, Sookie trusts Bill again.

8035 duckpond100 2010-01-29 14:18 

Dawnscrown is right.

Charlaine Harris

Gag.

But right about what?  Surely not all of it?

Geez, she could have clarified it a bit, I swear the woman gets some sick thrill out of this.

I'm a Eric's fan but what this guy or girl said it's true.....

Sookie feels for Bill, she still cares for him and after D&G she trust him again.....Eric knows she still cares for him and this is a thing that always makes him unconfortable...

I guess all BL's shoudl check on a dictonary what's the mean of heving feels becouese is not only love, there is the affection, the trust, the friendship and Sookie will trust Bil again, he is almost dead for her.......he could be a good friend for her......

So this statement is not something new and something that realle makes me think OMG Sookie and Bill again becouse she loves him.....absolutly not......

Btw in book 10 she said she loves Eric so.......what's the point on jumpig as a teenager for that statement?

Of course Sookie will trust him again, but you're in love with every men who you trust??i dont' think so.......

Of course Sookie will trust him again, but you're in love with every men who you trust??i dont' think so.......

I agree but one thing to add...she may trust him with her life and protection and as a friend but she will NEVER trust him in a relationship again. That is the difference for me. On a certain level I think she expressed that in saying "and in that moment...I loved him" or whatever. I don't think any rational person would assume that these two have a romantic future. Even if CH is a fool and won't come out and say it. That ship has sailed. Bill could save me a million times over and I still wouldn't trust my heart to him. CH is really vague so I just get more and more annoyed with her answers.

Yes..she said "and in that moment i loved him again"...but then in book 10 she said she loves Eric for the frts time in 10 books...

I assume that she could trust Bill again (Bill the man who should die in book 9, i want that every body remember this) and forever a part of her will love him, he is her first love.....I still love my First Love too, a part of me at least...^^

For me that statement was so natural...I always thought tha Sookie a day would trust him again, as a friend, as someone who could protect her...

And Eric IS jalous, he always been.....becouse he knows all the bad things Bill did and cannot accept that she could forgive him.....Bit E/S are one soul and in the end of all this drama they will find a way to be happy together...no doubt about that!!!!!

That quote doesn't bother me because we 1) know she has forgiven Bill and has feelings again. But I don't think it is romantic love. I agree i think that ship has sailed.  2) I actually like that quote because it validates that Eric DOES have feelings for Sookie, something the BL's don't think he has. Why be jealous if you don't care? So really I don't think it tells us anything new.

That quote doesn't offer any new information. Vampire's are possessive and it's a human reaction really - you love/want someone and you want them to love/want you. Not love you AND their ex-boyfriend. It's completely reasonable and it's nothing we didn't know already. We knew the trust was there too. We've known that since she made the choice to call him to check on Tray.

And Bill being definitely dead would certainly clear the way. But the real interesting part is that Bill is still undead no matter how many opportunities and perfectly reasonable excuses Eric could find to take him out for good. The Fae war would have been a perfect time to do just that. He wouldn't even have to pay a fine, just blame it on a fairy.

That says a lot about his character and his feelings for Sookie. He could "Kill Bill," but the reason he doesn't is Sookie. He wants to win, but not by default and he knows that killing Bill would hurt Sookie.

Plus, at the moment, Bill is more useful alive. He needs someone to lurk outside her house...

Plus, at the moment, Bill is more useful alive. He needs someone to lurk outside her house...

So true...and so hilarious. See I bet he's entertainment for Eric as well. I mean, don't you think Eric falls asleep at dawn laughing at what a douche Bill is?

I just want to say, if she still loves Bill I totally find that understandable...I too still have a place in my heart for my first love, even though I would NEVER go back to him the hubby understand he will always mean a lot to be because he was so important in my growing up and maturing life of love.  I think Sookie will have simillar emotions

Ashley...I think in most cases we hold our first love close and usually don't give up on it. I'm in the same boat as you but as much as I'll always love him the one thing I've learned over the years is that trust is the most important part of any relationship. And I might be wrong but too much has tainted that in a romantic sense.

I agree, I think ther eis no way she goes back to bill but I think Eric shoudl understand if she still feels for him you know

Yea...I guess I'm a little on the fence about that bc Sookie is not the most understanding when it comes to exes. She admits it herself. I understand she'll always have love for Bill but I think that she owes Eric the decency to distinguish between the love she has for him and that for Bill. Until she can tell Eric to his face that she loves him (which she does) it just isn't fair. IMO that is just selfish. What do you think? Does that make sense?

Until she can tell Eric to his face that she loves him (which she does) it just isn't fair. IMO that is just selfish. What do you think? Does that make sense?

Yes, makes sense to me. I can see where the poster on CH's site is coming from. What nauseated me was the rejoycing from the Bill brigade. It was the first time I had been over there for a long while and I think it'll be a long time before I go back. The BL's have tunnel vision. I sincerely hope CH doesn't indulge them too much in #10. Letting him live should be enough.

You know what  have problems with is the rejoicing on her site by the BL's. When it was revealed by AB that CH had considered killing off Bill you did not see any of that by any EL's or Sam or Quinn lovers.  I thought the rest of the posters were pretty respectful of their disappointment and didn't go there.

Perhaps for the other reasons you mentioned as well. No matter what, Sookie still cares for Bill. And after DAG, Sookie trusts Bill again.

8035 duckpond100 2010-01-29 14:18 

Dawnscrown is right.

Oh! I've been off for a few days. Yeah, I don't see what he big is aside from the usual BL grasping at straws & not reading the whole thing properly. Isn't that point of Sookie moving forward? To be able to truly forgive?  She can't truly love anyone, never mind Eric, if is she is still all bitter & twisted about Bill.

Of course the BL's are gonna love it, that's totally par for the delusional course & allows them to have their fun & gloat. That's why they're there & we're here. That's their place. What else is new? IMO, it's yet one of those little things that gets hyped for no other reasons than being willingly looked at via a narrow lens. The posting drama at CH's is always the same inane & superfluous stuff. If it makes them feel better then hey...go for it. As long as they don't bring the crazy over here, I could care less what they're going on about now.

BTW -   Tina, how did the Northman Day thing go? Did you post over there?

I'm not Tina, but I'll answer about Northmanday (as Aislyn corrected a few of the girls), ok?! LOL

It was a great experience. About 66 different posters showed up and everything went very well.

The mods had only to "warn" 2 posters for doing something against the rules (and one of those posters I'm sure did something wrong on purpose to see if she could get away with it).

The BLs didn't interfere (some of us are speculating if they  were warned not to create problems and to stay out of Eric thread that day). They actually congratulated each other the next day for being so "classy" and "allowing" the ELs to celebrate Eric's day LOL

It was great to see old posters there again. Unfortunately lots of old posters  are so sick of how things are over there that they didn't show up. And some were not told about it. Next time we will organize ourselves better and I'm sure more people will participate

Good. Glad to hear it went well for you guys.

I posted a couple of times Laura...don't think I'll make a habit of though.

As mima said it was all very civil.  All class, those BL's you know.

Its nice to know the BL's can behave when they are told to

A bit like Bill then..................

I posted a couple of times Laura...don't think I'll make a habit of though.

I don't blame you.  

As mima said it was all very civil.  All class, those BL's you know. 

I was laughing when I read mima's post b'c the second you start self-congratulating for being "classy", you contradict the act right there. Being classy requires a certain amount of humility or humbleness. As well as poise, graciousness and a sense of balance.  If they weren't told to be good, they would have never "allowed" it & that shows based on what mima said.

In other news - does anyone have the 1st bit of what heythere57 asked to the question dawnscrown answered? Just curious.

Here's heythere57's comment, to which dawnscrown was responding:

7916 heythere57 2010-01-29 13:45
I am new to the board, so I apologize if this has already been asked. At the end of Dead and Gone, when Eric and Sookie are talking in the hospital, Eric said that he would let Bill rot rather than help him heal, even if Sookie didn't need his (Eric's) blood.

The obvious reasons for this are 1) Bill opted to call for backup rather than try to save Sookie when the bad fae first nabbed her; and 2) their jealousy and competition over Sookie (to lesser extent - I doubt Eric feels serious competition from anybody!); and 3) the way Bill treated and betrayed Sookie in the past.

Are there any other reasons that Eric would show such animosity towards Bill, reasons we have yet to learn about? Eric's comment showed such hostility, I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to it. . . 

Ahh thank you. This puts a better perspective on things.

Has anyone seen this one yet?

8981 duckpond100 2010-01-26 09:45
Sookie doesn't know why she kept the bullet, but she did, and it's in her nighttable drawer.  

You'll see Eric's house in DITF.

Charlaine Harris

We already knew about seeing Eric's house and we knew that Sookie still had the bullet somewhere. But I didn't know where exactly, so its nice to know that she has it so close to where she sleeps. It just seems sweet to me.   

how sweet it is......i know she kept it, actually i never know why, maybe there's a meaning that we don't know...who knows...

I guess she was answering to someone who asked for the bullet

If the bullet is so easily accessible, not hidden away, I wonder if Eric will find it?  CH has to have had a reason for Sookie to keep it.  Could factor in later in the plot?

yeah maybe, why not?maybe even Eric noticed it, and maybe it is one of the things he remember after the curse....Harris said onece he will remember more that the sex he had with her....maybe he found the bullt and for him is a sing that she cared for him from dallas...

Dunno, just a speculation.....ahahah^^

I'm just so glad that CH didn't say something ridiculous like "the bullet is probably still in some pocket," or "Sookie hasn't thought about the bullet since LDID." Knowing that it is close to her and that she took the time to find a proper place for the bullet puts my mind at ease. And, while she says Sookie doesn't know why she took it, I actually found that more encouraging bc it allows CH to further explain in the novels. Plus, I kinda think that her taking the bullets were involuntary (she was somewhat compelled to do it, from what I remember) so given Sookie's usual inability to reflect I bet she hasn't come to a solid conclusion.

As with all of you I really want the bullet to be revealed to Eric. Or, atleast I want the bullet to help her come to terms with her LOVE for Eric.

Maybe Amnesia Eric found it, and that's what he also remember....CH said that Eric will remember more that the sex with her or the feeling or Debbie...so maybe he remembered even this....it's a possibility....

8117 duckpond100 2010-02-18 09:11

** To say Amelia's dad is a good guy or a bad guy is an oversimplification. I fell into that with Quinn, but I'm not going to do it again. He's not the kind of person I'd enjoy spending time with. He's all about himself. **

Charlaine Harris

She fell into that with Quinn?  We all know she has a bit of a hard on for Quinn...seems like she might have played him up unintentionally.

I always thought that everytime she said that she kind of love Quinn she was bullshitting...becouse it's quite obvious how not good and dangerous Quinn is...he has a low respetc for life, he used to kill, so i'm quite sure that Harris wasn't serious about Quinn...she wanted to tease us^^

She fell into that with Quinn?

At one point, she declared Quinn a "good" guy, but like she said, that is an oversimplification. All her characters have shades of gray and pronouncing someone good or bad is not accurate. Quinn has some good qualities - I don't think he is out to ruin the world. But he's still an emotionally unstable  idiot, who continues to make some not so "good" mistakes.

You know, this may just be my oversite because I love Eric and all...but I didn't know that she really oversimplified Quinn.  I think Quinn is very typicall male--in a selfish and obnoxious sort of way.  IDK, i may be alone on that one

Few hours ago Charlaine was here in Italy, Rome for a press about book 4....i want to apologize with everyone for book's 4 covers but they are stupid and i'm feel ashemd fot them....and it's not the official book btw, just another editorial

She was so sweet....took some photos, not me i wasn't there but my friends yes....one of them hug her and tell her how much she adores her and adores Eric and Charlaine was sooooo touched.....she signed a book for our forum....i'm pretty much overlhelmed right now.....she didn't revelad anything that we already know...but if you want you can see some videos here: http://trueblooditalia.forumfree.it/?t=46571074#entry381641028

That is really cool you got that!

For the Sookie Stackhouse Forum?

Wow Mony, that is awesome.... Thanks for that. You get two snaps and a whole box full of gold stars...

Your friends are so lucky! And thats so cool that CH signed a book for this whole forum!

i was so sad i couldn't be there, but i'm happy some people of my forum went there and have fun...she was soooo sweet, that's what they said and i'm sure about that, she is always so kind, she talk about book 4, about Sookie in general, about how she is sure that she put her books in right hand, i'm always positive when a heard her saying that 'couse for despite many things that Ball has changed or just put in a different way, i'm able to see her novels in TrueBlood....

She signed for my italian forum, it's a little present that some friends of my forum did for my Staff and was so sweet, ebe if is a little thing you know....^^

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.)

I love the TV show, and I really enjoy seeing my work through Alan's interpretation. (Alan Ball, who created American series Six Feet Under, is creator and producer of the True Blood television series.) My input lies in writing the books the show is based on.

What did you think of our true Brit Stephen Moyer's performance as Bill Compton?

I admire Stephen. I'm so pleased he's in the series, and I think he's given Bill depth and great appeal.

What's in store for Sookie, as the next book is out in May? Will the FBI come back to recruit her?

You'll have to find out then. You'll be surprised.

Why do you think the world's gone bats over vampires?

In depressed economic times people turn to fantasy literature, and my books fit the bill. In our youth obsessed society, vampires represent the ideal in keeping their looks, never ageing, never getting ill.

You also write crime fiction with the Harper Connelly "grave" stories. Would you like to see Harper get the same small screen treatment as Sookie? The latest instalment, Grave Secret, seems to flesh out some characters, such as Manfred and Harper's sisters, aunt and uncle, so there seem to be plenty of cast members for a TV series. Was this deliberate?

No, I fleshed out the characters because they were an integral part of the story. But there has been TV interest in the Harper books, and it may happen, may not.

How do you divide your time between the genres, as we're told writers have to be very focused and disciplined?

It's like switching heads. It's a nice change of pace.

How do you relax?

I read. Sometimes my husband and I go to the movies. We watch my daughter play baseball. I e-mail friends.

You're only making three stops in the UK and Nottingham is one. Do you have a fan club here or is it a hot spot for sales?

As I understand it, it is a hot spot for sales. I don't book my own tours in the US or overseas, and I enjoy seeing different places and different fans.

source

hey guys!

not sure if i should post this question here or random thoughts, but here goes!

i noticed that Charlaine is having a book signing for DITF in my area in May, and i was hoping someone who has gone to a signing b4 can answer......when the author has a signing, do they only sign the book they are promoting at that time?....and if so, do you HAVE to buy it at the bookstore that day, or can you bring your own copy of it?? Im pre-ordering it from Amazon and was hoping i could take my own copy

Hi Natalie... here is fine to post this question and unfortunately I have no idea....

Any of you guys ever gone to a book signing?

CHARLAINE IN POLAND TALKS ABOUT TRUE BLOOD, SOOKIE, BOOK 10th AND ERIC^^

I've found this interview!!!!!

Charlaine Harris talks 'True Blood'

Since last year, it's been hard to escape the phenomenon that is True Blood. Vampires have been made cool again, biting is all the rage, and Stephen Moyer calendars are hanging on walls around our office the world. While Alan Ball has been responsible for bringing Sookie Stackhouse and co. to our screens, author of the novels Charlaine Harris is the real brains behind the world of Bon Temps. Recently, we caught up with her to talk all things TB.

What was your reaction when you were approached to take your books to the small screen?
"I'd been approached before and it hadn't come to anything, so when that option arrived, I had three offers on the books. But of course, Alan's was the most interesting! I was very excited when it looked like it was gonna gel."

Have you been following the series?
"Yes I have!"

And what are your thoughts?
"I'm amazed! I love Alan's creativity, I love the cast - I've just been very impressed with the way he's stayed true to the spirit of the books. I've been with the characters for so long, but I admire the way they're taking the parts and making them their own."

Does Anna Paquin do a good Sookie?
"Anna Paquin does a fantastic Sookie! I was so excited when she wanted the role and I think she's doing a wonderful job. It's bizarre seeing famous faces acting out my characters - it's very strange and I'm still trying to get used to it! But of course, seeing my name up there every week is quite a thrill!"

How does the series compare to the books?
"They're very different in a lot of ways. The plot has been altered quite a bit and there's more material that I didn't write because they're having to bring in the secondary characters and buff them up. There are some great differences, but as Alan promised me, he is staying true to the spirit of the books - and that's what I wanted."

Have there been any changes that you didn't like?
"There have been some sub-stories that I wasn't as nuts about as others, but there hasn't been anything I've really hated. I wasn't too keen on the voodoo story, but I see now why they introduced it in the second season. Once I saw it, it all made sense."

Have you been involved at all in the series?
"Oh no - my involvement consists of my having written the books."

Would you be up for writing an episode?
"No. I'm too busy! I know that sounds pretentious, but I can't imagine trying to make the time for that."

How many more Sookie Stackhouse books do you have planned?
"I don't plan anything! I'm signed through book 13, and I'll consider whether or not to finish the series probably when I'm writing the next book."

Are you conscious that what you write may affect the television series?
"No. Alan doesn't tell me how to write the books and I don't tell him how to write the series and I'll continue the series the way I think is best to tell my story. Of course, he's telling a slightly different story."

You're contracted for 13 books. How long do you see the TV series running for?
"Well they're contracted through season four, and I'm sure they'll re-evaluate then."

You've said before that you have no plans to turn Sookie into a vampire. Why is that?
"I just think it would be a betrayal of the character. That is totally unappealing to me."

Finally, how likely is it that you'll kill Sookie off in the last book?
"Killed?! Oh no, no, no! I don't think you really need to worry about that!"

source

Its nice to know that Sookie won't be killed. Not like I had seriously considered that but still its nice to hear it straight from the author.

God I hope Eric won't be killed... but I just can't see the story ending with the idea that Sookie is growing into a granny with Eric by her side... if that's how it ends, I'll burn the books in protest!!

she said a month ago or few months ago that Eric won't be killed off... and that they will be two sure survivors of the series...who know if in human, vampire form??you know..everything is possible in Sookie's world.....

