Bill And Edward Vampire Gentlemen Or Bloodsucking Monsters?

What is it about vampires these days that captivates us, draws our attention, and keeps us enthralled as if under some irresistible enchantment.

Is it the “Lifestyle”?  Is it that they can act with full autonomy and freedom to love as they please or do as they wish without consequence?

Two of the most popular vampires these days are Vampire Bill Compton of True Blood and Edward Cullen of Twilight.

Both of these men try to be noble.  Both are deeply troubled. Both have learned to despise what they have become.  Both men are fiercely devoted to the ladies in their lives or un-lives.  Both of these story lines involve love triangles:  In Twilight, its Edward-Bella-Jacob, wherein True Blood its Bill-Sookie-Sam at first,  then its Bill-Sookie-Eric… or so it would seem.

The common thread that seems to bond these two together seems to be their ardent desire to try to evolve beyond what they have become.

Bill seeks to “mainstream” with humans. He wants desperately to be accepted and move toward integration. He would like people to judge him on merit and how he treats people, rather than the fact the he is a vampire and, to some people, a social pariah.  Edward Cullen feels the same way.  He also wants to be accepted and integrated with the humans.  Both of these undead gentlemen appear to want the same thing: tolerance, compassion, and respect of who they truly wish to be, not what people would characterize them as.

Both Bill and Edward seem to have been written as tragic anti-heroes; maybe not so much for Bill in the books, but very much in the HBO television series.

Bill Compton may be more of a tragic anti-hero though.  Partly because Edward Cullen does win the affection of his beloved and is able to build something of a life together with her.  For Bill Compton and his beloved Sookie, the road to lasting love may not be as smooth; not that it was for Edward and Bella either.

Both of these vampire gents want their special ladies to look beyond their vampire “deformities” and see them for who they truly are. Both Bill and Edward are seeking  acceptance, compassion, and respect for who they truly wish to be and not because they happen to be “monsters”.  These “Undead” gents want nothing more to “fit in” and “find their place” in a society that has all but rejected them.  It seems that when these men were “turned” that both of their “makers” saw some good in them and wanted to bring them into their “world”.  Carlisle Cullen saw a “son” perhaps one that he could never have otherwise.  Lorena saw a “good man” with a “kind heart” and wanted him for herself.  It seems that both of these vampire gents have known love, longing, sadness and being deeply troubled.  Both Sookie Stackhouse and Bella Swan saw this “brooding lovable anti-hero” aspect in their respective men.

(Photo Credit: HBO)

Charlaine Harris Discusses Her Books with ABC News

For whatever reason, people can’t get enough of vampires these days. Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, has fans anxiously awaiting the next installment in her story, Dead in the Family, due out in May 2010. In the meantime, she will only offer teasers about what’s to come. That’s what she did in her recent interview with Cassie White from ABC News, where she also talked about the success of Twilight and her feelings about True Blood.

Charlaine suspects that people are drawn to vampires because of the intriguing notion of immortality. That eternal youth is an attractive thing. She accepts that her series is often compared to Twilight because of the human-vampire love story, but the originality of her ideas is clear given that Dead Until Dark was released before Twilight. She doesn’t think there needs to be a competition between the two series, and is in fact happy for Stephenie Meyer’s success:

“I see our series as complementing each other. I attract an older readership generally, though I think we do share quite a few readers and I’m glad of that. But I don’t think people are just going to buy one book, or go see just one vampire movie or TV show a year. I think they’re going to want to experience different shadings of offerings in those fields.”

She seems to be very gracious on this subject, holding the view that there’s plenty of vampire fandom to share!

Charlaine loves True Blood, the television adaptation of her work. She appreciates being surprised when events are different than in her books, but she is also excited when something she wrote makes it to the screen:

“Every now and then they use a line I wrote and it just tickles me pink when I hear it. And I love to see my credit at the beginning of every show.”

She has a great relationship of trust with the show’s creator, Alan Ball, and knows what it means to have your work adapted–they can change whatever they want. She put Sookie into Alan’s care because he understood the essence of the story:

“I had to hand all control over to Alan Ball. But having said that, I was pretty careful about who I handed it over to. So I really can’t complain about what he’s done and in fact I’m very happy.”

Alan did, however, get Charlaine into a bit of trouble with fans of her Southern gentleman vampire, Bill Compton, when he mentioned at the Paley Center panel with the True Blood writers that she almost killed Bill at the end of book 9, Dead and Gone:

“I did not kill Bill. Alan sort of said something at PaleyFest in an interview. He said, ‘Charlaine thought about killing Bill in the last book but she was talked out of it.’ That was something of a mis-statement and I certainly wish he hadn’t made it! In casual conversation I mentioned that had been one of the possible endings for Dead and Gone and that I’d thought about it and discarded it. But the truth is, and I think almost every writer does this, I’ve considered killing every character at one time or another, and some of them I follow through with. but some I decide I need to be alive.”

