Sex, death, food, and violence play a large role in True Blood. Americans have a possibly unhealthy relationship with all four, and yet we are fascinated by them. Is this the secret to the success of the books and series?
—SARA FOSTER
Honestly, I have no idea. I think the success of the series is because these stories and characters are so much fun.
It is not a common thing for the vampires in True Blood to be young and beautiful, as it normally is in other vampire television shows and movies. Why did you choose to go in this direction?
—ANNE FELDBAK
Well, I think while we have plenty of vampires who are young and beautiful, I like the idea that one can become a vampire at any point in his or her life. This is exactly as it is in Charlaine’s books—and I thought that was clever and unexpected. Also, I generally chafe at doing something the same way everyone else does it.
What plot point (so far) has been the most difficult to write, act, and film?
—MISTY PADGETT
Hmm—the storming of Merlotte’s by the black-eyed zombies . . . the final Maryann sacrifice/marriage . . . the storming of Steve Newlin’s church by the Dallas vampires.
What is your gauge to keep elements in the series that are in the books?
—KERI MCCOY
Instinct. And input by the other writers on staff.
Since art imitates life, explain what True Blood has to say about the American viewing public. What does our “bloodlust” say about the current cultural climate? The archetype has been used throughout history in many cultures, but what do you see this archetype revealing about us?
—JESSICA OHMAN
I leave that to the academics. Anything I say about why vampires are such potent symbols is just going to be me trying to pretend like I know why when I don’t. I’m just glad people are intrigued by vampires and other supernatural creatures because working on this show is the most fun I have ever had.
Did the real-life relationship of Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer have an impact on the decision to diminish the role of Eric in favor of Bill in the True Blood series?
—LINDA J. KERLEY
I don’t really buy that the role of Eric has been diminished in favor of Bill. Eric has his own very strong story line in Seasons 2 and 3. Maybe you mean in terms of his relationship to Sookie . . . ? You have to remember we’re in the middle of True Blood. It is an ongoing story.
I noticed the episodes have different writers. How do multiple writers come to write something continuative? Is there a sit-down session for each episode that you drive? Do you say, “I would like so-and-so to write this particular scene”?
—CYNTHIA MEIER
I work with six other writers. We break stories and outline episodes as a group, then a single writer writes the script. We give notes as a group, then that same writer writes a second draft of the script. Sometimes I do a polish if I believe it is necessary. Writers generally volunteer for the episodes they want to write.
What is it about the show True Blood that represents you in some way?
—AARON HARRIS
I guess I would say the irreverence, the humor, the fascination with the bizarre, the romance, the fun.
What do you find to be most challenging when depicting a fictional world from book to screen (besides the fans wanting certain story lines)?
—EMILY MELONAS
Hmm . . . keeping everyone’s actions motivated and based in their emotional needs and desires. In the case of Charlaine’s books, keeping the characters who are not Sookie active in their own stories.
What inspired you to bring in characters on the show that were not in the books, such as Jessica and Daphne, as well as to keep Lafayette? (We are grateful for these characters, as they are awesome; just curious.)
—KIMBERLEE TUCKER
Again, it all comes down to creating stories for characters who are not Sookie, and in Lafayette’s case, loving what Nelsan Ellis was doing so much that I wanted to keep him in the show.
My question is regarding the character Bill Compton. I really liked the character in the books and hated to see him pushed to the side so often, so I must say I really enjoy him being a front-burner character in the show. What was it about the character on the page that made you connect with him? What were you looking for in the actors who auditioned for the part, and how did you feel when you finally found the talented and gorgeous Stephen Moyer to fill the role?
—BARBI BARRIER
Well, just like you, I loved the idea of a man who had basically lost everything ; who, because of his and Sookie’s circumstances (him being vampire, her being telepathic), is suddenly given a second chance at love and meaning in his life. When casting, I kept looking for a man who seemed like he was from another time, who knew how to play that undercurrent of sadness, and also was dashing and handsome, like a true romantic hero. When we found Stephen, I was thrilled, because we had been looking for a long time prior.
I really enjoy watching the show, but never watch the opening credits, as I find them unnerving. How and why did you come to decide on such a thought-provoking opening sequence?
—OLIVIA PAVEY
I wanted something primal, something that really communicated Southern gothic, something that alluded to the twin polarities of sex and religion as a means for transcendence, something that was really rooted deeply in nature.
I’d like to thank Alan for taking time out of his very hectic schedule to answer these wonderful questions, and thanks also to all of the fans who submitted them!
From Mystery to Mayhem
Long before a telepathic waitress served the first beverage to a handsome vampire at Merlotte’s Bar, Charlaine Harris was creating compelling characters and plots that have excited her fans’ imaginations and fueled their fantasies.
Ever since the fourth grade, when she began composing poems about ghosts, Charlaine wanted to write. Her formal writing career began, however, after her marriage in 1978 to her second husband, Hal. As a wedding present, the understanding groom presented his bride with an electric typewriter and encouraged her to follow her longtime dream of becoming an author. Charlaine’s first novel, the mystery Sweet and Deadly, was published in 1981 and marked the beginning of a distinguished career that has now spanned thirty years.
FIRST STEPS
With the publication of her first novel, Charlaine was described as “a strong new talent whose writing has verve and originality” and as “an author of rare talent,” but it was the release of her second stand-alone mystery, A Secret Rage, in 1984 that led to more critical acclaim and a “cultlike” fan following. The story of a small Southern university town terrorized by a serial rapist “makes brilliant use of the rapidly changing Southern background and handles a difficult theme with sensitivity and insight,” according to critics. Fans in the mystery community embraced this new talent and eagerly looked forward to more from her.