As many of you know, I have been fixated with the Twilight series since I started reading it in February. With the upcoming release of Breaking Dawn, the final book in the series, now is a great time to be a Twilight fan. The forums and fansites are rife with conjecture: to bite or not to bite. But I have to admit I was reluctant to even pick up these books.
I first heard of Twilight from my mom. Fiction is not her genre so she hadn't read them, but she knew I might be interested.
Mom: "You have so much in common with the author, you should really read these books. They have gained quite a following."
Me: "Really, what are they about."
Mom: "They're about vampires who use their free agency to not suck people's blood."
Me: "Huh, I doubt I'll ever get around to reading that."
Yes, I was more than a little biased. There were several strikes against it right there.
1) Vampire literature- I hate Anne Rice! Blech. Lestat did not seduce me.
2) Youth literature- no real author writes for adolescents, only the ones who can't make it as adult authors, right? (but there was always Harry Potter)
3) (the biggest strike of all) Written by an LDS woman.- Yes, I am active LDS myself, but have you ever read Jack Weyland? *gagging* That's what I think of when I think LDS youth literature.
I was slightly more interested when my friend Tracy (a fellow English major) sent me an e-mail to the effect of, "So I guess teenage girls don't read Anne of Green Gables anymore. They prefer vampire books. Let's read Twilight together so we can laugh at it chapter by chapter." That sounded a bit more intriguing. I ordered my copy from Amazon right away. When Twilight arrived, I read the back cover and laughed hysterically. It sat in my house for 3 months, untouched. In the meantime, Tracy read it on her own twice with no input from me.
Finally, my friend Jessica came to visit and saw Twilight sitting out. "You have Twilight? I haven't read it, but my mom did and she said it was so good."
So I thought maybe I should see what the hype was about and I finally read Twilight. Four days later, I read the next installment, New Moon. Four days after that, I read Eclipse. OK, I'm hooked and I admit to having hooked many others. Jessica read them (though clearly, I can't quite take credit for that one) but I did talk Mary, Miriam, Jodi, Stephanie, Flo, Sarah, Carl, and Norma Jean all into reading the series. I, myself, have read them multiple times and I even have two complete sets (one to loan and one to keep) so I spent about 6 weeks schlepping the books back and forth from church.
I have joined forums and met new friends on-line all because of Twilight. I even flew from Arizona to Salt Lake City to attend a Stephenie Meyer signing. I was hoping to get a really awesome picture of the two of us, but with an audience of 1,000 people with 5,000 books to be signed things like pictures aren't permitted. I tried to tell Stephenie that we were meant to be bosom buddies in the 5.5 seconds I had to speak with her at the signing. I think I came off sounding like every other fanatic dork.
Anyway, part of my obsession is how much Stephenie and I have in common. Stephenie makes fame seem so effortless. It turns out mother was right, after all. So here is a list of the similarities I share with Stephenie Meyer.
1) We both have our Bachelor's in English from Utah universities
2) We both have 3 children
3) We both live in Arizona
4) We are both LDS
5) We are less than a year apart in age
6) She has written three #1 New York Times Bestsellers and has a following of millions. I have written this blog and have a following of three.
7) Both Twilight and the title for this blog were inspired by dreams.
So there you have it. Stephenie and I are practically twins. If only she knew. . .
Have a Twilight addiction story? Please share!
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17 comments:
One thing you have on Stephenie Meyer: I read YOUR blog everyday and have never read her stuff. So, I know it's not that cool, but I think you're great.
Thank you, sis!
Well, I learned about Twilight from my 16 year old daughter, who had been convinced by a friend to read them. I drive long distances every week, and was looking for something to listen to, so I thought "why not?" I got home one afternoon with about the last two chapters unfinished. I had to run into my daughter's room, grab her book and finish it.
What is it with moms prodding you to read Twilight? I read the first one but haven't gotten through the second one. Please tell me how amazing it is so I'll feel inclined to pick it up again.
I think my problem is is that if anything is "new and hot" then I'm automatically turned off by it. I got so incredibly sick of "OMG I LUV EDWARD CULLEN!!11" that I had no inclination to finish the series. Admittedly, I will probably go see the movie.
You're of an age where I think you are more subject to the "OME Edward is so hawt" crowd. I also understand your repulsion to pop culture- though even you let HP in. My suggestion: wait until you are 30 when the trend is long over and then make a decision.
The second book is so not my favorite. I can tell you are not a Twi-hard you would have known it was OME (I am so embarrassed to admit I know that).
I can't say that I have ever been addicted to a book. I am addicted to Chocolate Chocolate Donuts from 7-Eleven however.
Have any males ever read Stepahnie Meyer? I don't know of any either.
Guys do too read Twilight.
http://www.twilightguy.com/
Brett suggested that any guy who reads Twilight should double-check his oreintation. I told Brett that any guy who reads Twilight is a pimp.
Oh dear... that was not the effect I planned on having! (In my own defense, I only read it the second time because it couldn't possibly be as badly written as I remembered. It was.)
I enjoyed reading it at times -- because its earnestness was so unintentionally funny. I didn't think it was good. It made me want to sit around a round table, drink martinis, and "discuss" its merits.
What can I say? Some of us wanted to become authors; I wanted to be a critic.
Since the damage has already been done, I suggest you re-read Northanger Abbey immediately. It used to be one of my least favorite Austin books, but it's grown on me. Think about Twilight while you read it… and it's far more entertaining through Ms. Austin's lens.
(Now I know I need to be a better friend, if you're fantasizing about a friendship with Ms. Meyer.)
And HOORAY A BLOG!
The cat's out of the bag. I have been laughing to myself wondering what Tracy would think all these months. If it makes you feel any better, consider that I am a sensory deprived SAHM. However, I cannot recant at this point. I'm in all the way in. Don't worry there is no Robert Pattison wall paper on my computer and not just because Brett would never allow it.
Yeah! I made it on to Bounce. I loved reading the Twilight series with you.
(Damn spelling errors!)
I really can't say anything about anyone's taste levels these days. I watch Gossip Girl AND Battlestar Galactica. Of the last 3 books I bought 2 were graphic novels... and the other was a juvenile mystery book. (I was surprised by all three. The Watchmen is worthy of its placement on Time Magazine's list of the 100 best novels from 1928 to the present. And _Chasing Vermeer_ is a surprisingly sophisticated/modern take on the kid mystery book -- kind of like 30 Rock and How I Met Your Mother.)
So... I am perfectly fine with your lifestyle choice... as long as you tease me about mine as well!
And of course I had to go read this only a few minutes after responding... and now I look all obsessed and stalker-y.
twilightguy.com looks weird. Brett and I will have to blog about our manly reading sometime (or manly lack of reading, as may be the case.)
Tracy, I depend on your frivolous habits to justify mine. I'm sure we skipped class together at some point so we could eat cereal and watch Sesame Street.
Tom, lack of reading nails it as far as Brett is concerned.
Okay, okay. You got me. But I was eleven when I read the first Harry Potter and I had no friends.
But moving onwardly, I've been considering starting the second one again but it's met with the same reaction of having to read For Whom The Bell Tolls for senior english.
You'd be pleased to know that I will probably skip it and read the third one.
Everything I need to know from Twilight I learned from Facebook bumper stickers. =P
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