So what does that mean for Bill’s future is still pretty unclear. Charlaine did reveal that Sookie would not be having any steamy, intimate moments with her first love in book 10, but she would not explain further what are Bill’s chances for being the one for Sookie.

One question that was sent in to Charlaine by a reader for the interview was regarding a statement that Charlaine once made that she didn’t understand why so many fans love Eric so much? The reader wanted clarification to this statement since in her eyes she felt that Charlaine had written the Eric character as always being there for Sookie, fulfilling her needs, being truthful and being emotionally connected to Sookie.

“I’m not denying that’s one side of Eric, but he’s also a ruthless killer and I think some of my readers tend to forget that in their enthusiasm for his sexier habits.”

Charlaine doesn’t plays favorites when it comes to which suitor for Sookie she enjoys writing the most. She enjoys writing about all of them and that each of them have qualities that she admires otherwise she would have never created them and made them likely candidates for Sookie’s attention and affection.

SOURCES:

abc.net.au

blogs.abc.net.au

(Photo credit: Albert L. Ortego / PR Photos)

True Blood Season 3 Spoilers: Alan Ball and the Writers Reveal

Alan Ball, writers Raelle Tucker and Alexander Woo spoke with SciFiWire recently and revealed 12 major spoilers points for season 3 of True Blood.  So get ready True Blood fans for some major spoilers news. Remeber if you do not want to know DO NOT read any further.

Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer): Alan confirmed that the storyline of Bill’s kidnapping will last for”about six episodes.” However we don’t know if that means that it will be back-to-back from episodes 1-6 or will be spread out throughout the season.  This is one fans are definitely going to be talking about.

Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell): As stated before, in season 3 Sam will be busy trying to find his family which Raelle Tucker will get to write their characters a lot in episode 2. She states that:

“I’m getting to write Sam’s family, which is a lot of fun, and, really, I feel really satisfying as a character arc,” she said. “I really am glad that he’s taking this journey and he’s learning about himself. I find that interesting. They aren’t the brightest people, maybe. At least they appear that way. They’re fairly dysfunctional, but like anybody else, they have their good things about them and not so good things. They’re still getting to know each other. Sam’s still getting to know them and so are we.”

Werewolves:  Alan states that the werewolves in season 3 are going to be just wolves.  They will be people who can transforms into wolves who will be bigger and stronger with their eyes glowing orange a little bit.

Supernatural World:  Alexander Woo explains that season 3 is not only about the supernatural world of vampires, werewolves and shapshifters but he is also excited about the expanding world that will occur in the next season.

“The entire world is going to get a lot bigger,” Woo said. “Not only the human world, but in Sookie’s eyes, she’s going to see the whole supernatural world. Luckily, since this show is through Sookie’s eyes, as an audience we’ll get to see a much larger supernatural world.”

Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin):  Raelle states that Sookie’s powers will expand in season 3 to not only include her telepathy but her expanding powers such as her glowing hands.  “I think that Sookie is conscious of her abilities more this season than she’s been, and she’s questioning them more,” Tucker said. “We’re going to be exploring that more this season.”

Vampire King of Mississippi (Denis O’Hare):  Alan states that the Vampire King of Mississippi in season three will be a contrast to Sophie-Anne, the Vampire Queen of Louisiana (Evan Rachel Wood).

“He’s older,” Ball said. “He’s much more mature. He’s much more methodical and grounded. She’s kind of crazy. To me, she’s kind of like Paris Hilton/Lindsay Lohan, where she has a very short attention span and she’s very, very egomaniacal and very self-obsessed and doesn’t really think about her actions whereas the vampire king is very much an adult. He has an agenda. He has things he wants to achieve. I think he’s much more formidable than she is.”

Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten):  This season Jason seems to get a little break from all the mayhem he endured in season 2.  According to Raelle this season will focus on Jason NOT getting into trouble and staying out of trouble’s way.  This will be interesting to see how it plays out considering Jason was the one who shot Eggs at the end of season 3.

Queen Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood):  Evan will be returning in season 3 in her role as Queen Sophie-Anne who is engaged in selling “V” which may get her in trouble in some way.

“Well, Sophie-Anne, when last we left her, she was sort of behind this selling of “V” as a recreational drug on the streets pretty much,” Ball said. “That’s not something a vampire authority figure should be doing. If higher-up vampire authority figures figure that out, they’re not going to be happy.”

