Dead in the Family (Book 10) cover and Chapter 1 peek!

Read Chapter One of DEAD IN THE FAMILY, from Charlaine Harris' website!

Crystal Norris character in Season 3 of True Blood

From DreadCentral.com

True Blood Adds Yet Another Recurring Character for Season Three

And the powers-that-be behind HBO's popular series True Blood still aren't done filling out the character roster for Season Three. Today another new female was added, one named Crystal Norris, who shares an "electric connection" with Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten).

According to The Hollywood Reporter Crystal, a beautiful "barefoot, sundress-wearing woman", will be portrayed by Lindsay Pulsipher, whom genre buffs will likely recognize from the Masters of Horror episode "The Fair Haired Child". Most recently she's been in A&E's The Beast.

In the Charlaine Harris books on which True Blood is based, Crystal is a full-blooded werepanther who is first introduced in the fourth novel and reappears throughout the storyline up until the ninth book, Dead and Gone. We'll see how much showrunner Alan Ball deviates from that formula come June, 2010, when the third season premieres.

Podcast: How the Twilight Series Stacks Up to Stackhouse

Join Brandi, Luz and Dayna as we discuss the movie release of New Moon and then how the Twilight series compares to Southern Vampire Series.

Download NOW

Vamp out your holiday tree!

Dear Santa, I want a VIKING VAMPIRE wrapped in a BIG RED BOW .... with CHOCOLATE.

Yes, finding Eric Northman under the tree would be a great holiday gift! Get your ornament NOW

Vampire Travels

On the trail of vampires

Even before 'Twilight' and 'True Blood' helped raise their pop-culture profiles, vampires had left their marks in many places. The garlic is optional.

By Krista Simmons | LATimes.com

Vampires have long been objects of fascination in history, literature and lore. With the Nov. 20 release of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," HBO's "True Blood" and their countless imitators, Americans are welcoming vampires into their homes again. Though many consider Transylvania to be the lair of vampirism, there's plenty of vampire culture right here. Whether you have just come out of the coffin or long thirsted for night life, these locations offer plenty of opportunities to explore the dark side.

Exeter, R.I.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries in New England, many believed vampires were the source of the rampant transmission of tuberculosis. According to folklorist Michael Bell, author of "Food for the Dead," there are at least 40 documented cases in which corpses were exhumed and their vital organs burned and stakes driven through the hearts in attempts to halt the alleged vampires from spreading the disease.

The most famous case of exhumation is that of Mercy Brown of Exeter, whose brother Edwin had contracted tuberculosis. Because of the cold temperatures and the fact that she had recently died, Mercy's heart still contained blood that was not frozen or blackened. It was decided that she was a vampire, Edwin was forced to drink her blood, and Mercy's vital organs were burned. H.P. Lovecraft, who's buried in Providence's Swan Point Cemetery, wrote about Mercy's case in "The Shunned House." It's also said that Bram Stoker used Mercy as reference for "Dracula."

The Providence Biltmore, a historic building with imposing chandeliers and a giant '20s-style ballroom, is an ideal spot to stay while visiting. The hotel is near Swan Point Cemetery and 20 minutes from the more bucolic Exeter, where Brown is buried in Chestnut Hill Cemetery. With the advent of winter, this New England sojourn will undoubtedly supply plenty of darkness for the photosensitive.

Providence Biltmore Hotel:

11 Dorrance St., Providence, R.I.; (800) 294-7709, www.providencebiltmore. Doubles from $119.

New Orleans

Whether it's the fictional town of Bon Temps in the "True Blood" series or the setting of Anne Rice's vampire novels, New Orleans and environs are well-known in vampire lore.

Oak Alley Plantation, built in 1839, was the location for Lestat's mansion in the movie version of "Interview With the Vampire." Its antebellum plantation cottages now have been converted into a bed-and-breakfast at this house on the banks of the Mississippi River about an hour from New Orleans.

Though "True Blood's" Fangtasia bar has no true brick and mortar, there are plenty of other watering holes for the undead in New Orleans' historic French Quarter: Sip a Dragon's Blood cocktail at Ye Olde Original Dungeon, which is decorated with coffins and cages.

Before you head out into the night, you might want to stock up on some vampire gear at Boutique du Vampyre, where you can get the Vamp N.R.G. drink or vampire-attracting perfume. Historic New Orleans Tours offers twilight excursions through the French Quarter that visit locations in Rice's novels as well as for "Interview With the Vampire" and "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant."

Oak Alley Plantation: 3645 Highway 18, Vacherie, La. (225) 265-2151, www.oakalleyplantation. Doubles from $200. Ye Olde Original Dungeon, 738 Toulouse St., New Orleans; (504) 523-5530, www.originaldungeon.com. Boutique du Vampyre, 712 rue Orleans, New Orleans; (504) 561-8267, www.feelthebite.com/home.html; Historic New Orleans Tours, (504) 947-2120, www.tourneworleans.com.

New York

Its dark, monochromatic interior makes Gotham's Night Hotel an ideal haven for bloodsuckers and night dwellers. Designed three years ago by Mark Zeff, the hotel's décor is accented with giant Gothic-style pillars, black-and-white leather chairs, black horsehair couches, pillows, antique wooden armoires, bookshelves and black-and-white erotic photographic prints.

Inside the hotel's lounge, Nightlife, a jail cell door keeps the bartender behind the bar. Check out the NewGothCity website at www.newgothcity.com for goth events and parties.

For a less vamp-sclusive outing, a must-do is Death & Co., which features cocktails such as the Sleepy Hollow Fizz (rum, lemon juice, maple syrup, pumpkin purée and egg yolk) and the aptly named 18th Century cocktail (Batavia Arrack, crème de cacao, vermouth and fresh lime juice). You might also stop by the Vampire Freaks clothing store to pick up new threads and info on the East Village's gothic and vamp parties.

Night Hotel: 132 W. 45th St., N.Y.; (212) 835-9600, www.night. Doubles from $199. Death & Co., 433 E. 6th St., N.Y.; (212) 388-0882, www.deathand. Vampire Freaks, 189 Ave. A, New York; (212) 505-8267, http://vampirefreaks.com/store.

Forks, Wash.

The success of Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" saga has turned this town batty, and the Pacific Inn Motel is no exception. The six "Twilight" rooms offer fans an unusual overnight experience. Each is painted black and red, embellished with posters of the characters and are stocked with apples to munch on (they're meant to recall the novel's cover). The bathrooms have black towels with "Twilight" embroidered on them, but you'll have to bring your own glitter soaps and lotions if you want to get a glow like Edward's.

Dazzled by Twilight leads daily theme tours through Forks and the seaside town of La Push, but the innkeepers recommend that you take a trip through the stunning Hoh Rain Forest, where the giant trees and ominous fog dominate the scenery in the movie.

You can also stop for a meal at Bella Swan's favorite eatery in Port Angeles, Bella Italia (watch the garlic!), and take a picture next to Bella's cool old truck at the Chamber of Commerce.

Yet another "Twilight"-oriented restaurant is scheduled to open early next year. Now called the Lodge, it originally was named Volterra after the "New Moon" location. It will include a downstairs bar appropriately named the Dungeon.

Pacific Inn Motel: 352 S. Forks Ave., Forks, Wash.; (360) 374-9400, www.pacificinnmotel.com. Doubles from $66. Bella Italia, 118 E. 1st. St., Port Angeles, Wash.; www.bella. Dazzled by Twilight, 61 N. Forks Ave., Forks, Wash.; (360) 374-8687, www.dazzledbytwilight.

Santa Cruz, Calif.

The view from the Cliff Crest Bed & Breakfast Innoverlooks West Cliff Boulevard and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, two prominent locations in the '80s vampire flick "The Lost Boys." The rooms in this Queen Anne Victorian have king-size beds with hand-carved posts and canopies, lace-covered windows and fireplaces.

Although gentrification and the expansion of UC Santa Cruz have transformed the city, the movie's motorcycle culture is very much alive.

Check out riding with the Vampires Motorcycle Club, or visit the Red Restaurant & Bar, whose lounge is decked out with blood-red walls, roaring fireplaces and seductive low lighting that makes even the whitest pallor look delicious.

For a mid-morning feed, have brunch at the reputedly haunted Brookdale Inn & Spa, just north of Santa Cruz on Highway 9, which is said to be visited by the spirit of a former owner's niece who drowned in the creek that runs through the dining room.

Make sure you check out some of the rocky caves at Panther Beach, which look strikingly similar to the "vampire hotel" where the Lost Boys resided.

Cliff Crest Bed & Breakfast Inn: 407 Cliff St., Santa Cruz; (831) 427-2609, www.cliffcrestinn.com. Doubles from $145. Red Restaurant & Bar, 1003 Cedar St., Santa Cruz; (831) 425-1913. Brookdale Inn & Spa, 11570 Highway 9, Brookdale; (831) 338-1300, www.brookdaleinnandspa. Vampires Motorcycle Club, www.vampiresmc.com

krista.simmons@latimes.com

Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times

New Podcast: Season 2 Finale and discussion

My, what big teeth you have my Queen!

