Konfetti
Guest correspondent, fanfiction writer extraordinaire and friend of the site, Konfetti, discusses how True Blood and the Sookie Stackhouse novels can indeed peacefully coexist – really, this is not a joke.
Anyone that has spent any amount of time online looking at True Blood stuff and perusing blogs and fansites has either figured out – or has been told (probably loudly and more than once) that the show is based off a series of books by Charlaine Harris. So far, there are nine books and I’ve read them ALL!
(What? I don’t get a cookie for that? Heh, didn’t think so.)
Fear not! I’m not going to go into some long blah blah blah about which is better, the books or the show. (If anyone is really interested in that topic, I can point you to dozens of discussion threads where these arguments rage ad nauseum. I peruse them myself on nights when I feel like a rousing game of tic-tac-toe.)
Moving on! I’m also not going to lure you in with sweet words and talk of apples and oranges. I promise I’m not simply biding my time until I can catch unsuspecting show fans with their guard down and bash them over the head repeatedly with my signed copy of book four.
(Mainly because I do not in fact have a signed copy of book four. But dammit to the bowels of bloody hell, I sure wish I did)
I honestly don’t have a problem with people that watch True Blood and don’t bother with or just don’t like the books. Really. <insert redneck voice here> Heck, some of my best friends are non-book people!
Now, do I think that I, as a self-proclaimed bookie, know more than the average TB viewer? Well, yeah, I know how much money I’ve spent on Sookie books over the years, does that count? But I’m not oblivious to the undercurrent of elitism that seems to fester within the fandom, in the split between fans that prefer the show and those that prefer the books. Bookies seem to be very quick to let everyone know they’re bookies, and I wonder sometimes if there are old folks out there with bumper stickers that say ‘My adult child reads.’
Here’s the thing: I don’t live with my head stuck in the proverbial sand; I know what goes on in this crazy online world of True Blood. I’ve seen some antics by my fellow bookies on discussion forums and blogs that is just plain rude, man. Part of the problem is loose fingers spilling secrets about things that may (or more than likely may not) happen in future seasons. You know, spoiler stuff. I didn’t go out a few weeks ago and see Zombieland and then turn around and go to work the next day and tell everyone the plot twists and the ending. (If I would have, one of the chicks I work with would have kicked my ass into next week, so that alone was powerful motivation to be nice, but I digress.)
I know it’s easy to spill the beans – especially when you get a good rant going or you’re trying to speculate on plots – and I’ve been guilty of having my head up my butt a few times myself in regards to typing before thinking. It happens, but I like to think most of us are really trying to be polite and the spoilers that pop out are simply D’oh! moments and nothing malicious. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
The other big issue that seems far too common is when bookies try to tell non-bookies that their opinions on True Blood and certain characters will alter if they would only read the books! Uh, yeah. There is so much wrong with that statement I can’t even begin to address it here. Onward!
This all brings me to the main point. (Yes, I do actually have a point. Sort of.) There seems to be a lot of book people that are pissed off – to varying degrees – about the, ahem, creative license Alan Ball has made in regards to his show. I’ve been there; I’ve had moments where I didn’t quite understand the direction Alan was taking and my brow furrowed in confusion while I patiently waited for his vision to become clear.
Okay, not really. I wish I had been that calm and thoughtful, but the truth is I was a complete whackjob for the better half of season one.
See, I had this whole True Blood thing built up in my head; I thought I had a pretty good bead on how the show was going to roll. I mean, after all, I had read ALL the books, right? (Still no cookie?) I was well versed in the characters, the plot. I knew who was going to die and who would live. It was a God- like state and I was confident I’d be able to watch each episode and say the lines right along with Sookie and Bill and Sam and Eric. Such was my delusion that first night.
All was going pretty well at first. Sam was close to how I imagined him. Sookie was pretty good, not quite as I pictured her, but at least Anna dyed her hair blonde (and big props to her for that, because going that blonde from being that brunette takes a real commitment and some hella maintenance.) I was diggin’ it all, having a good time watching one of my favorite stories come to life. Then I saw Bill.
My breath caught in my throat when he entered Merlotte’s. He moved like a ghost, he was the very epitome of the Bill I had always pictured in my head and my heart fluttered. His face, his body language, his blue eyes….hold up….