Biker Gang:  In season three we will see the introduction of a biker gang called Coot’s F–k You Crew which Raelle states that the new characters are still evolving and won’t be what they appear to be.  As Raelle explains this biker gang is very mysterious and has been around much longer then alot of people think.  Raelle wouldn’t elaborate any further, simply stating that “I don’t want to say too much about them right now because I think that we are in the early stages of figuring that out.”

Tommy Mickens:  Alexander Woo informed SciFiWire that he is writing the material for this new character which he states “will make a huge impact on our favorite characters.” Without giving too much away Woo states that Tommy Mickens will play a “very prominently in the emotional life of at first one, and then later several other of our characters. He’ll be the first domino to push the rest.”

Headgear:  Now this one I must admit has me wondering what the writers are referring to. Whether they are referring to actual headgear to be wore by the characters or a metaphor for a protective shell that the characters will place around themselves. Raelle explains helmets became a joke in the writer’s room with the writers becoming aware they were relying too much on protective headgear.

“There’ve been several moments that we’ve been pitching things and thought, ‘Oh, well, maybe she could be wearing a helmet and that would protect her. Maybe he could wear a helmet in that scene,’” Tucker recalled. “Suddenly we realized we had a whole bunch of characters wearing helmets for no particular reason. So we thought oh, that’s the theme of the season.”

Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard):  With the Eric fans demanding more screen time for him and a big romantic link between Eric and Sookie, the writers state that does not occur until much later in Charlaine Harris‘ books .   As Raelle states:

“You know what’s funny is that he’s in the first two books, he’s a fairly minor character in Sookie’s universe,” Tucker said. “There’s a lot of fan pressure that they’re supposed to be this big romantic thing, which actually in Charlaine [Harris]’s books doesn’t happen until much, much further down. I think if we did that, we’d probably bore them all to death. I think part of the magic of Eric is some of the mystery of Eric and the inaccessibility of Eric. I think you don’t want to turn them into the nice romantic love interest who’s in every scene. I think his danger is important so not just throwing him up whenever somebody wants to see his bare chest is actually a more disciplined approach.”

So there you have it, the latest spoilers.  So now lets start speculating as we wait for the return of Season 3 of True Blood.

SOURCE: SciFiWire.com

(Photo credit: HBO Inc.)

Anna Paquin: Life, Love And True Blood

True Blood star Anna Paquin has worked hard to get where she is today, but she has balanced that with a personal philosophy of living in the moment. She is only 27-years old and already has a decade of successful work in film, television, and theatre, including an Academy Award at age 11 for The Piano, and a Golden Globe earlier this year for True Blood. Outside of her career, she has found love and happiness with her co-star and fiance Stephen Moyer. In a cover feature in the Australian magazine, MiNDFOOD, Anna talks about enjoying life, one day at a time.

A fan of Alan Ball’s previous television series, Six Feet Under, Anna pursued the role of Sookie Stackhouse when she heard that he was doing True Blood:

“He’s extraordinary, smart, funny and unpredictable in his humor, and he’s kind and approachable. The best boss you could possibly have.”

And then there was meeting Stephen and having their relationship grow as they worked alongside each other:

“Steve and I had a certain instant connection. We read Bill and Sookie opposite each other for the very reason that there needed to be a strong connection between the two actors playing those characters. Then that’s the person you’re working with all the time. It doesn’t hurt when the relationship on screen, which you’re trying to create, is one of attraction and fascination. Somewhere the line gets a little blurred.”

True Blood fans can definitely see that chemistry between them! And, as a viewer, knowing that those feelings between Bill and Sookie are based on real love between Stephen and Anna makes the story come to life even more.

Prior to life on True Blood, Anna had already been working as an actor for 15 years. Even though she was catapulted into the spotlight at an early age because of her Oscar win, she has always been a grounded young woman, with a good upbringing and realistic outlook on life that she attributes to her family:

“I came up through the ranks before the tabloid media became what it is currently. It wasn’t as much of a feeding frenzy. I guess that’s more good luck than good management. There was very little time to be affected, and my family didn’t value [fame] and weren’t interested in it. It was more about doing well in school, getting an education and doing something with your life.”

Anna has also had the opportunity to work with great professional role models, with her favorite being the first, Holly Hunter:

“I’m still in awe of her. The Piano was my apprenticeship. I had no idea what I was doing and I absolutely adored her. So I just followed her lead. She can just walk on water talent-wise.”