More comments and thoughts from this past season of True Blood.


Get it now: on iTunes | direct feed

Charlaine Harris Grave Secret released today

Grave Secret (Harper Connelly Mysteries, Book 4)

Lightning-struck sleuth Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver take a break from looking for the dead to visit the two little girls they both think of as sisters. But, as always happens when they travel to Texas, memories of their horrible childhood resurface.

To make matters worse, Tolliver learns from his older brother that their father is out of jail and trying to reestablish contact with other family members. Tolliver wants no part of the man- but he may not have a choice in the matter.

Soon, family secrets ensnare them both, as Harper finally discovers what happened to her missing sister, Cameron, so many years before.

And what she finds out will change her world forever.

New: Death's Excellent Vacation !

Death's Excellent Vacation, an anthology crossing genres ( from the sci.fi., fantasy, mystery and paranormal genres) with co-author Toni Kelner. Each story in the anthology revolves around death and a holiday, in the similar spirit of the author's earlier anthologies Many Bloody Returns (Vampires and birthdays) and this holiday season's Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (werewolves and Christmas). The anticipated publication date of the new anthology is mid 2010.

** Back during this past summer, Charlaine Harris said during a book signing she wrote a roadtrip story about Sookie and Pam. I'm guessing this is it.

Need Halloween plans? See Charlaine Harris at the Tru Blood and Gold Ball

2009: The Tru Blood & Gold Ball

New Orleans, LA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2009

The Tru Blood & Gold Ball will be on Devil's Night at REPUBLIC NEW ORLEANS, 828 South Peters Street in New Orleans The show starts at 9:00 pm and ends at 2:00 am (doors open at 8:00 pm). Tickets for ARVLFC members are $20, public price $30.

• THIS EVENT WILL BE 18+ WITH NO EXCEPTIONS.
• Costumes, Creative Attire or Elegant Eveningwear strongly encouraged.
• MEMBERS: BRING YOUR CARDS!

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW, ONLINE

Members may buy up to 4 tickets at $20.00 each; after 4 tickets members may buy as many tickets as they want at $30.00 each. You may change the quantity of tickets on the page you'll see after you click the "Add to Cart" button.

Non-Members may buy up to 4 tickets at $35 each. Non-Members may NOT purchase more than 4 tickets. To enjoy Member Benefits, JOIN THE ARVLFC NOW!

If you would like your ticket(s) shipped to you via Certified Mail, use the Shipping "Add to Cart" button to add $6.00 to your order; otherwise you can pick your ticket(s) up at will-call at the Ball, but we don't recommend it.

• Tickets will ONLY be shipped via Certified Mail. No exceptions. NO TICKETS WILL BE SHIPPED AFTER OCTOBER 15th, so if you want your tickets shipped, buy them before then. Tickets purchased after October 15th must be picked up at Will Call the night of the event.
• Tickets can only be purchased through this page; we do not accept check, money orders, etc. No exceptions.
• This event is 18+. NO EXCEPTIONS. If you are under 18 and you buy tickets, you just wasted your money.

MORE INFO>> www.vampirelestatfanclub.com/events.html

Touch of Dead fills in the blanks

Collected short stories fill gaps in Sookie Stackhouse vampire saga

By GINNIE GRAHAM World Staff Writer
Published: 10/11/2009 2:27 AM


Sookie, Sookie everywhere, but not a drop to drink. Until now.

At least, that is how author Charlaine Harris explains simply in the dedication to this collection of five previously published short stories that feature Sookie Stackhouse: "For all those readers who want every last sip of Sookie."

It's a literary beverage that a great many people have found quite tasty over the last couple of years, thanks in large part to the HBO series "True Blood," created by Alan Ball and based on Harris' series of novels about the adventures of a barmaid named Sookie Stackhouse who lives in a Louisiana that's rife with vampires, shape-shifters and other such creatures.

However, the short stories in "A Touch of Dead" can only be fully understood if one already has a knowledge of Harris' "Southern Vampire" novels — from 2001's "Dead until Dark" to "Dead and Gone," which came out earlier this year.

Arkansas native Harris brings humor and a straight-forward writing style to her unique twist on the paranormal romance genre, blending fantasy, science fiction and a healthy dash of sexual tension.

She has a knack for moving her stories along quickly, but without sacrificing the complexity she gives her characters. And just when action gets serious, she brings in some levity to keep it from becoming completely morose or disturbing.

The five stories here are arranged according to how they fit into the overall chronology of the series — interludes between the novels, so to speak.

Readers
familiar with the Sookie novels will enjoy the stories of her meeting the Vampire Queen of Louisiana for the first time in "One Word Answer," and her role in solving a murder at a strip club for fairies in "Fairy Dust."

The light-hearted "Dracula Night" shows a childlike enthusiasm from the usually ruthless and calculating vampire Eric. The story takes place during a time when Sookie and Eric, who is the sheriff over the regional vampire territory, are flirting with the idea of being a couple. In the vampire culture, Dracula's birthday is a holiday, and Eric views the iconic legend as Santa Claus, hoping for a visit. After the leotard-wearing, pudgy Prince of Darkness arrives, he finds Sookie irresistible, leading to a brouhaha.

"Lucky" uncovers the secret subversive tactics of the town's most successful insurance agent. He has a talent for manipulating luck that only a supernatural being can detect. The good fortune enjoyed by his clients has a detrimental impact on others in the sleepy town. It is the weakest story among the collection, but this is a one-time appearance of the agent among Harris' works.

"Gift Wrap" has a stunner of an ending with Sookie enjoying a very merry Christmas. The tale begins with a naked man, who is also a werewolf, showing up on the doorstep of her country home on Christmas Eve. He is being hunted by a rival werewolf and ended up on her land looking for help. This takes place after "From Dead to Worse (book 8)," and Sookie is alone to celebrate the holidays. While the characters have yet to reappear, it ties in with Sookie's twisted familial lineage.

Through the years, Harris has contributed to short-story anthologies with other authors, including L.A. Banks (Vampire Huntress series), Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake series) and Jim Butcher (Dresden Files). These short stories appeared from 2008 to February of this year.

While it is enjoyable reading the stories in one collection, readers should take time to pick up the anthologies where the pieces were originally published. Harris has been a champion of other writers, even editing at least one of the compilations, and they are good places to find interesting authors.

The stories in “A Touch of Dead” originally appeared in the following paperback anthologies:
“Fairy Dust” in “Powers of Detection” Ace, October 2004

“One Word Answers” in “Bite” Jove, December 2004

“Dracula Night” in “Many Bloody Returns” Ace, September 2007

“Gift Wrap” in “Wolfsbane and Mistletoe” Ace, October 2008

“Lucky” in “Unusual Suspects” Ace, December 2008

Project Paranormal: Interview with Charlaine Harris

Penguin's Project Paranormal interview with Charlaine Harris.

Go there NOW

Stephen Moyer on being Bill Compton

{Unreality Primetime} True Blood: Stephen Moyer interview

Lisa McGarry | Unreality Primetime

True Blood is about to get it’s UK terrestrial premiere on Channel 4. In advance of its launch, we bring you an interview in which lead male, Stephen Moyer talks about why he loves the show and what he enjoys about playing the role of blood sucking Bill Compton.

What was your first impression of True Blood when you were approached with it?

I was in London with my kids and I said to my agent I really didn’t want to see anything else at that time, but she said Alan Ball has written this script and it’s the one that everyone is talking about and asked me to read it. When I got it I couldn’t believe it, I finished it in one sitting and when I got to the final page I just wanted to read more. I put myself on tape, Alan received it and he said that’s the guy. I flew out to LA that afternoon and the next morning I met with him and Anna (Paquin) and later that afternoon I got it. I don’t remember ever reading something and being so engaged by it, the world he sets up is just so extraordinary – it’s been an exciting ride.

Tell us a little about the set up of the show?

True blood is set in a fictional town called Bon Temps in Louisiana. The first episode centres around a bar, Merlotte’s, where the viewer is introduced to Sookie (Anna Paquin’s character). We know right from the start that vampires exist in this world but nobody in Bon Temps has ever seen one. About 20 minutes into the first episode Bill, my character and a vampire, walks into Merlotte’s. Sookie is telepathic and all her life she’s been able to hear everybody’s thoughts. Then suddenly there is this presence when Bill walks into the bar, she can’t read his thoughts and she immediately knows that something is different about him. He can also see that there is something different about her and that’s the attraction. Bill is trying to live his life “mainstreaming”, living off Tru Blood rather than feeding on humans. He’s an outsider ostracised by vampire society because he’s mainstreaming and trying to live like a human but he’s obviously also feared by the humans because he is a vampire, so he’s kind of the ultimate outsider and I think he can see that she’s an outsider too.

It’s a pretty bizarre prospect that you’ve got vampires living in normal society, how has this come about?

