GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Charlaine Harris event recap + swag give away | I Smell Sheep

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Charlaine Harris event recap + swag give away

by Sharon Stogner
co-creator & media relations

I attended a Charlaine Harris event last night at SalemCollage in Winston-Salem, NC. Tickets were $22 to attend, but I opted for the “special” $85 ticket that allowed me to go to a reception with drinks and food beforehand, a copy of Deadlocked, a chance to meet her and get things signed/take pictures, as well as special seating during the program and $35 of my the ticket price went to a charity. Over all it was worth the extra cost. There were around 400 people over at the auditorium and while she promised to stay until everyone who wanted to say hello or get a book signed could, that was a long line and you were only able to get two things signed and you weren’t allowed to step around her table and get a pic right next to her.

I was so glad they had drinks and food at the reception, because that 15 minute drive from my house to the collage was exhausting! I get there and met up with Ana Cade from Hearding Cats & Burning Soup. They handed everyone a gift bag with the book, a bottle of water and some promotional stuff from advertisers. There were about 40 of us there. Here is the menu…
hard to read, you can click on it if you want to know what I ate <G>
I was a little disappointed because I thought we would be able to mingle with Charlaine, but she sat behind a small table and we had to get in line to have things signed and take pics. She was very pleasant and polite, but you could tell she was tired.
yeah, I look a little creepy here <G>
Then everyone headed over to the auditorium where the “conversation” with Charlaine would be. I didn’t realize how things were done. There was a moderator on stage with her who got to ask questions he thought the rest of us would like to know…audience members were told to write questions on cards as we came in. I asked some typical I Smell Sheep questions <G>. Unfortunately, Mr. Moderator got to pick which questions were asked. He only picked 4 and apparently he had no sense of humor because he didn’t pick one of mine <G>. BUT, there was time left so the audience got to ask some questions. Everyone asked the same old same old till it was my turn…I asked “During a zombie apocalypse, which fictional character would you like at your back?” It was pretty funny; I also told her I would pick Optimus Prime. You wanna know her answer?

First she said JackReacher from Lee Child’s novels, then she decided she needed someone good with a gun and picked Steven Hunter’s Sniper.



I will just recap the highlights of what she said; including some info on the new series she will start writing when the Sookie books are done!



  • She is ending the Sookie series because the creative juices for it aren't there anymore and she wants to create a new world. 
  • She called herself and other authors “little dictators” when it comes to wanting to build worlds. She will miss Sookie and the gang, but doesn’t want to keep writing the series just for a paycheck.
  • She says the hardest characters to write are those without a sense of humor. She writes a mix of horror and humor because that is what life is like.
  • The Sookie books are about female empowerment and tolerance of others. She uses Sookie, who is so accepting, to bridge the Supe worlds and help them overcome prejudices. She also said she would never write a story without a gay character in it because she feels that community isn’t represented as much as it should be in the entertainment industry.
  • She is being  very careful writing the last book so backstories are tied up nicely
  • She talked about True Blood: She watches it, finds it entertaining and loves the hands off relationship she has with the creator. She doesn’t tell him how to write True Blood and he doesn’t tell her how to write the books <G> Bubba isn’t in the show because they felt he would come across as cheesy and they didn’t want to offend anyone.
  • She has been learning all about writing graphic novels this year. There will be a 3 part graphic novel called Cemetery Girl  out next year. This is the first time she has ever collaborated with another author.
  • The Harper Connelly Series is being made into a TV show by SyFy and will be called GraveSight.
  • The new series (3 book deal with Penguin) she is working on is called Midnight Pawn…as in a pawn shop! There will be an ensemble cast and characters from her other stories will show up in it like Quinn from the Sookie series and Manfred Bernardo from the Harper Connelly series! Now, there are a lot of people that think Sookie will end up with Quinn…but if he is going to show up in the new series…
  • She writes every day and last year she took her first vacation in 10 years. She went to Alaska and didn’t write while there.
  • When asked if Sookie would get a happy ever after she said she writes the series gray, it isn’t a romance and it isn’t a sad story but we can expect the right ending.
  • It doesn’t bother her to kill off characters. Many times during the talk she said she got bored easily, so she creates new characters. In the Sookie series she had too many characters to keep up with and decided to clean house. She is a big panster writer with no outline or plan and that sometimes gets her in trouble. She apologized for killing Claudine (highlight if you want to know) though. She would do things differently if she could.
  • She no longer reads amazon reviews because they can be so vindictive and mean. She was paralyzed for a month from writing after reading them once.
  • She is ready to let Sookie and the gang go and very happy about what is coming up.
After it was over I talked with other book lovers and even met Doll Eowyn from Paperbackdolls.com (Stephanie) who lives in Winston-Salem which means I have someone I can meet with to discuss…books... with an actual person!

