Exclusive Q & A with Charlaine Harris

By Travel Tunica on Thursday July 1, 2010

tunica-museum

You may not recognize her name, but this Tunica native is a bestselling author, and you can meet her soon.  Charlaine Harris, the author of the Sookie Stackhouse vampire series, a group of books that the HBO show “True Blood” is based, will be in Tunica July 11, 2010, at the Tunica Museum.  Mark your calendars now to come meet Harris to get your book signed or to purchase a signed book by this excellent author.  Here is an exclusive* Q & A with Charlaine about her upcoming projects and why she loves calling Tunica her home.

Q:  You’ll be back in your hometown in Tunica Sunday, July 11^th from 2:00-5:00 at the Tunica Museum .  How did Tunica inspire you to write the Sookie Stackhouse series that are the basis for HBO’s “True Blood” show?

A:  “I wrote the Sookie Stackhouse novels, which are the basis for the show. Alan Ball and his talented writers adapt the books for “True Blood.” I’ve written many other novels besides the Sookie books. Tunica didn’t directly inspire the novels, but growing up in Tunica certainly began shaping me as a writer.”

Q:  How did living in Tunica inspire you to write?  Are any of your characters based on real people in Tunica?

A:  “I know that all my characters contain bits and pieces of people I’ve met, and since Sookie is a traditional southern woman in many respects, her background and upbringing are very “Tunica.”

Q:  What are you working on currently?  What inspiration do you hope to get from your book tour?

A:  “I’m working on Sookie 11 now, which isn’t formally titled yet. I’ve finished my book tour, and I’m only doing a very few events this summer since I have a book to write. Meeting the readers who enjoy the books always gets me excited about producing another one.”

Q:  Since many people who will be coming on July 11^th are loyal fans of your work, what’s the best advice you’d give to aspiring writers or screenwriters?  What or who helped you get started?

A:  “I wrote from a very early age. It’s important to take classes and attend conventions and join professional societies to learn as much about the industry as you can. But if you want to be a writer, the only possible way to do it is to sit down in a room by yourself and write. That’s step number one.”

Q:  What is your next project for fans to look forward to reading?

A:  “Toni Kelner and I co-edited an anthology, DEATH’S EXCELLENT VACATION, which will be out in August, and THE SOOKIE COMPANION will be on the shelves in February.”

Q:  How do you feel about being included in the Tunica Sons & Daughters exhibit at the Tunica Museum?  What in Tunica are you looking forward to seeing while here?

A:  “Seeing my mom’s face is enough for me, and some of my high school friends will be coming to the event. Of course, I’m honored to be included in the exhibit. My father would have loved it. I only wish he could have seen it.”

Admission is free to book signing at the Tunica Museum Sunday, July 11th from 2:00-5:00 pm.  The Tunica Museum is located 10 miles south of the Tunica resort area (Robinsonville) on Highway 61 by the Tunica Arena & Expo Center and two miles north of the Town of Tunica.  For more information, call 662-363-6631.

*A special thank you to Darlene Griffith at the Tunica Museum for her assistance with this interview.*