text:
Stephenie Meyer's Midnight Sun 12 Chapters Available
Whether she will "punish" the fans and the leaker by not finishing remains to be seen, but if you want to read chapters 1-12 of the Edward/Bella saga from Edward's POV, it is online.
Something about the way her post is worded provokes a weird suspicion that it might have been done intentionally because she didn't really want to finish, or basically rehash, a story she's already told.
Maybe it's just that, if it were a story I really wanted to write, I don't believe chapter leakage or anything else would prevent me from writing it.
Or maybe it was leaked to see if she could get any feedback to encourage her to finish it.
It just seems very strange that if she handed the chapters over only to people she really trusted, how this could have happened? And that bit about no malicious intent. Hmm.
The draft posted just looks like more Mary Bella Sue stuff. Blech.
I also agree with the leakage. I honestly think this story will never be published, unless Meyer does an electronic project where you pay to read each chapter or something of that sort. I honestly think after Breaking Dawn, readers wouldn't be so inclined to read Edward's. POV, What could he really say of interest that hasn't been shown in the book? How horny he is for Bella or how much he wants her blood?
How horny he is for Bella or how much he wants her blood?
Nope. How much he wants to kill her. And then stalk her. But it's okay, because he loves her.
I think it'll get published eventually; there's still a great deal of fandom in love with Edward (and maybe books 1-3).
I think it was also done to try to distract people from some of the backlash from Breaking Dawn. Haven't read it yet but it has been taking quite a beating.
You have a point there Handyhunter! LMAO
Or how Edward enjoys having Bella ride on his back.
Jeaniene Frost
If this was an unintentional leak, then I feel bad for Meyer. I've sent pre-edited versions of my books to friends for feedback, and if somehow those ended up available for public viewing on the internet, I'd be horrified.
As for how it could have happened, if Meyer only sent those chapters to people she trusted…well, one of those trusted people could have forwarded it to a friend – sworn to secrecy, of course – who then forwarded it to another friend – sworn to secrecy, etc. – and then it ends up available everywhere when someone eventually sends it to a person who isn't very ethical. It's an author's worst nightmare, really. Epiracy probably starts with someone legally downloading a book, then sending it to a trusted friend to "share", like with a paperback, and then maybe that friend sends it to someone, and then somewhere down the line, the book ends up on those illegal mass-distribution sites where anyone can get it for free.
Meyer is lucky that she's such a big name, a leak like this won't ruin her career. If something like this happened to a new or smaller author, it could kill a future book, not to mention really harm a career.
I can't speak to the leak, but I do know that was my reaction the first time my WIP was read before I was ready for it to go out. And, sure, that was my sister and I was only 17 … but the sense of violation was so great I simply couldn't finish the work (and I tried). And I still have a hard time showing anyone my work before it's ready.
So her reaction does ring true to me.
What I find strange about the whole thing is how long it took her to claim the work as her own. I've been watching this since it started, something like a week ago or so. I know that a lot of people e-mailed her, her brother, possibly even her agent and her publisher to inform her, yet it still took this long for something to be said by her.
Why? As a writer, if it was my work, I'd be on this so fast it would make your head spin. I can't see any reason, outside of a possible intentional leak, to leave it that long. And I really can't believe that it took her that long to find out. People were e-mailing from day one. I'm not sure I can buy that no one in the Meyer's camp got the message.
Meyer has 4 books coming out next year?!?! OMG. 2009 the year of the Meyer! How is she doing that?
I bet you the leak came from someone involved with the movie. Some people think it's Robert Pattinson but I don't think he's that stupid or malicious. If there was a copy on the set, any number of people could have found it and made a copy for someone they knew would want to read it and things probably escalated from there.
I do think there's merit in the idea that the leak was intentional. The Twilight Guide comes out in December and there's no reason to buy it if it's going to be out of date within a year which would happen with MS's publication.
If she's been thinking about writing this book for a long time, how could she just put it on hold indefinitely? Perhaps this is a leaked version and she's actually still working on the real thing? I don't know, but it seems to me those within her trusted circle should be interrogated for ruining something she so honestly wanted to be published. If hadn't been for them, no one else would have seen this draft. If this is a genuine leak and not a ploy, then that does suck for her.
