The Sookie Stackhouse Companion

intricate supernatural creature than you originally planned?
    —STACY WHITMORE
     
    Yes. Before the Sookie novels, my experience had been exclusively in mystery. I did intend each book to contain a separate murder mystery, but as the series grew, that became impractical.
    I am interested in the editing process Ms. Harris goes through with her Sookie books. Does she overwrite and then pare down, or sketch and fill in? Does she go back after writing and say, no, Sookie would not do that/ say it that way? Would her editor ever question why Sookie is doing or saying things, or is that the author’s determination?
    —DOROTHY BAKER
     
    Editing is a critical part of the writing process; in fact, it may be the most important part. I wish I overwrote and had to pare down. My problem is the opposite. I tend to write very close to the bone as far as my word count goes. Certainly, I backtrack, delete sections, and steer Sookie in different directions, but after being with her for so many books, it’s second nature to me to step into Sookie’s skin. My editor certainly does ask questions about the various characters’ motivations, and if I can’t answer them, I’ve taken a misstep that I have to correct.
     
     
    Will Sookie have a happy-ever-after? And if not, why not? I have heard that you said she will not have an HEA, but that seems so harsh for the heroine we all love.
    —SHARON KNAUER
     
    I think this rumor arises from comments I made while on a panel at Romantic Times. The point I was trying to make is this: Many romance novels have a black-and-white conclusion. Love conquers all, and the good people are all happy. The bad people get what’s coming to them. And it’s clear what category the characters fall into. There’s nothing wrong with this scenario. It can be wonderfully satisfying reading. But the conclusion of Sookie’s story may not be like this. Some characters will be happy, but some won’t, and all my characters have both good and bad in their natures. There’s no way to write an ending to this series that will satisfy all my readers. I can only be true to my own vision of the books.
     
     
    Your fantasy world of the Sookie Stackhouse series includes many mythical beings: vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, fairies. Was this because of any outright decision to make sure nothing would be related to actual life (i.e., no political commentary, etc.)?
    —BRET STEARNS
     
    On the contrary, I think the books are full of commentary, though I see it as social rather than political. I’m writing about mythical creatures, but that doesn’t mean they can’t represent something else. I definitely have an agenda. But I am also happy for the books to be read as the adventure novels they are. I don’t answer questions about my own politics. If the reader “gets” it, great. If not, I think the books are a lot of fun anyway.
     
     
    Is there a possibility of the fae extending Sookie’s life so she will age less quickly? I know you said that Sookie will not become a vampire; do you still feel that way now that True Blood and the Sookie novels have a cultlike following?
    —SOMMER STRACHAN
     
    These questions both relate to things I’ve said often and publicly. Sookie’s little dash of fae blood will not extend her life, nor will she become a vampire. No matter what happens on True Blood , and no matter how popular the books get, my vision for Sookie has not changed.
     
     
    In previous books Sookie has had brushes with evil and has lost loved ones to supernatural as well as garden-variety evil. These losses toughen her little by little. In Dead and Gone , Sookie herself experiences radical evil as she is tortured nearly to death by her sadistic captors. Large pieces are torn from her in both the literal and the abstract. I think this was shocking to many readers. Why did you decide to take Sookie’s narrative to such a dark place? Her horrible experience has definitely stiffened her resolve to protect those she loves by being more proactive (if a little ruthless) instead of defensive.
    —BRIDGET PAGE
     
    I’m not always sure why I make the decisions I do, but in this case I knew that eventually Sookie’s involvement with the supernatural world would lead to something irrevocable happening to her. And when something terrible has happened, she must change as a result. It would be amazing if she didn’t. To me, that’s one of the most interesting parts of writing: following the character