In the story the Japanese invented a synthetic blood drink three years before, the idea being that the blood was invented for use in war etc for blood transfusions. Vampires came out and said they could drink this blood so that they no longer have to feed off humans. Then a drinks company marketed it as Tru Blood so that vampires could drink in normal bars like anybody else, and that’s what Tru Blood is.

How did you manage to engage with the character Bill? What kind of research did you do?

Well I looked at the American civil war which I’d never really studied before as my character’s father was a slave owner (even though my character wasn’t) and he fought with the confederates for the south.

Alan (Ball) actually asked me if I thought anything was missing from the character. And I liked the idea if you imagined you died what would you do? If it was me, I’d want to listen to all the music I never listened to when I was alive, and read every book that I’d never read, watch the films I’d never seen and play the instruments that I had never played. So I thought that’s great, he’s going to make me into this aesthetic genius who knows everything but Alan being warped, made my character listen to Tuvan throat singing and Cambodian disco, so in every episode you see me listening to some obscure sound.

Another thing that I think is interesting about him is that vampires have no heartbeat so there’s no blips, no moment where his heart skips a beat – when he stops and he’s sitting he’s just “being”. We played with the idea of trying to make him as still as possible so that every movement is considered. When he moves, he’s doing it for a reason. It’s almost like a video game, I can move at lightening speed but if I do it costs me, it’s like my energy depletes and I need to feed sooner meaning I only do it if I need to. Bill really is a fascinating character to play.

Why Women Love Vampires

Why Young Women are Lapping up Vampire Stories

By Christopher Goodwin | The First Post

Are retroviral drugs the reason today's vampires are so sexy and ubiquitous? For much of the 1980s and 1990s, as the spectre of rampant and then untreatable Aids haunted the world, blood-sucking was a distinctly fatal and unappealing pursuit. A metaphor for "an act of love that kills", author Neil Gaiman called it.

Today's vampires are not about death, or even its cursed mirror, immortality, as True Blood, the red-hot new vampire series from HBO, illustrates. No. According to the show's creator Alan Ball: "Vampires are sex." Sex without the attendant fear of death.

But even that doesn't quite catch the phenomenon, or explain why the new strain of vampires who have overrun popular culture have particularly seduced impressionable young women. Truth is, women know that these sexed-up new vampires, like Bill Compton, the 173-year-old blood-sucker played by Stephen Moyer in True Blood, are really about the ultimate penetration - of the soul.

Yet True Blood had a shaky start when it premiered in the States last autumn. Critics were initially cold about the show, which is based on the best-selling Southern Vampire Mysteries novels by Charlaine Harris.

>>>Continue reading....

Charlaine Harris shares her editing process

Charlaine Harris wrote on her blog this week of her writing process and the group of readers who provide her the necessary feedback to give her books the continuity and accuracies one needs in a series. Here's a bit of that post:

"As I was slogging through my first readers’ suggested changes for DEAD IN THE FAMILY, I reflected on how lucky I am to have trusted people to do this thankless job for me. For most of my writing history, only I and my editor (and a copy editor) read my books before they were published. But that’s changed in the past couple of years, and I think my books are the better for it."

"For those of you who aren’t deeply into the writing world, a first reader is someone who plunges into your book before anyone else. What is the purpose of a first reader? To tell you what you’ve done wrong and what you can do to make it better. So a first reader is someone you trust to tell you the truth, not someone you know will tell you comforting lies. An ideal first reader is intelligent, consistent, conversant with your other books and with the laws of the language, and diligent. When I say “diligent,” I mean someone who’ll drop everything to plow through your book if you say, “This was supposed to be on my editor’s desk three days ago.”

"Fortunately for me, I have two great first readers, my friends Dana Cameron and Toni L.P. Kelner, who may gently tell me that fifty pages do not belong in the middle of the book (Dana) and that I’ve totally forgotten to bring an important plot point back into the book after I raise it (Toni). Thanks, ladies. I also have continuity readers who know the material in the past books as well as they know their kids, and these two wonderful people are always ready to tell me that I’ve gotten a character’s name wrong yet again, or that a street had a different name in the previous book."

"Now, by the time my overworked editor sees the book, I think it’s in much better shape. This saves time and worry – at least for me! And I think the reader comes out ahead, too."

"Of course, I still take the blame for errors and continuity glitches in my work. Though I can’t carry the whole series in my head and refer to it all the time, I ought to be able to, I tell myself; and it’s very upsetting for me when I make a mistake. It’s not from lack of caring; it’s from lack of brain room. My memory is so full after my long career (at least that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it) that I don’t have room for more facts, especially now that I’m sure other people are going to help me do it. My two continuity experts, who shall remain nameless, have helped me iron out quite a few little issues in past books, so the reprints are much more error-free."

Read more over on CharlaineHarris.com

Pre-order Touch of Dead | Sookie book collection of shorts

The newest Sookie-related book will be released October 6, 2009. It's a collection of Sookie short stories that have appeared in many compilation novels with other authors. This book contains the story from "Bite" which explains cousin Hadley's death a little better and Sookie's first encounter with the Queen of Louisiana!

And the Emmy goes to... Bill Compton! er.. Stephen Moyer!

Zap2it.com: 'True Blood' wins 'Breakthrough' honor at the Emmys. Whazzat?

Zap2it.com | By Rick Porter

"True Blood" wasn't up for any awards at Sunday night's Primetime Emmy telecast, but it earned some accolades during the broadcast anyway.

The HBO series won something called the "Breakthrough Performance of the Year" that was announced near the end of Sunday's show, beating out Kris Allen's crowning moment on "American Idol" and Chuck kissing Blair on "Gossip Girl."

So what, exactly, is the Breakthrough Performance of the Year? It doesn't really have anything to do with the Emmys, for starters. It's a fan poll sponsored by TV.com (owned by CBS, which aired the awards this year) and Vaseline, which is hyping, no kidding, a "breakthrough in body lotion" and designed to recognize things that cut through the TV clutter and grabbed people's attention over the past season.

Fans decided that Bill (Stephen Moyer) meeting Sookie (Anna Paquin) for the first time on "True Blood" was the most breakthrough-y moment of the year. Oddly enough, after "So You Think You Can Dance" host Cat Deeley announced the winner, the tie-in ad that followed it congratulated "Bill Compton of 'True Blood'" on his win -- and not the actor who plays him. Memo to Vaseline: Vampires aren't real.

For the record, "True Blood" did win one Emmy this year, for outstanding casting for a drama series. It was also nominated for outstanding art direction for a single-camera series and outstanding main title design.

True Blood Season 2 comments and Season 3 peeks *spoiler alert*

Blood Bath: Televisionary Talks to "True Blood" Writer/Executive Producer Alan Ball
Written by Jace

Still have some burning questions about last night's True Blood season finale? Or anxious to gather some clues about just what creator/executive producer Alan Ball has in store for the residents of Bon Temps when True Blood returns next summer? You've come to the right place.

>>> CONTINUE READING ON TELEVISIONARY <<<<

New casting for True Blood season 3

Introducing the King of Mississippi:

Actor Denis O’Hare

A Tony winner for his role of Mason Marzac in “Take Me Out,” O’Hare’s acting credits also include the films “Duplicity,” “The Proposal,” “Milk” and “A Mighty Heart.”

His resume also includes appearances “CSI,” the “Law & Order” franchise and a recurring role on ABC’s “Brothers & Sisters” as Travis March.

Season 3 of “True Blood” is slated to bow in Summer 2010.

EW Interview with True Blood's Kristen Bauer (Pam)

'True Blood''s Pam, Kristin Bauer, talks meeting her maker (and Alexander Skarsgard)

by Mandi Bierly, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

SPOILER ALERT! Pam will not get to avenge those great Betsey Johnson pumps she ruined tracking the creature that turned out to be meanad Maryann in Sunday night’s season finale of True Blood (HBO, 9 p.m. ET). Pam won’t even be in the episode because apparently, vampires don’t know how to close a bar for the night. It’s a wrong that can only be righted by Kristin Bauer, the scene-stealer who plays the loyal business partner, henchman, and hair stylist to Alexander Skarsgard’s Eric, receiving serious screen time in Season 3 — and, of course, doing a marathon interview with EW in which she answers most of the 96 questions our glamoured PopWatch readers recently submitted for her. Here, Bauer — who TV devotees might also remember as Man Hands on Seinfeld, the woman still nursing her 8-year-old at work on Desperate Housewives, the woman who sued her plastic surgeon for injecting his own ass fat into her lips on Boston Legal, Ray’s first kiss on Everybody Loves Raymond, and Jack’s ex-wife Allie on Just Shoot Me! — shares the stories of how Pam met Eric, how she met Skarsgard, and much, much more.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: It’s not fair that we won’t see Pam in the finale!
KRISTIN BAUER: It’s not fair! I’ve been asking fans to tell me what happens in the next books because I’ve been holding off on reading them ’cause I’m a fan of the show, too, and it’s more exciting if the scripts come and I don’t know what happens. I keep asking them, “What does Pam do next year?” I have no idea what Alan Ball is gonna do. None of us do. I talked to Alexander this week: “Do you have any idea about Season 3?” He said, “Nothing.”

