Author Archive
New Sookie Book: The Sookie Stackhouse Companion!
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Title: The Sookie Stackhouse Companion
Author: Charlaine Harris
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Pages: 320 pages
Genre: Vampire Romance
In this new Sookie Stackhouse book Sookie and Sam travel together to attend Sam’s brother’s wedding. If you look at the book cover you’ll see that it’s a drawing of Sookie with a dog – I assume the dog represents Sam!
The book will also contain a section where Sookie answers fan questions! A couple of months ago Charlaine Harris ran a contest where fans could email their questions to her and she’d choose the best ones for the book. I’m sure someone asked questions about Sookie’s future love life!
An exclusive interview with Alan Ball is also included in the book. It will be interesting to see if he reveals anything about Season 4 of True Blood.
The Sookie Stackhouse Companion is now on sale at a special pre-order price.
Everything Is Broken in True Blood Episode 9
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Here are the Top 10 Highlights of tonight’s episode of True Blood
#10 - Sookie and Bill make wild love in the shower. Oops, was that Bill’s naughty bit I just glimpsed?
#9 - Sookie isn’t one to cuddle after sex. Afterwards, she confronts Bill about a secret file he has on her. He explains that he started the file in order to learn more about her background and understand why Eric is so interested in her.
#8 - Eric bar, Fangtasia gets searched by a vampire from the AVL (American Vampire League) who brings troops with her. Looks like the AVL is pretty hi-tech with their weapons, webcams and monitors. Eric rats out Russell Edgington and tells the AVL rep and The Authority that Russell is giving blood to werewolves and plans to build his power base, regardless of what The Authority and the AVL think. The AVL unofficially gives Eric the green light to take Russell out. But they won’t give him any assistance.
#7 - And the award to the stupidest character goes to . . . Jason Stackhouse (come on, you’re not surprised, right?). Crystal ties up the guy that assaulted her and Jason calls the cops, using a silly falsetto voice. Um, Jason used his own cell phone to make the call. Don’t you think Bon Temps has caller ID?
Unfortunately, one of the deputies, Kevin, went out to investigate the call and got beaten to within an inch of his life.
Also, I hope they bring back Sheriff Bud Dearborn. He was the voice of reason in the Bon Temps police department.
#6 - Sookie’s cousin Hadley confesses that she told Sophie-Anne, the Vampire Queen of Louisiana, about Sookie’s powers. She wants to know if her son, Hunter, has telepathic power like Sookie. Turns out, he does. Hadley freaks out and drags Hunter away.
#5 - Bill has a dream where he wakes up during the day in a beautiful, mysterious land. He sees Claudine who throws a lightball at him, just as Sookie did to Maryann Forrester.
#4 - Hoyt has a new girlfriend, Summer. Hoyt and Summer run into Jessica at Merlotte’s, where Jessica is working as a waitress. Can you say awkward?
Also, I don’t like Summer – she sounds like someone from The Fellowship of the Sun to me.
Hurrah! Looks like Hoyt doesn’t really like this girl – he’s still in love with Jessica!
#3 - Sam opens a can of whoop ass on Calvin Norris, Crystal’s father, who comes to Merlotte’s to take Crystal back home. Oh shit! Lafayette and Jesus put Calvin in the car to drive him to the hospital. Crystal goes with them.
#2 - While outside, Franklin Mott grabs Tara. Uh, Tara thought she’d killed him. Looks like Franklin still has a love jones for her. Whoa! Jason saves the day by unloading a wooden bullet into Franklin’s chest. Go Jason!
#1 - The episode ends with a news anchor being killed ON THE AIR by Russell Edgington! Russell then turns to the camera and tells the public that the AVL is covering up the fact that vampires still drink the True Blood, the blood that flows through humans. He tells them that vampires don’t want equal rights because humans ARE NOT the equals of vampires.
Funniest Lines from True Blood Episode 9 – Everything is Broken:
• Jessica, trying to say something nice about Hoyt’s new girlfriend: “She seems . . . short.”