Oh, hell no!
What was this? Bill has a cool, dark gaze. His eyes are supposed to be darker than his hair and I can prove it! It’s right here on page two, paragraph seven of book one! What kind of second rate show am I watching here, anyway?
Did it matter that Bill looked way hot with the dark hair and blue eyes? Nope, no way. I didn’t wanna hear it. Don’t come at me with logic when my entire world has just been turned upside down!
Bill... wait... Bill!? Killing Longshadow?
And it just kinda went downhill from there. Every plot that took an unexpected turn, every line that was changed, and yes, Eric’s ratty wig – it all served to chip away at my happy place. I watched every week, waiting – nay! Hoping that things would start to fall into place the way it was supposed to. But it didn’t, of course. After a few months I was so far gone in a state of horrified disbelief at the perceived travesty being done to one of my favorite book series that I didn’t think things could get any worse. But then episode eight rolled around with the infamous staking heard ’round the world, and I thought my head was going to explode when I saw Bill kill Longshadow.
Bill? Bill??
No….oh my God, no, please no! Page 206 dammit, page 206!
I sputtered, I choked, I cried until I had the hiccups. I mourned the injustice done to my beloved books and I gathered them all up and held them gently to my breast and spoke tender words into their pages while I wailed and gnashed my teeth in the shower. I lit candles and rocked on the floor in a trance. I considered voodoo dolls and writing strongly worded letters. I found myself shaking my fist at the television and stomping about the house and quoting The Ten Commandments at random moments: “So it is written, so it shall be done! Do you hear me, Alan? So it is written!”
I hadn’t taken anything so hard since the Han and Greedo ‘who shot first’ debacle of ’97.
I found refuge online with other bookies that held my view, but even the knowledge that I was not alone failed to sate my hunger for justice. God forgive me, but I sought solace through comfort food.
That's right! I said cockadoodie!
I’m not exactly sure when it happened, but somewhere around my fifth or sixth bowl of Moose Tracks, I began to have a revelation. (It’s truly amazing the healing power of ice cream) I realized that if I continued on this path I was in real danger of becoming a character in a Stephen King story. You ever see Misery? I had a terrible vision of myself as Annie Wilkes, clutching my copy of Dead Until Dark and screaming “He didn’t get out of the cockadoodie car!”
I knew I had to get a grip before I hobbled someone.
True Blood, I began to see, wasn’t taking anything away from me or my Sookie novels. I still had my books, stacked neatly on the alter…err…bookshelf.
And once I realized that simple fact, I was able to watch True Blood with clearer eyes – eyes not bloodshot from fits of righteous rage – and see things I had either missed or dismissed. I found I really liked Tara the way she was written in the show. And Lafayette! He was great, wasn’t he? I found myself wavering in my resolve, in my staunch loyalty to the books, and feeling horrified at the thought Lafayette would be gone soon. He was on the destined to die list, after all.
Shit.
For the first time, I found myself really hoping that Alan Ball might, you know, make a few more wee changes here and there. And he did. And Lafayette lived. And there was much rejoicing. And people feasted upon the lambs and sloths and carp.
And that my friends is when I realized I had found peace in this fandom. I had achieved a zen-like state of calm that allows me to now watch True Blood and love it for what it is, instead of what it is not. And it’s not the Sookie books. Not really. But I still have those, too. (I’m a greedy bugger, what can I say?) And all the changes Alan Ball is making…well, instead of being annoyed by them, I cherish them, look forward to them even. It keeps me guessing, and who doesn’t like surprises? I find myself engaged in the story lines and eagerly awaiting the next season every bit as much as I look forward to Charlaine’s next novel.
Are there still things from the books I hope to see in the show? Well, sure. It’s not like I can just switch off my brain and forget everything I’ve read. But if it doesn’t happen, I’m still okay with it. I know True Blood may not give me everything I want, but I’m confident it will always give me something else in exchange, probably something I didn’t even realize I wanted. Close a door but open a window, that sort of thing.
Don't ask me hooka, I'm alive is all I know
After this year’s finale’, I went into work the next morning and was stopped by one of my galpals before I even had a chance to put my purse down. She is an avid True Blood fan but has never cracked one of the books. She grabbed my arm and demanded that I tell her who took Bill! She simply couldn’t wait until next year to find out. Surely I must know, she reasoned, because I had read the books!