Anna loved being part of the theatre community in New York City, where she lived since she was 18. She has since relocated to Venice Beach where she and Stephen have a house:

“It’s incredibly nice down here. It’s really relaxing; I can ride my bike everywhere and I like being by the ocean.”

In her spare time, one of her favorite hobbies is playing Scrabble. She also keeps her body fit through all different kinds of activities, from kickboxing to yoga. She loves playing a strong character like Sookie:

“She’s her own little action star. I get bloodied and vomited on and beaten up — everything that the girl doesn’t often get to do in a show or a film because they’re usually the girlfriend. Sookie’s the center of all the action or trauma.”

Another big interest of Anna’s is fashion, which you could guess by just looking at all of the fabulous dresses she has worn on red carpets:

“I love anyone who cuts for women’s bodies, not boys’ bodies — designers who actually take curves into account. I absolutely love beautiful clothes and dressing up for red carpet stuff. The whole Cinderella thing: the dress, the shoes, the hair, the makeup and the jewelry.”

Her true passions though, are about the bigger things in life. She’s looking forward to starting a family someday. She’s enjoyed her experiences maintaining the production company, Paquin Films, with her brother Andrew, and hopes to one day direct a film. She also wants to travel and see the world. But Anna doesn’t have a set plan in mind for all of that:

“I go one step at a time. I’ve never really thought too far ahead because then you’re never disappointed if it doesn’t happen the way you thought it would. There isn’t a lifestyle or job where there are any guarantees. I’m happy living in the right now.”

That’s certainly an admirable point of view to have and it has served her very well in life. Anna talks about having everything she could possibly want and about enjoying what she has. She is one of the few young actresses in Hollywood who seems worthy of all the success she has been blessed with.

SOURCE: MiNDFOOD.com

(Photo credit: Pamela Hanson / MiNDFOOD)

Charlaine Harris Talks About Her Books And True Blood

Charlaine Harris, the gifted author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in which the hit HBO True Blood series is based upon, discussed her heroine Sookie, the real-life romance of Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, and watching her books come to life.

When asked about the Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries, Charlaine Harris said she decided to write a book combining mystery, science fiction, and romance–clinched on not sticking to the rules.

She also admitted that she shares certain traits with Sookie,

“Well, we’re both loyal, but she’s a lot braver than I am. She’s pretty much like I wish I was. She’s polite but direct. I like to think that’s me, too.”

And to top that, she feels a pleasant sense of obligation to the people who brought her stories to life, particularly Anna Paquin (Sookie) and Stephen Moyer (Bill) especially now that the duo are getting married which she felt strangely responsible for.

As for the show itself, Charlaine felt proud and excited about seeing the town she created come to life, fondly exclaiming:

“I had lunch in Merlotte’s in one of the booths. With Alan.”

When asked for details about the third season, Charlaine simply said:

“The third season will be the third book, but the show may go off on its own at any point.”

Though crossroads may be difficult in person’s life, for Charlaine the crossroads she experienced helped create Sookie, Bill, Sam, and all the other characters we love in Bon Temps. Furthermore, the books have spawned a hit show on HBO, causing a new mass of fans for Charlaine’s books and characters.

If you are a fan and interested in Charlaine Harris, she will attend the Houston Chronicle Book and Author Dinner on November 1 at Hilton Americas-Houston, 1600 Lamar, Houston Texas.  If you wish to be at the 30th Book and Author Dinner, visit www.chron.com for more details and ticket information.

SOURCE: chron.com

(Photo credit: zimbio.com)

Charlaine Harris Q & A Session from Bitten by Books

With the recent release of A Touch of Dead, the compilation of Sookie Stackhouse short stories, author Charlaine Harris took time out to answer questions in an interview and a live chat with readers on Bitten by Books. As usual, Charlaine only hinted at the future of Sookie’s love life and other mysteries that fans are curious about.

Book 10, Dead in the Family, is scheduled for release in May 2010, and Charlaine is contracted for 3 books after that, possibly with more to come later. That’s a lot of story left! And she assures readers that loose ends will be tied up, many characters will reappear, and she already knows what the closure will be at the series’ end.

She was willing to assure readers of a few things. For one, Sookie will never become a vampire. Among the characters that will be seen again are Alcide, Quinn, Hunter, Michele, and the fae.

Charlaine explains how it feels to be a writer, in terms of challenges and rewards:

“Every day is a challenge. I hate to use a sea metaphor, but being a writer is like being the entire crew of a large ship. To extend that, when you reach your destination in one piece…that’s a great reward.”