• Russell Edgington, after killing an anchorman live, while on the air, says: “Now, time for the weather.”
Question for viewers: What name did Russell call when he made the statement about the weather? I missed the name of the weather person he called. Hit me up in the Comments section.
Check out next week’s True Blood episode called I Smell A Rat. Be sure to go to the end of the post to see Patty Griffin’s perform the song in Nashville.
Fantasy Book Cover Artist – Dan Dos Santos
Posted by: | CommentsWhen you’re browsing for something new to read at your local bookstore, what makes you stop and pick up a particular book? For me it’s the cover art. If I see a book with an awesome cover, I’ll pick it up just to examine the design more closely. Sometimes, based on the book’s synopsis, I’ll purchase the book – sometimes not.
I’m happy to say that there’s one group of books that hits it on both counts: they’re incredibly well written and the cover art is awesome:
The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. The cover art is provided by Dan Dos Santos.
Check out some of Dan’s work:
This is the book cover for the new Mercy Thompson book titled “Silver Borne” by Patricia Briggs. It’s due to hit the streets in March 2010.
Isn’t this awesome!
I could stare at this illustration for hours.
Here’s an illustration for the movie Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
This illustration won the 2009 Chesley Award for Best Product Illustration! Yea Dan!
Here’s the cover art for the book Ancient Bloodlines.
Dan is an awesome artist isn’t he? Check out more of his art in his gallery at DanDosSantos.Com. Enjoy!
Meet Holly, the New Waitress in True Blood Episode 8, Night On The Sun
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Last week Vampire Bill’s maker, the evil Lorena, was killed by Sookie, who shoved a metal pole through her heart. When I saw that I couldn’t help but think of the Bon Jovi song:
“Shot through the heart,
And you’re to blame,
Darlin’
You give love a bad name”
In tonight’s True Blood Episode 8, titled Night On The Sun we meet a NEW character. Her name is Holly Cleary (portrayed by Lauren Bowles) and she’s a new waitress at Merlotte’s. As you might guess, Holly has a special secret power!
Here’s what else happens in True Blood Episode 8 – Night On The Sun
• Sookie and Bill have a parting of the ways after Bill saves her life. I’m a big Team Bill fan but I’m also firmly in Camp Eric. Alas, so many choices . . .
• Holy Serial Killer, Batman! Rene, the guy that killed several female fang-bangers in True Blood Season 1, appears to Arlene in a dream. He tells her he’s the real father of her unborn baby.
• Jason plans to go after Bill for what he did to Sookie, even though Sookie has forgiven him.
• Alcide Is HOT. I just had to say that.
• Tommy, Sam’s stupid younger brother, tries to pick a fight at Merlotte’s with Hoyt about his relationship with Jessica. Sam’s trying to instill some value
• Bill teaches baby vamp Jessica some cool fight moves tonight. I love seeing them move at super fast vampire speed. Jessica opens up about her feelings for Hoyt; she really loves him and decides that he deserves someone sweet. You know, becoming a vampire has really changed Jessica for the better.
• Sookie’s cousin Hadley delivers a message from Eric, telling her “Russell’s coming for you. Don’t trust Bill. If they find you they’ll do horrible things to you.”
• Lafayette’s mother escaped from the asylum and comes to live with her son. She says she’s not crazy, it’s just the drugs they give her at the hospital. I’d say the jury’s still out on her sanity . . .
• Talbot throws a hissy fit about Russell’s marriage to Sophie-Ann. Eric jumps in and offers to keep Talbot company. Since Talbot is gay, I’m wondering what Eric is really offering.
• Some odd looking men come to Merlotte’s looking for Crystal, who’s currently staying with Jason. When they try to threaten Sam his brother Tommy comes to his defense. When they leave, Tommy implies that they smell “different.”
• Okay, looks like Talbot wants Eric to pay up. They exchange a kiss (which really creeps me out, probably because I don’t like Talbot).
