Q&A with Charlaine Harris: Books vs. TV series
By Lividity on Mar 12 2010 | 8 Comments »
Charlaine Harris likes True Blood
Digital Spy published an interview they recently did with Charlaine Harris, the author who created the Sookie Stackhouse novels and the fictional world of Bon Temps, Louisiana. Here we go again! Books vs. series is all the rage this year.
Since last year, it’s been hard to escape the phenomenon that is True Blood. Vampires have been made cool again, biting is all the rage, and Stephen Moyer calendars are hanging on walls around our office the world. While Alan Ball has been responsible for bringing Sookie Stackhouse and co. to our screens, author of the novels Charlaine Harris is the real brains behind the world of Bon Temps. Recently, we caught up with her to talk all things TB.
What was your reaction when you were approached to take your books to the small screen?
“I’d been approached before and it hadn’t come to anything, so when that option arrived, I had three offers on the books. But of course, Alan’s was the most interesting! I was very excited when it looked like it was gonna gel.”
Have you been following the series?
“Yes I have!”
And what are your thoughts?
“I’m amazed! I love Alan’s creativity, I love the cast – I’ve just been very impressed with the way he’s stayed true to the spirit of the books. I’ve been with the characters for so long, but I admire the way they’re taking the parts and making them their own.”
Does Anna Paquin do a good Sookie?
“Anna Paquin does a fantastic Sookie! I was so excited when she wanted the role and I think she’s doing a wonderful job. It’s bizarre seeing famous faces acting out my characters – it’s very strange and I’m still trying to get used to it! But of course, seeing my name up there every week is quite a thrill!”
How does the series compare to the books?
“They’re very different in a lot of ways. The plot has been altered quite a bit and there’s more material that I didn’t write because they’re having to bring in the secondary characters and buff them up. There are some great differences, but as Alan promised me, he is staying true to the spirit of the books – and that’s what I wanted.”
Have there been any changes that you didn’t like?
“There have been some sub-stories that I wasn’t as nuts about as others, but there hasn’t been anything I’ve really hated. I wasn’t too keen on the voodoo story, but I see now why they introduced it in the second season. Once I saw it, it all made sense.”
Have you been involved at all in the series?
“Oh no – my involvement consists of my having written the books.”
Would you be up for writing an episode?
“No. I’m too busy! I know that sounds pretentious, but I can’t imagine trying to make the time for that.”
How many more Sookie Stackhouse books do you have planned?
“I don’t plan anything! I’m signed through book 13, and I’ll consider whether or not to finish the series probably when I’m writing the next book.”
Are you conscious that what you write may affect the television series?
“No. Alan doesn’t tell me how to write the books and I don’t tell him how to write the series and I’ll continue the series the way I think is best to tell my story. Of course, he’s telling a slightly different story.”
You’re contracted for 13 books. How long do you see the TV series running for?
“Well they’re contracted through season four, and I’m sure they’ll re-evaluate then.”
You’ve said before that you have no plans to turn Sookie into a vampire. Why is that?
“I just think it would be a betrayal of the character. That is totally unappealing to me.”
Finally, how likely is it that you’ll kill Sookie off in the last book?
“Killed?! Oh no, no, no! I don’t think you really need to worry about that!”
Related reading: check out Tales from the Book Side
I’m glad she’s pleased with Alan Ball sticking to the spirit of the books, I’ve heard her say this before so I’ve never been worried about her sitting on her pile of money fuming about being disrespected or some such nonesense. I’m also strangely pleased that she won’t kill off Sookie. I can’t explain why, because part way through the first book I was ready to kill her off myself.
LMAO! It was the third book when I started to get homicidal thoughts. She was acting like a skank in bad clothes (I still shudder at that dress with the zip off sleeves). I agree with Ms Harris, Sookie should never be turned. Much as she likes to hang out with vampires, she certainly doesn’t want to be one.
I have a need to know. Both CH and AB refer to the “spirit of the books”. What the hell does that mean? That the plot lines stay the same? That the characters stay the same? That eventually TB makes no more sense then the books? That AB will also use lemon juice as a weapon? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Ooops, did I disparage the books? The show? Should I duck? I forgot to last time.
Maybe it means sticking with the theme of outsiders entering mainstream society, Sookie being brave and accepting and standing up to intolerance, showing the flaws within the human and supernatural communities and of course lots of sex. I found it funny in an interview that she thinks her neighbours would not be accepting of all the sex in the show. But the show only shows what she refers to but does not describe (Jason, the sex club, etc), because Sookie’s not there. Sookie and Bill have more sex in her first two books than they did in the series, didn’t they?
Aem! OK, we were watching The Lost Boys in honor of the lost Corey and you know what? The Coreys used garlic infused holy water to combat the vampires. How did they do it? SQUIRTGUNS. Hmmmm.
Oh, and I think the ‘spirit’ is a generalization. AB wouldn’t turn Sookie unless CH does.
I’m not going to say keeping the characters true to the book, as book Sookie is not the sort of heroine I would want to watch on TV and Lafayette would be dead.
I too think the ‘spirit’ is less the plot and the chracters, more about Ball and Hariss finding common ground with the themes to be explored.
Sounds like a mutually agreed upon generic and misleading term that can mean many things….and can also NOT mean many things, lol
Sounds like vamp politics!
Don’t worry book and HBO fans…in the end both camps will be disappointed equally with the show. BTW, is that Mrs. Doubtfire sitting at the bar?
I always thought maintaining “the spirit of the books” meant keeping the overall theme the same (i.e., acceptance of people of a different race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.). I think having Sookie become a vampire would be out of character considering her desires throughout the books; she wants to live as normal a life as she can (with no violence), she wants to get married and have kids, spend time in broad daylight with her man, eat breakfast with him.