From Ms Meyer's website: "I'd rather my fans not read this version of Midnight Sun…I've decided to make the draft available here."
Colour me confused.
From Ms Meyer's website: "I'd rather my fans not read this version of Midnight Sun…I've decided to make the draft available here.â€
Oh, I think what's meant by that statement is that the leaked draft was earlier and rougher, so she's releasing her current version of those twelve chapters instead — because of the errors and messy writing she refers to in her statement. Which doesn't affect the possibility of an intentional leak, of course.
Wow…I posted this on another blog:
I wonder if she's using this as an excuse to not go further at this time because of the backlash of this latest book.
If it were me (and I read a few excerpts. Thank God, it's not! I think I write better than that!) it would fuel me enough to want to finish the book and make it the best possible, not abandon it because I'm traumatized.
And was soundly slapped down because I was being nasty toward the author and presuming to tell the author what to do.
I will watch these comments with great interest. :)
And thank you all for not making me feel quite alone.
The first 14 chapters of Breaking Dawn was leaked just before its released which caused a lot of uproar, because of the events in the book. And Midnight Sun is the second time that has happened so I am not sure whether to think this is intentional or by accident but Meyer needs to tighten her security and where she sends her WIP especially with the following that she has.
And was soundly slapped down because I was being nasty toward the author and presuming to tell the author what to do.
*Slaps Theo Soundlessly with a borrowed trout from her friend Ma Titwonky who uses them as a regular weapon…….
Sorry I just had too. LMAO
I'll take that kind of a slapdown any day! LMAO2!!!
Honestly, I was making speculative comments but evidently, I'm not supposed to. *sigh* Do they really sound that bad? Maybe I don't realize that they do.
I've seen the exact same speculation in at least four other websites. I don't think it's that bad but I had the exact same thought.
CHH, I did find it hard to believe that other places hadn't considered that as a possibility. Perhaps it's just me that's unliked which doesn't bother me in the least since I don't post there much anyway. But if that's the case, good gravy be honest and tell me that.
HAS, interesting that this is the second time this has happened, the chapters being leaked to the net. Makes me wonder if someone isn't setting a precedent here and will be doing this every time she has a new book. Because if she only sends to a select few, and she knows which copies she sent to who, she should have known the first time it happened to not do it again. Or is that too presumptuous of me?
Clearly I've been out of the Twilight loop for too long:
What are these four books coming out next year? And where did Robert Pattison discuss the deeply disturbing neurosis of Edward??
The leak of the BD chapters were scanned pages from a published copy someone acquired at a non-bookstore. It wasn't the same kind of leak. When you have that many copies out there and you're giving copies to non-booksellers who may not understand that some books can only be sold after a given date, leaks are going to happen especially if a book is as anticipated as BD was. The BD leak wasn't from Meyer's camp and she came down hard on the fandom with C&D letters being sent to people who were just talking about the spoilers. Going after people for talking about the spoilers didn't win her any fans, BTW, nor did the spoilers themselves.
As for the four books next year thing, I think Meyer was planning on writing four books or maybe five. I realize that every author has her own writing process but that seems really excessive to me. Maybe she wouldn't have as many internal mistakes and WTF moments if she'd slow down.
Thanks Jane! That was kind of fabulous. I think I love Robert Pattison, and I can't wait to see his self-loathing Edward.
CHH, I totally agree about her slowing down. And maybe taking the time to edit as well. Just because you have over 700 pages of stuff to say about an angsty teen love, doesn't mean that all of it adds something to story. Editing is fun!
The BD leak wasn't from Meyer's camp and she came down hard on the fandom with C&D letters being sent to people who were just talking about the spoilers. Going after people for talking about the spoilers didn't win her any fans, BTW, nor did the spoilers themselves.
Well, that's only a little bit different than her reaction to this leak. /sarcasm
Wait a minute though…hasn't Meyer herself given spoilers of her work, though?
You know, I originally thought that Rob as Edward was just silly but now I kinda love him a little.
The sequel to The Host should be out next year it will be called The Soul.
Thanks, CHH. :) That does put a bit of a different spin on things. I didn't know any of that. Still makes me wonder why she'd take the chance though, handing out 'several copies' from what I understand. I'd worry if it happened once, it would happen again, regardless of how.
Burn me once, shame on you, type of thing.
But then, what do I know?
Wait a minute though…hasn't Meyer herself given spoilers of her work, though?
She revealed that Edward and Bella were going to get married which was the most ridiculous spoiler ever. I saw that coming and I've only read the first ten chapters of Twilight. Everyone knew that was going to happen. It's like me telling you that the ship was going to sink in Titanic. You can yell at me for spoiling a big event for you, but who didn't know that was going to happen?
Ann Bruce
Haven't had a chance to read all the comments, but is the leak intentional to draw attention away from Breaking Dawn and the overwhelming negative reactions?
Ann Bruce
She's had some definite backlash including the very public statements by the actor playing Edward that he basically hates Edward as written and thinks he's a total psycho.
Jane, what's the source for this one?
Ann Bruce
Okay, ignore the last comment. I see the link.
Okay, the quote from Pattison cracked me up. Now there's an interesting way to approach portraying a character. On the other hand … that's a really strange way to market a movie he's going to be in.
Pattison's thinly veiled anti-Twilight comments have won him a lot of fans who hate the book but have come to love him and want to see the movie to support his career. Well, they're torn between wanting to see the movie to support him and wanting the movie to bomb so he can move on to better movies.
That was rather my thought to. I mean, as an actor, you want to portray the character people 'love to hate' which is generally the villain, but in this case, judging from that quote, Pattison simply hated the character. Period. So, if he felt that strongly, why take on the role? For the money?
Doesn't quite make sense to me.
Sounds like a poor career choice to me. What if it backfires and you play the part so well, you end up typecast? Though in this case, maybe he won't give it his best effort, in which case, he doesn't show his best potential and still ends up in a position less likely to move forward into the big time.
That was rather my thought to. I mean, as an actor, you want to portray the character people 'love to hate' which is generally the villain, but in this case, judging from that quote, Pattison simply hated the character. Period. So, if he felt that strongly, why take on the role? For the money?
Who knows if he agreed to it before or after reading the book and the script, though? I mean, someone suggesting he try for the role (or asking him to take the role) wasn't going to say "Well, you'd be playing Edward, who's the creepy stalkerish control-freak virgin vampire with some major issues". I dunno, maybe he agreed before he knew.
So, if he felt that strongly, why take on the role? For the money?
Pattinson's biggest role to date has been as Cedric Diggory in GoF. A starring role in a movie with franchise potential isn't a bad career move on paper. It all depends on the franchise though and I don't think Twilight, if more than one movie gets made, is ever going to be a prestige franchise the same way Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or Spiderman are.
Even if Pattinson took the role for the money, I don't blame him when he's in a profession where the majority of those practicing it are unemployed. These comments are coming after his exposure to some of the crazier elements of fandom and I think those encounters are souring the movie for him.
Actors in Pattinson's position not infrequently take on roles thay may not be that fond of or for films with scripts they may think stink for the exposure and for getting the "starring" credit. It's not THAT uncommon for an actor to subtly badmouth a character and/or film with which he's involved … it's just expected to be done subtly. Pattinson isn't subtle, and needs to learn to be. Although I think some of this is an effect of being interviewed multiple times with essentially the same questions and he's just trying to avoid repeating the exact same words over and over. The result is that his reported analysis of Edward has got more and more negative. The way he initially described him, I thought it pretty clear he believed the fellow had "issues" as he puts it, but it didn't have quite the "nasty" edge some of the later interviews have. I think the nuttiness of the fandom is also getting to him. (I should also add that his co-star, Kristen Stewart, has been rather similarly negative about Bella, and from the teaser trailers, it almost looks like she phoned in her performance.)
All that said, I doubt he has time to have scanned all those images, or that he'd be stupid enough to do it. If he's culpable, it's probably only in leaving out the manuscript where somebody else could get a hold of it. But I HAVE to think he had to sign some sort of confidentiality contract to see it, and no director would want to hire him after a breach like that. He couldn't be trusted.