A very popular question: Do you have any input in what Pam wears?
I haven’t had to give input because [costume designer] Audrey Fisher is so amazing. She sends me pictures of the zebra outfit or the red sequined jumpsuit, and I’m like, “YES!” It’s like having the best character consultant you’ve ever had. She puts so much thought into each scene. She’s responsible for Pam. She creates Pam.

I imagine that Pam and Eric are two of her favorites to dress.
Yeah, I think she told me that Pam is one of her favorites. I met the costumer who did the pilot and left to do another project at a party and he said, “This is my biggest regret, that I can’t dress Pam.” She’s such a diva. The red sequins, to us, was very ’80s. The first episode she was in last season was very Victorian, with the leather corset. One episode she was in J. Crew. That’s extremely fun for me, that you can show in somebody’s clothing so much about the person and how long they’ve been around.

That brings us to another burning question: What’s the history between Pam and Eric? I know you’ve recorded a special feature for the season 2 Blu-ray that dives into that.
It was 34 pages of writing, straight Pam. It gives you Pam’s viewpoint on everything that happens in the vampire world in season 2. It also fills in everything I’ve been wondering about Pam, Alexander was wondering about Pam….We kept asking producers what their relationship was.

Why had they never told you before?
Every time we’d ask, it was some night shoot, 2 a.m., we’re all giddy, and we would just start laughing and joking almost immediately, so we never got any details. When I saw the writers for the Blu-ray, I said, “This was wonderful. Thank you. It was really fun to find out about Pam,” and they said, “Us, too!” It feels like we’re all creating it as we go. Pam was turned about 100 years ago. It seems from this writing, Pam sought Eric out. She was living a very wealthy, upper-crust life and these little men were lining up to court her and she’d be married off to one of these people, and she’s a real feminist: She looked at what her life would be and said, “No.” She met Eric and he split her world apart and she never looked back. So she really went after him.

And their relationship started off romantic?
Yeah, it was. Alexander and I would always joke during the season, “Were they a couple?” “Well yeah, the first 100 years were very passionate but it’s sorta cooled.” [Laughs] I just decided to play it that way. She is extremely enamored and impressed and loyal to Eric. In the Blu-ray, she just thinks that being a maker is an incredible position to be in and that Eric is the best maker you could ever have. She was released by Eric — she is with him and at his side because she believes that this guy is one of a kind.

One reader asked, if there’d been a scene written for Pam and Eric after Godric’s death, how would she have handled him?
She comments on that in the Blu-ray. She says something along the line of she’s not at all surprised how Eric is reacting and how she wouldn’t have been able to keep it together as well as Eric did if something had happened to him. It was nice to see this side of Pam, she’s almost sentimental. If something happened to Eric, she’d be destroyed.

We would all love to see their beginning in a flashback. How would you feel about filming it?
It’d be great. I will play Pam anywhere, anytime, anyplace, and would love to be made, killing….I was so jealous of Alexander in this year’s season opener, when he’s ripping that body apart. I’m like, “Yeah! You lucky bastard!” I got to meet Charlaine Harris and have lunch with her, and she says in her latest book, she sends Pam on a real killing spree. I was drooling! Isn’t that terrible?

I’m assuming that enthusiasm for carnage is part of the reason you were cast. How did you get the role?
The casting people who are nominated for an Emmy, Junie Lowry-Johnson and Libby Goldstein, are responsible for half my career. They called me in to read for Alan Ball. There are some characters that you feel are just in you — you can play this person, and you can play this person better than most. It doesn’t mean you’re gonna get it. Then I went to the Philippines to shoot this movie, Subject: I Love You, and the producer said, “You know, you’re starting on this other show the day after you fly back from here.” I said, “What other show? Where are my agents? I didn’t hear about this? Do they have my phone number?”And she said, “Let me look….True Blood.” And I was like, “What audition was that?” My protective mechanism is that I go in, I read, and then I try to forget about it because it’s too sad when you don’t get something. She said, “It’s the vampire role.” And I went, “Oh, thank you, Lord!” I get so many messages from actor friends that I haven’t heard from in 10 years saying, “I’m so jealous.” I don’t know what it is that we’re witnessing with vampires and their popularity, but actors as well really yearn to play these immortal dead killers. [Laughs]

I bet it’s because you can play evil and get away with it. The audience won’t turn against you — they want you to be bad.
That’s it. I love the line from True Lies were Schwarzenegger says he only kills bad people. I think that with Pam, if people are killing the right people…You know John Wayne — you’re rootin’ for him. Even the mafia, we don’t want the Sopranos to go to jail. The Godfather, you’re hoping they get away with it.

Does Eric confide in Pam? Does she know the reason he has Lafayette selling V, or why he wants Sookie so badly?
No. She does not know. She’s just going with it because of her loyalty.

Fans of the books are always talking about how Pam and Sookie end up forming some kind of “friendship.” Is that something you’re hoping happens on the show?
Anna [Paquin] is just an absolute riot and couldn’t be more talented, so it would be so much fun. [SPOILER ALERT!] I’ve heard about that, too, from fans, that Eric loses his memory and gets really soft and sensitive, and they form a friendship and help him. It’s really fun to see Alexander get to play Eric in ways that we don’t expect, like when he tries to be human. It’s really entertaining. He’s so funny.

There’s been so much buzz about Alexander in the last month. What’s your take on that?
I think it makes perfect sense. He’s new to us, our country, and he’s big and beautiful, and the character is big and beautiful. It’s the perfect storm.

Is there anything negative you can say about him to help subdue our crushes while we wait for season 3?
Like when a guy breaks up with you, you look for something really bad to focus on? Yeah, good luck finding that with Alexander. There’s nothin’ bad about the guy. Sorry. [Laughs] You’re all just gonna have to pine. He has an amazing sense of humor. After every Swedish take, I look at him, and he sort of nods. Once, he went and saw the footage. I said, “How was I? Was my Swedish good?” He said, “No. You sound like a Russian prostitute.” Of course, the comeback line was, “How would you know?” but I thought of it months later. In fact, I think someone else thought of it. But after every take, I go, “Russian prostitute? Or am I near the border of Sweden?”

So you hadn’t spoken any Swedish before the show?
No. And I still don’t. Alexander records what sounds to me like gibberish, and I play this jibberish over and over until I can regurgitate the jibberish, and I just hope that I’m sounding somewhat Swedish. That’s definitely nerve-wracking. My husband [Abri van Straten, lead singer of the South African band The Lemmings] is of Swedish descent as well, so he learns it with me. I just repeat it to him 100 times a day. It’s seared into my frontal cortex because I can still remember all my Swedish lines — not my English lines — from the whole season.

And Alexander is good about translating? He doesn’t trick you into saying dirty words?
He’s very good about that — as far as I know. That’s a trick my husband pulls. He’s teaching me phrases in Afrikaans, and he just keeps telling me not to say them around his mother. I have no idea what I’m saying, but he laaaaughs.

Did you read with Alexander for your audition?
No. We were cast separately. I didn’t meet him until I was on the set, in the leather corset, and in another time zone because I started on True Blood17 hours after arriving back from the Philipines. I remember Alexander was speaking Swedish, and I said, “Is that Cambodian?” I was just so out of it. I couldn’t breathe, my feet hurt, and I thought for some reason he was Cambodian. But I remember thinking he was very crushworthy.

How many of your friends have asked to be set up with him?
They haven’t, because they’re all married. But they all secretly tell me behind their husbands’ backs, “I have the biggest crush on vampire Eric.” After a while, I thought, Am I chopped liver? Do people just call me to tell me how wonderful Alexander is?

Well, we had a reader say “Your lips are heaven-sent” and ask about your heritage.
[Excitedly] Oh! I’m all German.

More burning questions: Does Pam really want Lafayette turned into a vampire?
That’s also commented on in the Blu-ray: She’s like, “Why not?! I think he’d make a great vampire!” But she says Eric always has his reasons, and he’s never wrong.

If there was one character you could have more scenes with, who would it be?
Terry Bellefleur [Tad Lowe], the shell-shocked guy who’s in the relationship with the waitress Arlene this season. It’d be like, have you ever seen a cat play with a mouse? They just take a really long time to kill it because they’re sort of bored and entertained by it.

That’s the reason I’m hoping Eric and Jason (Ryan Kwanten) have more scenes together. I think Eric would be amused by his childlike stupidity and appreciate his Rambo sensibility.
Well, that’s exactly how Pam feels in the Blu-ray, so I imagine that’s how Eric would feel, too. Pam’s fairly impressed with him, and seems to be a bit turned on by him with his new Brad Pitt/Rambo thing.

