TrueBlood End of Season

It was the end for TrueBlood - at least for the season. And I had to do something. I mean it's going to be months before I see my HBO friends again and after getting to know them so well from reading their stories - thanks to Charlaine Harris, it's hard to be away from them for so long.

So, I invited a few girlfriends over to share the finale. And we had to eat and drink a little. So I made a Fanpire Cake, some magical cupcakes and we said a toast with a little "Bat Juice". Oh, and we had a little finger food ;)

Here's how I did it.

The finger food was just breadsticks that I stuck almond slivers on and brushed with butter before I baked them.

I made a couple of cakes and frosted them with a whipped cream frosting then I covered it with red fondant.

I sprayed some Wilton Color Mist - Food Color Spray on top of the cake using a vampire stencil. Then I added some frosting to cover the connections.


And, added some fondant bats to finish it off.


I bought a couple of labels and taped them over my favorite wines to give them some added TrueBlood charm


It was a fun party but I was disappointed with what the writers did to Tara. It had me crying in my green witch hat cupcakes.

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris - Just finished

I have been so into the True Blood series. I first found the story on HBO and I loved it.

But, when the season ended, being the true fanpire that I am, I had to do something since I went into immediate TB addiction withdrawal. I had to get my Sookie and Bill fix. But with the show on a hiatus until March, I couldn't wait THAT long.

Have I mentioned, "I'm not the most patient person in the world"?

So, without the weekly show to satisfy my thirst (he-he), I had to find another way to get my fill of True Blood and Sookie.

And, just to let you know, where there's a free will, there's a way.

So I ran right down to the bookstore and bought my first Harris novel: Dead Until Dark. But, that was just the beginning. From there, I read:

2) Living Dead in Dallas
3) Club Dead
4) Dead to the World; and,
5) Definitely Dead

Now, I'm on my way through number six. I've read the first chapter of All Together Dead, which was offered as a special preview at the end of Definitely Dead. And, I have the hardback copy of From Dead to Worse - waiting. . .

So, I'm here to say, if you love a good romance novel, with a little paranormal spice thrown in for good measure, Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Romance Series is well worth the read(s).

And, if you've read any of the books or, if you run out and get one and read it tonight, let me know. I love talking shop: books.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

I sat down a few weeks ago to watch a show with my husband and daughter, which is a rare occurrence in my house. Usually, I’m reading a book or writing. Anyway, we were watching True Blood on HBO, when I got a little uncomfortable. I mean I turned to my 20 year-old daughter and said, “Can they do that on T.V.?”

She shook her head, like I must be an alien pod person, and said, “It’s HBO.”

I said, “Yeah, but can they do THAT on t.v.?”

She looked at me like I’ve been living in a cave or something and groaned, “Duh. They can do whatever they want.”

So anyway, I’ve been enjoying the series but a friend told me the books are even better. So I ran out to my local Borders and bought Dead Until Dark.

It’s a quick read at 292 pages. And I read the entire book on my airplane ride from North Caroline to Portland, Oregon.

So, you can grab this story and finish it in no time. And, to be honest, I liked the story better in the book than on t.v. Not that the actors aren’t all gorgeous on HBO but Sookie Stackhouse comes across as a smarter character in the book – at least to me. And, Bill Compton seems stronger in the novel than in Hollywood.

This isn’t a Twilight experience even though it has romance and is a vampire novel. It’s more complicated in some ways.

In Dead Until Dark the vampires have “Come Out of the Closet” and are living amongst the humans. They drink synthetic blood – or at least the ones who are “mainstreaming” and trying to live their lives without sucking off the humans around them. Plus, there are more characters with special abilities than were found in Stephanie Meyer’s books. Sam is a shapeshifter and Sookie is a clairvoyant and – I have a feeling – there’s more to it than that.

VB (Vampire Bill) and Sookie seem like star-crossed lovers. They both are unique and drawn to each other. But, VB isn’t all good. He’s got one wicked temper when pushed too far. And, with super human strength, a bad temper is a real BAD thing.

I just bought the second book in the series, Living Dead in Dallas, and I’ll update you all after I read that story.

But, if you like a quick story that keeps you turning the pages, Dead Until Dark is a fun book to pick up. And if you don’t have time for a quick story, you can always turn on the t.v. and watch the HBO show. But, remember, the books are better.