Tonight all the cooks in our kitchen will be busy watching DEAD OVER HEELS: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery by Charlaine Harris on the Hallmark Channel! Her True Blood series was wildly successful on HBO, now Aurora Teagarden is appearing in Hallmark movies. And we're thrilled and honored to have her in our kitchen today!
CHARLAINE: I know how lucky I’ve been to have such good experiences
with having my work adapted to the small screen. After the first time (“True
Blood”), which was a huge learning curve, my expectations became more
realistic, and I learned to enjoy what before me, rather than having a peek
through rose-covered glasses. Or camera lenses.
Of course, Hallmark is the direct opposite of HBO, and it’s
been a very different project for me. I was terrified when “True Blood” came on
the air. Now I am much calmer, and I understand it’s not personal if people
don’t care for the filmed version; or if people like the television show better
than the books. Viewers come to sit in front of their television sets with
different expectations, just as readers open a new book with some preconceived
notions about what they’re going to find.
What you won’t find is a duplicate of the book. Even very
faithful adaptations (“Game of Thrones”
for example) veer away from the writer’s timeline for all kinds of
considerations that don’t matter at all to the writer.
I have enjoyed watching the Hallmark productions because I
find in many ways, they’re very true to the Aurora Teagarden books. I have a
very soft spot in my heart for Aurora, my first series protagonist, and I
always will. It’s been a joy writing two more books about her life and
mystery-solving.
I know a lot of people (like me!) enjoy having a snack while
they’re watching their favorite show, and maybe enjoying a little social media
at the same time. So here’s a favorite recipe of mine, given to me by Anne
Veach many years ago. It’s the hint of curry that gives this great dip its
distinction. Just serve it with your favorite cracker (Ritz Crackers, the
classic, are a favorite here).
ChaCha Chicken
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1 c mayonnaise
2 t curry powder
1 t salt
6 cups chopped chicken
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
2/3 c sweetened dried cranberries
1 c salted almond slivers
Whisk together cream cheese and next three ingredients. Stir in chicken (I minced mine in the food processor), pineapple, and cranberries. Spoon into a plastic wrap-lined round cake pan; cover and chill at least 8 hours. Invert and remove wrap. Gently press chopped almonds onto sides of salad, a step I forgot for the shower!
And here’s a sneak peek at the new cover for October’s
Aurora book, SLEEP LIKE A BABY. I hope you enjoy it; it’s been so much fun to
get back to my writing roots with conventional mysteries.
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Enjoy the show!
Thanks so very much for visiting Charlaine! We'll be tweeting throughout the movie--and there will be prizes! Will you join the fun? Today, Sunday March19 9est/8c! #SLEUTHERS
And leave your email in a comment to be included in a giveaway for a $25 Visa gift certificate to celebrate the movie, the blog, the author! Hooray!
Will be watching! EMS591@aol.com
ReplyDeleteCharlaine, thrilled to have you here, and lovely to get your perspective about how TV and movies work re: an author's work. Love your attitude! I'm sure this will be a fun and delightful series. Candace is a charming actress! ~ Daryl
ReplyDeleteI love both TV versions of True Blood and Aurora Teagarden-both quite different! Now that's an understatement! lol.) I generally don't stay up so late, as I have to get up so early for work, so I'm not sure I'll watch tonight-but I don't want to wait to see it at an earlier hour...so we'll see. And I only use social media during commercials-I want my full attention on the screen! Thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteCharlaine, I love all your books and the screen adaptations! True Blood is one of my all-time favorite shows, even though it started to veer way off from the books. I'm so excited for Midnight Texas this July and for Dead Over Heels tonight! Thanks for the many hours of entertainment you've given me. :)
ReplyDeleteI read the books that lead to True Blood, but somehow missed the Aurora Teagarden. When I got the Hallmark Mystery Channel I discovered Aurora! Can't wait to see the new movie and to catch up on the books!
ReplyDeleteLove Aurora Teagarden. Glad she's back.
ReplyDeleteI love Hallmark movies and now I get to love yours. Congratulations. Thanks for the insights which I will add to my wish-list. Best wishes for continued successes. (PS: Thanks for the recipe, too.)