I gave her a huge smile and did my best Lafayette impression when I answered her.
“Hooker,” I said. “I ain’t got no idea.”
And I don’t. And how cool is that?
Have a “Fangirls Speak Out” article of your own? Shoot us an email.
This article is PRICELESS!!!!!
Such a funny article KF; thanks for the good time. You define very well what happens between bookies and “showies” but even better the fantastic jobl Alan is bringing together. He has said a lot of times that he wants the people who read the books not really knowing what’s next. I guess people that owns the capability of accept changes will enjoy it and others will keep ranting for the next 10 seasons. Same happens with life.
thanks friend!
Wonderful, fantastic article KF. As a true “showie” it opened my eyes to how “bookies” feel, well maybe not. ;) I wish, hope that all “bookies” can come to the same conclusions you have, so they can enjoy the show as much as you and I and other “showies” do.
LMAO!!! I think you have outdone yourself my friend. This is great!!! The Misery tie-in is hysterical.
PS….I don’t think Han fired the first shot, Greedo did. But, that’s for another board.
*Holds up her super geek ring and taps KF’s*
Sorry TC, Han shot first in the original. They tried to soften it up in the ‘remastered’ version to make Han look more sympathetic. Piffle.
Thanks for sparking the geek in us KF!
no problem, Liv! I do what I can :P
Excellent piece KF!
KF, I couldn’t agree more. Well done, my friend! I want all the bookies to read this.
I am a bookie and I love not knowing what to expect in the show. It makes the show that much better for me and it is great knowing the characters but really not knowing what to suspect from them in AB’s world.
Great Article and presented very well!
I am proud 2 say I am a bookie and my sister isn’t…I have all the books out as well as the shows…and is see the difference and my sis wants 2 know the storyline…so I tell what I read and we go from that 2 the next shows previews and we put it 2gether and find comon ground which is rare for us…so thanx 2 the books and the show 4 bringing 2 sisters 2gether again
Well once and again thumbs up, hats of, love the article, KF great piece, I read almost all the books, still haven’t got the last one, but It I read the books after season one. Of course I have read a lot of discussions panels in facebook, which took me to the saying, curiosity kill the cat, so while on vacation I got almost all the books, except the first one because I thought, “oh well season one is based in book one”. To my surprise a lot of stuff wasn’t included in the series, that were part of the books. So as you did, I found a zen place, a happy medium. So now I’m like a lot of truebies, just waiting for season three and satisfying the TB cravings with a few fanfics ;o)
This was one hell of a good article!! You summed up a lot of the way I felt when I first started watching the show. I had read the books and I was startled when things changed. But I took a step back and realized that the books and the show did not have to be the same for them to be good. I am an intensely huge fan of the show, but I also love the books. I just got my mom through season 1 after she finished reading all of the books. She kept grabbing my arm wanting to know what was going on, why were things so different. I just kind of laughed, seeing as I was the same way when I started watching. She has finally gotten to the point of just accepting that they are different.
I am proud to be a fan of the show and a bookie as well!
Oh yeah, I would love to own a signed copy of book four as well :-D
Excellent guest Fangirls piece, KF, really well written. I have read all the books, the first two more than once, and I have been known to do a WTF? when things I liked in the books didn’t happen on the show or got switched around. Initially, I really enjoyed them, but the extreme rudeness of certain ‘bookies’ online have turned my like to meh and sometimes I have the overwhelming urge to have a ceremonial book burning on the front lawn. And I am bloody sick and tired of some smart ass saying to me ‘if you’ve only read the books, you’d love Eric and hate Bill.’ Piss off, I have read them, and I made up my own mind rather than following the herd.
Another thing that makes me cringe about the books, is that the characters are sometimes very uncool. Bad clothes, hair, music choices…i’m sorry but Hairigami? Wearing dockers, a golf shirt and loafers? Mariah frigging Carey? Thank christ the show is styled so awesomely, as I cannot lust after a man in loafers and Dockers y’all. Anyway, one must look at the books and show as parallel worlds and enjoy them both, or one, and don’t expect either to reflect each other in a significant way. Halleujahs baby.