The second I found out about the leak (and this was as early as August 20th) I thought it reeked of marketing ploy.
1. It takes attention off Breaking Dawn.
2. It creates new buzz.
3. It gives the author a self-confidence boost (the fans are rabid and telling each other to "refrain" from getting the chapters because of Meyer's post in her website yadda yadda).
4. Author wrote a sub par product and this gives her the perfect excuse (plus additional time) to work on it and then release whenever she thinks it's ready (I don't believe for a second that it will never be released).
5. Gives author and publisher a chance to see if regurgitating the story will actually "fly" and people will buy the book with regurgitated story.
6. Keeps things moving pre-movie release.
I am pretty jaded and there are many holes in this (as many others have already pointed out in this thread).
On a side note, I don't care about the movie, but from the moment I saw the trailers a few months ago, I thought that if I watch it, it would be for Pattison. I liked what I saw. And more to add: Pattison has received a LOT of hate mail from Twilight fans that think he's not beautiful enough to play the part. I guess he doesn't care anymore about stating what he really thinks about the character. The fans already told him they hate him.
That's upsetting to hear! Poor Pattison! If it's anyone's fault, the stylists should be shot (especially whoever did the Entertainment Weekly cover because GOOD LORD, that was Fugly).
Anyway, I was excited to see the movie because I wanted to see how in the hell they were going to translate the crazy of the book into something that will sell on the screen. I'm doubly excited now because of Pattison's comments (and what I've seen of him so far in trailers).
I don't know if Midnight Sun will ever get published, but the last two paragraphs of Meyer's screed make me think not. She basically says outright that she has other projects she's focused on right now. Which is really all she had to say in the beginning if she didn't want to finish writing Midnight Sun.
Okay, math isn't my strength, but if Edward died in 1918 (as he and Carlisle insist in Twilight), wouldn't that make him 90 in 2008 and 87 in 2005 when the book was published? Why does Pattison keep saying he's 108?
As for whether Pattison hates Edward, I think he has some interesting insights into his character and Bella's here. I always wondered how Edward would come across to an actual guy, because it was so clear to me that his portrayal in Twilight was doubly interpreted — by Bella, who sees Edward as an object of worship (Pattison has a great riff on how Edward has this strong urge to kill Bella, but she doesn't care because she lurvs him), and by Meyer, who is a woman writing an idealized male character. Also, I wonder how much of Pattison's view of Edward was shaped by the first section of Midnight Sun he read.
I bet you a lot of it was shaped by MS. Pattinson has said that he didn't know how to emote "beautiful" and didn't know how to play Edward until Meyer gave him the MS manuscript.
At the Comic-Con Twilight panel, someone asked him what kind of underwear he wore or if he went commando. If that's not the very definition of an inapropriate question, I don't know what is. And this wasn't a giggly teen, it was someone who was old enough to know better.
Ok – firstly, Rob has to deal with the fanatic fans who took one look at him and said NO WAY. He is not Edward (but then who CAN be that unnaturally beautiful?)
Then his name pops up again – this time as an explanation by Meyer regarding the fan reaction to Breaking Dawn. She called it the "Rob Effect". Apparently, fans who didn't like him at first love him now, and fans who hate BD will love it after a few weeks. You know, because fans are fickle. *rolls eyes* I'm not surprised the guy has issue with Edward.
Sorry, but Meyer should really keep her mouth shut about the BD backlash. She digs herself deeper with every "explanation" she gives.
CHH said:
At the Comic-Con Twilight panel, someone asked him what kind of underwear he wore or if he went commando. If that's not the very definition of an inapropriate question, I don't know what is. And this wasn't a giggly teen, it was someone who was old enough to know better.
*sigh* All I can say is, ya gotta remember…
You can't fix stupid…
He was 17? when he died. You have to add that on.
Oh, yeah, duh. But that still makes him only 104 in 2005 when the book was released. It's not exactly like he continues to age at the same rate time proceeds outside the novels.