You know she did say she could kill anyone she wanted too...you never know she may go crazy and do just that to poor Eric *shudders at the thought!!!*

I dont' think so...actually i've never thought about that becouse followiong the books there is a logical sense and Eric's death is not one of them....i know she had planned how to ended the story, but she repeated many times that eric wont' be killed off, if i couldn't believe in that i should'nt believ in many others thing she said....actually i think he could die and maybe come back, who knows what the big present from Niall is...who knows what she had in mind....but she loves Eric becouse he is funny, sarcastic as she is so nope, i don't think he will die.

imagine if Niall made Eric human... that would be freaky! I love vampire Eric!!!

And I think Eric loves being vampire.

yeah he really loves being a vampire, he is good in this, and is everything he is able to do.....but you know

"That night i dreamed about Eric. He was Human and we walked together in the sun" (Dead & Gone)

I think I'd hate seeing Eric made human even more than I'd hate seeing Sookie made vampire.

It would also be a betrayal of his character, in the worst way.

No no  no.  Definitely no.

eric cant be a vampire he is very much so a vampire after so many centuries plus i believe he told sookie he cared for her but not enough to die for her because they would both be dead and what good would that be.. so he wont go to far as to become human for sookie or completely die for her because he likes being vampire

Also, how the heck could he protect her?  They'd both be sitting ducks!!!

Charlaine Harris in London !

• She started talking about her career and how she started writing the Sookie Stackhouse series. Can you believe now that it took two years to sell? Incredible.
• Someone asked a question on the Sookie/Twilight similarities and Charlaine just took the higher road saying "I'm not going to say anything incredible on it, I have never met Stephenie Meyer and she has always said she has never read any vampire novels", in any case, it can be seen just by looking at when the books were published.
• Someone asked about Bubba "I laughed for a week when I read that": Charlaine explained that somehow, it seemed like the logical explanation to everything, and she has fun identifying werewolves and vampires around her.
• She also explained that putting "Dead" in each titled started to become a pain at book eleven !
• She explained laughing that people where she lives never read her books but watched the show telling her "it's great, but we know you didn't write any of those sex scenes"... Poor things, they'd be surprised!

source 

Half elf? That will be so interesting!

I'm not certain that we can be sure of the accuracy of the blog that was linked since it is merely an account of what that person says she heard. It wasn't a direct interview. Some of it seems like a mishmash of facts about DITF (no HEA for Sookie yet) and the Sookie companion book (Quinn is in it). I also don't know about the half-elf stuff since Dermot is half-fairy. Until I see this reported first hand (i.e. recorded) or another account that is similar, I won't consider it reliable. Sorry to be such a wet blanket.

I've read and listend to an Harris's interview and she confirmed the new creature....i don know if it is a elf....

Book 10 has not HEA, but i've read that she is considering giving Sookie a stable love life if she can, from book 11....so we have to wait a little i guess....and even if she was giving the finel choice to Sookie i doubt that she will reveald becouse many people woulfd probably stop reading if they are not happy about that...for me Sookie already made her choice, Harris is just teasing us a little bit becouse she has 3 more books to write.

I was just questioning the blog referring to Book 11. CH has just begun it, so I don't think any information is out there about it because even CH doesn't know exactly. We know that there isn't a settled relationship in DITF, but we don't know about Book 11. And we know Quinn is in the companion book, but nothing about Book 11. The mistake the blog made was referring to Book 11 in the spoiler facts.

I certainly imagine there could be an elf, but have we heard that information anywhere else? An individual fan can mishear things. So the fact that the interview recap was in a blog just made me doubtful.

yeah she just start writng book 11 and i'm sure she won't aswer our question 100%, if she said "oh yeah Sookie will find a stable love life in book 11...." it's not a good marketing....but i know Quinn will be in book 11 and the new creature will be in book 10.....she was here in Rome and she talked with the press about that....but book 11 is to easy to soon to tell defenitly!!!

I'm not trying to be a pain. One time there was a persistent rumor that JK Rowling had said that one of the Hogwarts students would switch houses. Only no one could ever verify it. It was all traced back to one fan posting on a fan site. The date of the earliest posting corresponded to an interview where Rowling said we might get to see other common rooms (besides Gryffindor and Slytherin). One person had misunderstood, but the rumor ended up all over the internet.

So I tend to want confirmation of information. Sorry to seem like a grouch.

don't worry i get it and i think you're right!!

i've to check my articles where Charlaine speak about that, i have it on my pc but i have to find it between million others articles....as soon as i find it I post it.....i hope...ahah^^

I'd love for you to find something like that.

CH did mention a half-elf in an interview in Poland, which was posted earlier.  Here's a partial transcript:

Truly Bitten in Poland - CH Interview 2010-03-06

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-QvJUcYlZU

Q: Are we over with the elves or will we learn about them more?
CH: More. Yes, definitely . . .  

Q: And what is the difference between elves and fairies, because they're totally different supernatural creatures?
CH: They are different . . . they are different in my books. We'll see more of the fairies, there's gonna be probably one half-elf in the next book, and you wouldn't want to meet him . . . at all.

Q: Some fans still believe that Sookie and Bill are meant for each other. Does this couple have any chance to be together again?
CH: I’m not hinting. I am NOT hinting. <laughter> They really had a wonderful relationship and they may have again. In the next book, Bill is really still very ill from the silver poisoning. But he’s still alive.

Q: Dead in the Family comes out in May . . . can you tell us something more about this book so the fans will be even more anxious to read it?
CH: Well, it’s all about families, of course . . . including Eric’s family. So that’ll be something new and different, I think. Eric’s maker comes and he’s got a new child with him, so it’s gonna be about everybody’s family problems.

Q: Are you working on something new right now . . . any new projects?
CH: I am. I’m working on the 11th Sookie novel. I’ve been signed for a total of 13. And I’ve written a couple of short stories. And sometime early next year—probably in February—the Sookie Companion will be completed, and it will have everything Sookie . . . everything Sookie in it. It’s just hard pulling it all together, because a lot of different people are contributing different things to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMFJ0z1rKc4

Q: While you were writing DUD, did you know that at some point, Sookie would be involved with [a] tall and handsome vampire who was a Viking?
CH: No. No, I hadn't gotten that far in my thinking yet. Eric's character developed over the next several books, and I wasn't sure where I was gonna go with him . . . the second book I was kind of working that out in my head. 

________________________________________________

And she did confirm today that we haven't seen the last of Niall and Quinn:

16 duckpond100    2010-03-19 07:35
You haven't seen the last of anyone, Lizzy. Thanks, and i hope I never disappoint.

Charlaine Harris
 
20 duckpond100    2010-03-19 13:45
Nope, no more tidbits. And by the way, "anyone" refers to Quinn and Niall, the subjects of Lizzy's question. Obviously, I should have known better than to use such a broad word!

Charlaine Harris

________________________________________________

There are a few other spoilers for the series posted on CH's tour thread, and according to other sources, the half-elf will appear in Book 11. Presumably, the spoilers are legitimate as she has posted on the thread to make a few clarifications.

http://charlaineharris.master.com/texis/master/search/showmsg.html?id=4b96dba81a

Thats' it!!!!!I think i had posted the video above, that's why i wasn't able to find the article.....ahahahahha^^

So i guess Quinn will come back and probbaly mess the thing up again?he really doesn't like Eric....i'm quite sure he will try to catch him...

Niall..well....he could be cruel as we already know....maybe he will give his gift to Sookie.

BTW I suggest to all of you to listen to the interview....so you could se where she teased us....when she talks about Bill she laugh...she was trying to put some suspance and hope I guess.....when she talks about Eric she is serious....^^

when did the Niall's gift thing come into play? i don't remember reading about niall's gift (or am i just having one of my "moments"? LOL)

Once C.Harris said that Niall's idea of gift is "unique" so don't what what it could be....he want to help Sookie, he always asked her how what he could do to gettind her life better....

This video is really funny. Interview with CH.
CH says her vampires would beat Twilight vampires in a fight!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8573196.stm

Yes, craftier, older and not "vegetarian".  I think they'd win, too!  Funny she said that every author should have the chance to see their characters interpreted on the screen, because it gives her a view of what other people perceive she has written as opposed to what she feels she has written... I'm thinking TB must be causing her to think she wrote a love story about Bill, and a whole bunch of other crazy, obnoxious people in BonTemps!!  And maybe there are some other funny vampires thrown in now and then...

CH says her vampires would beat Twilight vampires in a fight!

Definitely... there's a proverb that applies here: "Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill."

From European Press and Convention (general spoilers of the last books)

- Sookie will have a lot of sex in book 10

-Berry will come back becouse she want to let us know why he is so snooty (not in book 10)

-There was no inspiration for Pam, she just came out of her head. Said Kristen Bauer(?) Is doing a great job on the show.
Someone wanted to know about Jason Stackhouse. "Poor Jason is so stupid...I'm constructing a better future for him...a Happier ending tHan he deserves."

-the bond won't be cut off in book 10 but at some point it will, eventually.

-Elfs are moving between humans and fae's world

-Her favorite villain is Debbie Pelt, wished Sookie could Have killed her twice (much laughter in audience), but she thinks Alan Ball is going to paint her with a more sympathetic picture. Hmmm.

-In DITF, as she wrote it she sounded as if she cHanged her mind as she was writing. Something about she Had 3 different coRpes in 3 graves before she decided who to put in the grave. Sounded like she said the significance is the cHaracter who WOULDN'T be surprised by the coRpse! "Killing people gives me a good day," she said. "All writers live by the words, 'wHatt if?'"

- there's lots of Eric in DITF

-Will Sookie get more Sex when she Has found 'the HEA'? yes, she will get plenty and be very enthusiastic about it

-Someone asked about Sookie's future. She said HEA is a relative term. In life, no one gets everything they want or even wHat they deserve, but she will not be unHappy.

-The question about who was the vampire her ggf was talking about at the end of DAG came up. Her answer: "some parts will never be explained in the books and others will be."

-Someone said she was unsure about whether or not she should like Amelia. CH said tHat her cHaracters Have mixed cHaracteristics, not all good or all bad.

-CH mentioned a fan from a few book signings ago tHat asked her wHat if she died before her fans found out who Sookie's HEA was, to which
She replied, "Well, tHat would just suck for you wouldn't it?" (Much laughter again)

-There were a couple of things tHat Alan Ball did tHat she wasn't too sure about when she first heard. Like Maryann's giant meat tree. But it turned out to be unexpectedly fun.

-Said she would rather end a series too soon tHan to let it go too long and get stale.

Man I think she just answered the last question with the first point you made there Mony.
-Will Sookie get more Sex when she Has found 'the HEA'? yes, she will get plenty and be very enthusiastic about it
- Sookie will have a lot of sex in book 10

And you are the best! Thank you so much for posting these!

Her favorite villain is Debbie Pelt, wished Sookie could Have killed her twice (much laughter in audience),

That explains why Debbie is mentioned nearly every book, lol.

I don't like the idea of the bond being broken - i love the bond!

I really hope she doesn't die! If it were me I would have told a few trusted friends so that it could be settled after my passing. I would hate the tought of leaving my fans hanging even though it seems far less important then my death but still.

it would be better for them , loving each others without a doubt, without knowing what the other feel....coming back to their freedom and personality and emotions...they will be real 100%....at least for me. She won't die, about that CH was pretty clear.

no I mean CH I hope she doesn't die

OMG....i really hope not!!!!!!ahahahahahah^^

What kind of fan asks the writer about her own death?
Gee I hope you don't die before you finish the series...
GACK!!!

At least CH has a great sense of humor and comes back with the 'not my problem' response.

I know she cracks me up. I love her wit.

see Mony, I see the bond as a positive thing, it's magic - I just believe Sookie rejects it, as she rejects her telepathy (her "disability") and her fae roots ("I'm just a human barmaid from Bon Temps"). I think she should embrace every part of her, and the bond is an essential part of her now, as is Eric.

We've seen this answer about happily ever after not being what Sookie had wanted a few times now. Sookie wants babies. If Sookie married Sam, Quinn, or Alcide this would be possible. They just wouldn't be shifters. However, if she married a vamp then babies would be out. CH also said something like this about Sookie not having children of her own. So it looks like a vamp to me. And so far, it looks like the vamp I want it to be.

yeas...CH said many many times that Sookie grow up with a specific idea of what a good girl should have:husband, children, a sweet home.

Sookie is a girl from the south raised by a woman who belived in this!!!that's very important in her life...but now she learn that this maybe is not what she really want...and as CH said "..doesn't mean she will end up having exactly what she wanted"

it's a vamp.....it's Eric...for me, it was always him.

Yeah, because Sam could give her a little cottage with a white picket fence and children in Bon Temps. That is what Sookie always thought she wanted.

i'm with Mony....its Eric.  She is gonna get a kid or two but they wont be her's biologically and she will have her HEA

Exactly. The very fact that she won't have the HEA she had originally wanted with the children she wanted, which Sam seems to qualify for, means that she'll have a vamp. And of course it'll be Eric.

My thought is that somehow Sookie will end up raising Hunter.

yeah NewB, I agree.

Also to other posters, when do we, in our every day lives, have the HEA we expected when growing-up?! Life is full of surprises and this case, Eric is Sookie's surprise, her fork in the road... And I'm delighted he is!! 

This might just be me stomping my foot...but I've always found it really silly to assume Sookie's HEA would be determined by "ability to inseminate." I've said it before and maybe I'm in the minority on this but it equates in my mind to marrying for money, good looks, etc. It's settling. I'd be livid if CH ignored this. To be HEA, one has to be truly HAPPY... You can't fabricate that feeling or emotion. Children, "family", etc...there isn't only one kind (her fairytale version) and she'll have to realize that. Especially this day and age...   Happy=Eric=Love=Bottomline

Very nicely said. I 100% agree.

I agree too!!!!

tcs4185: What a novel and brilliant idea. I could not agree more.

Sookie was brave enough, curious enough, and broad-minded enough to step outside of the socially- accepted Bon Temps norm at the very start of DUD.

that is percect tcs!!!!!

While looking for a specific CH comment I found this, though I'd share.

2518 duckpond100 2008-12-28 08:29

Eric still has his Corvette, but I don't think it's white. He and Sookie rode to Shreveport and back in it in the last book. I can't imagine Eric in a white car. I picked Ulysse because I was looking for cologne for my sons for Christmas and I liked the smell of that one.

Hardy_Bam, I'm Ms. Harris, and I think you'll just have to ask Bill why he was late to his appointment with Sookie. Frankly, I don't even remember what the truck incident was; I really need to reread the books myself. I just listened to FDTW on cd, and really enjoyed it.

Don't forget that Eric spends his days dead, and his nights at (mostly) Fangtasia, so he really doesn't have a lot of free time in the Batcave.

Charlaine Harris 

This made me laugh!

 1677 duckpond100 Edited 2009-03-26 09:23 2009-03-26 09:23

Yes, she said her drapes were getting dingy. Eric immediately shopped for some more, since he supplies Sookie's every need. Unfortunately, they weren't the right size (Eric NEVER measures correctly), and Sookie has to return them in the original package.

Charlaine Harris

1755 duckpond100 2009-03-27 08:16 
*edited for relevance*

Hearkening back to previous posts, of course I meant "NEVER" as a joke. I was trying to imagine Eric with a measuring tape up on a stepladder at Sookie's windows. No hidden agenda, folks, just a joke. Of course he got the coat and the door right, and had the right amount of gravel delivered.

Charlaine Harris

Sweet Eric. Nice of CH is put in a plug for eric. I don't remember the curtains story myself, though. But we do know that eric does not know how to use a dust pan or read a map!

I have heard CH say many times in interviews that she cannot remember a lot of what happened in the early books of the series, and she says she is embarrassed when fans at book signings ask questions about them.

I think that whole drape comment was completely facetious and a joke on CH's part, no?  I think she was just making fun of people who have over romanticized Eric and think he's running around trying to make every little detail perfect for Sookie.  That's my take, anyway. 

Oh hell yeah! She was completely being tongue-in-cheek. It was really funny! I love when she is having a good time.

It's nice to see her be able to poke fun of the craziness her writing inspired but in a really good natured way. She lost that for a while.

I agree with Lala thought too w/CH's little shout out at the end though about the coat, the door etc...I felt that was a little wink/nudge sorta thing.

They are cute posts. Maybe she is in a lighter place b'c hopefully book 11 is a bit lighter now?

Oh, that would be nice!  Hope so, and it is really good to see the affirmation for Eric!

I hope so too.

I remember when she was writing or just about to start writing DAG & she admit that she is being hard on Sookie & that Sookie was going to be in a very dark place in DAG so that in book 10, she planned on allowing Sookie a bit more fun.

Obviously - that changed after DAG & the fact that Sookie needed to deal with the aftermath in a believable fashion but I am hoping she holds that thought (to be gentler on Sook & let her have some fun) in book 11.

Those Q&A's were funny. I would say she is in a lighter place.

I always imagined Eric in a red Corvette...

Me too.  Actually, I thought it was described as red somewhere.  Maybe my imagination got ahead of the books.  LOL

I thought it was too, but I may have imagined it... Maybe I'll look it up...

It is!

Shaking his blond head, his trench coat drawn close around him, Eric opened the door to his red
Corvette. I would be arriving at the orgy in style. 

Eric still has his Corvette, but I don't think it's white. He and Sookie rode to Shreveport and back in it in the last book. I can't imagine Eric in a white car. 

So...i don't undertsnd...what's the problem?

Eric has a Red Corvette. Even in True Blood they gave him a red one.....

There isn't a problem. I guess someone thought the Corvette was white.

Oh, AB got something right? Good for him!

i remember just one with car but it was a Lincoln in book 3....that's why i didn't understand it..

yeah Eric seem to have a Red Corvett but Coupè couse Alex is to tall.....ahahah...

Alan Ball did something right, one of the many things that for me did with these books actually....i know they are not the same and i dont' wnat them to be the same, but the spirits of the books is there, maybe it need a deep reading to find everything perfectly put in strategical place and for good reasons....bu i defenitly love what he is doing, very very much especially with Eric and Sookie becouse it's so obvious he is goign in their directuon 'couse sometimes i'm shocked for how clear it is...but that's jus my POV...i know somebody doesn't love his work.

I always imagined Eric in a red Corvette...             

