First Word

Spoiler alert : some people hate spoilers so don't read this if you haven't seen the True Blood Season 6 Finale. Now I don't usually write spoilers, but hey! They made my favorite character Eric Northman catch fire in Sweden while he sunbathed. Many of you maybe wondering if he really died or not since we didn't actually see his demise into a pile of goo. I'm thinking our show's writers kept that window of possibility open that they did not kill off this immensely popular character played by the sexy Alexander Skarsgård. As for the rest of the finale ... sorry fan boys and girls! Ugh, it was absolutely terrible. The six-month later shift felt wrong. It was more like what? What? And what? Sookie and Alcide? Really ? When did that happen again? And I thought Eric had glamoured Alcide (season 5) into zero romantic interest in Sookie. Now Sam is mayor and Arlene owns Merlotts? What? Huh? And the most important question, why? Oh, and now we have a rapidly spreadi...

That's one crazy pirate! Once more reporting from the floor of the last day of the RT Booklovers Convention. The big book fair with the likes of mega author stars like Charlaine Harris, my favorite book series Sookie Stackhouse, and Anne Rice among others are here signing today. Also, among the crowd of interesting characters, we have a pirate running around posing for pictures. Since I could barely look at him without cracking up, I couldn't bring myself to pose, but I did snap off this funny shot (enjoy). Other crazy characters are running around, too, and there are over 600 attendees running around. We are hoping to get at least 20% of these readers to purchase my book California Girl Chronicles so we come home empty handed. I would also go get the new Charlaine Harris book except I would have to stand in line with like 200 people, and I'm just not quite devoted enough. Although it would be great to have her new book to read on the plane ride home. I am also excited...

I noticed on Skarsgardnews that my resident favorite vampire Eric Northman on True Blood got voted in the top 10 favorite vampires. As I have more than amply said, the Viking is my favorite character from 2011 and possibly one of my favorite all-time characters. I also smiled over the reference that he is the best vampire in a track suite, too. I guess unlike Dracula, his tastes in men's fashions don't involve a cape. Well, I do think I should point out that he likes to spend a lot of time in racer-back T-shirts and tanks too. If we're going to critic the wardrobe, my favorite outfits appeared in Season 3 when he dons various Talbot-influenced garbs including the oh-so-popular blue-green sweater and the famous brown-stripped shirt he ultimately disrobes from to reveal, a-hem, his very nice body when he seduces and kills Talbot. Hey, do you suppose Talbot's choices in designer clothes has anything to do with his name and the famous women's clothing store? Hmm ... I...

I had a recent comment on the blog that I removed (it was rude) that suggested that the Charlaine Harris books are for tweens. Let me first share that "tweens" are young pre-teens between the ages of 9-12. Teenagers are in the teenage years 13-19. Now I have not read the Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, but my teenager has. The Stephenie Meyer's series is somewhat tame without the overt sexuality contained in the Charlaine Harris books. Meyer's books are acceptable reads for tweens. For the reader who suggested Harris' books are for tweens, I must correct you. Harris books are not for tweens and should not be read by tweens or some teens under the age of 16 (18 in my book, but I'm a little stricter). Anyone who would say that Harris' books are for tweens or teens has not read the Harris books. They are for a mature audience and contain violence and sex. The graphic book covers might fool you, but they are not for the younger audiences, and any sugge...

We all have our favorite characters we love to root for whether in fiction or on TV or film. So, I thought I would share my short list of my favorites and see if you agree. P.S., there is no particular order here. I couldn't say if I had a no. #1 or not. And for all of you writers out there, pay attention. Your favorite characters are so, because they are well-developed and given so much "life" that you suspend your disbelief and root for imaginary friends. The "imaginary" part is what makes the story telling process so unbelievably powerful -- that we would cry, laugh, scream and cheer them on (and they're not real people). Sookie Stackhouse (Charlaine Harris' version not Alan Ball's version on True Blood ) -- in the books Sookie is real, fierce, brave, outspoken, funny and independent. While the book Sookie would never give herself over to the idea that one should ask forgiveness after really doing nothing wrong (like Sookie did in the season 4 ...

I was on HBO's message board last night reading the fan's reactions to the season finale of True Blood . If you read yesterday's blog then you know I ranted about the poor writing. I am not the only soured fan who noticed the writers needed a trip to the literary woodshed for a little po-po paddle time. At first, I thought maybe I'm just tone deaf, and I didn't hear the line(s) delivered appropriately. Maybe I'm in a bad mood. Maybe it's PMSS -- poorly managed script syndrome. Then I read the more literate fan messages on the Talk board. Nope! Not even Advil is going to get rid of these brain cramps. True Blood Season 4 up until the last three episodes was doing just fine. Following the book Dead to the World just fine -- check.  Alexander Skarsgård playing my favorite bloodsucker with a fantastic ability to vacillate between two personalities very well -- amnesiac Eric and real Eric. Anna Paquin, child actor extraordinaire who won the Oscar for the criti...