Loading ...Chat with with Author Charlaine Harris
PLEASE NOTE: The contest portion of the Charlaine Harris event is now closed. The winners will be chosen at a later date and contacted via email.
A HUGE Bitten by Books thank you to Charlaine for making time to come and chat with us for a few hours tonight. Before we get started, just a few reminders for our readers to make this go as smoothly as possible with our limited time frame. Charlaine with be will us from 6pm central daylight time and runs until 8pm. But PLEASE stay and chat with us for the after party!
1. This is NOT a live rolling chat room. You leave your question in the comment form below and as time permits Charlaine will answer your questions. This means you will need to refresh your page occasionally to see other questions and answers. However, the site WILL email you when there is a response to your particular question.
2. We have had issues for the last few days with our server going down, we will be monitoring this very closely. If this happens DO NOT give up. We are on it and it will come back up within minutes. Thank you for your patience.
3. PLEASE Limit your questions to ONE per person or two if the situation is totally dire LOL this way everybody has a chance at getting their question answered.
4. NO DUPLICATE questions, have the courtesy to read the questions above yours first. Also ask Charlaine some HARD and interesting questions. And for the love of the GODS don’t ask her about her very personal life. 
5. Comcast users have been having a hard time getting to our site for the last month or so. If you know somebody who cannot reach the site for the event, have them use this proxy site to get onto the site: http://kproxy.com and that should give them access without any issues.
6. You must have fun. Anybody caught not having a good time will be escorted from the airport drive immediately. Do not leave your personality left unattended or it will be confiscated and neutralized by airport security.
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A few words from Charlaine Harris!
“Dead Reckoning,” the eleventh book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, contains the answers to a lot of questions. How did Sookie get the “gift” of telepathy? Whatever happened to the remainder of the Pelt family? What will happen when Victor tries to push Eric out of Eric’s own territory?
I think this may be the only entry in the chronicles of Sookie Stackhouse that actually answers more questions than it raises. I hope all of you enjoy it, and I’ll be here for two hours to talk about the book and my future plans this evening.
Read chapter 1 of Dead Reckoning here for free: http://www.charlaineharris.com/DeadReck_1.html
photo © Sigrid Estrada 2010
Learn more about Charlaine Harris below:
Read Reviews of her work here.
To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.
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CONTEST INFO: The contest portion of the event runs until 11:59 pm Central on 4/29/11.
1st prize winner will receive a hardcover signed (1st ed) Living Dead in Dallas
2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive signed bookmarks
The Contest Entry rules have changed so read them carefully
This contest lasts for TWO DAYS Ending at 11:59 pm Central on 4/29/11
These are the ways you can enter to gain points towards winning the prize offered here today. The only one that is mandatory is #1. The rest are optional. The more you do, the more points you gain, the better your odds at winning the prize. Prizes are chosen using the random.org number generator. Making a purchase is NOT mandatory, it is only one way to gain additional points. There are free ways to get points. Remember to add in your RSVP points if you RSVP’d.
1. LEAVE YOUR FIRST NAME AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME AND YOUR COUNTRY in your comment/post so we can give you the proper credit for your entries. Mandatory, if you don’t leave this, your entries will NOT count. It is NOT mandatory to make a purchase to be entered into the contest.
2. Ask Charlaine ONE question. Please make sure it is NOT a duplicate. Good for 1 + points
3. Order NEW copies of the author’s book Dead Reckoning in any format by using the links below. Note international users the Amazon links should take you to your country’s amazon site for the following. UK, Germany, France, and Canada.
Purchase Dead Reckoning from Amazon
Purchase Dead Reckoning from Barnes & Noble
Good for 500 + points per book you purchase by using the links above. Email your receipt to the prize Goddess here bittenbybooks.contests @ gmail.com (no spaces).
OR you can use the Barnes & Noble link HERE to make your purchase of ANY kind of merchandise during the contest. You can also use the Amazon link HERE to shop as well. Good for 100 + entries to the contest for EACH item you purchase.
4. Spread the word about this contest and HELP OUT Charlaine!
Tweet this event: http://www.bittenbybooks.com/?p=41289 + 10 Points (max 3 times a day please not all at the same time) include @bittenbybooks in your tweet.