People would love to see Pam have a love interest on the show. Which character do you think she could have the most fun with in that way?
Well, my sick mind looks for something that we haven’t seen before. Apparently in the books, she’s bisexual. So I thought we haven’t seen a vampire with a vampire in a love way, and we haven’t seen two women together, so what about her and Jessica? [EW gasps] Right?!

If Jessica and Hoyt (Jim Parrack) are really over, she could be reeling and Pam could come in with the tough love —
And teach her how to really kill. [Laughs] Take her under her wing.

I was gonna say, but slowly fall for her, but you always have to take it to death.
What’s wrong with me? In my life, I’m saving the whales [as a face of IFAW's Tails for Whales campaign, which asks people to show their support for U.S. leadership in global whale conservation by submitting a photo], and then they say “Action!,” and I’m like, “Kill ‘em all!” Maybe Pam wants to save the whales, though.

That would be hilarious, if Pam got Save the Whales literature in the mail at Fangtasia.
I saw my doctor off hours, and he was wearing a Save the Ferret T-shirt, and I thought interesting. My doctor is a ferret activist. I wish I didn’t know that. I’m thinking it would be really odd to see Pam wearing a Save the Whales T-shirt, but she was there for that movement, too…

Where did Pam’s eye roll and sneer come from? Was that in the script or something you brought to her?
It might be just Kristin Bauer. [Laughs] The longer I play Pam, I’m like, I’m heartless, aren’t I? I’m completely intolerant of my fellow man. I think my sense of humor is kind of sarcastic, and I have a friend who says I have rubber face. I just make all these expressions. Once I did it onscreen they seemed to like it, and they encouraged me to do it. In the next script I’d see, “Pam rolls her eyes.”

You also consider the way you pursued your husband very Pam-like. Tell us that story, because as a single woman in her early 30s, I find it inspirational, and yet, as someone who’s slightly excitable, I’m curious… I mean, it wasn’t stalking, but…
[Laughs] “I don’t wanna say you’re a stalker!”

Well, you could have been if you weren’t gorgeous and on a hit show. But how did you know it wasn’t a crush, you would actually connect with him?
I didn’t. My husband says, “When I heard your voice on the phone, I knew.” I say, “Yeah, I did not know. I knew you were hot, and I knew it had been a long time. I did not know that you were my soul mate.” I was just in this fed-up place with so many first dates over four years, and being the only single adult at Christmas with my family in Wisconsin every year. I was headed into the Christmas vacation [last year], and I really announced to the universe, in my house, “I’ve had it! Is this thing on? I mean, is anybody paying attention? Is there anyone on duty when I’m talking?” I was just pissed off. I’m like, that’s it. I’m taking it into my own hands. I had tried everything — The Secret method, sacrificed the chicken, followed the full moon, lit the love candle and pictured what I wanted, wrote down everything I wanted then got mad and burned it because it didn’t work. And for some reason, on the day I say this, I go to the nutritionist, and there’s his CD sitting on the only chair open. I’m like, “He’s cute. I’m callin’ it…I’m goin’ a freakin’ date!” The woman I was talking to backed out of the room slowly, like you do when you’re afraid for your life. I went online, and wrote an email: “Hey, is this dude in LA? Because I want to have coffee.” I wanted him to be excited to get this email and not like [weary groan] so I wrote, “I’m Kristin Bauer. I’m on True Blood, and here’s my website” shamelessly. I was embarrassed about it, but I had to get the job done. He doesn’t check email, so three weeks later, I wrote again: “I haven’t heard back. Still thirsty! Still need caffeine!” Someone wrote back saying he doesn’t do email. I said, “Well, then send a pigeon with my phone number.” [Laughs] I had HAD IT. I was passed being embarrassed or having some normal sense of decorum. We met and just talked and talked and talked and talked. For three weeks, we just talked all day. Within a few months, we were engaged, and within about six and a half months, married. I joked for years, “Where is he? Uganda? Where is my guy?” And the answer was, yes, close. South freakin’ Africa. And he didn’t even want to be in LA. He didn’t want to come to America to tour, he was perfectly happy to tour South Africa, but his record label and band forced him. So maybe all the séances and chicken sacrifices worked, there’s just a delay in this universe.

So I need to go buy chickens?
Try it all! I don’t know what one thing works. And it’s really amazing because we’re coming up on Christmas with my family, and last Christmas, I was sitting there with nieces, ages 13 to 20, at the computer watching this video he has for the song “Rain.” We all fell in love with the song, and we’re watching the video over and over, so at that point, I certainly was your classic stalker because I’m now imagining who this person is and imagining that he wants to meet me. If I weren’t on a TV show, it would be crazy! But people do Math.com and eHarmony, and it’s no different. I was looking at his profile. And then I sent a notice: I would like to open communication with you. And now a year later, I’m gonna be sitting at that same computer, checking my email with my husband next to me. My nieces were my bridesmaids.

Such a great story.
I went to college for writing and painting, and the script I’m writing now is the fictionalized version of how Abri and I met. Just a simple, beautiful love story, which I love. It’s fun because his parents are both very well-known South African writers — his dad was a playwright, and his mom a novelist — and he went to school for music and writing. So it’s lovely to show him my pages at the end of the day and to have the songs he’s recording now for his solo album inspiring the direction the story goes. [She's also in the studio painting still life flowers feverishly for a Sept. 26 artists showcase in San Marino, Calif.]

Last question: You just filmed an episode of Private Practice. Shonda Rhimes is also notoriously tight-lipped, so she told you not to say anything?
She is, but she didn’t tell me, so screw it! [Laughs] I play a mom of a 13-year-old girl who gets pregnant and disappears. I find her again and she’s not doing well. The mom and daughter have to fight and cry and scream and try find a way to reconcile and save the life of her baby. I can tell you it’s harder to play a human. At the end of the week, I said to my husband, “So when is True Blood coming back? Where are my pumps and my teeth?”

Vamp Diaries fits nicely

CW's 'Vampire Diaries' lands in space between 'Twilight' and 'True Blood'

Read more: NYDailyNews.com
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, Thursday night, CW

In its unending quest for new ways to dramatize the thrills and dangers of teen romance, the CW tonight poses this question: What happens if the really hot new guy in school turns out to be a vampire?

It's a situation where a simple "OMG!" might not seem sufficient.

For the network, though, the larger question may be whether young women, the target audience for the new "Vampire Diaries," like their romantic drama sprinkled with bloody corpses and near-corpses.

While the producers hope the female audience for the "Twilight" films suggests that's the case, tonight's opening "Vampire Diaries" feels more graphic and menacing than "Twilight."

It's not as graphic and menacing as HBO's "True Blood," a similar work, but the tension here is lethal, not just romantic.

It also would be a shame if the neck-biting part proves too discomforting because the core teen couple is a winner.

Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) hasn't been looking forward to the new school year in Mystic Falls, Va. Her parents were killed in a car crash in May, leaving her and her brother in the care of a largely clueless aunt. Despite the pleas of her best friend, Bonnie (Katerina Graham), Elena really isn't ready to face the world again.

On the first day back, though, Bonnie spots that hot new guy, Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley). He has the dark, brooding, mysterious fascination that's been quickening teenage girls' pulses since Elvis Presley and James Dean, and he has eyes for Elena.

For reasons only he and the viewers know.

Seems that when he was 16, in 1864, he was bitten by, and thus turned into, a vampire. At that time, there was a girl named Kathleen who looked exactly like Elena. Now, Stefan is ready to get back in the game.

That's okay up front, since Stefan is a good vampire who means no harm. But he has a brother, Damon (Ian Somerhalder), who does, and since Damon has followed Stefan to Mystic Falls, Stefan's quest for love will create complications for some folks there.

In overall tone, "Diaries" tilts more toward menace than humor - which could create either fascinating romantic tension or the bad feeling that someone's neck is always about to get tapped like a maple tree in syrup season.

By staking turf between "True Blood" and "Twilight," "Vampire Diaries" hopes it has found the promised land. The danger is it could also be no man's land.

dhinckley@nydailynews.com

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/09/10/2009-09-10_cws_vampire_diaries_lands_in_space_between_twilight_and_true_blood.html#ixzz0QnjkgZG2

Women hold the power

Women hold the power on ‘True Blood,’ ‘Hung’

By Matthew Gilbert Boston Globe Staff / Article Link

Summer TV has been quite the trip, largely thanks to a particular maenad and her shivery, incantatory fits. Featured in the second season of HBO’s “True Blood,’’ Maryann Forrester has brought all kinds of wicked primal energy to the screen. Her name may put you in mind of “Gilligan’s Island’’ and a pair of pigtails, but she is more of a maniacal Mary Poppins, dropped into the town of Bon Temps to make life a very jolly holiday indeed.

Played with awesome hauteur by Michelle Forbes, who deserves lots of awards love for this role, Maryann is the queen of every scene she’s in. Whether she’s feeding heart pot pie to her minions or casually shrugging off the death of her manservant, she is creepy, campy, forceful, and irresistible. Alongside the Michigan women of “Hung,’’ who have found liberation with a male escort named Ray, Maryann has helped create a group portrait of women accessing power by shredding inhibition. It’s HBO Animus.

