After weeks of True Blood casting news - the latest: Kevin Alejandro will play a love interest for Lafayette - we have a behind-the-scene tidbit regarding the show that should make fans jump for joy:

HBO has signed a deal with creator Alan Ball that keeps him at the drama for the next two years. What does this mean for its future?

"I would assume that [the series is at minimum] going through season four," Ball said.

So, can Ball reveal any True Blood spoilers about season three and beyond?

“I think we’re always going to use the books as sort of a foundation, but I just don’t see how, as time goes on, you can’t diverge from them a little bit more each season," he said. "We’re starting to work on Season Three and we actually are really, really sticking to the books, at the beginning at least.”

Come on. Anything else?

“Season Three is a big Eric season."

That's all we need to hear!

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.