She gives some valuable advice to aspiring writers–they should have a backup plan. Success does not come immediately, and it will probably take another occupation at first to support oneself. Charlaine says that she was lucky when she got married the second time to have a patient husband who encouraged her to stay at home and write what she wanted to write. When asked where her inspiration comes from, she replies:

“I think writers are born, not made. Ideas come because I’m a writer, and they come from a variety of sources. All great ideas start with ‘what if.’”

She also says that she is pretty unorganized. But her creative process–”I just flex my fingers and go”–seems to be working just fine for her! She doesn’t really experience writer’s block, although she did feel very uncertain and upset about how to set the course for Dead in the Family because of some vicious criticism she received about Book 9, Dead and Gone. Hopefully by now, she won’t take that kind of negativity personally because she is such a great writer who has impacted her fans in so many amazing ways.

When asked about the future of printed books, given the popularity of e-book readers like the Kindle, Charlaine says that she’s not sure what the impact will be in the long run because people have such different preferences:

“I know my agent loves his, because he gets so many submissions it cuts way back on hauling a ton of paper around. And I see people on vacation very happy at having so many books at their fingertips without having to pack them. I myself still prefer to hold a book.”

Many readers wanted to know how Charlaine feels about True Blood, the actors, and the direction that executive producer Alan Ball has taken the story. She responded that she enjoys the show immensely and is not bothered by the differences, but rather finds them very interesting:

“The TV show and the books are separate experiences. Alan can’t film the books literally because they’re told in the first person. And the books aren’t a visual experience like the show. They have to be taken separately.”

Even when the actors do not match her descriptions from the books, Charlaine praises their talent in portraying the characters. She is surprised on some level by the passionate Eric fanbase because, although sexy and funny, he is such a calculating character:

“He’s ruthless and has plenty of blood on his hands. That’s clearly in the books. But he’s also capable of good feelings, too. People (and vampires) aren’t all dark or all light.”

As for the other team, Charlaine can understand why people still love and defend Bill, even after his actions in the books:

“Bill has many good qualities. And to some extent, he was compelled to do many of the things he did that readers (and Sookie) don’t like.”

She feels very protective and loving towards her characters, and says she can’t choose between them.

Other tidbits that she shared: Her favorite episode of True Blood is from Season two, “I Will Rise Up,” in which Godric meets the sun. Sookie is an old Southern nickname that Charlaine liked, and was the name of her grandmother’s best friend. Other than True Blood, some of her favorite television shows are Bones, Lost, Dexter, and Project Runway. The character of Debbie Pelt (whom we will meet in Season three, and has been singled out by Alan Ball as being lots of fun to cast) is a composite of all the unpleasant women she’s ever known.

That sounds like some exciting things for fans to look forward to! A Touch of Dead, with several short stories about the Sookie universe, is in bookstores now to tide you over until Book 10 hits the shelves in May!

SOURCE: bittenbybooks.com

(Photo credit: dailyradar.com)

The UK Second True Blood Installment – First Taste

Last week we were left high and dry with a cliff hanger. The episode throws you back to where the last episode left us; it’s at full pace from the start. The Rattrays are beating Sookie, to within inches of her life, and the mysterious dog from the first episode reappears trying to distract the Rattrays, but one of them pulls a gun on the dog.  Sookie makes a grab for the gunman, but something throws him up into the air and against the trees and slits his throat, closely followed by the remaining Rattray. You kinda guess that they are both dead.
You know it is Bill that has come to the rescue and he picks up Sookie, taking her to a secluded area, while she falls in and out of consciousness. He rests Sookie gently on the ground and Sookie explains that she cannot feel her legs. Bill then takes a bite from himself and tells her she must drink his blood. She refuses as she doesn’t want to become a vampire, however, Bill assures her that she won’t and he forces her to drink his blood before his wound heals.  Sookie reluctantly drinks Bill’s blood, and it turns into a very sensual moment. After the reluctance fades, you realize that she is enjoying it far, far too much.

She then loses consciousness, and the scene cuts to her waking up to see Bill licking blood off her forehead.  Bill asks her “what are you” to which Sookie replies that she is a telepath.  Bill asks if she can hear his thoughts but Sookie states that she can’t and that is why she likes him so much because it is so relaxing after a lifetime of hearing “blah, blah, blah.” As Sookie starts to move she realizes that she is healed. She is shocked and asks Bill if doctors know what “V juice” can do; he explains that it is indeed a secret between them. Whilst Bill is walking her back to her car, Sookie asks his age.  Bill explains that he became a vampire in 1865, when he was just 30 ‘human years’ old. Sookie inquires about whether he was in the Civil War, which he confirms that he was. Sookie asks him to come and speak to her Grandma about the Civil War. Bill thinks about this for a moment and agrees to go because it will make Sookie happy. Bill arranges to visit Sookie the following day…after dark.

