Catching Up

It’s taken four years, but I finally saw the first three Twilight movies.

To be truthful, I did watch the first Twilight movie with my stepdaughter likely after it came out on DVD, but I think I remembered more of it this time.

I enjoyed them. And of course, it makes me want to read the series over again.

This Blog Posting Changed Three Times Today (And Still Changing)

I was originally going to blog about a certain towel but I forgot to take a picture so it so changed direction.

As I sat by the computer, starring blankly at the screen, I decided to tell you about the book I am reading – The Host by Stephenie Meyer.

As I haven’t finished reading the book, and I really don’t know much about it, I logged onto Meyer’s official website to see if I could find some information to share.

Instead I was dragged into Meyer’s world and didn’t resurface for some time.
Let’s just say, wow. You could spend hours reading that site; there is so much information and so many extras.

While I wouldn’t consider myself an author, I do think of myself as a writer. As a writer, I am in awe of authors and the skill and dedication they have. And Stephenie Meyer is no exception.

What impresses me most about authors is the act of writing. I paid attention in English. I have written my share of stories. I even attempted to get one published. But I never understood – or could do – the details.

In class we were always taught that everything was planned. True authors, we were told, sketch out their books so the plot and the details are exposed before the writing begins.

Christine Lee posted a letter by Alan Rickman to JK Rowling about Severus Snape, his Harry Potter character.

Paraphrasing Rickman, he mentioned it didn’t seem so long ago that Rowling told him there was more to Snape than an unchanging costume. I found that fascinating.

Obviously, Rowling knew from the moment she put pen to paper the end result of her series and all those moments from Book 1 was planned out before she got to Book 7.

And Meyer is the same way. Thank you, Meyer, for letting me get into your brain to see how a real author works.

Breaking Dawn Thoughts

My stepdaughter was right.

Breaking Dawn, the final chapter in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, was the best book in the four-part saga.

Again, Meyer has created secondary characters you truly care about. I would love to read more about the vampire friends of the Cullen’s.

However - IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THIS FAR INTO THE SERIES, DON’T READ FURTHER AS I MAY SPOIL THE ENDING FOR YOU.

However, I would have like to have seen the bad guys get it. It would be fairly easy, with that ending, for Meyer to create a Book Five with the Cullen’s and their friends having to fight the Italian vampires yet again.

And that really is my only complaint with this book - at the beginning, it really was more of the same.

When I found out that Bella was pregnant and Edward wasn’t happy about it, I wondered if Meyer was going to split the couple again.

So when my stepdaughter asked me how I was liking the book, I replied it was “All right”. I was anxious about reading another book where the couple splits because of lack of communication. That really frustrates me.

So I was pleasantly surprised when I continued reading to find Edward sticking my Bella’s side despite their difference of opinion.

Good for Meyer and good for the reader who gets to see characters who truly develop and an entire new story emerge.

Twilight Thoughts

I just finished reading Eclipse, the third book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series.

I started reading the series on the recommendations of my stepdaughter, AD, and my friend, JM. Both said Twilight was so good they couldn’t put it down, and then they immediately ran out to buy the other three books. JM said it was the first time since Harry Potter that her children were neglected to finish a book.

So with those recommendations, I reserved Twilight from the library. I liked it. It was a good book, however, I found the main character, Bella Swan, annoying. Her belief that she isn’t good enough for Edward, her vampire boyfriend, irked me. I don’t think you should be in a relationship if you feel that inferior to your partner. I wasn’t going to read the other books because Bella annoyed me so much, but I persisted with New Moon. I am glad I did because that book was more enjoyable. I even liked Bella.

AD tells me the books get better as the series progresses and, so far, I must agree with her. Eclipse was really good. I didn’t want to stop reading it, and I am anxiously awaiting the library’s call for the final book, Breaking Dawn.

What I like about the series is that I am just as interested in the secondary characters as I am in Bella and Edward. I would love to learn more about Alice, Jasper and the other vampires in the Cullen family.

According to Meyer’s website, she was writing Midnight Sun, Twilight from Edward’s point of view, but it was leaked on the Internet and she stopped writing. You can read what she wrote on her website at http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html

I have actually spent a great deal of time reading vampire books. If you are looking for other good vampire books, may I suggest:

* Christopher Golden’s Of Saints of Shadows and its sequel Angel Souls and Devil Hearts
* Nancy Baker’s A Terrible Beauty
* Tanya Huff’s vampire series starring Toronto-based vampire Henry Fitzroy and ex-police officer Vicki Nelson.