It’s been unseasonably cool here in SE Michigan, temps dropping into the low 50′s, as the Dead Reckoning book tour made its final stop in Ann Arbor. Charlaine Harris joked that, with her new book coming out in late Spring, ”I thought, ‘Great; the weather will be warm’.” At least we didn’t greet her with snow, like Denver.
I arrived about an hour before the 7:30 pm start time, and snagged an aisle seat about 5 rows back. The main floor of the Michigan Theater, a popular local venue for films and concerts, was nearly full, unusual for a mere book signing. The crowd reminded me a bit of Paleyfest; young to middle-aged, largely female, lively and boisterous at times, with most likely as many book followers as True Blood fans.
Affable and charmingly Southern, Charlaine made some brief remarks, telling how her career as the author of the moderately successful Harper Connelly and Lily Bard mystery series took off big-time when she found a publisher willing to take a chance on the Sookie Stackhouse mix of small-town Southern gothic and sex. She said that she has plans for only one or two more books in the series, wanting to leave it on a “high note.”
Then the Q & A started; about a dozen of us quickly lined up for the microphone. When my turn came, I asked something I’m certain she’s heard before, namely: who was her favorite character on the show who didn’t appear, or played only a minor part, in the books? Without hesitation, she said, “Jessica.” We both agreed Deborah Ann was lovely, and did a wonderful job with the part. As I had expected, an Alexander Skarsgård fan in the crowd tried to pin Charlaine down as to whether she was “Team Bill or Team Eric?” She deftly side-stepped the question, noting that, while each one had his good points, they were both un-dead, so “not her type”. She talked about the up-coming “Sookie Companion”, due out in August, which sounds like a must-have for fans of the books and the show. Also of interest to me, she mentioned that she receives advance or preview copies of the show (lucky woman!). Although asked, she absolutely wouldn’t say anything about the upcoming season of the show, except that it involved “witches”. Duh!
Charlaine Harris with TypeOneg at Ann Arbor book signing
After the Q & A, we all hustled out to the lobby to get our books signed. The line wound up and down the balcony staircase, and took about 45 minutes to get through. I was the only one wearing a “Billsbabe” shirt (at least that I noticed); I did see two women wearing HBO’s “Bon Temps” t-shirts get Charlaine to sign their shirts. The whole thing was over by a little after 9:00 pm, and I headed over to Starbucks for a decaf latte. Overall, it was a fun, if not overly informative evening.