Ann Bruce
Thinking about edward as 100+ year old with a teen kind of skeeves me out.
I told the women in my office that the Twilight saga promotes, among other things, pedophilia and necrophilia and got a lot of narrowed-eyed looks aimed at me.
ROFL, Ann! I wonder why! I'm sorry, that just struck me as funny, even though you're right. It really does in it's literal form…
Ann Bruce
Oh, I understand that vampires sparkle in Meyer's world. Are they like walking disco balls?
Why did I just have a picture of John Travolta in a white suit flash before my eyes?
Jody W.
Jane — I bought Angel and Spike with Buffy despite the "age" differences. I guess it depends on how it's played in the book or on screen. But then, neither Angel nor Spike pretended to be eternal high school students.
TA in return are gathering letters of support for Stephenie which we'll later send directly to her once we've accumulated enough.
We here @ TA are looking forward to receiving your letters.
But act fast so that we can send these in an appropriate & timely manner.
Ann Bruce
Theo — I won't be able to watch SNF anymore.
Jody — The Scooby Gang, including Cordelia, came off as a lot more mature than Bella. They're not emoteens or insanely obsessive. Joss Whedon created strong, multi-layered characters and I can't imagine comparing them with Meyers'. (Of course, please keep in mind I only read three chapters of Twilight last week, regretted it, and will be returning the book to the library.)
Ann, I truly hope I didn't ruin a special thing for you ;)
Okay, throw your rocks now because, although I was a Scooby afficianado, I have never seen an episode of Buffy…however, that said, if Scooby was more mature, I'm glad, so very glad, I didn't get past the excerpts!!
I've been watching this also. I first ran into it on Amazon's discussion boards. I rechecked the first post and it was dated 8/21. They've also been passing around copies of what is supposed to be the movie scripts.
Does this mean she wasn't under contract to write MS?
The first Twilight script leak came out around July 26. The Breaking Dawn leaks were three or four days later.
If the leak wasn't intentionally done to get the heat off of Breaking Dawn, then I feel really bad for Meyer.
I told the women in my office that the Twilight saga promotes, among other things, pedophilia and necrophilia and got a lot of narrowed-eyed looks aimed at me.
To be fair, I think the same can be said about the Buffy/Angel relationship.
I haven't read the series yet and probably won't for awhile. I'm number 468 at my library for a copy of Twilight, but from what I've heard it isn't too bad. I know Breaking Dawn got a lot of criticism, but Twilight was mostly loved by everyone.
I think the same can be said about the Buffy/Angel relationship
But that was meant to be creepy (reinforced by the Angelus storyline at the end of season 2, in which he exhibits some Edward-like behavior that I don't think it supposed to be found romantic), which is why it ultimately didn't work out.
E/B, on the other hand, gets presented as something that is good and whatever because. . .well, I don't know why. Stalking, breaking Bella's car so she can't visit her friends, kidnapping her and telling her what to do is seen as okay – romantic even – because he loves her (and won't have premarital sex).
(SM could probably write great horror if she left out the sparkling and HEA and Loch Ness Monsters.)
I loved Breaking Dawn, but not, I think, in the way Meyer intended. It's horrific/cracktastic in ways no one could have predicted.
if Scooby was more mature, I'm glad, so very glad, I didn't get past the excerpts!!
Heh. The Scooby Gang is what Buffy and her friends were called because they solved supernatural mysteries; there was a reference in one of the episodes to Scooby Doo, and I guess it stuck. And Scooby was probably more mature — or at least had a personality that did not equal Mary Sue.
Did Breaking Dawn's birthing scene remind you of Alien too?
EWWWWWWW! Yuck! Blech! that's…just wrong!
Need I warn for BD spoilers?
I haven't seen Alien (I really don't like horror, despite my love of Whedon shows (and, uh, Supernatural*)), but that scene in BD was one of the goriest things I've ever read. OMG. Must fade to black during the (pillow-biting) sex scenes, but it's okay to show spine-snapping, fountains of gushing blood and a c-section by vampire teeth in detail. I guess this goes along with the whole "In an attempt to keep the books clean and not make young girls think about things that they don't need to think about, no other book mentioned anything about reproductive systems." o.O
*Boys! Pretty, pretty boys! and lovely boy!angst. Plot? What plot?