WoW KF that was an amazing Article…
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Thank you KF. There’s a whole lotta people on a whole lotta threads that I WISH would read this article and see the light. The bookie in me loves the subtleties in the lines of a good read, along with the experience of allowing my imagination to conjur what it will. There are times when there’s nothing like the visual to bring things to life.
Maybe it comes down to vision or perception — whose vision is being presented and how much that fits with your own perception. When it’s spot on, it’s easy to nod and bask in the warmth the knowing the “real” truth :) yet as you say, perhaps you are cheated out of the opportunity to see a new and refreshing point of view. When it’s very different you can decide to cling to the absolute you have conjured or open yourself up to a new thought or two.
I don’t always like CH Harris’s direction and I don’t always like where AB goes – but I always enjoy the opportunity to walk on the road they create.
Can’t call myself a bookie, although having read all the books I am informed about what happens in CH’s world. I do enjoy the fact that I realize when things have diverged from books – makes it all the more interesting when I know that it’s TB writers and not CH moving the figures around the chessboard.
Thank you again KF for writing such an awesome article. I wish we could make it mandatory reading for several of the folks out in the True Blood Sookieverse.
I have read some of the books – I am with CE here – liked the first 2 books. I also could not get the in depth on the clothing, hair or music – yuk! I also did not like CH’s stance with Bill. I don’t think she clarified him enough and concentrated on Eric. She has since said that she does not understand why readers do not see that Eric has evil in him and that she does not understand why readers don’t like Bill – eh! maybe because she wrote them that way! I can’t stand the Bookies saying “Read the books – you will hate Bill and Love Eric”! WRONG!! I love Bill -book Bill and TV Bill. I don’t want to know what is in store – I like the surprises that AB has for us. He may say “oh yes, I will be doing that” but when it comes on the screen, it really has a different slant! I love that!! I love his quirkiness and I love the characters on the screen! TV Sookie is much better than the book version, who I thought was a bit of a skank. As AB has said when he said that he will veer away from the books – “More power to the Bookies! They will have the books and the TV series!”.
Loved your article and the captions on the photos! Well done KF! I enjoyed your take.
*grabs tissues*, KF, I just read this again and you make us so proud, *sniff.* I am honored that you are a Bill’s Wiki’d Women :) specially since you are a rocking Vampwich :)
Thanks for the nice comments my wiki’d friends, y’all are very kind & just awesome to create a site where everyone feels welcome, even renegade bookies! xoxo
LOL….we have learned to duck when you throw your books at us. And you KNOW….we love picking every little detail apart. Again, great read KF.
Great read KF! I’m new to this site and I absolutely adore it! A lot of intelligent writing and great opinions (such as yours) makes it a really enjoyable place to come and feed my TB addiction. =)
Welcome Cuzin! we are lucky to have such wonderful friends that write so well! Hope to see you around The Nest ; )
Thanks ZZ! I’m totally hooked to TB. I just purchased all the books Last Sunday and I’m on book #6 already. Love it!!! It’s almost laughable the way all the men/supes flock to that girl in the book. It’s like she has a magic cooter box or something.
I appreciate the way AB keeps us on our toes and doesn’t follow the books exactly. I just hope he doesn’t go off on a tangent with some random character from the book like he did with Maryanne. Or at least make it worth our while. I was so over that storyline! And the cast is a wonderful array of actors……not too bad on the eyes either! =)
Hookuh, I aint got no idea!
I am a bookie and have recently accepted what is to come on True Blood. It’s all good in the end. I’m super excited about season 3 — and not just the Sookie-Bill-Eric drama, I’m kinda over that. I want to see Jason and Sam and Tara and Lafayette. Alan Ball has definitely brought more to the table than Charlaine.
Also, I really want to see the Newlins again. Hehe.
I’m a bookie as well and haven’t started Season 2 yet, but super excited that it is reairing on HBO (now that I have it!). I like that the show is different than the books only because I know how the story goes in the books and now the show has a different story. And I can have more love for these characters!
I do have hopes for certain scenes in the books end up on the show, but we’ll have to see!!!! But I’m so happy Lafayette Lives!!! He’s great!
Omg, that thing is so funny. I need to share that.