Shamefully, I haven't been as good on my reading over the last few years but I have picked up a few new authors who I really love including one that almost instantly jumped into my best loved of all time Juliet Marillier.

The woman is wonderfully imaginative, incorporating history into her tales of love, lore and adventure and she manages to strike just the right ballance. She's also one of the few authors I've followed from early on and as a result, have actually noticed a shift in her style and approach. You can only begin to imagine my shock and glee when reading through my RSS feeds this morning to stumble on an interview with Juliet regarding her new book. New book? I can't believe I nearly missed this!

It's titled Heir to Sevenwaters and for a short moment, I had a heart palpitation that I'd have to go back and find copies of the first three books in the Sevenwaters Trilogy to catch up but it looks like this is a stand alone novel.

Over the years, I've purchased most of my Marillier novels via the Australian Online Bookstore - mostly because the novels are released in Asutralia before anywhere else - but this time around it looks like the US release is in-line with the Australian. I've even found that occasionally, ordering online has been cheaper than walking into the bookstore. I'll have to research but I may still purchase the novel through Bob's great store.

I've also just noticed that the novels in the Sevenwater's trilogy have new covers which I *love* and considering I've Bookcrossed and released my other copies, I may need to invest in the new set...

Yes, I have a fascination with Vampires. For the most part, folks grow out of this stuff when they get out of high school but for me, the vampire mythos has a lot more going for it than a bunch of sexy 100+ year old guys. Maybe it's because I started my love with the horror creatures started with Anne Rice but any way you cut it, I'm always on the lookout for a new take on the vampire. I've already talked about how much I loved "Moonlight" but I've been expanding my horizons.

Earlier this week I saw the first episode of the UK miniseries "Ultraviolet" and I'm not as drawn in. I'll see it, mostly because I recognize a few faces and the first episode was intriguing, but it's exactly the type of show you expect from the Brits: smart and understated. I usually like these so I'm thinking I was in the wrong frame of mind when I saw the first episode. I plan on catching up with this one over the next few days.

One show that I've really been looking forward to is Alan Ball's new HBO series "True Blood". Based on a series of novels by Charlaine Harris, Ball's show takes place in a fictionalized present where Vampires have "come out" to the world - thanks in part to the invention of Tru Blood, a synthetic blood that fulfills all of a vampire's dietary needs. This particular story takes place in a Louisiana town and focuses on a Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress with mind reading abilities, her family and friends and a vampire named Bill.

The first episode was pretty interesting. I loved the opening few minutes before the credits but must admit that I'm still getting used to seeing Anna Paquin as "sexy" though I do love her mix of vulnerability and ass-kickery. As for Stephen Moyer as Bill - I'm not quite sure about him. He's no Mick St. John but there's a maturity to his character that I appreciate. What I'm having particular trouble with is how quickly their relationship has developed (2 episodes and they're dating) but I think that's something I can get used to. Bonus points to anyone who can figure out the connection between Moyer and another show I mentioned earlier in this post.

The real gems of the show are the supporting characters namely Rutina Wesley who had a fantastic introduction to film with this year's How She Move and who rocks the role of Tara, Sookie's best friend. The other stand out for me so far is Nelsan Ellis who plays the restaurant's gay cook Lafayette. He's loud and flamboyant and he makes me smile each and every time he's on screen.


I've seen the first two episodes and so far, I'm not completely impressed, mostly because the show defies my expectations, but that's also the reason I'll keep watching. I've loved all of Ball's previous projects so I'm expecting that this one will grow on me and HBO will give it a chance to do so. "True Blood" has been picked up for a second season!

Another thing I quickly want to touch on is the show's opening sequence which, again, defies expectation yet beautifully fits in with some of the themes and moods of the show. I've posted the video below. Be sure to check them out if you haven't seen them yet. If you're looking for a higher resolution version, one can be found at Digital Kitchen.

And to think this all started as an error.

I blame it all on UK blogger buddy Ramchandra, who accidentally watched "Moonlight" thinking it had something to do with Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight". There were an amusing group of Tweets surrounding the confusion but it all ended with a hearty recommendation. Since CBS/Warner have yet to release the show on DVD, I had to find other ways of tracking it down but after a little searching, into my possession came the first 12 (which means there are still 3 episodes kicking around out there that I haven't seen - MUST find).

The show stars Australian looker Alex O'Loughlin as PI Mick St. John (who also happens to be a Vampire), Sophia Myles (the human love interest), Shannyn Sossamon (the vampire ex-wife - if vampires can have ex-wives) and Jason Dohring (as Mick's best friend).

The pilot for the show is not particularly good. The acting is a bit off, there's little chemistry between the characters, the dialogue is stilted and generally uninspired. It's not surprising that critics ripped it to pieces and even more surprising that CBS kept the show on the air after the critical reception but numbers speak stronger than critics and the show was viewed by a load of people which likely saved it from an early demise. For me, it was a matter of the DVD player skipping to the second episode right at the end of the first.

The second episode was a little better but it was the third that really sucked me in. I spent Saturday and Sunday watching nothing other than the show, even going back and catching up with an episode my DVD player didn't like. The big seller: O'Loughlin and Myles have great chemistry and the banter between the two when the show finds its footing is excellent. I'll admit, it also helps that O'Loughlin is very, very handsome.


Now that I'm done, I'm a bit disappointed. CBS has canceled the show and Warner hasn't found anyone else to take up the reins. Too bad, I was just getting into it too. Lucky for me, I still have a few more to watch. Guess what I'll be doing over the next day or so?

In the meantime, it's worth noting that O'Loughlin isn't new to me. I saw him in Feed a few years back, a film that really rubbed me the wrong way, and he's starring in the upcoming Whiteout with Kate Beckinsale.

And I leave you with this, it opens the pilot and makes for a great introduction to the character: