Eclipse Premiere... Anyone?

Hi everyone. My admiration for the Twilight Empire has remained inspired but unfortunately life is not a forgone constant. Sometimes in life your schedule is open and malleable enough that you can go to midnight showings of movie premieres and sleep in the next day. Other times ratty old job commitments ensnare you in their evil grip and won't let go.

Essentially what I'm saying is shit happens.

So, I have to work crappy hours now and since I owe a mortgage company part of my mortal soul I haven't seen Eclipse yet. Grrr! Don't big corporations understand the order of importance: Eat, sleep, poop, family, friends, pets, TWILIGHT, 100's of other things, work and bills.

Guess not.

I do have plans to go see it this Monday. I'm excited. I've heard good things so far. I have remained removed from the hype this time around though so I really have no expectations about the story or actors or special effects and all that. But I know I'll like it all the same. It's kind of better this way. I'll see it totally unconditioned for what's coming. It might be more intense that way. I'll let you know.

I'll post my review here sometime next week.

Have a wonderful and blessed weekend, my fellow Twilighters.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella

Stephenie Meyer is throwing us Twihards a bone. This is the first I've heard about the novella she wrote while editing the Twilight Saga before publication.

It's due out this June 5th.

Needless to say, I'm excited about it.

Stephenie's official statement

Go pre-order it on Amazon!!

First Official Eclipse Poster

Direct from The World of Twilight - Official Site. I'm so excited. This poster is the harbinger of delicious love-triangle-y things to come. I know I'll just about faint during the mountain tent scene and then for the big, wet, you-know-what between Jacob and Bella that comes after it! Seriously folks, I hope that director David Slade really draws out that scene. I mean, it can last an hour all by its self. That would be totally okay to me. Because I'm going to be in - straight up, no holds barred - ecstasy! I just hope I'll be able to control myself enough to keep from melting out of the theater seat and writhing around on the floor!

I can't wait to see how Slade handles the banter that goes on between Edward and Jacob in the tent. The audience will most certainly have to have access to Jacob's thoughts to make it enjoyable and understandable. Otherwise it'll just seem like Edward is grumpily talking to himself.

Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!!

Onward and Upward

I think I mentioned before that I'd rather they spaced the Twilight Saga movies out evenly, one a year. But, alas, they are pushing for earlier release dates and Eclipse's date is approaching. We won't have a whole year to complain about how looong away the opening day is. I really enjoyed the year long count down. The drawn out length of time was such sweet agony. And, I sort of feel like I did when I first read the books; postpone the end at all costs! Cause once all the movies are made and been through the theaters, that's it. It'll be over. Yeah, we'll all have the DVDs added to our collection to watch any time we want, but it won't be like this. The hype, the excitement, the anticipation.. It'll all die away and we'll go on about our day to day business. Sigh... it just seems sad to me.

So, right now I'm happily aware of how far away Eclipse seems. I hope time drags by dreadfully slow. That way we can all go impatiently bonkers together.

About that kiss...

Okay, I've been done with the saga for a while and I mull over favorite parts in my head from time to time. Invariably, my mind wanders back to the most erotic, innocent (YES, a kiss can be both. Actually if a kiss truly is one, it'll probably also be the other), engrossing, consuming gesture of pent up sexual frustration and hope ever. And that kiss is...

...the Jacob and Bella kiss in the mountains. (author waits as the incredulous murmur dies down). That's right, scoff if you like. But to me that kiss alone blows away any other kiss in the whole saga. It's more powerful than all the best Edward and Bella kisses put together. And believe me, I'm a big fan of the Edward and Bella kisses.

The tension builds throughout Eclipse, but we readers are unwitting to the need for some release, only to become aware of it when the moment is thrust upon us. The extent to which Jacobs presence becomes undeniable to Bella both physically and on a more visceral level is palpable. I think that kiss was the defining moment for me. That one scene sealed my fervent crush for the over-grown wolf boy. I really liked him before that but became hopelessly gaga after. That's the moment that solidified Jacob Black as perfect day dream fodder.

Talk about being tested! I wish I had Bella's problems.

More On Edward & Jacob

Am I any closer to solving my dilemma of who I love the most, Edward or Jacob?

Nope.

But I will tell you that all this introspection has really got me in touch with what drives my feelings. It's not like it's a new thing for me, I pretty much set around thinking all the time, :D I'm an introverted kind of gal. I guess that's why you are reading this now. I formulate thoughts on something and it feels like it might bubble over if I don't get it out. Hence, blogging.

So anyway, back to Jacob and Edward. I'm reading Eclipse now and all this closeness between Edward and Bella is like a fix to a junkie. I can't get enough of it. And yet, when I put the book down to do annoyingly unavoidable stuff like, GO TO WORK, I find my mind drifting to Jacob.

Funny, isn't it? The story of Bella and Edward is what drives us all to turn those pages with vampire quick reflexes. Jacob's character may be considered by some readers as just a means to add friction and conflict to the story. But to me, he's that warm and fuzzy thing (literally) in the story that worms his way into my heart. His character, more so than any other besides Bella perhaps, grows (again, literally) and becomes more than what he starts out as. He's very human in that.

Through trial and triumph, his character develops. But he is always true to himself and looks at life through the eyes of an optimist. The light of his infectious happiness is addictive itself. Bella refers to Jacob as her own personal sun and I think that's an apt description of him. He has an undeniable pull for anyone lucky enough to be close to him, as any celestial body should. And I think that is one reason Jacob always nudges Edward out in my daydreams. I'm drawn in by his light, endearing, happy contentedness no matter how much my X chromosomes may demand that I yearn for the dark, complicated, brooding one.

These are all qualities that a real person could have. And even though he is no less fictitious than Edward, there is something inherently attainable about Jacob.

He may be a werewolf but his love is within the realm of believability. Edward's love is perfect and unerring. Edward's love is like him, to good to be true. Too good to even pretend to be true. And in that perfection lies the crux. His love is flawed in it's very nature. I find it hard to wrap my brain around such total consuming devotion. To my fantasizing mind, it's not even plausible to imagine such a love for myself. Because although I may be able to imagine a vampire or werewolf lover, I just can't seem to trick my head into believing anyone, human or otherwise, could honestly express feelings like Edward has for Bella.

Maybe that says more about me than it does about the love itself. Maybe it's a sign of some inner self deprecating notion. Maybe it's a sign of self contempt. ...I think I like me. I think it's more to do with my lack of ever finding what I've been looking for. I've had relationships. But I've never experienced any relationship that complimented or completed me in the fashion that Edward and Bella's love completes them.

And I know now that that has something to do with why I get so emotionally involved with the books. And why I feel so destitute every time I finish reading them. I am elated while reading. My mind pushes to the side the fact that I yearn for that kind of love and will never find it. Instead I focus on enjoying my voyeuristic view into this most coveted of fictional lives. I stave off the heartache of reality until the end, when I have no choice but to evaluate my own life in comparison, whether I want to or not. It just sort of happens.

Freshly after reading the saga, it's painfully obvious that I feel like something is missing. Not in a panicky kind of way either. In the sense that although I am totally content, I know that my experiences would be heightened if I had that perfect of soul mates to share each day with. I may step onto the porch to enjoy a beautiful moonlit night, or wonder at the invigorating electricity of a rainy day. No matter what, all things would be better if I could share it with an Edward, or especially a Jacob.

That's all the insight (ha ha) I have for right now. But be warned, my emotions run the gamut every other minute and I'm always on the precipice of an epiphany. So tomorrow's post may contradict this one completely.

Until next time, dream on fellow Twilighters.

Stephen King on Stephenie Meyer!

Calm down Twilighters, it's not as dirty as it sounds. But it is pretty bad. During a recent interview, epic popular writer Stephen King was asked his opinion of current chart topping writers, in particular J. K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer. In Stephen King's eloquent style, he surmised that "Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good.”

Now Steve, you are breaking my heart. I only hope that if I am ever lucky enough to have anything published that my style either appeals to you or you never read it. I can only imagine what Stephenie thinks of your comments. Although, I doubt she puts as much weight on your meandering talky-talk as I do. For I've grown up loving and respecting your work, and have been inspired by it. However, I will tell you, dear Mr. King, that I have never once read one of your books that I felt I couldn't put down (Although Cell came close). As is the case with Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga. And not one book in particular, take your pick; Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse or Breaking Dawn. I had to have more, couldn't stop! Her writing is so addictive that as I neared the end of the saga, I (like a LOT of Twilighters) become melancholy at the thought of having no more of Stephenie's wonderful words to consume.

I am surprised that Steven King would be so hasty to write off Meyer's writing ability with such finality. Especially since he was considered a hack by many critics for a long time before finally gaining the respect he deserves. I would think he'd show some empathy for new writers, having been denied it himself.