GIVE AWAY
I have two signed I Smell Sheep bookmarks signed by Charlaine to give away. Everyone is eligible!
1. Leave contact info
2. And tell me which fictional character YOU want to have your back in a zombie apocalypse.
·  *double entry for followers-must say how you follow


42 comments:

  1. For me, it would definitely Ash from the Evil Dead movies. But if it had to be a fictional character from a book, I would say Kelley Armstrong's Clay Danvers ^_^

    Thank you for the giveaway!
    amethystfaerie[at]msn[dot]com

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    Replies
    1. Ash...good one! If I couldn't get Optimus I would go for Thor, cause I might as well enjoy the view ;)

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  2. I would want Terrible from Downside ghosts series

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    Replies
    1. I haven't read that series yet and I want to because of all I have heard about Terrible. I want to meet him!

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  3. Thanks for sharing this event with us! You brought us some terrific info, and answered a question that I've wondered about for quite a while -- why Bubba isn't in True Blood. I LOVE that character in the Sookie story!

    Great question about the Zombie Apocalypse! If I couldn't have one of my own characters from my Changeling series (I'm thinking James Macleod, as the great white wolf from Changeling Dream) at my back, I'd ask for Bones from Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series.

    dani AT daniharper DOT com

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    Replies
    1. Bones is definitely a good choice he can watch your back and you can watch his back SIDE...heehee.

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  4. Kitty Norville would be the one I want at my back!bethanntrudeau@rocketmail.com.

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    1. yet another series I haven't read! You guys are going to think I don't read anything thanks for visiting

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  5. Hmm...That is a good question. I think I would want Kate Daniels by my side. She is the main character from the series of the same name by Ilona Andrews. She is awesome!
    sassyjade@gmail.com

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    1. Lmao I forgot to add that I follow on Facebook and Blogger. My answer is still Kate Daniels!
      sassyjade@gmail.com

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    2. If I could pick one character to be, it would be Kate. I love her! This is one of my favorite series right up there with Sookie and Rachel Morgan. thanks for following

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  6. Glad you got to go see Charlaine, sorry it was a little disappointing that you didn't get to sit and really talk with her.

    I have not read any of Charlaine's books yet, but I do love True Blood. I follow under MaryLynn Bast . Mbast06@yahoo.com

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    Replies
    1. oh MaryLynn! You have got to read the books! Not even the same story hardly .

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    2. I will definitely have to read them!

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  7. Patricia Briggs picked Harry too! Another series I need to read...thanks for stopping by

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  8. Prisoner KSC2-303, the protagonist from Ryuhei Kitamura's 'Versus'... not only is he good at killing zombies but I would also have a good time watching him work - drewtos@gmail.com

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  9. I had to go google that one. great choice, that is my kind of movie! :) cool. thanks for stopping by

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  10. Awesome interview, I LOVE Charlaine!!! I would pick Chris Redfield from the Resident Evil series, the books, not the movies! I loved reading them! Definitely awesomeness.

    Alexia Purdy
    alexeea@yahoo.com

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  11. Oh I forgot to tell you I followed your blog on Google Friend Connect too! <3
    Alexia Purdy
    alexeea@yahoo.com

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  12. Tallahassee. :)
    following on GFC.
    nickelpicklemom@gmail.com

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  13. I'm such a fan of Charlaine Harris!! Glad you had the chance to meet her!!
    In a zombie attack I would love to have Dimitri Belikov at my side!
    Thank you so much for tha giveaway!!
    I'm GFC follower: Gisele Alvarado

    ilepachequin(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  14. If I Needed Someone To Have My Back During A Zombie Apocalypse I Would Want Anita Blake From The Anita Blake Series By Laurell K Hamilton. She Is An Awesome Fighter And Can Control The Dead So I Know She Would Have My Back.

    A AM A GFC Follower April Alvey
    butterfli262002@yahoo.com

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  15. I would like ACheron from Sherilyn KEnyon's book.
    follower
    debby236 at gmail dot com

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  16. I would definitely have Rhage from the BDB at my back during a zombie apocalypse.

    molly(dot)frenzel(at)gmail(dot)com

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  17. I don't know who I'd pick to have my back during a zombie apocalypse. Im a GFC follower.