5. Enter Donna Grant’s KINDLE Contest here: http://www.bittenbybooks.com/?p=41063 +5 points
Attend Ami Blackwelders Guest blog and Contest today here: http://www.bittenbybooks.com/?p=41271 + 15 points
RSVP and attend the D. B. Reynolds Interview and $50.00 Amazon GC Contest tomorrow here: http://www.bittenbybooks.com/?p=41007 + 5 points
6. VOTE on the right hand side of the site and weigh in on this round of the BBB Smackdown on the funniest authors +5 points here: http://www.bittenbybooks.com/?p=41270
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7. Check out the awesome True Blood Jewelry Line here: when you buy something using this link http://cadsawan.com/collection-buy.shtml Email your receipt to the prize Goddess here bittenbybooks.contests @ gmail.com (no spaces). Not valid on past purchases. Good for + 200 points
8. Tally Your own points total 1 + Point
That’s it!
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Winner(s) will be contacted via email. You will receive your prize directly from the author. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FIRST AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME AND COUNTRY as well as a valid email where we can contact you. REMEMBER the more things you do, the more entries, the greater the chances of winning. PLEASE ALLOW THIRTY DAYS to receive your prize BEFORE EMAILING US.
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3. The prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be no substitutions, trades or changes. No exceptions. Please do not ask. If for some reason you do not wish to claim your prize, please let me know as soon as possible. Bitten by Books has the option to re-award it or not.
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Will we get to see Quinn in Dead Reckoning?
Karen J.
Quinn is not in Dead Reckoning, but he will be in the novella Small Town Wedding in “The Sookie Companion” in August.
Hi Charlene. Thank you for writing all these great books. My question is:
How do you feel about your books, and this genre in general, being classified as “chick lit” and do you consider yourself and characters such as Pam (given her age, appearance and business acumen) feminists?
Did you see my answer below? I forgot to hit the Reply button on that one.
Is there a wedding in the future for Sookie Stackhouse?
I’m not saying, on that.
Hi Charlaine!
Since we already know there will be two more books after DEAD RECKONING, I would like to know if you are envisioning the last one in the series to be an apocolyptic type book with all hell breaking loose or will it be a more slower paced romantic type book?
Thanks for coming to BBB.
Your minion always,
DebiM
Maybe it’ll end with my favorite generic ending: “And then they all got run over by a bus.”
And OMG – my auto spellcheck turned on for your name (WTH!!!) Sorry Charlaine!
No problem, Lara.
Lara, I’m glad you’re enjoying the books. I am certainly a feminist, and Pam thinks she is beyond feminism. Somewhat to my surprise, I have a lot of male readers for the Sookie series; including a lot of guys who like to read the books with their wives.
Debi, the last book will have some action, definitely, though it may not be as bloody. I don’t know if I can tie up all the loose ends, but I’m going to give it a shot.
I have every confidence that you will deliver a great finish to Sookie’s story.
I wish you could impart that confidence to a lot of people!
Hi Charlaine,
Thanks for coming to BBB today! I can’t wait for the next book. The last book was very dark. Is this one dark, too, please tell me no more babies will die!
Even though True Blood doesn’t follow the storyline as much as I’d like, I really have enjoyed it. I must say I prefer the books though. I love both Pams! Keep on writing the stories we love. Thanks for taking us into the Bon Temps world.
Beth
1. Beth M.-USA RSVP’d +25 points
2. Asked Charlaine ONE question. 1 + point
3. Ordered a NEW copy of Dead Reckoning +500
4. Tweeted this event: + 10 Points
5. Entered Donna Grant’s KINDLE Contest +5 points
Attended Ami Blackwelders Guest blog and Contest + 15 points
RSVP’d and will attend the D. B. Reynolds Contest + 5 points
6. VOTED weighed in on the BBB Smackdown on the funniest authors +5 points
8. Tallied my own points total 1 + Point
OOps didn’t total
Total 567
Beth, I think the Pam in the show and the original Pam are quite similar.The next book does have a couple of bloody scenes, but there are no pregnant women in it that I can recall.
Is Eric going to be able to supplant the current King of Louisiana?
The current king is Felipe, who is not so much Eric’s problem as his regent, Victor Madden. Victor is Eric’s major concern in Dead Reckoning.
Hi Charlaine!