Meanwhile, Jason is being questioned by the police over Maudette’s murder. The police wait twelve hours before showing him a video that they have recovered of Maudette and him being particularly intimate, including a snippet of what happens when Jason leaves the scene. It shows Maudette is only playing dead and once Jason has left, she unhooks herself from the position she was in and turns the camera off. The police release Jason, and he goes straight to see Dawn (a waitress at Merlotte’s). All Jason wants is his way with yet another women, especially after the day he has had and, inevitably, gets what he wants!  In the second episode you learn a little bit more about the various characters. You find out that Tara’s mother is a drunk and that Tara hates living at home with her. She has her cousin Lafayette to call on when she doesn’t want to be at home. I really like Lafayette; he is a wicked character, he is fun, hilarious, and brings people out of their shells.  I only hope we see more of him as the series progresses.

You also meet Sookie’s Grandma, who dotes on both her grandchildren as they are all she has left of her family and she is all Sookie and Jason have too.  Sookie and her Grandma seem to have a special relationship. Sookie’s Grandma is very similar to Sookie in her  acceptance of vampires and is very excited that Bill has agreed to talk to her about the Civil War.  Bill arrives at Sookie’s; however, not only is he meeting Sookie’s Grandma, he also has the pleasure of meeting Jason and Tara, who are extremely rude to Bill. Sookie’s Grandma puts Jason firmly back in his place; she will not tolerate rudeness in her home. Bill agrees to talk at the church for Sookie’s Grandmas club.

With the acceptance of Sookie’s Grandma, Bill takes Sookie for a walk. Sookie pesters Bill with more questions. She wants to know what effects Bill’s blood will have on her, to which he explains that her senses will be heightened, as will her libido, and his ability to feel where Sookie is (he will even know if she is in trouble). Sookie demands that Bill try and work his magic in influencing her, but is surprised when he is unable to take control of her. They both accept each others special abilities and start walking again. Bill takes her to his home, and explains to Sookie that he is renovating the place and she offers a lending hand in helping to find contractors.

Bill then takes things a little further and is overwhelmed as he tells Sookie that that he can “smell the sunlight on your skin”.  Sookie is so drawn to him and grabs onto to Bill and they kiss passionately until Bill’s fangs make a sharp entrance and Bill pulls himself away from her.  Bill is embarrassed about his fangs and decides to take Sookie home.

You really start to see that both characters are falling for each other when Sookie keeps having adult dreams about Bill. It’s clear that Bill is falling for Sookie as well; he understands that Sookie can only be herself around him because she cannot hear his thoughts.

The next scene between Sookie and Bill, Sookie arrives at Bill’s home to deliver the contractors details however, she is greeted not by Bill, but three not so friendly vampires, one of which looks strangely familiar.

What will happen to Sookie, will Bill save her again?

This was another cracking episode which left me scared for Sookie again; will the poor girl ever have an easy life?? We shall have to wait for the next installment of True Blood on Wednesday at 22:00 GMT on Channel 4.

Charlaine Harris Video Interviews for Project Paranormal

Penquin.com recently published an online segment for their “Project Paranormal” series profiling the extremely talented Charlaine Harris and her incredible Sookie Stackhouse series of novels, which our beloved show True Blood is based on. The introduction video introduces you to Charlaine Harris and gives you a brief overview of her writing accomplishments. She not only pens the incredible Sookie Stackhouse series, but she also writes her Harper Connelly series, which is a set of stories about a woman who is able to sense the location of the recently deceased.

The second video we get an insider’s look into Charlaine’s world. She starts off by talking about how the idea for the Sookie Stackhouse series came about. Did you know she had written the first book, “Dead Until Dark” and held it for two years before she finally found a publisher for it? Charlaine also discusses why she chose Louisiana as the home base for her vampires and she admits that Anne Rice was the inspiration behind that. Charlaine also goes on to discuss her writing process, how she studies locations, and how much she loves to write the action scenes in her books.

In the third video we get to meet Ginger Buchanan, editor-in-chief for ACE books, who publishes Charlaine’s Sookie Stackhouse series. You will see that Ginger’s assistant was the first one to read a Sookie Stackhouse novel. After falling in love with the story, he took the manuscript back to Ginger. Ginger read it and found her self also loving the book. She loved the voice of the book and the setting. Ginger goes on to give us a brief overview of Charlaine’s writing career and how it has evolved. Ginger also lets everyone know that the next Sookie Stackhouse book, titled “Dead in the Family” will be released this coming May and explains that Sookie is left in a much better place than she was in the last book, “Dead and Gone”. Ginger also explains that Charlaine has a clear picture of how the series will end, but will not give out any details. Ginger has published Charlaine’s book, “A Touch of Dead”, which is a collection of all the Sookie Stackhouse short stories.