Why is he saying that Stephenie's not a very good writer? I have my suspicions. I wonder if in his old age he's become a snobby elitist who sets high atop his mountain of money and picks apart the efforts of others writers. Maybe when he says she's not a good writer, he's referring to technical aspects of her writing. You know, the stuff that no one cares about except other elitist writers. For example, he may be saying that there are grammatical errors. Or he may be focusing on sentence structure - Meyer's does have an annoying habit of incessantly using em dashes throughout her prose - or maybe even the meandering uncohesiveness of plot development.

What King is overlooking is that 17 million (and counting) readers can't all be wrong. Meyer's writing has merit if so many people get enjoyment from it time and time again. Her writing evokes such loyalty that her fans are somewhat, um, fanatical. And we're not just talking about 'the girls' Stephen mentioned. There are boys, Twilight Moms, twenty somethings, thirty somethings; heck there's 40, 50, 60+ somethings out there pining over Edward, Jacob and the world of Forks, WA.

So, in summation, I have to ask: Is Stephen King saying that all of us who love the prose of a writer he thinks "can’t write worth a darn" are literary cretins? That's kind of how I feel; like my love is baseless in his eyes.

Not cool, Steve, not cool.

The Volturi and Other Thoughts

I admit it, Taylor is going to be a hot Jacob. So there! It's out there! Now, on to other meandering musings...

The New Moon release date is fastly approaching. Before we know it, the day will be upon us! My only concern is that all us die hard Twi-hards are then going to be without a tether of hope and anticipation to hold on to. Right now, just like most of last fall, we have a goal to focus on. We are happily waiting for that day when we will be out in droves to see the next movie adaptation in the saga.

I really hope, that when New Moon opens, we hear that they are immediately rolling right into filming for Eclipse. That way, we can all reset our odometers (so to speak) and again have something to cling to.

Scratch that last paragraph, I just read that the Eclipse start date for shooting will actually overlap New Moon's. Because of this, Chris Weitz will not direct Eclipse as production won't be finished soon enough on New Moon to allow him to direct the next in the saga. So, as in the style of the Harry Potter franchise, we'll see a separate director for each Twilight flick, at least on the 1st three. Who even knows if Breaking Dawn will ever make it to the silver screen. I read a quote by Stephenie Meyer herself that said it would be very difficult to customize Breaking Dawn for the screen, and therefore pretty unlikely that it'll occur at all.

So, one good thing about the rush to get the movies made is that Chris Weitz won't be directing. The down side though is that continuity and the feel of the movies may not jive. You know, with three different directors bringing to life three different visions, it could feel like a patchwork story of sorts.

I really hope Chris Weitz does the book justice. To me, New Moon's movie adaptation is just as important as Twilight's because this contains the definitive description of the werewolves and more importantly, the Volturi. So, how ever Weitz envisions the werewolves look, transitions and behaviors AND the look, feel and ambiance surrounding the Volturri is going to be the blue print for future movies. So, he'd better get that all very right. The next director for Eclipse will basically be forced to stick to Weitz's interpretation or else it will be confusing changing such memorable elements from New Moon. An example of what I mean is that if Weitz were to poorly cast the parts for the Volturi and the next director realizes this and tries to compensate by recasting, that would sorely screw up continuity and certainly annoy fans. Hopefully Weitz will not make such mistakes.

I mentioned that because it is seriously important to me that he get the Volturi right. I never envisioned the perfect actors to cast for the parts. But I do have specific feelings attached to those characters. For instance, when the Volturi first comes onto screen, this should have a profound effect on the audience. It should be both a terrifying and beautiful moment. As a viewer, I want not to be able to tear my eyes away from them but at the same time feel compelled to look away, like at the scene of a crime. It should instantly send chills down my spine. I want the entrance to be so glorious that I don't know where to put my eyes first. There should be thought put into every detail, down to the shoes on there feet, if they are wearing shoes. Clothing wise, Guillermo Del Toro's brand of fantasy/hellish attire comes to mind. The immaculate wardrobe worn by characters in Pans Labyrinth and Hellboy 2: The Golden Army seem right for Aro, Caius and Marcus.

I want to see piping and brocade and ancient, delicate fabrics. I want them to look as though they've been entombed and might fall to ash at any moment. The Volturi's appearance should belie the strength that is hidden by their false frailty. Scary and alluring.