Me too.  Actually, I thought it was described as red somewhere.  Maybe my imagination got ahead of the books.  LOL 

I'm glad you found it in the text, Ashley, because it would seem like we were all having some mass group hallucination if you had not!! LOL That corvette has been red in everyone's imagination since it came on the scene, and that's because it's how it was written.  It's too funny that CH doesn't think she can imagine Eric in a white car - can she seriously not remember how she wrote it (everything Eric buys is red) or is she just joking with us again?  I really like this "back to funny" CH!!

he really doesn't have a lot of free time in the Batcave.

LOL!!

Yeah I am with you Liann - It's weird she forgot considering she has focused on the color red (& his heat for being a dead man) since the beginning with him. It's his preference.

In fact - she was asked one time if there was meaning behind her focus on it (I think I have that in the 1st CH Q&A thread) & she said that she will leave it up to the person asking the question to decide.

I really don't think she forgot. Seems impossible but I guess stranger things have happened.

I tend to think of Sookie as CH's alter-ego. So if Sookie was down and out in DAG, CH probably was too, when writing it. But that's only my opinion. CH has stated that she really believes in Sookie and wants the best for her. As long as she does it the way WE like it, of course:)

I don't read that as her forgetting what colour it was.

More like when someone asks something that's wrong, and you say "I don't think so" as in....no.

Hence "I don't think it's white" as in "you need to go back and read it again".

She knows it's red, red is his colour and it's so frequently referenced I will never believe she hasn't done that for a specific purpose.

i noticed that Charlaine is having a book signing for DITF in my area in May, and i was hoping someone who has gone to a signing b4 can answer......when the author has a signing, do they only sign the book they are promoting at that time?....and if so, do you HAVE to buy it at the bookstore that day, or can you bring your own copy of it?? Im pre-ordering it from Amazon and was hoping i could take my own copy

Hey clubEric, I know you posted your question a while ago but I worked in a bookstore for years and most of the time it works like this:  you can bring in your own book.  The staff will probably give you a sticker or something to mark it as being pre-paid.  As to how many books the author will sign, it's up to the author, but the max is usually three.  Call the bookstore close to the date about those details.  For a popular author, they also hand out line numbers a lot of the time, so if they are doing so get there early or go in when they open, get a line number, and then return an hour or so before the signing.  Hope that helps!

She's having a book signing in LA, but I'm not all that strong, and I don't think I can manage waiting in a long line. Sometimes they'll let people with canes or walkers ahead in line, but sometimes not. With a long line I'd probably bring my walker, which does have a seat.

I think my level of motivation will depend on how much I like DITF

oh this helps a great deal!! Thanks so much Sanomara! i will definitely call ahead of time to see how many books i can bring. and thanks for the tip about arriving when they open! i would never have thought of that, and knowing me, its the best option b/c i tend to run late...   haha.

I would Have CH sign my favorites - books 1-4 and All Together Dead (7). I've been to many book signings and I've seen people with stacks of books to be signed. I've never seen an author say no, even with a line snaking through the store.

really?! oh i hope its the same here! hmm i think id choose 3-4 and 7-8 haha wow if i can take them ill be asking for 5 books to be signed lol

CH loves her fans, I think she will be more than happy to sign them all for you, ClubEric:)

Hmmm, I wonder if the BL's and the El's ever break out into tiffs at book signings. Are there like, armed camps, or something? Just wondering "aloud".

One of my best friends is a Bill Lover.... It is hardly north and south. I love me some Eric, but hardly think it would be worth the energy to get into it with someone that I don't know over books..... Shame on anyone who does.

Have there been report of these tiffs? Seriously?

These books are great, don't get me wrong, but to get into with someone because of their preference of a fictional character seems a bit over the top.  Then again people argue over some ridiculous things.

It gets pretty crazy on the CH website. i feel sorry for CH. I'm sure she never intended for anyone to take it so seriously. She was just trying to entertain people...

haha it really takes outrageous commitment to fight over a person that doesnt exist! lol....but in any case ill let you guys know if people bust out with EL's and BL's feuds lol....the book signing im attending is on May 10th. cant wait! i wonder if she's one of those authors that reads a chapter or 2 from the new book

There is a book signing in NY on May 4th and I wan thinking about going until my friend asked if maybe the TB fans would be there dressed up as vampires.  The thought kind of freaked me out, so now I don't know if I am going to go.

She's in LA on the 10th and I may go. I'll have to start considering my logistics now. The crowd will be huge.

there's an interview with charlaine harris new york times sunday magazine, may 2, 2010: i hope this link works: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/magazine/02fob-Q4-t.html?ref=magazine

HAHA I love how she calls Eric Sookie' s Lover!

I noticed that, too!  I thought "I'm getting way too excited about that, but squeeeee!!!"

SPOILER FROM BOOK 10!!!!!!!!!DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!!!

Interview: Charlaine Harris: Dead South 

Carrie - The new book seems to focus on Sookie's family and friends. Are you surprised about how popular Eric's character has become, and is it because of that popularity that we continue to see Sookie in a relationship with him rather than with Bill?

That's a complicated question. The book is about families of all sorts, not just Sookie's. It's about the different kinds of families that you can have, and how much trouble they can cause you. I think that we're all familiar with that, probably.

Eric turned out to be more popular than I expected, but the books are still going the way I planned on them going, regardless of the popularity of one character over another.

Carrie - Has the television show had any influence in your approach to the books?

You know, I don't think so. If it has, it's unconscious on my part, because I'm way ahead of the storytelling in the TV show. I'm writing Book Eleven, and Alan [Ball] is on Book Three.

Kim - Going back to Carrie's question about Sookie's relationship with Eric or Bill, I was intrigued right at the end of Dead in the Family that you kind of touched on the character Alcide, and I thought, "Oh, there's hope there." So I'll be interested to see what happens there.

You've also introduced a new character, Hunter -- Sookie's nephew, into the story. Will we find out where Sookie and Hunter get their telepathic ability from?

Well, I haven't divulged that in the books yet. He's not really her nephew, he's her cousin's son, but they stand in the same relationship, and he calls her "Aunt Sookie" just because that's easier than saying "Second Cousin Sookie."

I'm not actually sure that I'll ever fully explain that -- not in the next book, anyway.

RJ - Do you have the ultimate ending -- however far out -- already planned for Sookie and whomever happens to be the right vampire for her?

Yes, I do. It's interesting that you say it's going to be a vampire.

Carrie - In Dead in the Family, Sookie learns a lot more about vampire politics. Are you hinting at a chance that Eric is planning to make a play for King of Louisiana?

Well... You know, there are some things I just can't talk about because they're going to happen in different books. That's a good question, but one I simply can't answer right now.

Kim - You were saying that you're on your eleventh book. Are you at the halfway point? Are you getting close to finished?

Well, the thing is, I'm signed up through thirteen books. But I'm sure they would extend that if I wanted to write more. I'm going to have to decide in the next year how many Sookie books I want to write -- because I can take my time getting to the end; I'm still having fun writing it, and I still have things I want to say about Sookie and the other characters. But I don't want to extend the series past its prime, because that's just not fair to the readers.

 Kim - Going back to Carrie's question about Sookie's relationship with Eric or Bill, I was intrigued right at the end of Dead in the Family that you kind of touched on the character Alcide, and I thought, "Oh, there's hope there." So I'll be interested to see what happens there.

You've also introduced a new character, Hunter -- Sookie's nephew, into the story. Will we find out where Sookie and Hunter get their telepathic ability from?

Well, I haven't divulged that in the books yet. He's not really her nephew, he's her cousin's son, but they stand in the same relationship, and he calls her "Aunt Sookie" just because that's easier than saying "Second Cousin Sookie."

I'm not actually sure that I'll ever fully explain that -- not in the next book, anyway.

FULL INTERVIEW HERE: http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=11840 

SPOILER FROM BOOK 10!!!!!!!!!DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!!!

Hey Mony - this has kind of has spoilers for the new book.

I did a couple of posts asking people who move stuff into other threads to please put if their post has spoilers at the top & bottom of their posts - this way they can choose if they want to read.

Thanks!

ok a Put a Spoiler on Top and in the End!^^

i did it...hope is ok now^^

Muah!

I, for one, hope that CH wraps it up at book 13. It would be nice not to drag it out forever, to get some closure. The interviewer asked if CH had reached the half-way point, and I thought HALFWAY? You had better be way past half way!

Very interesting that she wouldn't shoot down the King of Louisiana idea.

Yeah the King thing is very interesting.  You know that's so where she's going.

I'm not happy with the other comment though - as usual it's ambiguous but it sounds like she's saying regardless of Eric's unexpected popularity she is still heading where she was all along.  OR she is saying that Eric is always where she was heading but she just didn't think he'd be as popular as he is.

Guh I wish she wouldn't do this.  It's just cruel.

I didn't like her comment about Eric's popularity either. She always dumps on Eric. Maybe she was thinking about Bill's popularity.

She is just teasing people and she is really good in that....she knows how Eric is popular...she wouldn't never done book 4 where everybody falls for him, that books was written with a specific intention,  or book 8 with him remembering everything or book 9 with Eric's spell revealed or Book 10 wich is so Ericfull!

She always knew where she was going and the fact that she keeps going it's a good thing....

and.....remember.....Bill should die and everything will be fine then! LOL

Aaine, exactly. She always dumps on Eric, subtly but consistently. The thing is, she might have a plan which does not have Eric as Sookie's HEA. But she wrote a character who suits Sookie ideally temperamentally, sexually, and they work together very well. So, if it's not them, it would always feel like CH dumped Sookie's  best chance at " democratic partnership" and happiness, whetever twist she might invent NOT to have Eric as the One.

That said, I agree with Mony. She is screwing with our heads- no matter what the outcome is, CH is playing dirty:)

I wish she would just quit with the "who says it has to be a vampire" shit! Of course it's gonna be a vampire. It's the Southern Vampire Mysteries. Not to mention ERIC is a vampire!lol

You guys know CH loves playing up the love square (or pentagon if you count that other "suitor" who's supposed to be dead). She's dragged this out for 10 books. She gets fed up that everyone focuses more on the suitor battle instead of Sookie, yet she's the one that continuously plays it up.

Who says it's a vampire? Gee, I don't know. Like she says, it's on the page. It's written all over the books. She'll have to give me a lot to convince me it isn't.

I think her real problem is that Eric is more popular than Sookie. That everyone is fascinated with Eric and not Sookie. Sookie is just your typical plucky heroine, but Eric is an original.

I agree, Judy. Sookie is your typical female protagonist. It's nothing new. Eric, on the other hand, offers something new to the game. Also, we read this story from Sookie's POV, including her interpretations of other characters. That alone gives us stuff to analyze, pick apart, and become fascinated with. For the most part, we know who Sookie is. Eric keeps offering surprises.

I third that Judy.  Eric's character has overshadowed this whole series, including the heroine and I think that makes her a tiny bit peeved.

But then, if it really bothered her that much she would do something about it.  It's not like she's powerless here.  She has ALL the power.

In a somewhat recent radio interview she did, someone asked her if she gets annoyed with most of her fans obsessing over the suitors rather than Sookie. She said something like, "yes it can be, but I get it. I get why people really enjoy that part of the story more. I'm looking at it from the point of view of the author so its different for me." (Totally paraphrasing.)

Then maybe she shouldn't emphasize it so much. She has dug the hole she is now standing in. I get her point, but when I really think about how she has deliberately perpetuated the suitor battle, it's bullshit.

I agree with what you all are saying, despite what I posted above. Just wanted to throw that out there. There are several things in her books she makes a big deal about and then on her site she says "oh I don't know why everyone is so concerned or interested in this." It makes me really upset. But when I heard the radio interview I felt slightly better. I just wish she didn't come across so sour on her site.

Usually Mony posts these but I think she may be busy reading DITF!! 
Here's a CH interview posted on EW.

True Blood fans, you have Charlaine Harris to thank for the highly addictive series; it’s based on her wildly popular Sookie Stackhouse novels. The latest edition, Dead in the Family, is out May 4. We gave the Southern native a quick quiz on some of her favorite books — including the one she wishes she could read again and again.

What’s a book you’ve faked reading?
Moby Dick. I gave it a tremendous try, but I don’t think I ever finished. Oh, The Magic Mountain, too.

What was your favorite book as a child?
Jane Eyre.

What’s a book you’ve gone back to and read over and over?
Pride and Prejudice.

What author (living or dead) would you most like to meet?
I know most of the living writers I’d wanted to meet, which is one of the great things about my job. I would have loved to have met Shirley Jackson.

What’s a book you wish you could experience again for the first time?
Caught Stealing by Charlie Huston.

What fictional character would you most like to marry?
Ha! Hmmm. Mr. Rochester? Darcy? Nope. Oh, I know! Bones, from Jeaniene Frost’s books.

She reads Pride and Prejudice over and over. Well ...

don't we all read pride and prejudice over and over and I agree Bones is pretty hot and I'm only in book one.

here i am!!!!!!!!!yes i was kind in a parallel world with this incredible book that i even locked myself in my house to not see people!!!!ahahah

Pride and Prejudice eh?that sound promising|||

I haven't read the Night Huntress series but I just did some research on Bones...he feels *very* familiar.  Blonde haired charismatic vampire with blood bond and vampire marriage to half vampire/human girl who he seems fond of calling "luv"?  She's playing us again LOL.

Bones is more like Spike than Eric, IMO but here's something nice - Frost is a huge Eric fan.

And after Frosts last NH book (#4), that's when CH can be quoted as saying she had recently read some stories which made her re-think her ending.

Basically (paraphrasing here)  inferring that she realized it doesn't have to stop at the HEA choice, which was her original plan but that we can see the MC's get together & see their adventures continue (again..paraphrasing....I know the quote is somewhere in this thread or the previous).

I'm pretty sure I checked her reading list after she said that & knew that she had just read the latest Frost book. This is promising, IMO.

Oh so very promising!!  I love it!  I waffle on the Sam issue; it seemed in some ways she was wrapping him up - he dates quesitonable women so his taste is suspect - but she also is going to that damn wedding with him... I think it's just giving CH options and not closing doors.  But if CH is considering a Bones/Cat like scenario, then that should resolve soon.  That thought is truly exciting!

Blonde haired charismatic vampire with blood bond and vampire marriage to half vampire/human girl who he seems fond of calling "luv"?  She's playing us again. 

LOL!!

Sam is not a big issue for me...just another man since Bill is quite out of the run to let people keep questioning "OMG who's gonna choose Sookie?" without even realized that she already did that....it's quite brillant from CH but i know how this woman thinks so...nice try Charlaine LOL

I was starting the first book of Frost...but that parallelism seem soooo promising!!!!!

I am so thrilled to hear that CH might be taking a tip from JF Night Huntress series. Cat is a strong heroine and one of my favorites. I must thank all of you for the book rec:)

I hope CH realizes she has more options for Sookie and Eric to work together with and thru their bond and being in a relationship - that it will not detract, but can add to the storyline/series.

Pride and Prejudice is one of my all time faves as well. Right up there with Wuthering Heights:)

Every time the upcoming novella is mentioned at CH's site, they also say it will have an impact on future books. I am starting to fear this means Sam as HEA. How dreadfully dull.

Well technically WOA was considered a short in an anthology right?

A novella is a short novel.

B'c CH said she learned b'c of so many people missing WOA & then cloggin up her site for so long with  - "did I miss something?" .. after Gift Wrap came out - she finally  said she would never include anything so important to the series in a short story again.

Unless she is going back on that - which is why she may be doing a novella...so she can include the important.

I thought the novella was gonna be about Quinn?

Q: Can you also tell us a little bit about the novella that revolves around Quinn in the upcoming Sookie Companion book?
CH: It doesn't revolve around Quinn, but he's in it. It's about the wedding of Sam's brother. It's called "Small Town Wedding."

Source 

Sick...who wants to read about that? I'm glad it will be separate. That way she can tell by the poor sales that noone gives two shits about SAM!

I know that was my immediate thought. If Sam's wedding was so important, why not just put it in one of the books? It's going to be in the companion book, so the novella doesn't have to the only reason the book is bought.

Thanks Ash. Didn't she originally plan to have it be all about Quinn?

I think she said it was Quinn-centric at some point or maybe that was just what people interpreted. I feel like the wedding wasn't something she originally planned on throwing in, but decided to.

She did indeed say it was Quinn-centric at some point. In fact at the time she never even mentioned Sam in story.

At first she said the novella was about Quinn, but now it is about Sam's wedding. They have a mod posting dated May 5th stating that the novella will have an impact on future plots.

We'll see.

Anyone have a date for the novella?

They said early next year.

Lets move novella speculation over there please guys. Thanks!

Posts moved to New novella thread

Charlaine Harris just came to philadelphia to promote DITF on wed. night. I went to see her talk and get my book signed and she told us that the next short story is going to come out this august and it will be Pam and Sookie taking a road trip together. She also said that there will be no new suitors for sookie's hand anymore. She said that it may be possible that Sookie will have a child but then like two minutes later said maybe not. She also said she regretted killing Claudine she wishes she would of kept her around. but all the other questions were mainly about the show which was interesting but i would much rather hear about the series to be honest..

She also said that there will be no new suitors for sookie's hand anymore.

Thank you, Jeebus!

She said that it may be possible that Sookie will have a child but then like two minutes later said maybe not.

Yeah... I think that's Hunter's purpose. This gives Sookie a child, but not her own.

No New Suitors...That doesnt mean that an old one wont be the HEA. At least we now know that Calvin Norris at the HEA.

I'm happy with no new ones. We already have a love square, she needs to solve the puzzle.

Yeah I think she meant that she wont throw any new characters at sookie for her to run off with and have a short meaningless relationship with but that doesnt cancel out the previous suitors. Which i was glad about because I dont want to hear about a new guy in Sookies life I want the other relationships to be wrapped up set in stone and for her to end with one.. mainly eric of course

So the suitors are as of now Eric, Sam, Bill, and Quinn? I feel like alot was done to wrap up Bill in this book but that doesnt mean he wont still try

Bill is so out of the running. DITF was pretty clear about that. I don't think CH can make it any clearer.

here the Q&A in Philadelphia

Will you consider writing a companion piece in Eric' POV? Cheers from crowd.

