Meeting Charlaine Harris

So, today I was given the best present ever, in return for a long day filled with college queues and trying to convince them to let me back for a second year, a present in the form of meeting the author, Charlaine Harris.
Known for her Sookie Stackhouse books, Harris shot to fame after the the books were taken up by HBO and turned into the highly successful True Blood franchise, starring Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, who play the telepath Sookie Stackhouse and her love interest, the vampire, Bill Compton.

With this being the thing that drew me to her work, it was no wonder that when it came time to think up questions to ask her, all I could think about was True Blood, as I'm sure was the case for a lot of the people in the room with me, as we waited for the arrival of one of the greatest supernatural writers of this generation.
When she finally stepped into the room and took to the mic, she was charming, funny and incredibly witty, telling us that it was okay to ask questions about True Blood and other questions that didn't relate to her current book, as long as they made sense, but not to ask her to allow us to lick her, honestly, she actually said that!

Along with informing a girl that some people may not have read the last of the Sookie books yet, after the girl in question said aloud the name of the person that the lead woman ends up with at the end of the series, she also answered questions regarding locations where her stories are based, how the first book she ever wrote in a creative writing class was picked up and published, and also how her favourite vampire is Lestat (not to mention she corresponds with Anne Rice!)  She also answered my own questions.

When we met Charlaine to get our books signed, I'm the one with the half blonde hair.

As a practising writer myself, I felt the need to ask her about character creation, which made me question whether some of my characters in the past have ever even been needed, or if they were even pivitol enough? I also asked her for her opinion on fan fiction.

Admittedly, I was very worried in asking her this question. Especially after she admitted to talking to Anne Rice regularly, what with Rice being so against fan fiction and all, even to the point where she tried to sue ( This may even be a topic I might blog about some time in the future), I feared that Harris would be very offended by the very idea of fan fiction. I mean, Rice HAD posted this to her website, (warning in advance, it's really from her website and I had nothing to do with the writing of it, I merely copied and pasted, and I get no money out of this blog whatsoever):

"I do not allow fan fiction. The characters are copyrighted. It upsets me terribly to even think about fan fiction with my characters. I advise my readers to write your own original stories with your own characters. It is absolutely essential that you respect my wishes."

But, just as she said that she was all for equal rights, no matter race, gender or sexual orientation, she was also for fan fiction, although she admitted that she didn't understand it, claiming that she had been told to read some after she was offered a position on some board for some convention thing.

So anyway, I ended up being convinced to buy her book, and stand in line for an autograph, while my amazing friend, who surprised me with my ticket, stood beside me with her copy of True Blood, which she had gotten for 50p in a charity shop (the clever bitch, aka sunrisewithmysadcaptains.blogspot.co.uk). When it came our turn, I had to ask if she had read any fan fiction based on her own world, to which she admitted she had. I have to freely state right now, that I am involved with fan fiction and I have never posted any True Blood fan fiction on the net, I mean I considered it, but I had really bad writers block when it came to plots.
Again, she said that she had read it and found it weird, but she wasn't against it, she just doesn't understand it.

The prize of the day, my autograph by one of my favourite authors.

I have to admit, beforehand I was worried about meeting her. After all, they say that you should never meet your heroes. But after today, I have to say that I have no regrets, just as she had said earlier during the Q&A that she had no regrets about anything she's ever written.
She was the nicest woman you could ever meet, definitely someone you'd invite to tea and probably end up having the most fascinating conversations with, and very open minded too. I can't wait for her to come back to Liverpool again, and I will most certainly be starting into that book tonight.

"Midnight Crossroad" is on sale now at all leading bookstores



These photos belong to both me and sunrisewithmysadcaptains.blogspot.co.uk (meganceri.wix.com/meganceri)

Feminist Idols

Before I begin, I just want to say that I was reading a 'how to' article on running a successful blog and it said something along the lines of 'write self help articles for your readers' and 'don't jump from irrelevant topic to irrelevant topic'. So before I begin, I'd just like to state that I may, now and again, commit this oh so heinous crime, and write a little something about a horrible day, or about how much I love a certain celebrity......well maybe not the latter, that may be turned into an odd article on obsession.

But enough of that, my feminist idols is who you're here for.

I thought that I would discuss my top three for this article:

 the first being the fabulous Caitlin Moran.

When I was 16, I was turned on to the book 'How To Be a Woman' written by this fabulous dame. I had the book read within two days, and couldn't stop telling my mother all about it. In fact, I think that it gave me the confidence to talk about really personal girl things like the menstrual cycle, for example. Before I had read the book I'd just be doubled over in pain and really shy going 'Mam...mam....Can I have painkillers?....why?....because...it's my time....my time for the thing!"
After reading the first half of the book, I could say the words 'fat,period, and feminist'.In fact I talk to my roommate about everything now, and I mean everything. I've never read a self help book. I may be a college student studying psychology in England, but to be honest, I don't buy into it, all that self help malarky is just a DIY on your cognitive habits. And that's the beauty of this book!
I hadn't gone looking for it, but it had found me! And at the right time too, before I moved to England and could feel self conscious among city girls in their designer clothes and perfect make up and hair at nine in the morning. On top of it all though, it brought me closer to my mother (which is a long story).
Anywho, after reading the book, and agreeing with everything that was said in it, I was confident and ready to face the world. Don't get me wrong, we all have bad days, but I still have moments when I think about the bit in the book that says that people should compliment others more often in order to brighten up their day, and it really works!