I love the series! My questions is “Is there a wedding in the future for Ms. Stackhouse?”.
Denae B. – Clovis, Ca
That’s too specific, but I’m sure Sookie will end up with a life she enjoys.
Yes, my husband is not a big reader but he loves True Blood started skimming the book to know what I’m talking about when I discuss the differences between it and the books. He’s actually read two of the books, which for him is a record I think.
I think guys come to the books with a whole different attitude, and they enjoy different things about them.
Hi! Thanks for many hours of entertainment.
What advice do you have for aspiring authors? And, can you share with us a funny example of something you wrote about one of the characters that you couldn’t face actually leaving in the final version of a book?
Writing is hard; I meet people all the time who think they’ll suddenly decide to “whip out a book” and make a lot of money. Both of those goals are pretty ridiculous. I didn’t make serious money for decades. The most basic advice I can give a writer is this: read, read, read. Then put your bottom in a chair and write. See what happens. On the latter part of your question: I’ve never removed anything funny, myself, but my editor has missed the point of my humor once or twice and asked me to remove sections.
Hi Charlaine,
I wanted to ask if you initially had a definite idea of who Sookie would end up with and has that changed as you’ve gotten deeper into writing the series?
Thanks
Jen N
Jen, I’ve known from maybe the second book or so who Sookie will end up with, and that hasn’t changed.
Gabrielle J. from the USA!
Hi Mrs. Harris! I’ve really been looking forward to this! I unfortunately haven’t read any of your books yet but I love True Blood! And I hope to read the books very soon because I’ve heard wonderful things about your work!
Anyway I thought of a bunch of different questions but then I remembered we were limited to just one question, which is fine with me.
Anyway my question was this; As a writer of books that are in a series does it get harder and harder for you to come up with new material for your series as it goes along? If so how do you keep things fresh and exciting for your series and for your readers? +1 point
I’m really glad you could be at Bitten By Books! Have a good night!
—————————————————————————–
1. I RSVPed for this event! +25 points
2. I RSVPed the D.B. Reynolds event +5 points
3. I’m tallying my own points +1 point
4. I asked Mrs. Harris a question +1 point
5. Total points – 32 points!
Thanks again Mrs. Harris!
Gabrielle, I find that the series does get harder to write. I’m now writing Sookie Twelve, the next to last book in the series, and I find myself both sad and relieved that there will be an end to this amazing run.
Hi there! I have read all the sookie books, plus I’ve listened to them on audio. I love them!! I was wondering what your thoughts were on audio, if you listened to them yourself, or if you have any say in who the narrator was and if not are you happy with her? thanks for being here!!
Joani S USA
rsvp’d
did Grant’s contest
did blackwelders contest
rsvp’d for reynold’s
voted in the smackdown
did the chat
did off the fang
tally points=67
Joani, I love Johanna Parker. We’ve done a couple of events together, and I enjoy it every time. I think she does a great job. It really makes a difference when you listen to a book; I find different things stand out. Sookie sounds angrier read out loud, for some reason, and I think it’s interesting that that’s how Anna Paquin plays her, too. I did not have any choice about who Recorded Books picked, but I’m delighted with the result.
Hi, Charlaine. I’m really looking forward to the next book, though these days I do most of my “reading” by listening to audiobooks. I think I read somewhere that this one will be available on Audible either right away or very soon.
Here’s my question: I’ve been following the Sookie Stackhouse series from the beginning. Recently, at the recommendation of multiple friends, I started reading the Harper Connelly Series. I’m interested in how you decide how much background information to include in each new book (to catch new readers up) and if it differs from series to series.
Thanks,
Morven
USA
In the Harper books I parcelled out her history in bits, because that seemed to be the more effective way to tell her story. With Sookie, her life essentially began the moment Bill walked into the bar, and all I had to do was slide in the fact that vampires are now admitting their existence and had been for some years, and why that happened. I had to jump in and establish that up front for the opening chapter to make sense.
You’ve mentioned inspirations for the physical characteristics of Bill, Eric, and Quinn….where does Sam come from?
Sam had to look the way he did to fit what he was. He didn’t need to be big or imposing, because he’s naturally strong. He really needed to look more like an average guy, because he’s fitting into the world of Bon Temps. I didn’t have any specific “role model” in mind for him; I pretty much conjured him out of my head.