"Wow I almost don't want to say no now. I don't think I'll do that but, I have a Sookie companion book coming out in Feb That contains an outake of a conversation between Eric and Bill. Also a Quinn outake and Pam and Sookie take a roadtrip."

Do you regret anyone you've killed off? "Claudine"

Will Claudine return as an angel? "No, I don't think so."

Will Sookie develop fae powers? "Maybe"

What TB character most follows your vision of the characters you wrote? "Andy"

Did you ever imagine Eric would be so popular? "No. I think people view him through rose colored glasses or lust colored glasses.
He's very political and he looks out for number one, himself."

Will Sookie have children?

Her answer was WHOSE? Someone fro the crowd sayid Sam....after a moment she said maybe yes...or maybe not...not intirly referred to sam of course.

About Eric i'm not scared at all....of course book 10 made clear that he is not in this way...he thinks about himself for sure...he is selfish...and Sookie is his only his...his the only woman now that he loves and in THIS he is selfish....we should read between the lines....

And of course she cannot said Oh yes I soooo LUV Eric.....she has to tease,

 EVERYBODY AT THIS CONFERENCE WERE INSANE ABOUT ERIC AND ALEX..EVERYTIME THEIR NAME WERE MENTIONED EVERYBODY SCREAMED!

That contains an outake of a conversation between Eric and Bill.

That should be interesting...

Sookie with fae powers? Hmm...

What TB character most follows your vision of the characters you wrote? "Andy"

LOL! I think so too!

I think something in the attic will have be tied into Sookie having any kind of fae power. Or maybe it's her telepathy that is a part of her fae spark. 

Or maybe it's her telepathy that is a part of her fae spark. 

Pam already scratched that though. In ATD she said that she has known many humans with fae blood and none have been telepathic. So, it's gotta be something else.

You're right - the answer is probably in the attic.  

 Did you ever imagine Eric would be so popular? "No. I think people view him through rose colored glasses or lust colored glasses.
He's very political and he looks out for number one, himself."

I still dont understand why CH says things like that about Eric when he is clearly not acting that way anymore. It sounds like she cant see the appeal of him and that makes me nervus. How could the HEA mate be someone CH herself doesnt even sound like she likes?

Did you ever imagine Eric would be so popular? "No. I think people view him through rose colored glasses or lust colored glasses.
He's very political and he looks out for number one, himself."

This statement really pissed me off, excuse my language please.  I don't know how she can say that after all SHE has written that he does.  I don't think Eric really only looked out for number 1.  He is sheriff and has to look out for himself as well as his people.  Surrendering in book 8 proves how much his people mean to him.  In LDID he could have had repercussions for showing up and spying on them.  Same in CD, but he did it anyway. He gave her gifts of need instead of flashy in your face type of gifts that an egotistical man would give.   I don't put much thought into some of the things she says anymore.  I find her statements to be inconsistent with her writing as well as misleading.

Sorry if I offended anyone, I am just so annoyed about that!

He's very political and he looks out for number one, himself."

I'm not really seeing that as disparaging, considering Eric is a survivor. Sookie is making the same moves in that direction. Her desire to kill Appius was as much about herself as it was about Eric. She wanted Appius gone in fear of what he could do to both her and Eric. She knew Eric didn't want him dead, but she was going to do it anyway. Even Sookie looks out for number one.

Sookie with fae powers? Hmm...

Dermot seems to have precognition and he is half fae - Sookie seemed to have something extra going on in the way she sensed Appius and Alexei's approach:  could the fae power developing be precognition or something of that ilk?

It may be, Liann.

Dermot seems to have precognition and he is half fae - Sookie seemed to have something extra going on in the way she sensed Appius and Alexei's approach:  could the fae power developing be precognition or something of that ilk?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't CH once say something to the effect that Sookie will eventually learn to recognize/strengthen powers she already has?  We already know that telepathy is not a fae trait.  It has long been believed that once a shamans return to the "natural" world, they have been imbued with special powers or knowledge.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't CH once say something to the effect that Sookie will eventually learn to recognize/strengthen powers she already has?

You're right. She did say that.

It has long been believed that once a shamans return to the "natural" world, they have been imbued with special powers or knowledge.

Interesting...

Just thought of something. Telepathy is mind reading right? Empaths aren't telepathic (can't read minds) but can read emotions. Sookie can read emotions from Weres and Shifters. She's also got empath powers and doesn't realize it's separate from her telepathy...???

Interesting, but I thought she could read Were's minds, it was just more difficult to decipher.  There is evidence of her empathic powers in this book, but I think it is because of the bb.  No?

Interesting, but I thought she could read Were's minds, it was just more difficult to decipher.  There is evidence of her empathic powers in this book, but I think it is because of the bb.  No?

I didn't say certain things due to spoilers. She does read Were minds, but it's not as clear. I didn't say she didn't, but she isn't as good as reading their minds so she reads their emotions to get a better idea. From what I've read, telepathy is the ability to read/communicate with the mind but empath is the ability to read emotions.  When she uses both at the same time she gets the bigger picture of the person's thoughts. I'm starting to think that maybe her empath skills are affecting the blood bond differently than it would with a normal human.

I reposted my response to you Judy in the DITF spoiler thread. 

You are absolutely right!

Hey Sami, you may want to repost that in the spoilers. or put the spoilers warning.

Oh crap! Thanks. What day does the spoiler ban end?

It ended today, Sami. You are fine.

Oh ok cool! Sorry Sami. Just didn't want to ruin it for others. That shaman scene really did give me the idea that they were separate.

Yay! I would feel so bad if I had spoiled it for some poor soul. But I'll keep it over there, it doesn't really belong on this topic anyway.

Did you ever imagine Eric would be so popular? "No. I think people view him through rose colored glasses or lust colored glasses.
He's very political and he looks out for number one, himself."

She did NOT just say this again, did she?  When was this Q and A?

I'm sorry but this is just the most annoying thing, EVER.  I want five minutes with this woman to ask her what the hell she thinks she's doing writing books.  She is obviously completely incapable of conveying her meaning, since about 80% of her readers are not reading the same Eric she thinks she is writing. It's absolutely bloody infuriating, and wholly unnecessary to stir people like this.

I have a shocking hangover today, and Charlaine I am NOT in the mood for your bullshit.   

ESPECIALLY after the book I just finished reading.  It's just ridiculous.  It's actually insulting to have an author constantly infering that her readers are misunderstanding her characters.  If I'm missing something here Ms Harris, please feel free to enlighten me further because once again, the book I just read failed to convince me that Eric is the selfish prat you keep telling me he is.  

Agh she makes me want to scream.  Sorry, /endrant/

He's very political and he looks out for number one, himself."

I'm not really seeing that as disparaging, considering Eric is a survivor. 

Yeah I didn't read the comment bad either.

I read it like she was surprised b'c she intentionally wrote him to have those very strong qualities (political & out for #1)  & being  that they make up a large amount of his character, she is surprised b'c she didn't think he would appeal as much to the masses.

And lovelies - if you guys start wanting to take a convo beyond the topic - move to approp. threads please.

It's not so much the second part of her comment that riles me - bc it's true, he is political and he does look out for himself.

It's the first part  - that people see him through rose (or lust) coloured glasses.  Prefacing her comment with this is like saying that there is nothing more to him.  That there is nothing redeeming about him.  That there's *nothing* good there or that even now, after all these books he hasn't changed.   Or worse still, that he *can't* change.

I just think it's blatant stirring and I can't understand why she insists on doing it.  It's chain yanking.  I hate it when Alan Ball does it, and I hate it even more when she does it.

I totally agree Aaine.  He is political, but the rest well that's just crap!

I hear what you guys are saying.

I think at this point, she is tired of fans who over romanticize Bill & Eric in general. I think this was a dig at that.

I mean she gets it in crazy spades over at her forum & any intelligent or rational discussion between the 2 sides is quickly tamped down to one side.

But I do totally hear what your saying Tina & see your points & think they're good ones. Esp. when you said: ESPECIALLY after the book I just finished reading.  It's just ridiculous.  It's actually insulting to have an author constantly infering that her readers are misunderstanding her characters.  If I'm missing something here Ms Harris, please feel free to enlighten me further because once again, the book I just read failed to convince me that Eric is the selfish prat you keep telling me he is. 

It is very true.

Sometimes I think she is doing it purposely b'c she is a mystery writer & isn't it a mystery writers intent to mislead the audience? Or sometimes I think maybe she is trying to warn us fans of what's to come. Who knows.

I agree Laura, but I can't remember reading where she says the reader romanticizes Bill.  She has said he had a dark side, but never that readers misinterpret him.  I just get confused how she can say we see him with rose colored glasses, when I think that is all her.  She writes him this way, and the reader responds.  If I were her, I would be happy to see such character loyalty.  If the point to the Sookie books is not the suitor, and she is frustrated with the readers, then she should settle the issue.

Or sometimes I think maybe she is trying to warn us fans of what's to come. Who knows.

I have thought that before too, however when I mentioned it, people got a little upset.  Or possibly she is upset that readers figured out her ultimate ending, way before she intended.  Or maybe I am shamefully pulling for Eric.  I do have to say, whoever she ends up with, I hope it is believable and so well written that we don't care who it is because it will blow us away.  I am a sucker for a book with a great ending!

I agree Laura, but I can't remember reading where she says the reader romanticizes Bill. 

True but then again would she? In an interview for FDTW - She did openly acknowledge that Sookie is angry with Bill & she has every right to be. She was emphatic about it.

Then an interviewer or someone asked her how she felt about Bill. She answers vaguely to the effect "I think it's pretty clear from the books  how I feel about him."

Now to me, you & others...It's pretty clear right? But to BL's it's certainly not. Add to that we find out she was going to kill him. Even clearer IMO. Yet she doesn't go off on the crazy BL's on her board, she let's them rant. She doesn't say anything as openly or potentially inflammatory b'c the way I see it - why would she? She has made it clear & yet it's good for the series to have this debate continue. They're misguided so - so she doesn't need to say anything. Her ending is still safe.

Yet with Eric - every book just points to them being more & more drawn together. Growing closer, all tangled up in one another. Esp. this book. Like Tina said - unless we are all misunderstanding something....we think it's pretty clear.

But as a mystery writer - where is the fun in that? She doesn't want her fans to know the ending - yet she has to write a cohesive journey, so IMO - she does things like as red herrings.

She is purposely vague & cagey in interviews & responses but she has always said she believes she is about "as subtle as a brick" & that her work says it all. It's all in there for us.

Or....maybe I am just overly optimistic.  All I know is I read what I read & I'm not so fangirlied out that I can't see the forest for the trees. At least, I really don't think so.

I have thought that before too, however when I mentioned it, people got a little upset.

They have here? Well, that's a shame. It's a hard concept to accept so it's more about that I am sure -  I hope you didn't take it to heart.

 
 I do have to say, whoever she ends up with, I hope it is believable and so well written that we don't care who it is because it will blow us away.  I am a sucker for a book with a great ending!

Oh my god - I have said that exact same thing. Exact! Weird! Totally. Obviously - I am 100% in agreement with you there.  I feel the same. 

Can anyone tell me how we know for sure that she was going to kill Bill in D&G?  Where can I find this info?  I remember all of us talking about it, but when/where was it actually said?

I think it's in "the one" thread.

Totally agree with Tina's rant; interesting that as a mystery writer she could just be trying to misdirect, but I'd like to make the point concrete:  when Pam and Sookie are in the car after visiting Eric, Pam says Eric isn't behaving normally because of his relationship with Sookie "he isn't practical nowadays - not when it comes to you."  After they are attacked by Bruno, Pam has to call Eric to stop him leaving his house to come to Sookie's rescue, or even to make sure she's OK.  If he leaves and heads over to them, he will give away what happened and that he is indirectly responsible for Bruno's death.  That's not looking out for himself or his own best interests!!  He only seems to be thinking about whether or not Sookie is OK.  So he's not even the political animal he once was.

Not at all his love for her has changed him, made him a better man in a sense.

I like to think that the "looks out for number one, himself" comment includes everything that Eric believes belongs to him - Area 5, his Area 5 vamps, and Sookie."  Because as many of you have pointed out, Eric doesn't only look out for himself. I think there are many was to interpret her comment and it's not necessarily negative.

Eric is pretty honourable about those he considers his. What he takes, he holds. Eric's pragmatic nature is ultimately what will keep not only himself safe. If he can't save them, it won't be for lack of trying, but he understands that he needs to survive to exercise protection.

Ashmarie....thatìs exactly what she was saying...

Eric is selfish...want to be nomber one...but with evrrything he has, Sookie most of all...he doesn't share....in this he is selfish...Sokkie is his wife, only his lover and no.one ca even think to get closer to her....he is selfish becouse he want all the things that mekes him feel god just for himself...that mean be selfish in CH's vision....

Well, what I was referring to in that scene is that Eric isn't looking out for himself, or anyone in his area.  He would have driven away from his house leading the spies right to the "scene of the crime".  That would not have been in his people's best interest.  Pam makes a point of saying that all his people will die if he doesn't keep it together and start thinking strategically again.  He's just so preoccupied with Sookie and her welfare.  So I think CH just "romanticized" him there, not the readers!

He's very political and he looks out for number one, himself."
I think she means Eric originally put her in situations that were not good for her and we overlook that. He introduced her to Alcide and sent her to Club Dead and Stan's in Dallas. Also he introduced her to Niall and bargained for her to go with him to Rhodes in defense of his Queen. Eric must have known she would be considered a valuable talent and he was proud to have her in his area and in his retinue. He was thinking of his needs in those books in the beginning and not the consequences for her. Now it's a little too late to keep her hidden from weres and fairies and Victor and every vampire that would like to borrow her for her gift. I think that is how he looked out for himself. He seemed pretty remorseful about it by the end of Club Dead, but too many people were already aware of her.

But, I am glad he did because I enjoyed reading those adventures and Eric got to hang out with her frequently and fall in love.

he is selfish becouse he want all the things that mekes him feel good just for himself.  
Yep, I agree. And now in the more recent books he is selfish enough he wants to keep for himself as well and that puts her in danger just as much as it protects her. He should insist on hiding her away for awhile, (literally everyone is after her) but that would make her unhappy and so that makes him unhappy. He wants her close and he doesn't want anything to jeopardize her love for him. He seems to even want to boost her confidence because that makes her feel good and thru the bond that makes him feel good.

Ronni, the thing about killing Bill was a huge fuss last year. AB said that CH had to be talked out of it. And she acknowledged the fact that she had a conversation with AB about it. But she blew it away saying she had changed her mind and decided that she still have more to story to tell about Bill. The thing is that DAG would have made more sense and had more resonance had he died. And the very blatant fact was that you don't plan to kill the HEA, especially since she has said she knew who it was from CD onward. It's somewhat hard to pin down which book exactly (either LDID or CD) since she has wavered a bit about when she was certain, but that eliminates anyone but Alcide, Sam, and Eric (and Bill who was on the chopping block).

Most people assume that she was talked out of by her publisher (hence editor), since there were book sales to be made from TB's popularity, along with the, then, ongoing S/B relationship in the show.

I just think it's blatant stirring and I can't understand why she insists on doing it.  It's chain yanking.  I hate it when Alan Ball does it, and I hate it even more when she does it.

Aaine,

once again I agree with you 100%. I had to talk myself out of being angry.

It is CH's absolute right to write what she sees fit. I might be very disappointed with the ending, but tough luck.

But to suggest that I -or anybody here- or anybody in general- is simply NOT SMART ENOUGH to see what she has written... is insulting. No, I am not 12, no, that's not the first book I have read. To suggest that people rooting for Eric either have rose- colored glasses ( read- stupid) or lust- colored glasses ( read- sexually preoccupied) is giving her readers way too little credit. I know what she wrote on the page, and it's not rocket science. If she is going to do a 100% turn- around, it'll be blatant manipulation. All the relationships are on the page. Maybe I should simply avoid reading what CH says in the interviews... Curiosity killed a cat...

To suggest that people rooting for Eric either have rose- colored glasses ( read- stupid) or lust- colored glasses ( read- sexually preoccupied) is giving her readers way too little credit.

Really if people are misunderstanding her writing, it's the writing that's the problem.  

After how she portrayed Eric in this book, I don't see how it can be put off to people misinterpreting what she wrote. Honestly, it's like one person is doing the interviews and the other one is writing the books.

Even Pam outright told Sookie that Eric is putting her first before his concerns and duties.

Eric is political (or rather he is politic - not quite the same thing) and he does look out for number one. Everyone does and it's very difficult to argue with that. It's not insulting, it's true, so it doesn't bother me that CH says it.

The difference is in the implication that we like him and haven't noticed that (or perhaps because we haven't noticed that) - whereas we know that it's part of the reason we like him. He isn't your archetypical romantic hero - but he is a practical one. As Sookie said once if you get to the stage of thinking who can best protect and provide for you you're thinking about a mate (not her exact words I know).

Well said Gee.

If you want to ask CH questions she will be on May, 14 on the Radio....post your questions or everything you think here: http://true-blood.net/2010/05/04/q-a-with-dead-in-the-family-author-charlaine-harris/

Apologies if this is a silly question but has anyone ever asked CH why, if Eric is so awful, she writes the books in such a way as to show him as a hero? Sure, the books are written from Sookie's POV, but by writting what she does and saying what she says she implies that not only are the fans stupid but Sookie, the heroine, is as well. Does this make sense?

Makes total sense & I doubt anyone has asked her.

Maybe someone should, would she answer though?

I think if the question is posed the right way & she doesn't get defensive so she can see how it comes across to her loyal fans - then she might back down & backpedal or smooth it over.

It did happen once before when things got ridiculously heated about something she said.

Hopefully, she would have enough respect for them to be able to see why they get offended by certain things she says. As Gee said - it's the inference that basically (to put it bluntly) - majority of her readers are stupid. That we don't see or get what she is writing.

However - she may just get exasperated & says something like "No matter what I say, I'm wrong" or something to that effect which has also happened.

Like anything - I think it all depends on the approach of the person asking the question. But I wouldn't be surprised if it's met with tetchiness.