But this is a post on idols, not book reviews, although I may do one someday with a complete breakdown of books I have read and loved. This is a post on feminist idols and about the amazing Ms. Moran.

Upon finishing the book I decided that I wanted to be just like her when I reached adulthood (which I have by now). I wanted to be this person (hair and all, but that also goes into my next idol on the list). Like this idol of mine, I had a busy household with siblings and shared bedrooms. People are terrified when I eat fast, but its just the way I was raised. It was a case of snatch and grab because we always had to race for food before everything was gone. I was a recluse that never went around my housing estate, and fictional worlds were my main escape.

But this woman has said a huge FUCK YOU to the patriarchal system in which we live and hasn't been put off of sharing her opinions and ideas, instead becoming a journalist and printing these views in the funniest ways possible. Strong willed, fast talker, and shameless, this is a woman that I will always look up to. On top of spreading the good news of feminism, I also admire how she has slammed stereotypical radical views, and rather than burn a bra (which I'd love to do on the basis that they can hurt) she has settled down with a family of her own, showing that feminism isn't about women coming out on top, it's about equality and women doing what they want to do without being frowned at for it. If women want to have a career and never get married, they should have the right to do so, and if they want to have a family, they should as well. They should never do things just because society expects them to.
All in all, she is definitely someone that I would love to go on a night out with, or at least stay in with a cup of tea....or a bottle of wine, whichever floats your boat.

Next up, the Quirky Kate......Nash, that is.

Ranging from songs about stalking crushes and silent,black dress wearing girls, to songs about falling out with your best friend, and rapping about social inequalities of the genders, this is your woman. If you want something with a simple piano tune, or an empowered female screaming into a mic, she is definitely the go-to gal.

And, going back to my earlier point on hair, she also had Caitlin's style of having a white streak of hair contrasting against the rest of her dark hair (although full credit goes to Caitlin for starting the trend). It's gone now though, Kate went pink.
I first found this woman circa 2009 and saw her live last October. I must say, you should see her if you ever get a chance. She's wild, energetic, obviously inspired by the next woman on my list, and easily creates a kick ass atmosphere whenever she rocks out.
Also like Caitlin, Kate helps people to reclaim words that society has deemed unacceptable for young ladies. Not only is it unlady like to swear (and I do it like a sailor) it is also wrong, apparently, to use derogatory words like 'slut' and 'whore' if you're a woman. What society forgets is, when us females are really close, it's how we greet each other. We're not exactly serious when we say it, unless we see our arch nemesis in an amazing pair of shoes. Life isn't like Mean Girls, where we all have a secret vindictive agenda and mean what we say when we great each other with insults, we use them so we can learn to brush them off instead. My roommate has called me a slut more times than I can count, and if you were to even try it now, it wouldn't affect me.
After finishing her hit song 'Do-Wah-Doo' Kate then proceeded to spend the next minute walking around the stage saying 'bitch bitch bitch bitch'. And she was so happy doing it! It was adorable! I can't listen to that song anymore without having a smile on my  face!
The entire Girl Talk album is one big rant on behalf of women, and it's an amazing thing, seriously why isn't it platinum yet?! I'm actually waiting for her to work with Lily Allen, that would make my day.
And with that quirky gal of sunshine, I shall now end with my last feminist idol!

The glamorous, no shit taking, and I quote 'testosterone in a dress', Ms. Courtney Love Cobain!

I know I know, some people are probably reading this like 'seriously?!', but if you move away from the conspiracy theories for a second and look at the bigger picture, you'll see where I'm coming from, so bare with me.

She didn't have the best childhood, she had to do all she could to survive, and remained a strong and confident woman. She knew what she wanted to do, she admitted on a few occasions that she can't sing, yet she is still a multi-million record selling woman! She does what she loves, she doesn't take shit, she's honest, even sometimes brutally so. And she's so funny, if anyone here has seen her YouTube Channel. And despite all of the rumors and allegations around her, she still continues on, tells the world to fuck off, and enjoys life.

And people will turn around and say 'yeah but the drugs'.
Yes. I won't deny it. She into them, but so has Keith Richards, and Ozzy, but does anyone care about them doing a line of coke? No! But once Courtney does heroine, or once Stevie Nicks does coke, people just go insane. Her life was in a dark place and she fell, but we all fall. Some people get drunks, other people do worse things, but she pulled out of it for her daughter, she's been clean, and yes she starts fights and goes to court, but that's because she won't take anything sitting down. If you slap Courtney Love, you'll get a black eye, and that's precisely the reason I love her.

And honestly, she's a gifted lyricist, I love her new track and I can't wait to see her in Manchester next month.

And that's what I admire about all of these women. They remember that life is short and precious and that you can only do things if you make them happen. The only person that limits you in life is yourself, and while I may dream of writing a successful screenplay (which I have to begin because I'm that lazy) I still make sure that I enjoy myself when I get side tracked and turn to fanfiction instead!
This idea of life being so short has made these women ignore the haters, say a big giant FUCK YOU to people who put them down and continue to do what they love and enjoy themselves, ignoring mysogny and sexism.

I want the toughness of Courtney, the wittiness of Caitlin and the confidence of Kate.
Courtney, Caitlin, Kate (great alliterations eh?)

And thanks to these women I am, to quote Kate, "An independent women of the 21st century"

xx

I do not own any of the pictures used in this post, and all credit goes towards respected photgraphers and companies