By John Sellers

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - "True Blood" creator Alan Ball told the Television Critics Association that he had signed a deal to return for another season of the wildly popular HBO drama and that he has already begun hashing out stories.

When asked to confirm a rumor that he might step down after the current season, the supernatural series' fourth, Ball flatly replied, "No."

He said that he's already "breaking stories" for season five, including exploring a plot about how one of the series' vampires was made.

While HBO has not officially announced a "True Blood" renewal for a fifth season, Ball's statements effectively confirm it.