• Oh CRAP! Jason comes upon a woman in a garage eating what appears to be an animal.
• Debbie Pelt and a couple of werewolves break into Sookie’s house to kill her. Fortunately, Bill and Jessica are guarding her house and take on the werewolves while Sookie and Debbie go at it woman-to-woman. Unfortunately, Jessica follows one of the werewolves outside and gets snatched by Russell. Bill calls him a coward and he releases Jessica, who’s badly wounded. She runs away with the werewolf close on her tracks. Russell then proceeds to attack Bill.
• Meanwhile, Eric, naked with Talbot, stakes him. Russel, feeling Tallbot’s death, releases Bill and flies away.
• Hurrah! Baby vamp Jessica kills the werewolf chasing her.
• The episode ends with Sookie and Bill getting busy.
And The Funniest Line from tonight’s True Blood episode: Talbot, when admonishing Russell for killing the Magister says “you’re acting like a century-old child.“
To find out more about the True Blood characters like Crystal, the guys from Hotshot, Russell, Hadley, and Holly you really should read the books. The books are great and they’re a bit different from the TV show. You can now get the first 8 books in a box set on sale: True Blood Box Set (first ‘8 books)
Great Paranormal Romance: Insatiable by Meg Cabot
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Title: Insatiable
Author: Meg Cabot
Release Date: June 8, 2010
Pages: 464 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Best Book Quote: “Meena,” he said. His voice was a gruff whisper in the darkened gallery. “What are you hiding from me?” Her voice was as throaty as his. “Nothing,” she lied. “I swear.” And then the incredible happened. His mouth came down on hers.”
Move over Twilight because I’ve found a new vampire romance story that I love. Its called Insatiable by Meg Cabot and it’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
The Story: Meena Harper is a writer for a highly rated daytime soap opera. Although skilled in her field, she also has another talent: the ability to look at someone and see when they will die. She’s used this gift numerous times to help others avoid danger – too bad it couldn’t be used to forsee this latest dilemna: vampires. You see the corporate suits have decided to write vampires into the soap opera’s storyline. Meena thinks that’s simply ridiculous – why would anyone want to watch a TV show about vampires? I guess it’s a good thing Meena is a writer and not in marketing . . .
At a neighbor’s party, Meena is introduced to Lucien Antonescu, a visiting professor from Romania, who, unbeknownst to her, is really the supreme prince of darkness and the son of Dracula himself. He’s immediately intrigued by her, this young woman who sees the future and can steer people away from certain death. As for Meena, she’s completely surprised that this polished, urbane, beautiful man is so focused on her; she’s completely swept off her feet by his attentions. Then reality sets in when Alaric Wulf, vampire hunter extraordinaire, tells her that her new lover is a super-vamp and she has landed in the middle of a vampire war.
I love a book with great dialogue and that’s what Meg Cabot has delivered in Insatiable. Meena is an independent character with spirit and soul who you connect with immediately. Lucien is brooding and dark after living for 500 years (it’s fascinating to watch Meena bring him back to life). Alaric is an emotionally closed warrior whose mission to kill every vampire on earth is forever altered by Meena and her life-affirming attitude. I think of this book as Twilight on steroids. I won’t give away the ending – you have to read it – but I think (and sure hope!) there is the chance for a sequel. I was so entranced, I read it in one sitting and you know that feeling you have when a good book is over? That’s how I felt when I finished this book – disappointed it was over and praying for a sequel.
This is a great book written by an extremely talent storyteller whose work will undoubtedly re-energize the paranormal romance genre. Tired of vampires? I think not.
About Meg Cabot
Meg Cabot has written over 50 books that span the adult and young adult markets. Her popular Princess Diaries books were the basis for two hit movies. She also writes the fantastic Heather Wells adult mystery series (the first book is titled “Size 12 Is Not Fat”).
Insatiable is her first adult paranormal book.