ReplyDeleteWonderful to see you here, Charlaine. And what a great recipe for (dare I say it?) watching a movie this evening?
ReplyDeleteMy DVR is set to go! In the past I wanted movie adaptations of books to strictly follow the story, but it's different with the Hallmark movies based on the cozies. The movies seem to capture the spirit of the main characters like Aurora, so it's like doubling my pleasure. I can still enjoy the books and now the movies, too! Congrats on the new book, looking forward to that as much as tonight's movie. Thanks for the giveaway and recipe.
ReplyDeletesallycootie@gmail.com
Thanks for visiting Charlaine, and for the Cha Cha Chicken recipe. I have enjoyed watching the Aurora Teagarden mysteries on the Hallmark Chanel, and can't wait for tonight's episode. I love the cast! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed both the books and the Hallmark series. Will Aurora end up married as in the books? Had to phrase that carefully. No spoilers.
ReplyDeletepatdupuy@yahoo.com
I love all your books, Charlaine, and will be watching tonight as well. Thanks Maryjane for bringing one of my favourite authors to the kitchen!!
ReplyDeleteLove your books and the hallmark adaptations for TV. Will be watching tonight. embam1969@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteI admit that I am not familiar with your Aurora Teagarden books. However, it is always great to find something new from an author I really enjoy. And thanks for sharing that recipe, it looks delicious.
ReplyDeletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
Love to watch Aurora Teagarden. Will she eventually get married? �� In all seriousness, keep them coming. Love these mysteries on Hallmark Movie & Mystery channel.
ReplyDeleteStrgth4yu(at)hotmail(dot)com
Her Southern Vampire Series is one of my favorites! I've been enjoying the movies based off her Aurora Teagarden series.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely <3 the Aurora Teagarden series! It was the first series that I couldn't wait for the next for the next one to come out and was totally heartbroken when there were no more. So happy to hear that there will be another book and can't wait to watch the show! bubs(dot)girl(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the debut tonight of the new Aurora Teagarden movie, Dead Over Heels. Great insights into an author's (thrilling and terrifying!) experience of having her books adapted into dramatic works. Cheers for joining us, Charlaine.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could watch this! Don't have cable though. I'll have to wait until I'm at my folks house to catch up. Love the series though! Read all the books! :) kidisitor(at)yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the movie tonight. I'm going to try to watch the entire movie tonight but also going to DVR it too as I may have to run out to pick up my daughter from work.
ReplyDeletescarletbegonia5858@gmail.com
Unfortunately - will have to wait till it gets on W-network :) Love the series though!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteem.milka(at)hotmail(dot)com
I liked Charlaine's Shakespeare series but I'm not sure that series would be good for TV.
ReplyDeletesgiden at verizon(.)net
Loved the Sookie books and was sad to see it end. Didn't get the chance to read the Aurora books yet but hopefully soon.
ReplyDeletelady(dot)janel(at)hotmail(dot)com
Already have the DVR set. We can't wait!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'll be tuning in at 9pm , can't wait!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy all of Charlaines books. Please enter me in your giveaway.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandy G
Sand1948@gmail.com
Love the Aurora Teagarden mysteries. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
Congrats! The new cover is awesome! Thanks for the chance! Donamaekutska7@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to watching the movie tonight. I love the Aurora Teagarden mysteries.
ReplyDeleteCasmith79@aol.com
I love both the books and the movies. I am thrilled about the two new additions to the series, and I hope they all get made into movies. amp67@mchsi.com
ReplyDeleteHave not read any of the Aurora Teagarden books but I'm really enjoying the Hallmark movies very much. Love the characters and the mysteries are really keeping me guessing "who dun it?"
ReplyDeletesbetley@gmail.com
Wonderful interview and recipe. The book sounds good and congratulations on the Hallmark movie. Thank you for this chance. areewekidding@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the Aurora Teagarden movies. Can hardly wait to watch this one tonight.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your latest book to movie on Hallmark! Can't wait to watch the movie.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com