Tess at the Columbus College of Art and Design

Two of our own were fortunate enough to go see Tess in Columbus, and our girl Beth (@bethraesmith) sent us a little something about along with some pictures. Here's what she had to say:

Hey RizzlesGirls,

I (@bethraesmith) met my twitter pal/fellow Sasha lover Autumn (@nograsponrealit) and the lovely Tess Gerritsen at the Canzani Center, Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, Ohio, July, 12, 2011 (put on by Thurber House).

She gave an interesting and funny talk about her writing, her new book, and the show. She asked if anyone was tweeting during the premiere and it seemed only Autumn and I raised our hands (sitting practically in front of her). She said 6.4 million viewers watched! She described some differences between her books and the show. The casting of the beautiful Angie Harmon as her "little ugly duckling" Jane because of the "charisma and grittiness" Angie brings and Sasha Alexander as a "sunny and sweet" Maura, who was "a scary kind of creature" in the books, due to her screen test with Angie where the producers reported that "you could see the sparks fly."

Tess highlighted the following as a main difference between her books and Rizzoli & Isles: "...neither woman will ever get married in the TV show, that's what I was told..." At that point, representin' in true Rizzles Girls fashion, I said "yay" and Autumn burst out laughing, loudly. Tess looked down at us and said "are you happy about that, it sounds like?" She continued "neither one of them will be married in the show because they want to focus on their relationship and the men just get in the way. Although, you know, they also wanted them to be free agents so that they can have like a little dalliance here and there and sparks can fly with other characters."

There was a drawing for Season One DVDs, and Tess was extremely gracious and kind as she signed and posed for pictures with fans. Tess later tweeted that she was having a drink at Thurber bar where literary great James Thurber "got tipsy." Autumn and I went to an Irish gay bar. Oddly appropriate!

Tess also said Rizzoli & Isles was special because it was woman powered down to the roots: she created "the girls," Tamaro is writer/creator, Sasha and Angie--two female leads! Nothing else like it on TV now. We know, huh?

~Beth~

Wonderful and thanks for sharing, Beth!