For others vampires in the Volturi camp, I'd like to see a personal style for each character. They shouldn't all match, as a group. The three leaders should share a certain fashion, as they have traveled down through time together. You know how interesting it is to look at a band of gypsies, (in the movies at least, I've never actually seen a real band of gypsies unfortunately) so many shiny baubles and clamouring buttons? That's how I see the Volturi. As other vamps are acquired to serve the Volturi, the look should become a pot pouri of flavors.

If Chris Weitz can do that, then he can pull off the rest of the movie with ease. Now, about those werewolves... Don't get me started...

Twilight pulls in $70.6 Million!

Hi there you crazy Twilight fans, you! Just wanted to put this out there so you'll be aware. Twilight made $70.6 million dollars opening weekend! That's quite a haul! AND Twilight's director Catherine Hardwicke snagged the distinction of highest grossing opening weekend for a female directed movie! She blew away the last person to hold that spot, Mimi Leder who directed Deep Impact in 1998 (it made $41 million). Go Catherine!

Summit Entertainment has already announced the green-light for New Moon. So, expect to see it in 2010 (hopefully early 2010). They have pretty much committed to adapting the who saga for the silver screen!

I'm really stoked about all this. The only down side is that I've read in several different articles that Taylor Lautner will reprise the role of Jacob Black. I can't deny that I'm bummed by this. I've read that maybe they'll just ignore the fact that Jacob sprouted up so quickly into a big ole boy. That would suck. His unintentionally imposing stature played a major part in his description in New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Guess they'll just work around it (to my consternation!)

New Moon is almost my favorite in the saga. I can't put it above Twilight, so I'll call it a draw. But the book is largely a dialog between Bella and Jacob. It's going to be imperative that Kristen Stewart not be so dramatic. And Taylor Lautner will just have to grow a whole foot and ...be more engaging! Yeah he was cute and nice in Twilight. But that was because he was there in small doses, just as a supportive character. In New Moon he'll be front and center, main character all the way. I just don't know if he will pull it off. I guess we'll see, we have no choice. :)

I will expound on this subject another time friends! I only intended to give you the straight (subtle reference to my wishes that Steven Strait would be cast as Jacob? Yep.) facts on how Twilight did over the opening weekend. But in true form, I blathered on! Believe me, I'll have more on this topic later.

Oh, by the way, Happy Thanksgiving!!

Me and Twilight, a love story

I was a late comer to the Twilight saga. I hadn't heard of these wonderful books until this past summer. I was searching for new books by another vampire novelist, Charlaine Harris. She wrote the great Southern Vampire Series novels starring Sookie Stackhouse. Anyhow, I was online looking up vampire novels and Twilight popped up. I saw an image of Robert Pattinson (RPattz) and Kristen Stewart together for a magazine shoot. I read a small blurb regarding the movie adaptation of Twilight and how insanely popular the saga is. I thought to myself 'What?! A vampire series that I'm not in on?' And then I promptly put it in the back of my mind. But I did note that it was RPattz, the boy from Harry Potter. I thought wow, he's quite striking!

A couple days go by and I'm in the check out line at Wal-Mart and I see the very same image of RPattz and Kristen on the cover of US magazine. I thought it weird that I'd see a reminder of the Twilight series again. I was at the library the next day and I decided to see if I could find at least the 1st book in the saga to read. I went to a kiosk to search for the author or the book title. But don't you know I'd forgotten both the author's name and the name of the book? I was thinking 'Whisper' for some reason. Add to this the fact that the Cambridge Crossroads library's electronic book search is so extremely slow that it's infuriating! After failed search attempts that took me (no kidding) about an hour, I wondered if they had the US magazine so I could check the exact spelling of her name. I was on the hunt. I found that issue of US and emblazoned her name in my memory: Stephenie Meyer. One more quick (ha ha) search of the library and still I found nothing. So I said screw this place and went home and bought Twilight and New Moon online, sight unseen. ...And I never looked back. I tore through both books and like a heroin junkie, I had to have another fix. And fast. I went to Wal-Mart right before I finished New Moon and bought Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

I was blissfully happy, but (like Forks, WA) there was a rain cloud on the horizon of my happiness. I knew from googling Stephenie Meyer that book 4 was to be the last in the Twilight saga. I didn't think I could make it without more! I was hoping she'd be more like Charlaine Harris who has cranked out 8 Sookie Stackhouse books (and still counting). I guess Charlaine spoiled me. Stephenie is being stingy with her word count. I knew that when I finished Breaking Dawn I was going to be depressed. I could feel it coming. That's how enraptured I am with the world of the Cullens and Forks and clumsy old Bella. I love them all. I love Edward, Bella, Sheriff Swan, Billy Black, Jacob Black (who doesn't? Dreamy wolf-boy!). Heck, I love the freaking table that the Cullen's pretend to eat lunch at every day in the cafeteria of the high school. I love Edward and Bella's biology table. I love the rocking chair in Bella's bedroom... Yeah, I'm a junkie alright. And I was gonna hurt when the saga ended. I had to form a plan, and quick. I was tearing though those pages.

