Slash & Burn

Last week I finished the first draft of a new novel, and now I find myself with a lot of extra time on my hands. It's jarring to go from writing each weekend and almost every night to suddenly having time to catch up on TV.

A friend and I watched season one of True Blood on the weekend, and I have to say I was really disappointed considering how some people I know have raved about this show. I adore Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels, and I wish Alan Ball had captured the quirky charm of the books. Instead the TV version is, in a word, skanky. I'm no prude by any stretch of the imagination, but this show is just dirty and trying to shock at every turn. It all seems a bit desperate to me.

Not that any of my books are in danger of being turned into a TV series anytime soon, but I shudder to think of what changes might take place if they did! I wonder if authors are ever satisfied with how their books are translated into film. I know that as a reader, it's hit and miss. The Harry Potter movies are probably my favourite books-to-film adaptation. I think keeping the spirit of the novels is the most important aspect, and True Blood fails utterly.

What's your favourite book-to-screen transfer?