Well, you did a very good job!
Sam has always been my favorite character.
Hi Charlaine! Can you comment on whether Sookie will be doing any more traveling outside of the Bon Temps/Shreveport area in the coming books?
Bessie, she’ll travel to Texas in the novella in “The Sookie Companion,” and I think she’ll stay put in Sookie Twelve. Sookie Thirteen hasn’t been mapped out yet.
Thank you again, Charlaine, for making yourself available to your fans. I second alliehar’s comments!:)
I would like to know what you think about the HBO series taken from your book? I personaly think they stink, I really enjoy the books hate the shows.
I love the show, but to each her own. They’re really separate entertainment experiences, and you don’t have to like one to enjoy the other, I find.
You have to view the show as a completely different universe than the books
And enjoy the view
Lisa R smalltown, USA
Charlaine, let me say how much I’ve enjoyed the “Sookie” books. They have given me hours and hours of entertainment and I hope this series is around for many, many more books. I’ve only watched a handful of the True Blood episodes and though a hit show, they don’t hold a candle to the books. Thank goodness, I’m a reader not a viewer and get to enjoy the full depth of these wonderful books.
Nonreaders just don’t know what they are missing. It’s rather like seeing all the Harry Potter movies and never cracking a book, (tsk, tsk) such a pale, washed out imitation of the real thing.I’m so glad I’m a reader!
Which character was the hardest to write and which was the most fun?
Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/2011/04/special-guest-appearance-with-author.html
+25 RSVPed #3
+1 question
+5 RSVP and attend the D. B. Reynolds Interview #7
+5 VOTE in the battle of the Funny Authors on the right side #5
+5 Attend Donna Grant’s Release Party #4
+5 weekly book chat#5
+5 this week’s Off the Fang #2
+5 weekly Screen bites #4
+15 Attend Ami Blackwelders Guest blog and Contest #1
+10 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/63742774712860673
+1 total=
Lisa, I’m sure there’s a little of me in ALL my characters, which is kind of scary. The fairies are the hardest to write because they don’t come from a Christian tradition. They come from an older, darker place, and I have to loose the assumptions I find I usually have when I write other characters.
Will you having any of your chacactors spin off into a new series of books?
rsvp
elaine b
That’s possible. I certainly have plenty to work with.
WooHoo! I love that it’s at least possible. I’ve really enjoyed several of my series where the author has done an arch so that we have the same world rules, new main characters, and still get occasional glimpses of the lives of favorite characters we had grown to love without the series totally ended. The end of a favorite series has me mourning as if a friend has died.
oops total=82
have had the book on preorder since release date announced!
That’s good to hear, Lisa. I hope you enjoy it.
+10 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/63758357806329856
+10 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/63783308189908992
total=102
Thank you Ms. Harris for doing things like this for your fans it’s much appreciated
1. Would you say that Sookie has always had a “dark side” or is it something that just happened from the company she keeps?
2. Why do Sookie and Alcide never get together…and is there any hope for all of us “Furbangers”?
Everyone has a dark side. Sookie is no exception. I’m sure the stress she’s experienced as a result of her involvement in the supe world has made that darkness more likely to pop up. Alcide is a character whose darker side is developing very rapidly, by the way. Sookie doesn’t need to be sleeping with every attractive male character in the books, I think. Didn’t Quinn satisfy your furry penchant?
Actually no. I never liked Quinn…and I’m going to assume by the “I think” there’s a “glamour” of hope. Thanks again Ms. Harris. Will be seeing you in Chicago next week. I can’t wait to meet you
Thanks so much for being here Ms. Harris. I am a HUGE fan of the books and am praying Ball & Co. get book 4 right, it’s my favorite. Reading yours and other series have inspired me to put my crazy thoughts down finally after all these years. My question is once you have a finished product, how do you go about getting an editor, publisher? I know you can self-publish now, which is a mixed blessing, I’m just curious what the next step is? Thanks for giving me some of my all time favorite characters to love!
Rochelle, that is a huge question, and beyond my powers to answer here. You need to do a lot of research. There are options open now that weren’t when I was published first (thirty-odd years ago). Do a lot of reading about how to get an agent; it’s really excellent if you can sign with an agent first, but getting an agent is almost as hard as getting a publisher. Good luck to you, and do lots of homework on this. You’ll learn the industry in the process.