Right around that time, I'd started keeping daily tabs on http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/ and I read that somehow a rough draft of Midnight Sun was leaked onto the Internet. Midnight Sun?! What is this? As if you don't know. It's the Twilight story as told by Edward. Now we're talking! I could never get enough of Edward. And to hear the story from his point of view; heaven! I always wondered what was going on in his mind behind all those tortured and moody looks. Wondered what parts of the truth he was filtering out for Bella's benefit. I wanted to read this bad.

So, my plan was this:
1. I would immediately start re-reading the Twilight saga as soon as I finished Breaking Dawn and
2. I'd not allow myself to blaze through Midnight Sun like a mad women. I'd savor it. I'd dole out little doses of Edward's story a couple pages at a time.

So far it's worked. I still haven't finished Midnight Sun and I'm reading the Twilight saga for the 3rd time now. I know, I'm a freak. But hey, I'll handle my obsession how I see fit! Besides, you know that if you are setting here reading a blog about Twilight by some crazed lover of the saga, then you yourself have issues every bit as convoluted as mine, and they need addressing! But you'll never see me passing judgement, friend. I feel your pain.

I've managed to stave off the heart ache of being done with Twilight for good. Besides, I still have the movie to look forward to. I think I am going to have to play the interventionist to my Twilight saga junkie. I will allow myself to keep on rereading Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn and Midnight Sun until the movie opens. And then in true glutton form, I'll go watch the Twilight movie 5 or 6 (thousand) times, talk obsessively about it to friends, neighbors and family until they want me dead, and then let it go. Go cold turkey. Yeah, we'll see how that plays out - I'll let you know.

Now we know we can't live with out Twilight, but why? I try to put my finger on just what is so darned intoxicating about this story. People all over the world are stuck in Forks, WA, literarily speaking. Yeah, I've got some thoughts. Sometimes writers write things called back stories before they even begin to write the actual story. The back story is basically a history of a character. By writing out every detail about a character, you make them more 3 dimensional, more fleshed out. It helps when you are writing the story because the character seems so real that you can get inside their head and see how they'd react to any given situation. I don't know if Stephenie did this, but it sure feels like it. It would help in explaining why (at least for me) I sometimes forget that Edward (or Bella or Jacob) aren't really existing somewhere on this earth.

Another theory of mine: Not only is Edward (and Jacob too, for that matter) a purely mythical creature but, the love that is portrayed between him and Bella is a mythical creature as well. It’s every bit an illusion. I think anyone who reads it wishes and yearns for such a love to exist. That makes the whole idea of the books addictive. Plus, the fact that their love, throughout the saga, can’t be consummated builds the reader into a frenzy. Truly, Stephenie Meyer is a genius. This love is always patient. And unconditional. Edward is content to set in the rocking chair in Bella's bedroom for 8 or 9 hours while she sleeps (I passed a rocking chair outside a Cracker Barrel this morning and my heart ached; *psycho*), or to lay beside her and hold her. He never tires of this, never has anything that he thinks is better to do than be with her. I find it also very appealing that he can be that protector that every girl secretly yearns for. In Edward's case, his over protectiveness is sweet and endearing because it comes from a pure place. There is never any machismo attached, as there would be with a real human man. Never any boasting superiority complex about ownership of the girl or the need to be protective because the female is weaker and therefore inferior. No, in Edward's case he's bossy because he simply wants Bella to live to be with him. Who could fault that?

And one final reason I fell in love with Twilight and all the characters within, is because of rainy old Forks itself. I have always been drawn to the rainy, darker side of life. What can I say? I'm Irish. Stephenie so convincingly describes a place dreary with daily precipitation. That alone is a draw for me. The weather and woods and beaches of Forks, Washington are so well described, they are memorable and important Twilight characters in and of themselves.

Others must feel the same way to. It would explain the flood of fans to Forks and La Push Washington lately. I bet Forks, WA is loving Stephenie Meyer right about now.