As “True Blood’’ and “Hung’’ wrap for the season on Sunday night, at 9 and 10, respectively, they provide a provocative yin to the sexist yang that is “Entourage.’’

“Hung’’ has been only partially satisfying in its first season, losing direction and originality every time the writers veer into Ray’s family life. But the comedy-drama does consistently come alive with Tanya, a neurotic cosmic trooper played by Jane Adams. “Hung’’ is less far less effective dealing with Ray and his sexual endowment than it is with the women who use him. If you thought you were going to get an homage to male potency with this show, you were pushing your cart up the wrong aisle. As Ray’s pimp, Tanya is evolving beautifully into a poet warrior, gradually triumphing over maternal oppression, writer’s block, and professional stasis. Her development is the most coherent element of the series.

“True Blood,’’ on the other hand, has been thoroughly satisfying this season, and not only because Maryann has inspired ecstatic raves (in Bon Temps and from viewers). While “Hung’’ wandered among nonstarter plots - do we care about Ray’s kids’ romantic lives? - “True Blood’’ has expertly kept a number of rich, directed plotlines going at once. Even while a few different supernatural powers have come into play, including shape-shifting and brainwashing, the show has not succumbed to the glut of paranormal cross-purposes that helped make “Heroes’’ unwatchable.

Indeed, this season of “True Blood’’ has been a model of TV storytelling. As the volume on one theme lowered, with Sookie, Jason, and Bill escaping the clutches of the nefarious Fellowship of the Sun, it rose on another playing in the background: How to stop Maryann and save the town from devolving into pure, empty-eyed id? And like a backbeat, the Bill-Eric-Sookie triangle played throughout, with Sookie remaining one of TV’s most self-directed young heroines.

“True Blood’’ creator Alan Ball is taking full advantage of what has become a cable convention: season-long arcs. Because of cable’s shorter seasons and committed viewers, shows such as “Dexter’’ and “The Wire’’ have been able to give each batch of 12-or-so episodes a beginning and an end. While most network shows must plow endlessly forward, to fill 22 episodes per year for an indefinite number of years, the cable pace encourages more sculpted narratives. Each season can ultimately fold into a nice DVD set. The first season of “True Blood’’ revolved around Rene and his crimes; this season belongs primarily to Maryann. (No, I know nothing about what will happen Sunday night; Maryann may well survive to throw another wild party).

Within his tight structure this summer, Ball has given us countless small moments of grace, humor, and horror. The death of Godric on the roof at dawn was one of TV’s most dramatically evocative sequences of the year, with Sookie shedding tears for Godric, his ancient soul, and her own losses. The submissiveness of Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) toward the youthful-looking Godric, too, was powerful for being so unexpected. Anything having to do with the love affair between virgins Jessica and Hoyt was sweet; and anything having to do with Jason was funny.

“True Blood’’ is part of the vampire trend of late, with the “Twilight’’ movies and books, and with “The Vampire Diaries’’ on the CW. Why, there’s even a vampire pictorial in the new issue of Playboy. But, more than those other products, the HBO show has pushed vampire symbolism forward into new territory. I love the way “True Blood’’ portrays the unbreakable bond between a vampire and the one who made him or her, and the way the struggle for vampire rights raises internal conflicts in the vampire community. Those are the kinds of fresh twists that manage to keep the age-old vampire formula young.

Matthew Gilbert can be reached at gilbert@globe.com. For more on TV, visit www.boston.com/ae/tv/blog/.

Podcast: True Blood season 2 episode 11 - Frenzy

Tara and Eggs laid an egg and Bill’s faux sun bathing with the queen. YAHTZEE! Brandi and Luz catch up on episode 11 and anticipate the season finale.

Podcast feed: download

iTunes: download

Showin' some love for the Team Sam fans

For all the Team Sam fans:

Great Eric/Sookie video

The first 25 seconds is the creator's credit montage, but then it's awesome Sookie and Eric clip. Clever editing. The song is off Twilight's soundtrack, but it works great with True Blood images too.

Anna Camp (Sarah Newlin) makes an appearance on The Office

E! Online by Megan Masters

Mark Sullivan/Getty Images; Todd Williamson/Getty Images

Are those darned anti-vampire groups attempting to recruit our favorite Pennsylvania paper suppliers?

Not quite, but Anna Camp, the sexy and scandalous reverend's wife from True Blood is heading to Scranton to be a part of TV's most anticipated wedding in recent years.

What exactly brings anti-vamp Sarah Newlin out of Bon Temps and into our Thursday night lineup?

(Hint: She's part of Jenna Fischer's bridal party.)

A rep for The Office confirms to us that Anna will join the Dunder Mifflin Niagara Falls nuptials playing Pam's sister Penny. Over the past few seasons, we haven't heard much about the Beesly sibling, but we applaud the casting. There's a definite resemblance there, right?

Since the rushed I dos are an attempt to conceal the bride's budding baby bump from her family, we wonder if the sisters are close enough for Pam to let Penny in on the secret. Guess we'll have to wait and see!

The big Office wedding airs Oct. 8 at 9 p.m. on NBC.

Kwanten on being Jason Stackhouse

True Blood’s Ryan Kwanten On Playing Jason Stackhouse

People Magazine

From battling addiction to vampire blood to getting mixed up with a fanatical religious group and then sleeping with the preacher’s wife, Ryan Kwanten’s True Blood character, Jason Stackhouse, is always getting into trouble on HBO’s hit show. Luckily for the 32-year-old Australian actor, who has lived in Los Angeles for seven years, he’s nothing like his rural Louisianan alter ego. “We look the same to a certain degree,” he jokes. “But my jeans aren’t as tight.” Before True Blood’s finale on Sept. 13, which Kwanten calls “the amalgamation of pretty much the entire season,” the actor spoke with PEOPLE about his character, Louisiana cooking and how he stays so darn ripped! –Aaron Parsley

Congrats on the success of True Blood. How does it feel?
It’s is not something that you set out expecting [because of] the amount of factors that have to fall into place for a show to even be picked up … True Blood was already a pretty tasty cake before and then now it’s just a nice little cherry on top.

Do you notice a difference between when the first season aired and now?
I’ve really noticed a difference in how people are aware of the show and of me. It’s certainly a new thing to me.

Were you familiar with the Sookie Stackhouse books before you started playing her brother Jason?
It was only after I got the role that I started reading the books to catch up with it, but even then [creator] Alan Ball made us aware that it wouldn’t be following word-for-word, story-for story with the books.

How far into the books have you read?
Two-and-half books. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think I’m particularly the demographic. It’s just not my thing.

What do you like about Jason Stackhouse?
He’s taught me not to think so much and not over analyze because he’s the type of guy who just sort of jumps into things without really thinking about them and obviously that gets him into trouble.

How did you get the accent down?
I wish I could say it was a long process of learning and arduous kind of hours. I obviously do my research of where it’s shooting and the various types of accents within Louisiana and in discussions with the director and with Alan you hang on something. They seemed to like what I had in the beginning so I stuck with that and refined it if need be.

Most of the show is shot around Los Angeles but you do get down to Louisiana, right?
[We go there to] slide in a couple scenes or even shots here and there to make it look like it was all there, to add to the Louisiana. Hopefully, we can get the audience sweating while they watch it.

Do you like going there?
I actually have a soft spot for people from the South or even just from Louisiana just because they tend to tell it like it is and I think quite often in L.A., people are a little scared to do that … Also, I found it quite extraordinarily beautiful. People complain about the heat but I don’t mind the heat at all.

What about the food?
You just have to be prepared for a lot of fried food and the seafood’s really good. The crawfish are amazing.

We see a lot of Jason Stackhouse in this show. What do you do to stay in such great shape?
I don’t have trainers or anything like that. Whether it’s running on the beach or swimming in the ocean, yoga, tennis — I could go through a whole list of things — I just pretty much keep myself on my toes and try not to get bored. I probably do an hour every day.

Do you watch what you eat?
I’m never going to be one of those people at a restaurant looking at someone else’s meal and wishing they were eating it. I love my food too much to be doing that.

What do you hope for Jason next season? Would you like to see him in a relationship?
I don’t care what they do. I really just love receiving the script and seeing what happens. I don’t care if he’s in a relationship or not because either way he’s just fun to play and dive into his skin.

Speaking of relationships, are you in one?
I’m single. I’m not really looking right now. Unfortunately, I just can’t devote enormous amount of time to women right now. I’m concentrated right now on working but I like a woman who’s not afraid to be herself.

Are Australian audiences and American audiences different in how they receive a show like True Blood with all its sex and gore?
Australians are a little more open-minded when it comes to things like sex and body. But Americans, I feel, are probably more used to the violence and even the supernatural elements, so the great thing about this show is it doesn’t limit itself to one particular genre. It can go from comedy to supernatural to thriller to drama all in the space of an episode. Catering to not just different demographics but different cultures too.