In the fourth video Charlaine is back and talks to us about the process of bringing Sookie to life in television. She admits that after seeing the screening for the first episode she was afraid she would have to leave the small conservative little town she lived in because the show was so “in your face” as Charlaine described it. She then laughed it off saying that people in her community were so excited that a local gal had made good! Charlaine explains that she loves the show and part of that is because she doesn’t know what’s going to happen next. She explains how Alan Ball has taken her work and gone in his own direction, which is what she knew he would do. She is glad she chose Alan to do the show because she feels he is doing the best job possible with it. Charlaine goes on to briefly talk about the short stories in her new book, “A Touch of Dead”, and her new book in her Harper Connelly series, “Grave Secret”. Charlaine also delves into what is next for her. Charlaine explains that there are at least three more books coming in the Sookie Stackhouse series and that these may be the three books that wind up the series. She knows exactly how the series will end when the time comes and admits that she has always known how she wanted to end the Sookie Stackhouse series. At the end of the segment, Charlaine was asked the ultimate question, which has caused much debate between fans not only of the book series but of the True Blood show as well. Who is better for Sookie, Bill or Eric? Charlaine doesn’t give a straight answer but sums it up as best she can by saying that Sookie will pick who is right for her based on her long term needs and goals. Wow Charlaine, what a cliffhanger!!

Overall, an extremely interesting and entertaining segment with Charlaine! After watching each video just click the back button on your browser to be taken back to the menu to watch the next video in the series.  Enjoy!

SOURCE: Penquin.com

Modern Vampires: Are They Thirsting For Love Or Our Blood?

We are surrounded by vampires. They now roam among us. What began with Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula, published in 1897, has now evolved into the trendy Twilight sensation of Edward Cullen and Charlaine Harris‘ Southern Vampire Mysteries, which has, in the capable hands of Alan Ball, been translated into the hit HBO TV series True Blood.

Stoker’s Dracula has often been seen as the forerunner of the vampire genre, contributing to many literary and cinematic genres within vampire literature, horror films and gothic fiction. Although Stoker did not invent the vampire, the novel’s influence on the popularity of vampires has been singularly responsible for many literary and cinematographic interpretations in recent contemporary history. With the onslaught of recent media exposure ranging from best-selling novels to TV series to major motion pictures, the obsession with vampires has now reached new heights. From Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire, to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to HBO’s True Blood and Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, it seems that the public’s appetite for the vampire is insatiable.

Based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries, HBO’s True Blood series opened last year and has been gradually building a cult following among fans. Season 2 premiered on June 14 in the US and was the most watched HBO show since The Sopranos series finale in June 2007. According to HBO, True Blood averages 10.8 million viewers per episode, up 39% from last season. Even Tim Burton has now entered the realm of the vampire with his upcoming movie adaptation of the classic vampire TV show, Dark Shadows.

The popularity of the vampire for both teenagers and adults is undeniable and it looks like these marvelous fanged creatures are now stalking us across literature, films, theatre, and our own television screens.

Literary and film critics have long examined the attraction of the vampire, analyzing several common themes popping up in vampire literature and films, such as the role of women, taboos about sexuality, as well as socio-political themes, such as immigration and racial segregation.

But what is undeniable is that taken collectively the vampires in True Blood, Twilight and the Vampire Diaries are barely recognizable, having changed so dramatically from Stoker’s 19th century classic depiction of the vampire. What then has changed, setting Dracula apart from the more sympathetic, humanized vampires such as Bill Compton, Eric Northman, Angel or Lestat?

In Stoker’s Dracula, the forerunner of our modern vampires, we encounter a vampire truly terrifying. He is the ultimate bad guy, and compared to today’s vampires, who we would happily ogle, Stoker’s Dracula is physically repulsive. Stoker himself described Dracula as having eyes that were blazing red, a deathly pale face, thick eyebrows that met over the nose, bad breath, long pointed finger nails and pointed ears. He’s not exactly the modern day vampire heartthrob we’ve come to expect in our vampires. According to Foster,

“What’s changed between new vampire culture and that of Anne Rice is that new literature and entertainment allows vampires to be seen in a softer light. In Rice’s Interview with a Vampire, written in 1973, the main character Lestat chooses to live his life eternally as a vampire. After he has made his decision he is forced to live a solitary life forever. Similarly, the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer is based on the premise that the blood-thirsty creatures are evil. Buffy, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, is the only person capable of killing vampires who are dangerous to mankind”.

