Author Spotlight: Interview and Giveaway with Charlaine Harris

Today I am excited to bring you an interview with Charlaine Harris.  Charlaine is the New York Times Best Selling author of the oh so famous Southern Vampire/Sookie Stackhouse novels.  Her wonderful books spawned the TV Series True Blood.

DB:  Describe Charlaine Harris in five words.


CH:  Happy, successful, busy, busy, busy.


DB:  What's a day in your life like?


CH:  There's no such thing as a typical day any more. I go out to my office about 8, answer emails, and start work. I'm constantly getting phone calls from my agent, my assistant, and others. I work until noon, take off for a while for lunch, then in the afternoons I work some more or my assistant comes over and we go through the tasks that have accumulated.


DB:  What inspired you to become a writer and how old were you?


CH:  I always wanted to be a writer, from when I could write.


DB:  Who are some of your favorite authors and what new release(s) are you dying to get your hands on?


CH:  I'm always up for the latest Naomi Novik, EE Knight, Laurell K. Hamilton, Lee Child, or Carrie Vaughn. I read a lot, and over a wide range of genres.


DB:  Where did you get the idea to start the Sookie Stackhouse novels?


CH:  I was tired of writing conventional mysteries, and I thought it would be fun to write about a young woman who was dating a vampire. That was a new and fresh idea, that long ago.


DB:  So, you've got a new Sookie Stackhouse novella in Death's Excellent Vacation.  Can you give us a summary of what it's about?


CH:  It's a short story, so it doesn't bear much summarization. The novella will be in THE SOOKIE COMPANION, out next February, which is about Sam Merlotte's brother's marriage in a little town in Texas.


DB:  You have so many different characters that could easy create several different series.  Of all your characters, I love Pam and Eric and all their shenanigans.  Is there a chance that there will be a spinoff of some sorts from any of the characters once the Sookie Stackhouse series ends.


CH:  It's a possibility, but not one that's lighting my fire right now.


DB:  Okay there are suppose to be thirteen novels in the series, right?  When will the next installment come out?


CH:  Sookie always comes out in May.

DB:  I've been dying to ask this.  I know you probably get asked this a lot as  the writer, but let's say for instance that you aren't Charlaine Harris, but a  regular fan like me.  Who would you want Sookie  to end up with? 


CH:  I simply can't imagine that. I created all these characters, and it's impossible for me to stand back like that.


DB:  I actually found out about your books by watching True Blood.  I caught the  end of season one and immediately went out and got all of your books and read  them.  The show follows your timeline but adds a few extra plot twists.  I know that you have nothing to do with the writing or anything, but are you a True Blood fan?  If so, are you glued to you TV every Sunday like me?


CH:  I love the show, and usually I'm watching like everyone else, though I sometimes get to see episodes in advance.




*Charlaine Harris has been a published novelist for over twenty-five years. A native of the Mississippi Delta, she grew up in the middle of a cotton field. Now she lives in southern Arkansas with her husband, her three children, three dogs, and a duck. The duck stays outside.
For more on this wonderful author, please visit her website.
*Bio from author's website

Contest Alert!!!

Up for grabs is an autographed  copy of Club Dead, the third book in her Sookie Stackhouse novels. If you are a True Blood fan and have never read the series, here's your chance!  Contest is only open to US residents.  The contest will end on Aug 31.  Winner will be randomly selected and emailed.  Winner will have 72 hours to respond or another winner will be selected.  To enter, you must

• Be a blog follower thru Goggle Friend Connect
• Tell me who you think Sookie should end up with and why
• Leave your email so I can contact you

Tweeting about the contest will give you one extra entry but you must include the exact link to your tweet in your comment.

Good luck!

Contest Closed