Charlaine Harris at DragonCon: “These may be the final three Sookie books”

Novelist Charlaine Harris sinks her teeth into DragonCon

Access Atlanta, Richard Eldredge

We had to battle past Starfleet ensigns, storm troopers, the Green Giant and yes, a few members of the undead to reach writer Charlaine Harris during the DragonCon convention this weekend at the Hyatt downtown.

Thanks to the success of the new HBO hit “True Blood,” based on Harris’ series of Southern vampire Sookie Stackhouse novels, the Magnolia, Arkansas resident has become a rock star on the sci-fi/comics convention circuit.

Still, Harris was to sit quietly in the hotel lounge, observing the bizarre buffet of people-watching in front of her completely undisturbed.

Well, until we showed up anyhow.

She’s still getting used to her new celebrity status. Of her packed panel session this summer at Comic-Con in San Diego with Marietta’s “True Blood” executive producer Alan Ball, she told us: “It was hell. “It was so huge and a little overwhelming. And when you have so many TV and movie people around you, there’s a lot of security.”

Thankfully, the author says only one car-load of overly zealous Sookie Stackhouse readers have actually driven to her Southern Arkansas hometown to pay an unscheduled visit.

“But the chamber of commerce lady tells me she gets a lot of calls!” Harris says laughing. “I honestly don’t know what people expect to see. I’m a boring middle class, middle aged wife and mother. There aren’t any vampires and werewolves in my back yard. I just have a very rich inner life!”

While her nine successful Sookie Stackhouse novels (a 10th, “Dead in the Family” is due out in May 2010) were initially optioned for the movies, “Six Feet Under” creator and “American Beauty” writer Ball was the Hollywood producer who finally proved to Harris he could effectively bring her characters to life via “True Blood.”

“Alan convinced me through his work and his words that he truly understood the comedy, the blood and the romance of the books,” Harris said.

Still, when the pilot episode of “True Blood” aired last year, Harris was uncertain how folks would receive it in her small hometown.

“I was doing this!” Harris explains, covering her face with her hands and peeking out from between two fingers. “There was just acres of flesh. I had to warn my husband! I thought I might have to pack up and leave town. But my neighbors told me, ‘Oh well, we know it was Alan who put all that sex stuff in.’ I remember thinking, ‘Well, Alan put most of that sex stuff in there!’ ”

Harris says she just signed a new book contract for Sookie novels 11, 12 and 13.

“These may be the final three Sookie books,” she says. “I want to stop while I’m still being entertained. I don’t want to be the last person to know I’ve gone stale.”

And Harris has had the final scene of the last book in her head since she was writing book two in the series.

“I know where the end of the rainbow is for Sookie,” Harris taunts with a mischievious smile. “It will please some readers and displease others, I’m sure. I just hope they’ll stick with me until I get there!”

Promo photos: Beyond Here Lies Nothin

True Blood Season 2 Finale Photos

Fan Fics Rejoice! Write your own True Blood episode

Entertainment Weekly Announcement: Write your own 'True Blood' episode!

by Ken Tucker

As we all know, there’s no new True Blood episode this Labor Day weekend. The season finale is Sept. 13.

But should we do without True Blood this weekend? Hell, no! Today I’m inviting you to participate in my “Write Your Own True Blood Episode” competition.

Here’s the deal:

Starting now until Sunday at 9 a.m. EST, please use the Comments section below to write a quick summary of the True Blood episode you wish was airing this Sunday, Sept. 6.

All I’d like is a few sentences, sketching the outline of a plot. You can keep it simple: Describe an episode in a way similar to those “log lines” that your cable provider gives you. You know, like, “Bill asks the Vampire Queen for help; Sookie and Lafayette try to save Tara but encounter an angry Maryann” — that sort of thing. (If you want to refresh your memory about last week’s episode, here’s my Watching TV blog on it.)

The key is to describe plot and character elements that fit into the current storyline, that you know would please and amuse show creator Alan Ball, book author Charlaine Harris, and be fun for your fellow fans. It’s your chance to write the imaginary second-to-last episode of Season Two!

Sound like fun? Try it; you don’t have to write a long entry.

And on Sunday night, Sept. 6, at 9 p.m. EST, when True Blood would usually air a new episode, I’ll announce some winners in a few categories: The Best Written, The Funniest, The Craziest. (Maybe the Sexiest. But keep the language clean, you sly filthy fangsters.) No prizes except for the fun of being picked and enjoying everyone’s take on Bill, Sookie, Eric, Maryann, and all our favorites.

Ready? On your mark, get set, go! Start writing your own True Blood episode below!

Sookie book fans: Charlaine Harris finished book 10

From Charlaine Harris' blog on charlaineharris.com

"I finished DEAD IN THE FAMILY Sunday, the last possible day I could finish it. My friend Toni is reading it now, and then I’ll send it to my editor, Ginjer. The concept of DITF was originally quite different from the book I ended up writing, but that often happens and doesn’t quite scare me like it used to. At first I thought DITF would be very episodic; it turned out to have a unifying theme and to have a crazy night of resolution. Of course, this may change once my editor has a read!

By the time I send a book in to New York, I hate it. Maybe I hate DITF a little less than others. I don’t know if that’s good or bad."

I'm looking forward to reading Dead in the Family! May can't get here quick enough!

Season 2 Finale episode description (SPOILER ALERT)

HBO's description of the Season 2 finale: "The mayhem in Bon Temps reaches a fever pitch as Maryann (Michelle Forbes) prepares for her ultimate bestial sacrifice, conscripting Sookie (Anna Paquin) to be maid of honor at the bloody nuptials. Meanwhile, Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood) warns Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) to keep the lid on Bill’s (Stephen Moyer) inquisitiveness; Jason (Ryan Kwanten) leads Andy (Chris Bauer) into the heroic abyss; and Hoyt (Jim Parrack) has a hard time swallowing Maxine’s (Dale Raoul) endless stream of insults. Deliberating on what may be his final move to save Sookie and the town, Sam (Sam Trammell) is forced to put his trust, and his life, in a most unlikely ally."

True Blood's Frenzy left us in a frenzy (and not in a good way)

io9.com: In Which True Blood Ruins My Vampire Yahtzee Fantasies
By Meredith Woerner, Mon Aug 31 2009 | Article link: here

Last night was the big campy Queen vampire reveal. Will she be pretty? Will she be rich? here's what vampire Evan Rachel Woods said to me... que sera sera.

This episode seemed to tread water a little bit, much like last week's, but at least we got in some quality Eric time. Seriously, he was all over the place with his Matrix-flying dress-wearing Swedish ass. And we approved of all of that. The rest? Well, kind of a crazy let down. But let me tell it to you, "Pro and Con" style.

Con: Evan Rachel Wood's Queen schtick. Was she a whole lotta glam packed in one tiny body? Yes. Well styled? Yes. Did she have a fabulous day room? Yes. Was she handed some of the best one-liners in True Blood History? Oh yes. The True Blood crew, writers, and stylists set this character up with the most non-fail safety net in the history of sexy vampires who say clever things. Which is why I'm shocked to the core at how she single handedly almost destroyed this character entirely. Her delivery came across as brittle, wooden and, well, dead.

In fact I enjoyed all those other things about her character so much that I would forget how bad her delivery was, with a gasp and giggle thinking... oooooh, vampire Bill playing Yahtzee — hand claps all around chortle, chuckle, snort — wait... what? You're not even trying. I felt like I was watching my baby sister pretend act out the Great Gatsby, slightly tipsy off strawberry wine but completely bored with the entire shenanigan. "Whaaats that you say," feigned eye roll and look of disinterest, "that's acting, mah dear boy. Now lookatme be all vampiresque and royal campy camp." It's not fair, she was handed the best lines of the night on a silver platter, and the whole time I was thinking Vampire Bill is out-crap-acting you. Be more something, anything — be more interesting. Your blood donors are out shining you. It was like listening to nails on a chalk board to hear her stiffly eke out the "kidding" joke to Bill about having sex. I know you are carefree and no longer of this world since you have all the answers but give us something, just a bit to go on.

Bottom line: ERW half committed to True Blood, and in a land where people shoot light out of their fingers, pretend to be horned gods, have sex with trees, and turn into flies, you really have to lay it all out there if you want to stand out. When Sam transforms into a fly, he sells it... when Jason talks his idiotic banter, there's no winky cringe from the actor trying to imply that he's secretly smart underneath it all. Ryan Kwanten is 100% Jason, awkward eggplant engorged penis scene and all, and that's why we love him. If you don't commit, you're just a disappointing cameo that wasted a great character. But what am I saying? There is no such thing as time or God or whatever for a vampire, but I don't really remember because I was zoning out every time she spoke, hoping we could get back to the day-room shots, which were lovely.