I think then it would probably have to be done face to face & not through a third party on the radio. What did she say that got everyone so heated?

I also wonder whether her attitude towards the books and characters in interviews has changed since they have become more popular due to all the hype around TB. Has that complicated things for her and did she have the same attitude in interviews to her characters & fans when talking about her other books?

I don't remember exactly. It was like the 3rd or 4th inflammatory comment she purposely made but I think this one was the worst. It just took it  step further & insulted a part of her readership again. Or at least....the culmination of them all, ended up in things finally getting heated, b'c fans felt like - enough is enough, WTH is going on?

At this point - I  think it's almost best not to pay much attention to her comments if you can help it. They've always been purposeful & after DAG it's gotten even more ....tricky. Although sometimes it's just really hard not to b'c you're a loyal fan who just loves the series & the world she's created.

You think you might get clues to help you figure things out & instead, you get what feels like slightly passive-aggressive insults directed towards you as a reader.

I just want to enjoy the books for what they are. I have fun picking them a part & sharing it all with you guys. If she is trying to tells us we're being duped - well good for her. By the end - she can be proud she pulled a whammy. In the meantime, I am just going to continue to read & listen to my instincts (I do the same when I read all books - not just this one) while I interpret what's on the page.

I enjoy reading the books and the world she's created too and I really appreciate all the comments and insights that everyone shows here.

This may be a bit harsh but I just think her attitude is really weird sometimes. I'm sure I saw it stated somewhere that the books are aimed at a readership of 25yrs and over. Not sure how to put the next bit without sounding a bit pompous.

Judging by what I read here this an educated demographic that includes readers that are used to literary analysis at degree level and above.  Sure she's no Shakespeare or Dickens, but she does seem to put a lot of thought into the books so she has no reason to be surprised at how they are perceived by intelligent and well-read readers.

She doesn't even have the excuse that they used with Spike in Buffy that there is a charismatic actor mediating between the text and the portrayal. There they had to write Spike doing something very left-field to make him out as bad, and even then he ended up as a hero.

Thanks AP.  Do you know is CH ever said in an interview that Bill was supposed to die?  I know a BL and she insists that it was all a big lie, that CH never intended to kill him.  So I was looking for some interview (proof) for her as well as myself.

Sure she's no Shakespeare or Dickens, but she does seem to put a lot of thought into the books so she has no reason to be surprised at how they are perceived by intelligent and well-read readers.

Yeah I know.

To be honest - I think this is all still residual from the feedback about DAG. She was stunned & hurt by what she heard. IMO,

EL's were (are) most vocal about the overall picture. It just wasn't tight writing for most. That hit home.  Of course it didn't help that her BL fans from her forum were policing others sites & bringing that feedback back to her.

What is mostly weird for me is that, look, generally speaking it's the other contingent of fans who attack, bully, police  and Troll other sites. Purposely. The fact that that readership is never singled out in any way shape or form is beyond me so here's what I like to think...

I like to think that CH is clever lady who knows what's up. She also knows that even though it should be clear to a contingent of readers what the deal is - the fact that they're hanging on in so fervently is a good thing for her books & TV show. So in order to keep the 2 camps guessing & at it.....she has to throw red herrings out in the other direction in regard to something that should actually be quite clear.

This is what I like to think. I could be deluded but whatever.

Do you know is CH ever said in an interview that Bill was supposed to die?  

LOL!! Typical....She absolutely admitted to it. We have the quote in this thread I believe. If not the other one.

On her forum -  before DAG came out -  she told her forum that when sent the book in as a final...  her publisher made her change something quite large so she had to go back through the entire book to make sure it all gelled. She would never admit to what it was the editor made her change.

After AB spilled the beans - she had to do some backpedaling. She admitted that she was in fact "thinking" about it & her publisher essentially talked her out of it but she only thought about it but don't take it seriously.

CH asked her readers not to pay any attention PLEASE (fair enough understandable but the damage was done).

However, anyone who has been following her interviews & board for a length of time knows that she always said the folloing:

Eric & Sookie will survive the end of the series AND ....she has known who Sookie's HEA was going to be while writing book 2.

We also know that she admitted to having so much fun writing Eric in book 2 she decided to keep him on.

So given those bits & then what we know about DAG, do....you think it's a lie?

Ronni did you find it?

She can go here: http://www.trueblood-news.com/charlaine-harris-defends-herself-against-bill-killing-rumours

So in order to keep the 2 camps guessing & at it.....she has to throw red herrings out in the other direction in regard to something that should actually be quite clear.

Playing both sides against the middle, that makes total sense

The fact that that readership is never singled out in any way shape or form is beyond me so

Readership is really important so I guess the complicated question is who is she really writing for.

Readership is really important so I guess the complicated question is who is she really writing for.

Exactly. I do hope she is writing for herself & to give good story but you can't help but wonder if the business aspect of it has muddled up a lot of crap.

I mean - look at what AB did in order not to loose a fan base so early on. That was wrong on so many levels. So disrespectful.

CH speaks throught Pam in the books....and for me it's quite clear.....

what Pam does for the bar?marketing business...she talks bad and dirty to the cotumers becouse it's exactly what keep them coming back again no matter bad her words are....Eric does the same thing...standing there, smiling and let every girls wishing to take off his pants, but that never happend....Eric and Pam are marketing in the same way as CH ....she made all this comments but no matter what peapole keep buying the books....do you think that if Pam was so nice and sweetie with her costumers everybody would come back?nope.....Do you think that if CH said that Eric is such a great man and averything will be fine all the people will buy the books?Not everybody....becouse the most important thing is the Mistery...and not knowing the end is part of it....The only intent of CH is makes us think: OMFG after book 10 how Eric could change?and we keep buying the books waiting for that change that won't never happen!!!!and she does the same think as Pam did in the books:speak in that kind of way to her readers just to teasing them and rise to an high level of expectation her books!She loves Eric, becouse sense of humor is such a great part in her life, she said she can't even imagine a life without a sense of humor....so who's the only man with sense of humor in the books?the only one who makes us laugh so hard?the direct one?Eric....and even Sookie has a great sense of humor like Pam....so you can quite clearly see where CH's heart belongs.

Brilliant Mony.

I agree with what you are saying Mony but I still find her comment about lust colored glasses a little demeaning. I think that her fanbase has grown so large and she may have too many questions coming at her and is flustered and probably more than annoyed when everyone is more concerned about Eric as Sookie's main man when there is a ton of other story she's building up. She's not a romance novelist, she's an urban fantasy writer and there is a difference. It would be in her best interest to hire a really good publicist to assist her in handling these questions so she doesn't lose some of her fanbase with these types of remarks.

look at what AB did in order not to loose a fan base so early on. That was wrong on so many levels. So disrespectful.

I will never forgive him for that.  It was not only horribly disrespectful of CH, but of readers as well.  He changed the whole dynamic of the story by revealing that and to this day it makes me hopping mad.

But then, CH named Lorena after him in DITF.  Such a gracious way of saying "eff you"... I love it lol.

No one will ever convince me that little dig was accidental and then got past every revision, proofread and editor.

I haven't really been around for these last few days, finals week you know. Once probably by tuesday I'll be on more. But I just had to say something about this little part of the article.

 but as a reader (and purchaser) of the books I am allowed to register my disgust that she would even contemplate doing such a thing, particularly considering the bearing such a move might have had on the show.

WTF? Might have had on the show? Is this person serious? What about the friggin' books?!  I'm with Tina on this one, I will not forgive him for ruining that part of the series for the readers. I hadn't really believed Bill was "the one" but that doesn't mean I wanted that spoiled for me and the fanbase.

This is such a typical Bill lover. Alan Ball (I'm so angry I'm using his full name) is the one to blame, why the feck is this person taking it out on the CREATOR of the series the show is based on? And the last paragraph in the article is just as bad. Talk about reader entitlement. Arrrgg!

Ok, I'm cooling off now.

Haha Phoenix I was actually rereading that too when it was posted here again...I started getting all fired up to a rant and then I realised I already had one there when the post was first made.

Reading it again eight months later and I'm still gobsmacked at what was said in that post.

What in book 9 she's not permitted to kill off a character? The TV series won't run for 9 years. Expecting CH to fulfill the desires of fans of a TV series that she has no control over is totally bizarre. It's the tail wagging the dog.

Ball and even Michelle Forbes stated that TB could run for many many years and 9 was an option......

C'mon, all the botox in the world is not going to keep the tv players looking youthful or unaged (is that a word?) :LOL:  Stephen Moyer for one - he may be an attractive 40ish guy, but he looks it.

he look like even more than 40ish even if Bill by the books seeme really older that a 30ish guy LOL

I think it was Michelle Forbes who said it. And she isn't even going to be on the show anymore. The only AB comment I remember is that he is signed through Season 4. They have given most of the regular something like 7 year contracts, but that doesn't mean anything if the show isn't renewed that long.

If the show runs 9 seasons and somewhat keeps to the books, then Bill will be sidelined, and whether or not he was slated to be dead will be somewhat irrelevant. He will have a big moment in DAG, but that will be about it. And I have to believe they will do everything to keep AS in the limelight, assuming he wants to hang around that long.

Regardless that comment about CH having to keep the show fans happy, is just insane.

it's marketing...as her contract for 3 more books to not spoil the end of TB...i really doesn't care...becouse i love Ball...is such a bitch and if a were some BL's i wouldn't be so happy that he cares for my character becouse he love the pathetic, desperate and hopeless character and that's BIll ladies...so seriously when a i read it kind of was a Bill fans i was happy becouse it means that all the Bl's will have horrible years....Alan Ball is not romantic, is a Drama Queen who knows that all the fans want Eric and Sookie, even the writers said at the Writers Conference that they read all the books and that tey are going in S/E direction but to remember us that it's a slow process....and for me, i've all the time in the world LOL

Ball said that he hopes the show run for many many years as long as its possible he said in an interview last year so i assume they are working on a 6-7 years at least....it's the biggest show at HBO and boss at the upstair know it.

About CH..she is a such a genious woman...she basically said that Bill is not Sookie's choice and that she wanted to kill him but save it only for the show...so now Ball can do with Bill everything he wants...and believe me....nothing happy will happen to Bill next seasons....i hope he send him in Peru...that would be funny!!!LOL

That's the thing: the BLs who are not book fans seem to think that Bill will always be the main hero, despite the fact that he almost disappears from the books after CD. Outside of the fact that AB will sort of follow the books, he also knows what a hot property AS is. Sure Sookie and Bill share a connection, but that's about it. They will not be a couple again.

I always find it funny Ball's comment that Sookie and Bill share a connection that will never die. Well after last season and the way Ball is treating the drinking of vamp blood-they will always have a connection-a blood connection!  So I don't take that comment as a romantic connection..

This is just a bunch of waffling to keep the BLs from having a cow.

I do hope she is writing for herself & to give good story but you can't help but wonder if the business aspect of it has muddled up a lot of crap.

I do hope she is writing for herself & to give good story but you can't help but wonder if the business aspect of it has muddled up a lot of crap.

Woops put that in twice and didn't highlight it and don't know how to change or delete.. What I meant to say if the story is now driven by business demands and not the writer's creativity I'm not sure I want to read it anymore. If CH is forced by AB & TB to make radical changes of all kinds to her original intentions and then try to justify it it just starts be really odd.

I think CH has been influenced greatly by fans, media, Ball, the internet - she should stop listening and just write her heart into the stories - just tune out. I could never write anything of worth with all that pandering from every corner.

Was DAG written before TB came out? I can't remember.

No. DAG came out right before S2 of TB.

Hmmm. I'm tying to work out a theory that the books haven't been as good since TB came out but as I haven't read DITF yet I can't really come to that conclusion. I hope she isn't influenced by the show but I guess she must be a little.

FDTW came out around the same time S1 hit TV. We can know for certain that the decision to kill Bill was influenced by TB.

Another reason to stick pins in my AB voodoo doll.

LOL!!

decision to kill Bill was influenced by TB.

Freudian slip ?

well....maybe she saved Bill, well no it's sure she saved him.....but girls it's priceless the way she wrote him in DITF....she really was pissed , becouse she mad a manipulative liar even more clear that others book...and this is hilarious LOL

she really was pissed , becouse she mad a manipulative liar even more clear that others book...and this is hilarious LOL

I totally agree with you, Mony!  It was very clear and really funny to me!  She just skewered Bill in DITF!!  She didn't make him nasty, or go for the jugular by making him show his really dark side - we've already seen a bit of it IMO.  But she made it sooo clear that he is manipulative - laid that side of him bare.  And then completely wrapped him up as a romantic interest with Sookie's reaction to the kiss, and Judith.  It really was too funny, and as far as I'm concerned a bit of an "F U" to AB!  Loved it.

I keep thinking about how so many comments have been made to the effect that it seems like two different people write the books and make the comments in interviews.  My husband has said all along that while he enjoys the books, he doesn't trust CH.  He just doesn't feel safe with her writing, because she doesn't seem to have a cohesive plan and things come out of left field for him.  Add to it the fact that she let herself be influenced into changing her plot, and he was pretty much done!

When I also think how she responded to Natalie's question about the drug affecting Alexei through the bond - "Am I that deep? Nah..."  It makes me wonder if she adds all this detail subconsciously.  She really doesn't seem to be aware of the potential; even somewhat annoyed by people finding it.  I'd think she'd want to keep her options open and use it if necessary, but she seems really resistant to that.  Does the genius muse just sort of visit her and then leave and she doesn't really understand the implications of what she wrote?  I feel all unsettled writing this, and I don't mean to disparage CH.  I just truly am gobsmacked that she doesn't seem to get the implications of her own writing and then chastises he readers for seeing deeper meaning... or even the actual obvious meaning!!!

Here's a comment everyone should like, well almost everybody:

Q: Sookie is able to distinguish what is her feelings versus what is Eric's feelings when it comes to fear, anger, happiness,etc? So why does she question if she loves Eric or if he loves her? Shouldn’t she be able to tell?

CH: There are things she has a hard time admitting to herself, and maybe she doesn’t trust her feelings or Eric’s intentions completely. But the first chapter of DITF should answer that question.

Link to full Wake the Dead Podcast transcript:    http://wakethedeadpodcast.blogspot.com/2010/05/wake-dead-podcast-interviews-charlaine.html

Hi ya’ll, I’m a long time reader and first time poster.  I just introduced myself on the appropriate thread and wanted to share my experience at the CH meet and greet last night. I was kind of reluctant to go to the Q&A; like many of us on this forum I find her answers more aggravating than informative and I knew she wouldn’t answer the questions about Eric and Sookie’s relationship. I ended up going as I figured it was a good chance to see for myself and I’m so glad I did! She was very funny and warm in person, not coy or evasive at all.

It was stunning how many people were there who have not read the books, were rude, and were asking questions that the most casual view of her website would answer (ie: where did you get the name Sookie? Why did you kill Lafayette?)   One Bill fan (or as she called him “Mr. Bill Compton – the perfect man”) got really aggressively rude with CH about how Sookie and Bill belong together and told CH to “fix it.”  Seriously.  CH was very nice to her and said she hopes she enjoys the books.

So here are the Q and A’s, I’m only including the ones we haven’t seen a hundred times already:

Eric Questions:

Eric is not based on Rhett Butler but she can see the comparison.

Will Eric be consistent or will he have a shocking surprise like Bill? Eric will be as consistent as he can be, but he is under political pressure that readers don’t know about yet.

Will Eric have a happy ending?  “I think so, but happiness is a relative term. I’m not going to kill him if that’s what you’re asking” 

Asked about the character development of Sookie and Eric: The characters are never out of her control and they are serving their functions as she intended. 

Book Questions:

We will see a lot more of Hunter.  (The person asking the question thought Hunter was a girl ????)

Will Sookie have children?  “She thinks she wants that now, but it might not be in the cards for her”  (My impression of this answer was a clear “No.”)

Will Sookie get married?  Probably

She regrets killing Claudine and apologized.

About if she is delivering a message with the political themes in the books: I’m not a preacher, but I do say exactly what I want to say.  There’s a method to the madness. If people don’t get that then that’s ok too.

Someone said “I want to defend Sam, I like him” or something like that. It wasn’t a question.  CH said: “I like Sam too…  Next question?”  

Why do you write such explicit sex scenes? “Because I’m good at it.  I wrote the first one when I was 49, and I wanted to write it before I forgot what it was like.” She went on to say that she has fun writing whose scenes.

Pam is her favorite character to write.

True Blood/ Alan Ball:

Lots of True Blood questions. I was very surprised that there were so many people at the Q&A that had no interest in reading the books.  She was extremely patient and kind, answering pretty much every TB question with “I’m glad you like the show, I’m not involved with the production and I’m sorry that I can’t tell you anything about it,”  and “Yes, I have met Alexander.” She made a comment I thought was pretty loaded after the Alan Ball “she-wanted-to-kill-bill” fiasco.  She said “I have a close relationship with the creator Alan Ball… Well, no, I wouldn’t call it close, it’s a warm professional relationship.”

I forgot: She answered a question about Sookie reading vampire minds. She said it was totally random and she has no plans to develop that in the story.  

Melanie, thanks for all that. It was very helpful. And welcome to the forum.

Welcome, Melanie!  Wow!!!  Thanks for all of this.  So many interesting answers.  She does sound funny and gracious.  I'd love to go to a book signing if she ever came to Toronto!

One Bill fan (or as she called him “Mr. Bill Compton – the perfect man”) got really aggressively rude with CH about how Sookie and Bill belong together and told CH to “fix it.”  Seriously.

Ooooh dear!  It continues to floor me how personally people take all of this.  It actually frightens me for some of the BLs when they get like that, because it does seem a wee bit unbalanced.  And how any woman could call Bill the "perfect" man after all the questionable and downright objectionable choices he's made... well it does frighten me a bit.

 Will Eric be consistent or will he have a shocking surprise like Bill? Eric will be as consistent as he can be, but he is under political pressure that readers don’t know about yet.  