It seems that today’s vampires are more intent on wooing us than draining us dry. Rather than eating us, the modern vampire of Bon Temps seems to prefer stalking, seducing and sleeping with us. They are now brooding, insecure, introspective, angst-ridden and romantic, a dangerously attractive kind of decadent aristocrat. And while Dracula was not a looker, Stoker did set the sexual tone of the vampire. Vampires have now progressed from outsiders to becoming objects of desire, famed for their powers of seduction.

Unlike Stoker’s Dracula, the Louisiana vampires of True Blood have been transformed into seductive figures. No longer the villain and outsider, our modern vampires are angst-ridden heroes. Bill Compton has, for example, been referred to as a modern day Heathcliff or Mr. Darcy. HBO’s True Blood shows a world where vampires have revealed themselves to humans, and attempt to live in harmony. In this world, romances between vampires and humans are allowed, and many other supernatural beings now walk among the inhabitants of Bon Temps. Unlike Dracula, these vampires are part of our world; the focus is now on their interactions with each other, and their social relationships with humans. These lions really do want to lie down with the lambs.

However, what True Blood, Buffy and Twilight have in common is a central female character; through her we encounter and experience our modern vampires.

Warner Brothers’ television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel dominated late 90’s television. While the series revolved round Buffy and her Scooby gang solving countless mysteries in Sunnydale, it also centered around the love triangle between Buffy and the vampires, Angel and Spike.

Similarly, True Blood revolves round a central female character, that of the trials and tribulations of Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress with telepathic powers in Bon Temps who falls in love with 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Unlike Twilight, HBO’s True Blood is fairly seething in sin and overt sexuality; blending murder mystery, drama and comedy. But it is undeniable that its main focus is exploring the nature of sexuality and romance within vampire-human relations. Anyone who has watched True Blood will know that its vampires have taken lessons from their famous ancestor. And so, the vampire has adapted himself to contemporary society. No longer following in the footsteps of Dracula, he has evolved from an utterly terrifying alien creature to a cosmopolitan being, a bon vivant of the night.

As Foster indicates:

“Vampires now have a chance at romance and love. They are no longer innately evil. Rather, they are good or evil based on their own decision. The new take on vampires allows interaction between the cold ones and their human opposites. Instead of underground lairs and in-home coffins, vampires are now lurking in high schools and Louisiana bars. The tensions between a vampire’s thirst and his desire to fit into the human world simply make for good entertainment”

In Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Mysteries, we see, for example, the blossoming romance between Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton gradually becoming increasingly strained through a series of, shall we say, betrayals, tumultuous incidents and the increasing attraction between Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman, a 1000-year-old Viking vampire.

In HBO’s True Blood, we encounter the vampires Eric Northman and Bill Compton who could be described as hommes fatales. In Bill Compton and Eric Northman, we encounter the modern day vampire who isn’t entirely evil, unlike their forebears. The formerly fearsome creature of the night has now become more sympathetic to humans. No longer the bloodthirsty predator, they are now fashion conscious creatures, intent on entertaining intimate relationships with humans. Rarely have monsters looked so sultry and alluring. The vampires in True Blood are charismatic, powerful, dangerous and devilish. Not only are they beautiful, immortal but they are titillatingly libidinous. They can defeat death, seduce anyone of their choosing, obliterate their enemies, play yahtzee and stay up all night. What’s not to like? Unlike our horror for Dracula, we empathize with our vampires in True Blood. And based on viewers’ reactions to the vampires in True Blood, we humans can surely say that we recognize in the Louisiana vampires a dangerous sexuality that is truly something wicked.

SOURCE: The Daily Orange

Photo credit: HBO Inc.

VIDEOS: Anna Paquin Appears On The Graham Norton Show In The UK

Anna Paquin was recently a guest on the Graham Norton Show, which airs in the UK. We recently published a story on her appearance which had two video clips of Anna on the show. Well we didn’t think that was enough! We have footage of the entire show and it is just too good not to share. During the opening clip Graham lets his audience in on the good news that he has Anna on the show and explains how she was only 9 years old when she starred in The Piano and how she has gone on to star not only in the popular X-men movies, but the new television  phenomenon, True Blood. You can see the entire show by clicking on the links below. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!  The show was absolutely hilarious!

Graham Norton Show Part 1

Graham Norton Show Part 2

Graham Norton Show Part 3

Graham Norton Show Part 4

Graham Norton Show Part 5

SOURCE:  You Tube

Photo Credit: HBO Inc.

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