Thanks for the advice. It’s been rather therapeutic to write and it may just end up being a labor of love but in case I decide to do more with it, I’ll definitely take your advice. And thanks again for the hot guys in your books, sorry, I had to put that in!
Hi Charlaine-
Do you have any hints for us about what you intend to write when you finish with Sookie and the gang? I’m personally hoping for another series…. (I loved Harper and was really sad to see the end of that series. I think she would have been hard to write, but, she was an amazing character).
Thanks- Tracy W-R
Tracy, Harper WAS hard to write, and I thank you for your compliment. I have so many ideas about what to work on in my life after Sookie! It’s very exciting to contemplate. But this year I’m committed to two short stories, finishing Sookie Twelve, and working on a graphic novel with Christopher Golden. Next year I’ll write Sookie Thirteen. Then I have about five ideas of what to do next!
Ooooh!- Congratulations on the graphic novel! A totally new and different type of dialogue! What a fun and different challenge. I know it will be wonderful.
Hi Charlaine, I was wondering how you keep track of all your characters after so many books in the series? Do you ever forget what you’ve written from one book to the next?
I certainly do forget. For one thing, I wrote the Sookie books in quick succession, and I didn’t take the time to make a record. With the help of (first) Debi Murray and (second) Victoria Koski, I was able to keep the errors at a minimum. If you’re writing a series, it’s very important to keep a record of all your characters and particulars about them (age, what they drive, and so on). Take the time so you won’t stumble like I did.
Hi Charlaine!
Sookie seems to becoming more and more a survialist while having to deal with all this supernatural drama. Will she get to a point where enough is enough and try to find a way out of the supe world or is she resigned to stay in it?
*survivalist
Lindsayb, I think Sookie dreams about getting out of the supe world, but I think that by this time she’d find her life felt pretty drab without supes in it. She may imagine a life free of drama would be sweet, but she would probably get bored. I’m sure that just getting rid of the threats on her life would be sufficient!
Charlaine – I’m a big Quinn fan. Will we ever get to see him appear again in the regular series with Sookie and the rest of the gang, or is the short story it for him?
I am so sorry for the double post! I had no idea the first one went through.
Hi Charlaine! So excited to get a chance to ask you a question, so here goes. I read your book, Sweet and Deadly. I absolutely loved it!Do you have any plans to do any more stand-alone novels? Thank you fro taking the time to answer.
points:
RSVP +25
question +1
tweet +10
voted in smackdown +5
tally +1
total: 42
It’s been so long since I wrote a stand-alone. I think in “series” now. But it would be interesting to try. Every now and then I write a short story that doesn’t fit into any of my series, and that’s really exciting work.
I am going to try not to spaz out in true fangirl fashion via internet. But I make no promises because I a a huge fan!
And now I don’t know how to narrow down my questions. Although I believe you’ll be touring to Cincinnati. So I hope I’ll be able to ask more then. And I promise not to spaz out then!
I have always been curious, when you start a book do you know what is going to happen when you sit down or does the story surprise you?
Thanks so much for being here!
Rae M. USA
RSVP’d +25
Attend Ami Blackwelder +15
Voted in Smackdown +5
RSVP and attend DB Reynolds +5
Attend weekly book chat +5
Attend screen bites +5
Ask question +1
Tally points +1
Total =62
Rae, I’ve tried both ways. I’ve outlined, I’ve started books with no idea whatsoever would happen. But lately, here’s what I do with Sookie: I write down what will happen with the vampire thread, what will happen with the Weres, and what will happen with the fairies. Then I establish what will happen in Sookie’s personal life. Then I combine all that to create the book. It helps me keep the threads straight in my head.
Hi Charlaine. Thanks so much for joining us here at BBB!
This is Carol, one of your moderators from the Dark Fantasy track at Dragon*Con. We are so thrilled that you will be joining us this year! It will be great to work with you again.
When you go to fan conventions, do you ever get to do the “fan thing” yourself, or are you too busy?
Carol, I love to listen to other writers. But the past couple of years, I have found (to my dismay) that it throws some writers off to have me in the audience; it’s a distraction, and I don’t want to disrupt their time to shine. So I haven’t been to some panels I’d really have enjoyed. Maybe a fake nose?