Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Blogging A to Z: H is for Charlaine Harris


Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

H: Charlaine Harris
image: Goodreads

Charlaine Harris is the author of the Sookie Stackhouse paranormal mash-up series, which is the source for the TV show True Blood. She's also written a few other series with a paranormal slant.

Next month, Harris will release the 13th and final book in the Sookie series. A lot of us have mixed feelings over where the series has drifted, but overall, her books are great fun. She always keeps her stories moving with a mix of paranormal beings, and stereotypes flipped on their heads, all with a grounded, loveable heroine.

Part of why the books work better for me than the TV series is being in Sookie's point of view and her level-headed take in a world overrun by vamps, werewolves, shifters, witches, and fairies.

I saw Charlaine Harris at a book signing a few years back, and I loved what she said when a fan asked the inevitable question about whether Sookie and the series' first love interest Bill (the vampire) would get back together. She said, "Bill has his own path," and then proceeded to talk about Bill as if he were a living (but undead) being. At that point, I'd never heard a writer talk about their characters creating their own story.

Are you a fan of Charlaine Harris, or the True Blood TV series?


6 comments:

  1. I'd rather curl up with a book than the TV any day! Interesting to do the A to Z on authors! Good job!

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  2. I love the Sookie Stackhouse books but I haven't read all of them yet. I've never seen the show because I don't have cable but I love the books.

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  3. I read the first in the series a few years ago, and I really liked it. I'm wondering why I never continued reading the series.

    Hmm...

    I've never seen the show, but I almost always love the book more than the movie/tv show anyway.

    Love your theme for A to Z!

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  4. I love the True Blood series. Truth be told, I didn't enjoy the book as much! (I hate admitting that!)

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  5. Have been really enjoying your posts.
    You've introduced me to a number of names I hadn't heard of.
    Great bios on them too - well done :)

    auntyamo
    http://ficticiousamo.wordpress.com/

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  6. I have never read the books, but I watch the show with my wife. I really like that at the start of this past season all of the characters turned against Sookie. Everyone spent the first seasons bending over backwards to help her and now they are just like, whatever, I'm done with Sookie.

    I think it's good story telling and has kept the show from getting old. Maybe I'll look in to the books one of these days :)

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