Well, that one's really interesting!  I was seriously annoyed with her "He's all political and about himself" comment - it seems in direct opposition to what she's written in DITF.  But perhaps he will have some choices to make politically that will require some strategic thinking - what's for the greater good for all involved including himself?  I could see that, and it makes me a tad nervous... then again, everything makes me nervous where Eric is concerned!  lol

 “Because I’m good at it.  I wrote the first one when I was 49, and I wanted to write it before I forgot what it was like.”

LOMN!  That's hysterical - "...before I forgot..." - Good for her!!  She seems less defensive about people's enjoyment of those scenes.

Will Eric be consistent or will he have a shocking surprise like Bill? Eric will be as consistent as he can be, but he is under political pressure that readers don’t know about yet. 

What readers don't know about yet could be a political unrest between the clans. The territories in Zeus has been fighting off attacks and a part of Amun has been taken over by Narayana. Maybe it's enough stirring to start something as crazy as a vampire civil war? I know, far fetched but not improbable. Purely speculation of course.

About if she is delivering a message with the political themes in the books: I’m not a preacher, but I do say exactly what I want to say.  There’s a method to the madness. If people don’t get that then that’s ok too.

Also interesting she's quoting Hamlet, where "method to his madness" quote originally comes from. Hmmm....
I've been thinking more about her statement here. I interpret it as her saying she knows her writing seems a bit schizophrenic but to be patient because she's got it planned out and it will all come together at the end.

Thanks, Melanie! That was awesome.

Why do you write such explicit sex scenes? “Because I’m good at it.  I wrote the first one when I was 49, and I wanted to write it before I forgot what it was like.”

LMAO! I love her answer to that question.

Maybe it's enough stirring to start something as crazy as a vampire civil war? I know, far fetched but not improbable.

I could see a war of some sort. There is definitely some unrest after the takeover and now with Victor. Victor is gaining his own forces and so is Eric, so something is definitely in motion.

Thank you so much for the warm welcomes and I’m glad you find the Q&A interesting!

Like many, I’ve had trouble reconciling the content of the books with her interviews.  My impression was she wanted everyone there to enjoy the Q&A and didn’t want things to get serious, heated or very analytical of the books.  I think that the whole “Aw shucks, I’m just a ‘lil ole mystery writer and I don’t plan anything” is a persona she uses to deflect deep or spoiler questions and hostile (cough-bill-cough) fans.  Seeing her in action, she was very quick witted and fiercely intelligent.  She was consistently clear in all answers about the writing process to plot elements that she is telling the story she wants to tell in the books.  This was VERY comforting to me after stressing over her interviews I’ve read, and I hope I’ve relayed some of that comfort to anyone else who stresses!

It continues to floor me how personally people take all of this.  It actually frightens me for some of the BLs when they get like that, because it does seem a wee bit unbalanced.

I had never thought before about how many “interesting” people she must deal with in person at these functions, and the tenacity with which some people go after her to hear the answers they want.  I’m sure 99% of her fans are lovely people, but the loudest, least-boundary-having ones there were the ones getting her attention.  This must inform the way she answers questions. BTW, someone brought a cat to the autograph line. A real, live cat.  She had it in her purse.  The cat kept trying to escape, and the woman just kept shoving it back in.

Thank you so much, MelanieK!

Those Q & A sound must be exasperating for CH and also very funny.  ( that real, live cat trying to escape just has me in  stiches. Did the woman call it "Bob?")

hahaha Dina! that would be hilarious if it were named Bob lol!  oh! and i also forgot to mention that CH was asked if Niall was coming back from Faery and she said she was still trying to decide if he would return in book 11....but that its a big possibility (in general, not necessarily in bk 11)

Soooo, children are not in the cards for Sookie?!? I guess I could imagine her deciding it wasn't safe to have kids, but more likely it still points to a vamp shooting blanks. And as for marriage, if it were Sam, they'd marry. She's sort of married to Eric already. Whether they have a human marriage could be up in the air, but I'd bet that Eric would do that. And as for Eric's happiness, being king could be quite a burden.

Oh and if Eric is being deliberately written the way he comes across in the books, it means she has intended for him to open up and be as vulnerable and accessible as he was in DITF. This makes me feel better. His character has been getting less forbidding for quite some time. At least he is going to plan.

I feel sorry for CH having to face a barrage of questions from TB fanatics instead of the book lovers. It must get irritating for her when the focus shifts from the books to the tv show. It's amazing how she stays gracious in the line of fire from the BLs.

I'm still chuckling over her choice of last name for Lorena. It looks like the ultimate revenge. I don't understand the BLs, in the sense that Bill has been out of the picture since the beginning of CD. That's seven books (actually eight). And it's not like she's been stringing them along. The story has made it very clear that he was out of the running for quite some time. The only fans that could eventually feel strung along, might be ELs, if she shifts to Sam. But I still wouldn't shout at her to fix it. I'd be disappointed since there has been this long build up for Sookie/Eric.

AP I think I am going to disagree with you( just a bit). While I believe that Bill has been out of the running since CD I think CH does throw the BLS crumbs. Just enough to keep them guessing and hoping and fighting( on her site). On one hand I thought it was obvious that Sookie and Bill were over in DITF. I mean if that kiss doesn't tell you all I don't tknow what does. But then she throws in Sookie having that "twinge just below her navel" after Bill makew the comment about making love would make him better. Then Sookie gets all jealous after Judith leaves, and makes some observation that she feels smacked upside the head!  So I think she does give them hope and has been doing it since CD, especially in Book 4 when she whitewashes all Bill

OOPS hit the enter button accidentally1

But what I was saying is that she whitewashes all his actions, so that the BLS have a reason to keep on believing. ANd now in DITF she has made Bill an even more tortured vamp with the story of his turning, so they love him even more now!  So, yeah, I feel like she is stringing them along.

I don't disagree that she does give them those crumbs. But they are only crumbs.

I agree but boy do they run with them!

After a long dry spell, I decided to pay CH's Q&A board a visit. I didn't find much, which was probably due to the fact that I didn't visit all the threads. But here are some interesting and relevant Q&A's that relate to some hot topics on here...

124 whoknowswhy99   2010-04-08 11:04

Charlaine, how would it work if a vampire King or Queen's maker was still around? Could they order them to do things? If so, wouldn't the sire become a defacto monarch? Are there 'rules' about it? Would the maker have to sign some sort of pledge to not become politically involved?

127 duckpond100   2010-04-09 10:00

Who Knows Why, that would require a long and complicated answer about something that hasn't yet arisen

167 NewB   2010-04-17 12:12

Can someone help me out? Regarding the favor Sam owes Eric in DAAD, I always thought it was clearly implied that the favor Eric asked for was Sam getting Sookie to let Charles stay at her house in order to protect her. Now, based on other posts I've read, I'm questioning myself. Has Ms. Harris ever addressed the question of the favor? Does Sam still owe Eric a favor? Is the scenario above correct or did he already repay the favor some other way?

168 lindsayb   2010-04-17 12:26 (Answered by a "mod")

Yes, it has been addressed before, and Sam still owes Eric a favor.

"Sam still owes Eric a favor" - I wonder when CH is going to get around to picking up that thread. I guess book 11. Good thing CH has a website, it is a source for ideas and reminders of where she's at in her writing.

Who Knows Why, that would require a long and complicated answer about something that hasn't yet arisen

Ha ha. If any of us ever suspected she was making this totally up as she went along....

found this in the Dallas Morning News:

What's going on in the new book? Sookie's recovering from the terrible events of the last book, which involved a Faery War. ... This book really deals with a lot of family issues, and different types of families – formed families, blood families.

Do you feel like you're living in two separate Sookie-verses now? People who're watching the series and reading the books know that HBO has kept to the books' plots in some ways, but in other ways the show is radically different, so there's no telling what'll happen on the show. ... But even when I'm writing now, as good as those actors are, I don't see them in my head. I still see the same people I've been seeing all along, way before the TV show started.

That Season 2 scene with Godrick exploding on top of the Adolphus Hotel was awesome. What did you think? Did they shoot that there? I didn't know that! I love the Adolphus. That's where I usually stay when I'm in Dallas.

Are you happy with the series? Oh, yes, yes, I love it. I'd had several offers before Alan Ball and HBO came along. But I trusted him, I knew what a genius he was, from Six Feet Under. I thought he would get the mixture of horror and humor and emotional mess that's in the books. ... And Anna Paquin [who plays Sookie] – I was so excited to have an actress of her caliber and fame interested in the role.

Tell me about the comic-book series. My Harper Connelly series is being turned into comic books. She's struck by lightning, and after that, she can find dead bodies. That's how she makes her living.Plan your life

Charlaine Harris will discuss and sign Dead in the Family at 2 p.m. today at Borders, 10720 Preston Road at Royal Lane, Dallas.  

Dang! My work office is right across the street from the Adolphus! Oh man! How in the world did I miss the filming? I miss all the action since I telecommute 98% of the time! Of course I missed a mugging and a shooting right by the garage I park my car too.

Judy, Judy, Judy...LOL...Know how you feel. I'm sitting here in NYC and I SEE NOTHING! NADA. Probably wouldn't even recognize ASKARS if he walked past me, esp with the auburn hair and the new slender emo look.

Yeah but literally the adollphus is right across the street and the street is not very big. I've been inside the hotel on many occassions. I'm going to  have to go back and walk around just to get the thrill of knowing AS has been there! LOL!!!

After rewatching that scene, I can see what part of the hotel they filmed it from. Wow. This whole time I never considered they actually filmed in Dallas.

So, when I was on CH's board the other night, I found it interesting how her mod's seemed to have changed their tone on Eric. They went from supporting many negative Eric conspiracy theories and outright stating they didn't believe Eric loved Sookie (he has genuine affection, but not love) or that Sookie loved Eric to actually acting like they like him, although he may not be their top suitor choice.

I find this change so insincere. Like they are changing their opinions because they have to. Because DITF doesn't support what they were saying before. They want to come off as wise about the books, which means actually reading them and finally accepting what's on the page.

Ash~It is really sad how they cannot jsut keep their opinions.  I can at least respect them if they believe them, but to me the way her mods conduct themselves has always been a big slap in the face to us over here or any fan really who reads waht is actually written you know.  Such a load of crap those mods are

Got my books signed by Mrs. Harris yesterday! Met some really interesting people in a very long line. She was of course very nice and also asked me did I enjoy the book, after I told her I read it all the first day it came out.

Mrs. Harris even invited me to ask a question while I was getting my books signed because my 6 yr old daughter blurted out "Hey, my Mom has a lot of questions".

So I asked her the quickest one off the top of my head since the line was very long, "Do fairy's have healing powers like Bill said or was he just full of himself?" And she thought about for a few seconds and then said "I think we will have to wait and see". She seemed like she had plans to me, and she wasn't going to let anything slip.

I wished I'd have picked another question, but too late now. She is one very popular lady.

That's a great question!

That's a great question!

Awe, that makes me feel better.

I usually just read and don't actually say this stuff out loud, It sounded really funny when I was talking with people there and hearing fairies and vampires and witches come out of my mouth with such enthusiasm and interest as if I was talking to my girlfriends about the latest gossip of whose husband recently got caught cheating. Cracked me up at least and there was also some very good people watching to be done, a very diverse crowd.

LOL! I have to think of a question I would ask. That's cool she offered to answer a question for each person she signed.

I'm not sure she offered every person, maybe just if you asked she was cool with it. I couldn't hear anyone else talking to her because we were a ways back. My little girl told her I had lots of questions so she seemed interested.

Ash It is funny about the mods on CH's thread. They were soooo negative Eric after DAG. And along with a couple of die hard very vocal BL's they were all predicting how Sookie wasn't going to take any of Eric's actions very well and he was going to be in the bad boyfriends chair! So since all their predictions have been wrong so far I don't give much credence to what they say. It makes me think if I think the opposite of them I just might be on the right track!

A very Nice Chat with Harris^^

Thanks again for posting Mony! So now we know for a fact that Sookie has chosen to survive, straight from CH's mouth, even if it's obvious in the text. Another thing CH has stated in a past interview was that Sookie will choose her suitor based on her goals and needs. Well if her goal and need to is to survive, then she has already chosen the only man we know of who can protect her! ERIC!!!!!

We're going to the attic yippee!! I love this interview.

So CH admits she's influenced by the people who write on her message board!!!! We should send her a link to ours - Eric IS THE ONE CH, ADMIT IT!!!!!

Mony, thanks for sharing. While reading DITF, I felt like CH was addressing the DAG criticisms (one in particular) that I read on Amazon. Now, I know that was exactly the case.

I thought so too Sacha, which criticism did you think?

I like how in that interview they ladies didn't ask one thing about Eric. He is the one I want to hear about.

@rik: there was probably a deal struck before they went on air - no Eric-centric questions or ABE (Anything But Eric). CH is probably sick to death of it - having been on tour - or does not want to further fan the flames of the suitor wars, which I hear she has been exposed to while on tour.

CH also mentioned Victor - he will be a major plot point in future books - and Lattesta (sp?) will most probably retire "with his tail between his legs" and will be no further threat to Sookie.

Hunter will have a larger role in future books.

And the attic is a destination driven to by fan pressure, interest. There were so many questions about the attic, what was in the attic, (she said old furniture), that she felt she had to write about it. So sookie will venture into the attic.

She had sour grapes about bad Amazon reviews for DAG from "people who had not read her work" (TB fans?) .

Oh and she mentioned Alexei, Niall, and Appius. The funny part was when she said Niall was thinking he was doing good and so that made it right from his perspective. CH found him intrusive in Sookie's life. Funny how the author's perspective is different than Sookie's, our reliable narrator. She wanted to see Niall as good because he was related to her.

The interview should be complete....the ladies who made this chat with Harrsi love her books and they love Eric, E/S and Alan Ball....i remember when they made the review for DITF they were like 15 years old girl and they wanted Alan Ball to go directly to book 10 how good it was LOL

That's too funny!!  Once again, Mony, YOU ROCK!!!  That was a fabulous interview!  It sounded like the Quinn storyline would be wrapped up in the novella - she said the fans would get closure about him!  That does my heart no end of good!  I also loved how she compared Niall to Appius - how they were both egocentric thinking that if they wanted to do it then it was right in their mind's eye.  I wonder how that will play out with Niall in the future?

Also, talking about questions for CH, I was trying to think what I would ask her if I could.  I thought it might be interesting to ask if Jason's change in perspective/personality came about on his own or through some other intervention (I'm thinking NIall's kiss but wouldn't want to make it too pointed).  I highly doubt that CH would ever come to Toronto, so if anyone else sees her feel free to use that one if you like!!

Laura,

I re-read through a few of them, but I can't find the original Amazon review that struck a chord with me. I do remember that it was a particularly well-constructed criticism of many of the things that we've rehashed here.

1). DAG written by a ghost author? 2). Poor editing 3). Lack of character evolution 4). Storyline and character inconsistencies. You name it.

 I also loved how she compared Niall to Appius - how they were both egocentric thinking that if they wanted to do it then it was right in their mind's eye.

I loved that too.

 I thought it might be interesting to ask if Jason's change in perspective/personality came about on his own or through some other intervention (I'm thinking NIall's kiss but wouldn't want to make it too pointed).

I think the change in Jason started after he became part werepanther, but I think the main thing that changed his personality/perspective was Cyrstal and his unborn baby's death. I think he is getting over it slowly and it made him grow up.

Oh Stacie, yes, It could definitely be those things, but I was referring to some speculation that because a kiss broke the spell on Dermot, perhaps Niall's kisses to Sookie and Jason at the end of DAG might have imparted some magic to them as well.  For Jason perhaps the gift of being a better brother and making better choices in his life or something of that sort.

She had sour grapes about bad Amazon reviews for DAG

They're not good for DITF either and seem to be mostly written by book fans not TB ones.

Yeah I read a bunch of those reviews. I mean, I know you can't please everyone but They surprised me. I mean - did people really want the same old mini mysteries crammed in after what happened to their MC? It would have been a total waste of space IMO if that happened. Sookie had to deal with he aftermath of being TORTURED. It needed to be a slower book with FINALLY some character evolution. JMO though.

I went back and read some of the DITF reviews on Amazon, and some were scathing. Frankly, I had to agree with some of the honest assessments. The book felt like it was taken from a pile of scraps CH had put to the side and went back and decided to use. Felt thrown together to me. Nothing like the early books. And I enjoyed DAG, even though it was dark. I just thought DITF was a mess. I'm mad I did not wait for it to come out in paper:(

Yeah, those kisses definitely meant something, but I don't think they would have changed Jason's personality.

Does anyone know if CH has addressed whether Sookie's gift will mature to being able to read vampire minds?

Also, speaking of unanswered quesitons....I looked but couldn't find a thread on the loose-ends that CH needs to address before this series wraps up. If not already done, I think this is worth discussing.

No I don't think so. She has only ever said that it's a (kind of) fluke, on-off type of thing that she can.

There's a thread called Questions for CH...you can check or add to it there.

Oh, Cool!!!  Lisa Desimini sells posters of her books covers on her website, and they are just the pictures without the print.  That means no ugly, nasty TB "sticker" logo on it... I think I'm seeing some posters in my future!!

There! She said it about TB - "what I apply but don't discuss."

She looks tired. I wonder if she is so bored answering the same/similar questions over & over again.

I'm surprised she goes on tour so much. I mean, toward the end of the Harry Potter series JKR was pretty mum about the plot overall. We saw less and less detailed interviews. I'm sure CH is super duper tired of the same questions and I'm wondering whether she'll continue to do all of these Q & A's. Maybe just answering small questions at book signings? She should also learn how to say No Comment, but that's JMO.

Isn't it interesting that the two things she says she doesn't like to talk about, the blood bond and the suitor debates, are what she plays up in the books? I'd like to think she finds the suitor questions irrelevant because reading the books shows who's "large and in charge" of that area. She must be talking about BLs. Her publicist should make a list of FAQs for interviews and Q&As.

CH could have ended the partisan suitor war whenever she wanted. She started it; she can end it.

She says she still works with no outline. I would be pulling my hair out, but CH employs a continuity person now, so I guess she does not have to worry whether or not all of her threads tie or not.

I know. But instead she keeps throwing out crumbs that keep the wars going.