    Megblod@yahoo.com

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  18. Wow, this sounds like it was an awesome event. Bet it was great meeting Charlaine Harris. I sure know I'd like to meet her and shake her hand or maybe give her a little hug. I'm going to be sad when the Sookie Series is finally over. We've been together a long time now. Each year when a new book comes out is the one day of the year that I'm a kid at Christmas again. They're also the first books that introduced me to Urban Fantasy. *Sighs* What a great interview. Thanks for this!

    If zombies were to attack, I second Anita Blake. She can control the dead and she's one little resilient woman.

    GFC follower: Julie Holmes
    j-g-holmes@hotmail.com

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  19. 1. E-mail- bookandmoviedimensionblogger [at] yahoo [dot]


    2. Raven from Teen Titans

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    Replies
    1. I can't argue with Raven, she would be an awesome teammate in a zombie attack

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  20. I want Tom Hardy! He can have my back. Front. Side. Toes. I don't care!!!! Wooot!!!!

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  21. Kate or Curran from the Kate Daniels series. Kate because she can kick butt, wield a sword, and do magic. Curran because of his beast form and the fact that he can weight lift 700 pounds(he could lift zombies out of my way). Thanks for the giveaway! Sad to see Sookie go, but I'm interested to read her new series.

    p.s.: I don't want to leave my name here, but if you click on my name it should take you to my blogger profile which has my email.

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  22. OOh, what a fun question. I'm going to go with my all time favorite brother, Vishous.

    I have been a big Sookie fan for a long while now. Before True Blood was around. I am sad to say that I have been so disappointed in the last couple of books. I hope I like the new one.

    Thanks for the fun tidbits. I have always been a big Quinn fan. Always hoped he would be her HEA. Doesn't seem like that will be so after the Small Town Wedding story.

    cyertlego@sbcglobal.net I follow on the google thingamajig.

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  23. Thanks for sharing this article.

    I would have to choose Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter from Laurell K. Hamilton. Anita can handle all things paranormal, especially zombies...and she always comes with all the latest weapons and her buddy Edward a/k/a Death.

    I follow through the I Smell Sheep newsletter.

    gillaspyayres@hotmail.com

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  24. Lovely blogpost, and it sounds like so much fun! And so nice to meet someone who loves books like you do, that is a rare thing in real life.

    I would love to pick Anita Blake as well, but I am going with Doyle, from Meredith Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton. He would for sure keep me safe.

    I follow through email.
    auriansbooks@gmail.com

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  25. Thankyou for the run down on what happened, it was great, Love Charlaine, Sorry you never got to have a proper chat with her and then the moderator had no humour, that would have spoiled it for me.
    I think to fight Zombies, I would have the kickass Madison Wescott from Gracen Miller's Road to Hell series, I think I should be fairly safe with her, x x
    I follow through FB and Google friend
    julienewberry(at)btinternet(dot)com

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  26. Thanks so much for sharing your experience!! Charlaine Harris is one of my favorite authors!! As for who I would want at my back in a Zombie Apocalypse...that is a tough one as there are several characters that I would love to have backing me up. Out of all of them, I think my top choice would have to be Bones from Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series.

    I follow through email & GFC.

    joellaelbert@gmail.com

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  27. eric...because he is vicking
    gfc: mirela_8923
    lulu_mirela90@yahoo.com

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  28. Zsadist from BDB

    I follow the blog.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  29. I love Charlaine Harris' books. I started reading them back a the very beginning of Aurora Teagarden series. I love the Sookie series and Harper Connelly series, as well as Lily Bard series. I think the new series sounds like it is going to be really good and my imagination is already in overdrive. I recently read Deadlocked, ha! the day it was released, and I could tell, even though I already knew, that the series is winding down, and in my opinion there was a lot of end tying going on. It made me a little melancholy because I know I am going to miss Sook, but the great thing is I love to reread the good books I love :) Thank you for sharing about your experience with this event.

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    1. I agree! there was some tidying up of secondary characters...they are getting HEA...but will Sookie...I am beginning to think she will get a HFN and there might not be a man involved

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  30. I love Sookie's adventures. Great question, the fictional character that I think I would pick would be Jace from The Mortal Instruments series and my cat. My cat is really ''badass''
    GFC follower as Diana

    artgiote at gmail dot com

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  31. contest is over! thanks for stopping by and keep coming back...all the cool sheep do ;)
    winners: Aurian and gillaspyayres

    I have sent emails to you

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