But again, let me remind you that her writing, look and surrounding cast were all excellent. I would frame the pictures I grabbed of her in her larger-than-average fangs. She's a classic undead beauty, you cannot deny it. But The Queen lost a loyal subject out of me entirely with her delivery.

But moving on, because it's not healthy to harp on this and there's a lot of good still to come.

Pro: Hoyt's response to Jessica's actions is pretty believable, and I approve — he's been a momma's boy longer than he's been a boyfriend.

Con: Tara is still upset about Eggs, I'm upset that she's upset about Eggs, doesn't she pride herself in being a smart person? Did she not just realize that she was possessed and that this lady is probably going to kill more people and make them eat hearts? So shouldn't we think about this a bit more? Nope, not Tara. She will yell and scream and say totally unfounded things like, "I finally found a strong, beautiful good man who loves me".... oh, Tara I hate to burst your bubble but, no. None of those things apply to Eggs, or anyone named Eggs, ever.

Con: Tara called Lafayette a freak....now you're just being mean. Pushing Lafayette off your side is the wrong thing to do lady.

Pro: Sam, Jason and Andy cleaning up the bar...glad we have time for this guys.

Pro: Jason and Sam fighting each other, and Jason kind of making sense — not really but a little bit, especially when he stats quoting leftover things in his brain, "sometimes you need to destroy something to save it."

Pro: Arlene's kids have taken to the woods, which is what kids do when they are hungry: turn into crazy feral children. That's why you should feed them regularly or they will turn on you.

Pro: Bill Texts Sookie. What do you think Bill's text looks like? "SUUUUKIE I WILL BE RETIRING AT THE PALACE, I WILL RETURN UPON NIGHTFALL. I WILL REQUIRE RELATIONS. ERIC IS EVIL. XO - VAMPIRE BILL"

Con: Sookie's description of Tara's feelings while being possessed made zero sense at all.

Con: Tara is spoiled and cares about no one other than herself, which is probably why she and Sook are besties. Seriously Tara you're going to let your Mom shoot the only person who cares about you? This whole nonsense is killing me. Everyone hates Eggs Tara, EVERYONE, so what you're trying to do here is not noble, it's severely irritating. LET HIM DIE.

Con: Why haven't we been seeing more of Lafayette's sex dreams? More of L's dreams, less of Sookie's, please.

Con: Lafayette's PTSD reaction. Twitchy boring annoying I hate both Tara and her mom now and whoever decided this is how they would demonstrate Lafayette's problems.

Pro: But because of his crazy PTSD episode we get Eric in Tara's mom's dress. Yay. I'd forgotten about these moments. So does this mean Lafayette is having sex dreams about Eric and PTSD dreams?

Pro: Sookie telling Tara she's being a fucking idiot. Well, at least someone said it. But it's not the same when the person delivering the news needs to be taking it as well.

Pro: Jason's mind wrapping around Sam's powers. I'm glad it doesn't actually stop here with the questions. What if Sam....

Pro: Dance With me!

Con: Sam and Arlene kids talking about their mysterious missing Daddy: "All i know is his name is Dwayne and he tattooed mama's name on her stomach." Well, that's probably not important at all, is it?

Con: Sookie telling Lafayette to suck it up. Is he not driving the car towards the problem? Timing, babe, timing.

Con: Tara storming in and kissing smiley faced Eggs and not once thinking, hmmmm this was a huge mistake. But no matter "That shit doesn't work on her anymore...punch to the face.....nope wait it does." So that was easy enough, wasn't it? Moving on.

Con: Maryann's new powers of 1,000 squeaking mice is inside our minds.

Pro: Jason arguing about taking advantage of women while they're passed out or under the influence of the devil or whatnot.

Con: SHAME on you True Blood for making me think that Andy was dead, even for a second.

Pro: Hoyt's sad backstory, finding out while his mom was all crazy pants. Also pro to whatever his Mom was cooking, out of hot sauce and candy...

Con: Sookie comparing the naked people in her house to when she almost got raped in Dallas — but really, this house defilement was so much worse than her rape. Are you kidding me? It's like there is a bell in her head saying, "Wait a minute, we stopped talking about me. Hey remember when I almost got raped, you don't? Well this is way worse. Did you hear me I said I was almost raped you know. Me me me me me me I I I I I I, the world all happens because I make it so!"

Pro: Thank god Arlene and Terry are in the tree and could stop this madness with more madness.

Pro: This is the first time I've been afraid of the black-eyed people because holy crumudgeoncrapple she just cut off her finger as a gift! I'm glad they didn't take it this far too early.

Pro: Sink guy, at my next party, I'm making sure I have one of those handy.

Pro: Eric decides to sit like this....

Con: Hey remember Pam? She remembers you and wants you to remember the funny joke she made once about shoes, remember she just said it! Think! Hard! Also BAD outfit. Pam, but arguably this is all in her wheelhouse, so it's a Con/Pro really for being consistent, like when Bill wet-blankets things.

Pro: Tea cup humans are delicious.

Con: Eric's willingness to help out, presumably to impress Sookie. Blah, we are so lucky that this whole disgusting display of emotion was then covered up with FLYING ERIC.....zoooooooooom. Eric Awaaaaay. Flying is a Pro.

Pro: Bill in flowery swimming trunks.

Con: This whole hilarious moment is almost ruined by the Queen and her attempt to convince me that she loves seeing two men together — please, with some sort of believability, please. Prove it.

Con: KARL! oh no who will bring us towels now! No way will Lafayette be her bitch man.

Con: EVR is RUINING vampire Yahtzee for me. RUINING IT. I will never forgive her for this. This is one of those moments that will probably never be captured on screen again and she is just yawning through it. I'm being robbed of the experience of fully enjoying vampire Yahtzee. And the worst part of it all, I feel like she knows she's doing it. I'm getting the impression that in her mind she doesn't really care how the Vampire Queen of Louisiana would play Yahtzee. I never actually believed that she hated 3-sies or anything else she was all but reciting from memory during this conversation. It's more, "I said a funny campy thing. Look at me, I'm so glam-glam goth, which is totally in right now, campy camp camp words, okay bye." UGH.

Pro: Thank god for Hadley and her slutty but not really bathing suit, and pigtails. It's cute trash with a red strawberry tint, and I'm into it. Am I curious about her backstory, maybe next season with the whole Arlene's other ex whatnot. I like that Bill didn't tell her Gan was dead, probably for that best.

Pro: Thank you for finally saying what we've all been thinking, Queeny. This is your pro for the night: it's time for Eric and Bill to get together already.

Pro: Eric's mussy Peter Pan hair. I can flyyyyyyyyyyyy.

Pro: Bill calling Eric desperate and than saying he'll tell the Queen he's letting humans sell vampire blood. Who's desperate now, bitch? I also like how pissed this made Eric, let's hope there is more to the Queen. A mean side perhaps?

Pro: Jason making sure he and Andy carb up before their big battle, then they each say pussy 1,000 times and Jason gets to talk about how hard it is being him... There really is too much good to this conversation. I think I need to post it.

I'm taking back last weeks aforementioned Supernatural Surveillance Andy and Sam private eye sitcom... I'm thinking it may have to be three men and a vampire baby, I can't live without Jason saying the things that he does. Accepting title submissions now.

Also another pro to Jason for foreshadowing the terrible scrambled ended. Remember this is how True Blood uses foreshadowing, by just telling us the future.

Con: Sookie is STILL on the floor? She's so helpful and smart.

Con: Sink boy is gone.

Con: Aaaaand the big reveal is a giant egg. Yep a giant freaking egg. No, no seriously a group of adults sat down and looked at each other and decided that the big climax for the second to last episode that we've bore through countless hours of group sex for, will be squeezed out of Maryann's well dressed body, because she is a chicken lady.

Then Sookie screams because they just ruined the best character in the world by making him a black-eyed zombie. And I scream, because it's a giant fucking egg. This is what I've been waiting for? So Maryann is going to make love to whatever comes out of the egg, or does it need to be fertilized like fish eggs? Will she sit on top of it at one point and cluck like a giant bird? Yes, True Blood, I was surprised, but I'm not sure if it was a good thing. Then again that's pretty ridiculous but perhaps we've gone a bit too far with this one. We may have crossed the rat shit insane Rubicon by already having Eric in a dress, Yahtzee, black eyed naked zombies and flying undead people. Just saying it's hard not to see this giant egg and think this...

And that's it. We have to wait a whole extra week before the finale, which feels like a reenactment of Jason's god hoax from the previous episodes but with more dresses, and probably a death. Here's what I'm taking away with ERW: she was bad, but beautiful. My problem with her was the stiff delivery which really got in the way when you compare her to the actors that are just going insane on this series. Eric had to bend over and convince me that children were especially yummy this episode, and he did, expertly. So can I just take old ERW as eye candy and just que sera the whole Queen conundrum, like she did to Bill's problems... Yes I can, I'm not happy about her super-fun game time face, but there's always vampire Taboo and vampire Pictionary.