Yeah but she probably gets a kick from all the attention she gets, that's why she goes on tour, responds to questions on her chat herself and keeps the suitor war going!!!!

i think that even if Sookie is seatlled with her final choice we'll never know untill the last book....not becouse sh will choice at that point...but becouse it's marketing.....

I love Cat & Bones by Frost, they are my other favourite couple and i love them deeply as Eric and Sookie.....and Frost planned 7 books for them.....so CH should be more honest if Eric is her choice or not and say that out loud....oh but wait!!!!80% of her reader are buying the books for Eric and Sookie LOL

yeah, ain't that the truth. I think charlaine gets it now.:)

CHARLAINE HARRIS ON TRUE BLOOD AND VAMPIRES THAT SPARKLE

"Yes, I'm happy with Alan Ball's production of my novels," Harris said. "Also, if you ask me where I get my inspiration, I will spit on you," she joked.

Huffington Post: Has True Blood changed the fan base for your Southern Vampire Mysteries?

Charlaine Harris: All along I've had more guys reading this series than my previous books. But I've definitely had more guys at my signings since the HBO series debuted.

HP: I was at the RT Booklovers' Convention in Columbus earlier this year, where you caused a bit of a ruckus when you hinted that your books probably wouldn't end with a "happily ever after" ending. Can you clarify what you meant by that? Will Sookie Stackhouse have a happy ending?

CH: I don't write absolutes. I don't write the kind of "happily ever after" that romance readers enjoy. I'm not saying that "happily ever afters" are a bad thing, and I'm not saying Sookie will never be happy ... but she's not going to settle down and start a family and have the white picket fence.

read more http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-shaffer/charlaine-harris-on-emtru_b_617542.html

Well that is promising.

but she's not going to settle down and start a family and have the white picket fence.

Sounds good to me.

Yeah but will she die of cancer at 73 in the arms of a 24yr old Eric??? WTF?! It doesn't make sense! I think CH, if she keeps E/S together, will have to end the story without ever explaining the future, ie. end it with them getting married at the age/looks they are now and leave it up to the reader to imagine the HEA as they see it.

this will always bug me!

You know, this makes me feel somewhat better since we all know that Sam would give her a white picket fence and children. Of course, it could mean that Sookie gives up on all men. Or fuck, she could not resolve any of the relationships and leave it all in the air. That would not only suck, but it would be a very frustrating way to leave things.

Or fuck, she could not resolve any of the relationships and leave it all in the air.

If that happens, I might go Annie Wilkes on her ass and subject her to a sequel of Misery.

 it with them getting married at the age/looks they are now and leave it up to the reader to imagine the HEA as they see it.

Well, I'd have to remember Highlander with the first wife. He stays with Heather until the end and continues to love her and take care of her even when she gets old. Its sad but it's life. (and death?) We can always enjoy the immortal Sookie in fanfic. If Eric continues to live without her, he'll be more than he was for having loved her. That will be her lasting imprint on the world.

I wonder though if Eric would want to live without Sookie now...he has changed soo much because of her and his risked his life countless times for her. Even before they were in an official relationship Pam had commented on what a wreck of emotions he was. Maybe there will be another Shakespearian ending because apparently CH is a fan.

I think CH, if she keeps E/S together, will have to end the story without ever explaining the future

that's exactly what i always expected for.....i think we won't know her future...we could presume to know....but this are not book with sweet happy ending....CH will end the story at a certain point of course, with Sookie and her man...but hopefully many of the questions will find their answers...and many already had.

Charlaine Harris: The Southern Roots of ‘True Blood

But, the chapters on the books that prompted True Blood are about to close.

“It’s harder to pull ideas together for something fresh and different with Sookie. So, it could be 13 will be the end.”

That’s two more books, two more chances for Sookie to find what she’s looking for. But never fear, Charlaine promises there’s more where that came from.

“I will think of something new and different to write. I hope it’s more fun even than those books.”

She’s already written more than 30 novels, plus short stories and anthologies, including one coming out next month titled “Death’s Excellent Vacation” featuring Sookie cavorting in the Tunica casinos.

And that is bringing it home.

READ MORE http://www.trueblood-italy.com/?p=727

AND THEN THIS FOR BOOK 11

408 duckpond100 2010-07-20 07:05

Sam has a love interest in the next book.

The problem with having such a huge cast of characters is that I can't always find a good reason to bring back characters I'd like to revisit.

Charlaine Harris

“It’s harder to pull ideas together for something fresh and different with Sookie. So, it could be 13 will be the end.”

I think it should be the end as it's clear from the last 2 that she's running out of ideas and spreading the end of the series a little too thin IMO. Of course she does use the word 'could' just to keep us guessing and the cynic in me is thinking will it depend on how well TB is still doing in a couple of years.

CH is pulling another dead bunny out of her hat!!!

CH is pulling another dead bunny out of her hat!!!

Ha!

I think it should be the end as it's clear from the last 2 that she's running out of ideas and spreading the end of the series a little too thin IMO.

You think? For me, the last two books have been torture, when previously the books had been a joy.

So is Sam's girlfriend Janalynn or someone else?

As long as it isn't Sookie!

There won't be a book 12 for me if it is.

Me either, I'd be done!

CH's comment made it sound like she's having trouble finding a purpose for Sam. So I'm going to assume it's not Sookie.

The problem with having such a huge cast of characters is that I can't always find a good reason to bring back characters I'd like to revisit.

Luna? Unless Sam is the character she is referring to revisiting.  But yeah, he was with Janalynn it thought.  So if it is Janalynn would it be a revisited character? I don't even care really.

she's having trouble finding a purpose for Sam

who isn't?

Luna would be great for him. I like the idea that Luna is the character she wants to revisit. Sam could meet her when he goes to his sister's wedding. I'd actually like this developement. I bet if they married they could have a shifter kid.

What happened to Tanya again? Maybe it will be her? Did she die?

Tanya married Calvin didn't she?

That's right. Thank you lol I was like oh no I can't remember.

I'm trying not to remember the contents of the last book at all. Not difficult as it's the only one I didn't bother buying.

I think tying the comment about bringing back characters to Sam's love interest really makes Luna a great possibility.

Luna would be good! I really don't think CH would EVER match Sam & Sookie again... I think she's let that ship sail!

I hope that after all the books building us up with Eric that she will just do what she knows is the sensible thing. Hopefully she won't give into peer pressure or the pressure of the green.

I remember seeing the 'Sam will have a girl friend in the next book" quote last year, about DitF.  That's Jannalyn.  I'm not sure he still has a girlfriend, or will have one in Book 11...where is the quote again?  I know he and Sookie go to his brother's wedding in the short story coming up.

SPOILER

In the next book Eric does ask Sookie to seriously consider turning vampire.
C.Harris Comic Con 2010

Bubba will be in the next Sookie book!

Sookie will never become a vampire.

More short stories to come include secret emails between Bill and Eric

Kristin Bauer was her perfect vision of Pam. So was Chris Bauer as Andy. Anna is a bit tinier than her image of Sookie.

http://www.sookieverseblog.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=326

secret emails between Bill and Eric

Oooooh, that could be good.  I'd love to see if some were sent between them arranging for Eric to take care of Sookie when Bill left her for Lorena.

or maybe these mail are the Dead Letters.....in which Eric and Bill try to find somethig about Victor...this is not mine idea but from my friend who always knows what CH is gonna write or Ball what is gonna do...i don't know how she can, probably she is a medium

This is most definitely wishful thinking on my part, but could CH be telling us that Sookie will never become Vampire so as not to ruin who she will end-up with and as a result, her next 3 books??

I don't think so.  Charlaine has said a lot of things, but that's the one thing she's said over and over.  Sookie won't become a vampire.  I really don't want her to.  I don't see why anyone would want to be one, really.  Nothing but blood forever?  No pizza?  No steak?  No strawberries or sweet corn?  And no sunshine?  That doesn't sound like Sookie to me.  If Eric really loves her and truly wants to be with her, he'll have to love her as a human.

I know that CH isn't going to make Sookie a vampire, but the upside would be loving Eric forever.

Sorry...even that wouldn't be enough to make me give up food and sunshine.  LOL.

You must be a very well balanced person ... I'm jealous! 

LOL.  I love my husband dearly, but I wouldn't give up eating and only come out at night even for him.  Besides...who would get the kids to school? 

Sookie is not fully human. That is the only trick CH has up her sleeve. She should make good use of it. It is senseless to utter my lament at the possible demise of SOOKIE & ERIC. I mean, after all this time, they finally move closer together, and then we have this darn eternity issue to deal with.

Hahaha ... you're right, the torture is never ending!!!

And CH is as stubborn as Sookie...

I wonder if she will try to bring back the characters Amelia or Quinn? I know she has developed so many characters now but those particular characters she seemed to like and I bet she will try to find a way to bring them back into the story before the end.

Quinn is going to be in the novella and Amelia is in book 11.

I can't remember CH mentioning Amelia for Dead Letters. I just searched this thread and the DL thread and Amelia hasn't been discussed for DL. Was there a comment that we didn't caputure here? If there was please copy it here. I know we'd all be interested.

Ok, I found something about Amelia in DL at CH's site, It was a fan repeating what she heard someone else ask at a signing last month. It wasn't shot down by a mod who replied (although the mod hadn't any personal knowledge about it), nor has CH shot it down. I tend to not completely believe what a fan thinks he/she overhead at a signing, but this can be considered a glimmer of information in that direction.

CH said something about Amelia in answer to a question at Comic Con, too, I believe but I'm not sure.  I read it on a site that moves pretty fast and now I can't find the quote.

And CH is as stubborn as Sookie...

  Missleeloo, ain't that the truth.

I hope that CH stays stubborn so The King of Douche-Chill Moments, Alan Ball does not sway her to end E/S or to put Saint Bill back with Sookie.  I would love a vampire Sookie, cause I loves me some vampires- but I would rather have more shower scenes between E/S.  LOL

I don't think Sookie will ever be a vampire.  I hope not.  That's been done, both badly (Twilight, sorry...I have teen girls and Bella sucks as a role model, pardon the pun) and not as badly...I can't remember the books right now, but I think the vampire's name was Bones? Anyway, I'd rather see Sookie take a different path.  If she doesn't turn and stays with Eric, they'll have to live with the fact that she won't be young and beautiful forever.  I wonder how he'd handle that?

Chele, I agree.  I dont' think I want to see Sookie turned.  I love reading about it in FF, but I dont' think book Sookie would make that choice.  There has been speculation on how it would be handled with her aging etc.  I remember, I think it was Laura, who thought it would be poignant and beautiful if Sookie aged normally and Eric stayed with her throughout.  At the end, both Eric and Bill would be with her on her death bed.  It would make me weep, I just know it!

BTW, you are thinking of "The Night Huntress" series with Bones and Cat.  Love, love, love that series!!!

Yep...that's it.

That would be a nice scenario, but I don't know if Eric (even book Eric) has it in him to stick around and watch Sookie grow old and die. I'm not doubting his love, but that's a lot for anyone to handle.  It's one of the reasons I don't think Sookie will end up with one of the vampires.  But luckily, I like all the guys, so I'll be okay whatever happens.

CH has said that Sookie won't have kids of her own or the white picket fence and settle down to the traditional HEA. If she married anyone other than a vamp, she'd be able to have kids. Sam is really the only viable non-vamp, and he really would want to have kids and the white picket fence. Alcide has really played himself out of the picture since he always seems to take advantage of Sookie (not in a mean way, but in a shortsighted way), and as pack leader he has a duty to add to the pack. And actually she never even dated Alcide. Quinn is an also ran. That never really gelled. Besides CH said that she picked Sookie's HEA by LDID or maybe CD. Quinn doesn't fall in that range.

So it won't be Bill. CH really did want to kill him off, and you don't even think about killing the HEA you have planned for since early in the series. So other than Eric, Sam is the only viable suitor and could give Sookie kid and the traditional HEA, which CH says is not in the cards for Sookie. Eric is besotted with Sookie, why not believe he would stick it out with her?

And who is the guy who developed a relationship with Sookie by LDID? Eric. Continued developing the relationship in CD? Eric. Alcide did, too, but after DITF I think he's a goner for the HEA running. It's always been Eric. For me, anyway.

And CH gave a lot away at ComicCon with her comment about the way things (i.e. love relationships) have been developing in her books being possibly different from TB. We know how things have been developing in the books, and the audience did too. They all cheered really loudly. And that can't really include Sam either, nothing has been developing yet. Of course I suppose it could, but she spoke of an onoing process and Eric is the only ongoing process right now.

"Among other interesting things, Charlaine said that Eric wants Sookie to be a vampire. But the writer seems to have made up her mind as she stated that Sookie will not be turned a vampire. (Though we bet that she will be possibly be “turned on” by more than one.)" - http://www.trueblood-news.com/charlaine-harris-at-comic-con-2010-eric-wants-sookie-to-become-a-vampire

Eric does want her by his side, as selfish as it may sound (no matter how much i may want to keep you), but he's also selfless enough to honor Sookie's decision (of not wanting to be a vamp). He LOVES her. I think we have 7 or 8 books to prove that already. Maybe not since LDID, but definitely now. If that's not love, what is?

CH has said that Sookie won't have kids of her own 

When did she say this?  I knew about the 'no white picket fence' part, but not no kids.  I don't think she's ever flat out said that.

he's also selfless enough to honor Sookie's decision (of not wanting to be a vamp). 

I'm not so sure about that.  I know I've only read the books through once, but while I saw a LOT of good things about Eric, him ever being 'selfless' sure wasn't one of them.

I'm not so sure about that.  I know I've only read the books through once, but while I saw a LOT of good things about Eric, him ever being 'selfless' sure wasn't one of them.

Dead and Gone, page 76...while they were talking about Renfield in bed...

“But that’s not going to happen to me. And you won’t ever turn me.” I was absolutely serious.

“No. I won’t ever force you into subservience. And I will never turn you, since you don’t want it.”

“Even if I’m going to die, don’t turn me. I would hate that more than anything.”

“I agree to that. No matter how much I may want to keep you.”

That's selfless, IMO. Him being a vamp and all. 

Well, if he's going to ask her, it would appear that he's either forgotten that conversation or is choosing to ignore it.  I mean, it sure didn't sound there like something Sookie was ever going to change her mind about.

however she is changing her mind, since in DITF, she is considering it!

yup yup! HEA!

though i don't think it will happen, since CH's pretty much set on this issue.

You mentioned in the panel that Sookie will never be a vampire, but you said in the next book Eric is going to ask her to consider it. Some of the fans are wondering, how do those two co-exist?

Well there are other developments that will kind of avoid a direct confrontation of the two camps. Sookie, her sunbathing is really important to her. She and Eric are in love right now, but you know she’s been in love before. I don’t know what to tell you, there’s a lot of information coming in the next book that Sookie didn’t know. I know, I’m so mean to her. Jim Butcher and I have kind of a contest to see who can be the meanest to their protagonist. I think Jim is winning, but I’m giving it the best try I’ve got.

http://geekgirlonthestreet.com/2010/07/24/live-from-comic-con-a-chat-with-author-charlaine-harris/

do you guys think CH will turn Sookie?

No.  That's the one thing she's always been emphatic about and I don't see her changing her mind.  I hope she doesn't.  I think that's been done to death (no pun intended), and these books and characters are so original and unique.  I'd like to see Sookie make a different choice.

CH has mentioned that Sookie won't have kids of her own several times now. Just check in this thread.

Interesting.  I've never seen that on her site, and I check there quite a bit for her newest remarks.

There are transcripts from her interviews that we also capture here. Those don't show up on her site.

nope, that's for sure one of the thing she always said and was detrmined in that.

I think what Charlaine was saying is that Victor and political issues makes S/E avoiding this confrontantion...BUT there are a lot of things that she didin't know not about him but maybe for the vampirical world it's important that Sookie is a vampire to consider Eric officially married to her...maybe....i don't know what this information are but i think that they involved politics that she seems to avoid all the times becouse she wants to have sex with him as in Book 10.

I think Sookie this time is in a mature relatiuonship and she has to face the reality called: compromise.

@Chele, it's in her web site in the Q&A i guess.

We got the info about the kids from some of her interviews. Those don't always show up on CH's Q&A.

"a lot of information coming in the next book that Sookie didn't know?"

I wonder what that means.

I don't always trust transcripts if I can't watch an actual interview.  I know from personal experience that people sometimes get those wrong.

Jim Butcher and I have kind of a contest to see who can be the meanest to their protagonist. I think Jim is winning, but I’m giving it the best try I’ve got. 

If anyone reads Butcher and knows what he did to Harry at the end of the last book....Sookie had better watch out!!

We also usually link the actual interview and not just the transcript. If it's been repeated more than once, I find it hard to believe that it would be wrong each time. I also have it from an online chat she had, and it was an actual record of her typing the response. She's said it three times this year, I think. So CH has come to a decision about it.

Guess we'll all find out together.  

I dont' take CH satatament above as bad 100%, actually i think it's time for Sookie to learn the things she is avoiding so much as political issues...when Eric wanted to telle talk to her she just wanted to have sex LOL

I think a lot of things were hidden, she knows Eric is no telling her everything, Pam told her the situation is bad and he is trying to be a strong man for her....so my last hope is that they could act as a mature couple as for me they are now.

chele, give me a fucking break. Frankly, I trust what we do for research here. We are a thorough bunch. We aren't superficial types since we probably lack your infallible intuition. And we don't just rely on transcripts, which is why we were able to find that AB didn't actually say that he thought B/S would get back together. In fact it turned out to be the opposite, once we could hear him say it himself. He said he didn't know if they would get back together. If we've found three separate instances where CH said Sookie wasn't going to have kids of her own, then it seems rather solid evidence.

You really haven't been trying to endear yourself to us here, and me in particular. I'm going to trust my first impression and suspect you to be a pain in ass. Someone who just likes to be contrary and stir up trouble. You are very enamored of your own opinions to the point of being snidely insulting to others who don't hold that viewpoint. Very close to just being a troll. But I do think you are a BL who wants to disguise that fact while you take potshots at us. That's why you were offended by the idea that we thought Bill would drain Sookie this season on TB. We didn't want him to drain her, but it seemed to fit something Tara said in a preview. And that's why you complained about all the supposed Bill hate. No, we don't hate him, we just don't like him. And maybe if you had read the books more than once that would make more sense to you. That's why you went off on a defense about him walking in the sun for Sookie. That was a ridiculous scene that flies in the face of everything we've learned in the books and in the show. We never said Bill didn't love her, just that he was deceiving her.

Kindly stop responding to my posts. I am going to ignore you. We'll see how well you do insulting the other members. I'm tired of your antics, but rest assured, I can hit with the best of them. I just have no more patience for your type of shallow immaturity.

not to gang up on you or anything, chele, but i thought this is an EL site? =)

that's why i joined this forum...

Mony, I agree it may not be 100% bad, but CH does say she's being 'mean' to her...so how can that be good?  I don't want Sookie to be hurt, but it sounds like she might be.

AP...I know you said not to respond, but I do want to apologize.  I do like to play devil's advocate, but I didn't mean to challenge your authority.  I'll mind my p's and q's from now on and try not to be confrontational.  Sometimes I forget that a light-hearted tone doesn't always transfer on online communications.

I didn't google "EL site" when I looked for some place to chat about the show and the books.  If that's how you want to be identified, perhaps you should make that clear in your name.  If I'm not welcome here, I'll go elsewhere.

Chele, CH wrote an hard life for Sookie, of course she is mean....i don't see tha problem in this "revelation". No at all. Sorry.

I don't have any authority. I just know that we are thorough in our research. Recently Mony and I disagreed a bit about something CH said about HEA. Frankly, we were both right and were saying mostly the same thing from different angles. But we managed to do that without insulting each other.

You don't have to an EL to post here. But if you want to challenge everything we post from a BL viewpoint, it will annoy more people than just me. There are other sites that many of us have have fled due to that problem. We have people who post here that like Bill more than some others but they don't consistently attack all things Eric and support all things Bill. That gets tiring.

I'm not a BL.  I just like them ALL.  And I don't think I've said anything bad about Eric, I just don't think he's perfect.  I think all the characters are flawed.  That's what makes them interesting.

I certainly never meant to insult anyone, either. If I did, I apologize.

chele, what i'm saying is i found this thread when i was searching info about eric and alex. if you read through the topics, you might see that most, if not all of us are ELs. but, we don't discourage BLs from posting since this is a free forum. i guess we just have to try and respect each other's opinions, and be more tactful in posting. not to sound high and mighty, but i have been reading this forum for quite a while prior to actually having the guts to post and join the discussions. i got the feel of it first if i truly "belong" to this site. now i know i do.

Well, this was my first try and I didn't read much, I just jumped in.  I wonder if there are any neutral sites out there without so much love for one particular character.  I really love them all and would like to discuss them good and bad without worrying about offending anyone.  My friend said the HBO site is incredibly rude and they don't discuss the show on CH's site.  I'm bummed.

We discuss all the characters, we just like Eric more than some. We discuss TB in depth. But we don't feel we have to love all things TB or AB. I love the books, but not so much the last two. So, despite loving the series, most of us have been harder on the last two books. We all seemed to have assumed that CH was running dry and was trying to run out the clock. A recent comment of hers seemed to dovetail with that since she said she was calling it quits after book 13, since it was harder for her to come up with new ideas.

When I did my first reread, I was stunned to see how controlling, patronizing, and manipulative Bill had been with Sookie. I hadn't caught it first time. Naturally, he had fallen out of favor with me, based on what CH put on the page, especially in DD. But I was surprised to see how early some of his flaws showed up. I used to think SM was a bad actor, but he's really quite charming and very gracious in person, and I now appreciate how wonderfully he's conveyed Bill's pompous hypocrisy. Even the S2 Blu-ray enhanced content made fun of Bill's pomposity and self-righteous self-pity. Pam repeatedly savaged Bill with most of the complaints we've posted here. That means the TB writers also see it that way.

chele, it's not that you just jumped in, but you were insulting to boot. I usually do try to understand a site before jumping in. I don't necessarily think you are incompatible with what we post here, but this has been a rough start.

Chele,

I have decided to stay out of the discussions until now. I'm not sure if it's intended, but there is a difference between playing devil's advocate and being purposefully antagonistic. It seems as though anything that is said negatively against Bill is instantly refuted or turned around to reflect negatively on a poster. Of course, we do not want Sookie to be drained by Bill. We are not sadists. But that event would be a logical connection to the books, and like many others have pointed out, there needs to be something drastic to shift the Bill/Sookie relationship on TB.

We try to keep an open mind here, and I have no issue with anyone whose opinions differ from my own. We have had our share of Bill rants, but I don't think the majority opinion on this forum is that he is hated or "evil incarnate." This forum is largely a book club that focuses on dissecting and analyzing the books and characters in this series. Most of us have done multiple re-reads, which have allowed us to connect dots and really digest character and plot development. There are certain things you cannot pick up from reading a book once.

I doubt you will find a discussion forum that does not have a majority preference for one character over the others. With a series that has a major love pentagon, it just not gonna happen. There is always going to be a preference. You are welcome to post here and share your opinions, I just ask that you are mindful of your approach.

Um guys??? Deep breaths please. Sorry I have been away & just got back.

Chele - when I 1st joined a forum, I had no idea there was etiquette etc...there is - but then again there always is in dealing with people & to quote Kenny Rogers;  you gotta know when to hold them & know when to fold them.

I thought the wiki HBO TB site & CH's site were both ridiculous in the sense that people were constantly in fighting with one another & just baiting & starting arguments just to hear themselves talk. It was worse than trolls b'c all of the trolls were there on those sites. I started over here to have many discussions w/out the BS.

If you haven't yet read the rules & other threads discussion topics - this one in particular, just have read through some. A ton has been discussed in lengthy detail.

Your posts have come across antagonistic so if it truly wasn't your intention, I thank you for the apology..  you seem like a smart cookie, you can discuss what you want but no one takes kindly to being challenged over everything they say right off the bat esp. if you haven't built up a relationship w/them yet & people don't know your style.

It's comes across as you purposely baiting. Just don't do it.

About the kids thing guys - I am paraphrasing here but essentially CH said that Sookie will not have a traditional HEA (basically - what's good for some is not good for others ...picket fence, kids etc....not so good for Sookie). I believe she mentioned her probably not having kids. If I remember correctly it was a You Tube interview with her on her latest book tour. Might have been the one from Prague or something. Have a look.

OK  end of story.

Let's get back to the thread topic.

Yes m'am.

copy, Laura. 

I didn't think I insulted anyone.  I sure didn't mean to. I don't know if this is going to work if I'm always afraid to express my honest opinion for fear of insulting someone.  I'm not sure how I came across as antagonistic.  I'm a lawyer so maybe the debate thing is in my blood and finding a way out.  LOL.

I hope I can find a happy medium to get along here, because I think you all have some good discussions.

Most here on this forum have read the series to the point we can recite page and paragraph, as far as keeping up with the Sookieverse news everyone has their sources and not just HBO TB and CH's website: interviews she gives at ComCon to book signings and tours; it is all deposited and discussed here. We do base our views or predictions on cannon of the books and interviews given. We all have our favorite characters, and for most, Eric has won his right to be A favorite after so many re-reading of the books and listening to the audiobooks. All the characters are easily real to us because they are so layered with personality and history for us. It isn't so much that we just love Eric and hate Bill it's just the traits attributed to them IN THE BOOKS give us reason to lean toward him as the better choice. Personally Sookie irritates me a lot, BUT she has her redeeming qualities that make me overlook her blonde moments.

I just wonder what information CH has on sookie that shes not letting on - I wonder if its where her telepathy comes from, as its been stated its not from her fairy side.

Just got a mental immage of a shielded Sookie inside CH head poor gal :p

I'm probably less likely to re-read the books than I was before all this.  I don't want my original enjoyment of the books and the characters to be colored by anything I've read here or seen on TB.  Kind of like the jury not being allowed to see news during a trial, I guess.  I want my opinion to be my own opinion.  I think I'll just keep myself to basic discussions about the show and its similarities and differences with the books.  That's really all I was looking for.

I'm probably less likely to re-read the books than I was before all this. I don't want my original enjoyment of the books and the characters to be colored by anything I've read here or seen on TB....  I want my opinion to be my own opinion.

Hi, I'm just going to highlight the above. This is type of language FYI that can rub the wrong way. Everyone here is pretty free with the opinions. You just need to be ready for others to have really strong opinions and also be prepared to be facing formidable debaters since busy lives notwithstanding - I personally have two jobs and am getting a Masters degree -we're here because we prioritize SVM/TB into the mix. I have absolutely nothing against you-we have not even conversed-you just seemed genuinely perplexed as to the why your words may be taken in a way not consistent with how they're intended.

 Egalitarian to a fault, be prepared for a discussion. Thats all.  Enjoy.

The comment you highlighted was about me, not about any other poster...I don't see how it could possibly be offensive.  No one has to agree with me. . The point I was trying to make is that any re-reading I might do of the books now would be tainted by other opinions...I would be looking for things to support or disprove what I've read here, or seen on TB and I don't want to do that.  I'd rather be happy with the way I've interpreted the books so far, without re-reading.  Does that make more sense?

This is the most important part of what I said above:

I think I'll just keep myself to basic discussions about the show and its similarities and differences with the books.   That's really all I was looking for.

That's fine, then. Enjoy the site. Folks find and post all sorts of fantastic finds - spoilers, links, photos, etc. All things True Blood. Google not needed.

Topic people. Stay on thread topic please.

Chele read the rules thread & then decide if this is really the place for you.

http://www.tangler.com/forum/sookie-stackhouse-series/topic/73572

Done.  I think I'll be just fine. 

I'm going back to the topic as this site is supposed to be light-hearted/happy/stress free place not one full of aggro. I'm a lawyer too, in-house, have work/stress coming out of my ears, so I use this site to wind-down...

Wow Mony, what a quote - I am not at all sure what CH means but it doesn't sound good for E/S; didn't someone say here that maybe E/S would break-up in book 11? Was this something that came from a CH interview or was it just analysis? I dread more heartache for Sookie but it appears that that's what Ms CH has planned for her.

I think the idea of a break-up was interpreted from an interview CH gave at Comic Con where she was asked about reconciling the fact that Sookie would never become a vamp with Eric asking her to in the next book.  CH said there was some information Sookie doesn't know yet coming out.  Speculation was that it might be about Eric, or something that could get him into hot water with Sookie.  Of course, it could be something else.  Since I've also heard her say that Amelia will be in the next book, I wonder if she returns with info from Octavia about the blood bond?  Just speculation on my part.

I think they could take a sabatical time to refletc on their feelings if the bond is brokine as we know it will very soon...

i think they loved each other before the bond but i can quite see Sookie not be sure about that again and mayne need another tragic and near death moment to realize that she always loved him.

We also speculated on here, long before comicon, that they may break up just as a plot device to have somewhere to go with 3 more books on the horizon.  It's looking more likely now.

I think the idea of a break-up was interpreted from an interview CH gave at Comic Con where she was asked about reconciling the fact that Sookie would never become a vamp with Eric asking her to in the next book.  CH said there was some information Sookie doesn't know yet coming out.  Speculation was that it might be about Eric, or something that could get him into hot water with Sookie.  Of course, it could be something else.  Since I've also heard her say that Amelia will be in the next book, I wonder if she returns with info from Octavia about the blood bond?  Just speculation on my part.

No that's not where it came from at all--at least not here. We've all been wondering for quite some time if there was going to be a break-up, since even if Eric were intended to HEA, CH wasn't likely to make it seem that easy by keeping them together for the next three books. And as for Sookie not knowing everything that is coming, CH actually answered a question like that a few months back when she was doing book tours. And in that context, it could have easily been referring to DITF since authors tend not to assume that people at a signing have already read the book. However, since there is a big political struggle brewing, it could just as easily be referring to the coming problems. And Eric would have been asking Sookie to become a vamp to keep her safe because of the coming political struggle. She would need less protection under those circumstances.

We'd have to go back to the completely discredited idea that Eric is lying to Sookie, and I think we've all been given plenty of evidence that he's been honest with her from early on, and quite open and frank with her for the last two books. And he's been trying to keep her in the loop, that's why he went to the trouble of explaining the vamp political struggle in DITF. That was also information CH had to get out to the readers so they would understand the political units that would probably be involved in the struggle.

And I have a hard time thinking that whatever Amelia knows about the blood bond would be the reason Sookie would break up with Eric. She may want to try being free of it, but that wouldn't cause of a break up.

BTW, chele, when you use the third person to refer to "speculation" about Eric that could get him into hot water, where is that coming from? We might want to see other speculation.

I truly doubt that they would break up over Eric asking her to be a vamp. She's even wondered about it herself. He'd ask and she'd say no. He'd be disappointed (and probably worried) but would hardly break up with her over it. And since he has already promised to never do it against her will, that would have to be the end of it. Frankly, if he intended to force her, he wouldn't need her permission.

I think that speculation was on the comments from the article.  The link is already here somewhere.  If it's not there, I really can't tell you where I read it. Sometimes one site leads/links to another and I don't always remember where I've been.

I really hope the new info isn't bad for Eric. CH doesn't seem to like him very much so I could see her putting a few more skeletons in his closet for Sookie to deal with. I mean other then vamp politics there isn't anything she doesn't like about him (not enough to break up over). So I'm hoping if the new info involves Eric that it will be political as we suspect and that they will take a break only to get back together later. I also thought that Amelia might tell Sookie that distance from Eric would break the bond and that wouldcause a break up. Maybe even during a stressful  time for Eric Sookie learns that and leaves him for her peace of mind. This could upset him since he would think it was silly and dangerous at such a time. We know our Sookie wouldn't listen to reason and do it anyway causing all sorts of trouble for the two of them.

According to a comment over at HBO, CH confirmed on her site today that Amelia will be in the next book.

Here is the official confirmation:

11993 duckpond100   2010-07-27 10:57

Amelia is in the next book.

Charlaine Harris

Regarding the looming conclusion to her beloved Sookie Stackhouse series, Charlaine reaffirmed what she said in the panel: that she knows what the ending is, and that it will come somewhat soon. "I've been signed for a total of 13 books, I'm writing book 11, so if I don't end it with book 13, it'll be14 because I feel that coming on."

SOURCE 

I hope she really means it! I feel like it's starting to drag a little, and I really just want to get to the conclusion already! We're not reading Nancy Drew here, I don't need the heroine to just keep solving mystery after mystery.

That's funny.

Well this is a good sign I think. this means that she feels she has enough ideas (& strong ones hopefully) to keep writing.

Oh someone asked me about how I knew she was done w/her 11th book. Sorry I got it slightly wrong - she said "almost finihsed"

799 duckpond100   2010-07-25 11:17
I think I made it clear that I was almost finished with Number 11, at some point on the panel.

yeah at Comic Con she said she wanted to finish with book 11 by Sunday so i guess she actually did.

don't you think book 11 is sort of rushed if she's already done with it? May is like 9 months away...

Or she finally had something to actually write about. A real plot would make her write faster I think. It is easier to write something that you have planned and is going somewhere then it is to write fluff and filler that has no point. I am hoping that book 11 being done so fast is a good thing.

thanks for your optimism, chelsea! i just don't want to hope too much like i did for DITF. well, it was a good read. E/S are finally getting somewhere.

i'm trying to look for two blondes online...

I don't think two blondes comes out till tuesday. I nkow what you mean about not wanting to get your hopes up, I feel the same way. Really though DITF was a good set up book for bigger things to come so it is hard not to hope.

Also she isn't writing Harper Connelly anymore so she has less demands on her time.

But I also think it's because she has a concrete plot to write. The vamp political struggle promises to be a a rich plot.

Yeah, it just feels like a really long time to wait until book 11... once TB is finished, are we all going to resort to FF again? Another re-read?? I hope CH gives us some more shorts in between now and book 11 release.

We'll get "Small Town Wedding" and whatever else is going to be in the companion book in February.

It does seem like a long timeto wait, but editing takes time and she may even need to rewrite parts. Also you must remember that we've done it before and will have to do it again, so stay strong.

Yeah, I know, unfortunately patience has never been one of my virtues... a true fault!!

unfortunately patience has never been one of my virtues... a true fault!!

we're going to get along with this thinking, bea, haha. patience was never one of my virtues, too. actually i would like to thank CH since it has improved a lot when the sookie stackhouse series came out.

The vamp political struggle promises to be a a rich plot.

I agree, AP! I read in the "Two Blondes" thread that CH was almost done writing Book 11 when she released DITF, is that true? If that's so, then we are sure to get answers in the political issues Eric and Sookie are in (hopefully get answers, not more questions). Frankly I still have to review US geography to understand the vamp areas/partitions.

Yes, it's true Karla, CH has stretched our impatient limits!!

Evidently, the book still isn't done and Dead Letters may have been rejected as the official title. From CH's Book & Blog on her site, dated July 30:

First, I have to finish Sookie 11. We’re still talking about the title. How do you feel about a book called simply Sookie Eleven? I don’t know if I can train myself to call it anything else now. I’m closing in on the finish, but Comic Con and a root canal slowed down my momentum. I worked in my room every day in San Diego, but now I have to pull all the threads in the book together as I home in on the conclusion. 

Link to the entire blog:  http://www.charlaineharris.com/bb/bb_current.html

Scroll to the bottom for the blog.

From Facebook this A.M.   Looks like we have a new title.  Sounds ominous.

Ok if it is Dead Reckoning, me thinks "Bye Bye Victor"!! ;0)

225duckpond100 2010-08-22 07:28
Well, it's not too pleasant to think "lots of people" are calling DITF 'cheesy,' but I'm a big girl, I can take it. I've come to realize that the more books I sell, the bigger target I am, especially for people who've predetermined the way they want the books to go. Eric's character has remained consistent throughout. If that character is not what readers want him to be, they need to find another book series to read, and I don't intend that to sound in-your-face, just a matter of fact.

Alcide matched Sookie's vision of the husband she would have, and though he turned out to be quite different it was hard to let go of that image.

As for Eric's other child, we'll see if she'll enter the narrative.

Charlaine Harris

Eric's other child??