Well as some people from a notorious online community put it:
Ms Meyer would actually got some sympathy for the leak if she hadn't basically reacted with what is basically an author's flounce
"You're mean to me. I'm taking my toys and going home"
which is why they are also speculating it MAY have been an intended leak to the fallout of BD. Fandom are kind of used to this strategy taken by wannabe BNF. They also said that she's still at the stage where her books are her children and any attack on it is personal as she doesn't really have a filter where her books and herself is separate
What is funny though, when she said she doesn't want anyone to read THAT version and then post an official version of the same draft, still full of the unedited mistakes.
Someone also pointed out Midnight Sun might have been interesting if it is set as a prequel to Twilight, instead of just a rehash. But then it would need research (gasp what's that) which is something Ms Meyer is not really known to be strong at.
Stalking, breaking Bella's car so she can't visit her friends, kidnapping her and telling her what to do is seen as okay – romantic even – because he loves her (and won't have premarital sex).
Whenever someone lists Edward's behaviors I start seeing flashbacks of women in jeopardy movies. The guy who is too good to be true, but is just a little off at first, and finally turns out to be a serial killer.
Also the idea of him sitting in a rocking chair in the corner of her room watching her sleep is just an awesomely creepy image.
Wouldn't it make for a great horror movie?
It's almost like SM wrote a parody of the vampire/horror genre. . .but not, because there's no hint of irony/awareness to any of the writing (except maybe the Jacob Black chapter titles, but I think that was unintentional).
E/B, on the other hand, gets presented as something that is good and whatever because. . .well, I don't know why. Stalking, breaking Bella's car so she can't visit her friends, kidnapping her and telling her what to do is seen as okay – romantic even – because he loves her (and won't have premarital sex).
handyhunter, it's things like that, that make me slightly scared to read Twilight. I've heard about what Edward does and he does sound slightly creepy, but I simply assumed that if when I finally read it, it might sound differently. Almost in a..um..romantic protective way?
Actually it doesn't. :(
Almost in a..um..romantic protective way?
According to Meyer, yes, that's EXACTLY what it is. He knows what's best for her! He lays out the boundaries for their relationship! etc, etc. Even in context of him being a vampire and her being just a helpless little girl — well, no…actually, that makes it more creepy, and the power imbalance between them even more disturbing.
(Which might be something interesting to explore, but of course Meyer does not. It probably couldn't result in a HEA anyway, without the Mary Sue-ing, dues ex machinas and sparkling.)
There's a huge disconnect between the story Meyer intends to tell (Edward as the most dashing romantic hero that ever heroed) and what ends up on the page; part of the problem, I think, is that she does a lot of telling – outside the books, too (if your stories need that much clarification, perhaps something is wrong with the writing), which is how Midnight Sun was born (no one was 'getting' Edward properly (it's not just R.Pattz!)) – and figures everything should be taken on the surface level (or you're reading the books wrong): Edward says he loves Bella and won't ever hurt her, so that's the way it is, never mind his odd habits, to put it mildly. …Not that it takes much scrutiny to see the ick factor in B/E's relationship.
And for all of Meyer's protests that the series is "anti-human, not anti-female". . . there is a lot of evidence to the contrary, and not just because of Bella.
Julia Sullivan
The Sparkledammerung goes on and on and on….
Okay, call me really stupid, but I thought that TA Admin post was a joke…
I thought that TA Admin post was a joke…
Twilight means never having to say you're kidding. (â"¢ someone over at f_w, I think.)
I think if I were a ten-year-old girl reading this book, I probably would NEVER let a boy touch me as long as I live!! What kind of scene is that to put in a book for young adults?
Honestly, even 'adult' romance has younger readers, you can't get away from that, but you write for the adults who read you. In this case, she's aimed at a specific, young-adult market and that just has to be one of the worst things I think any young girl can read. Call me old fashioned but even when I was that age, it would have made me gross out!
Twilight means never having to say you're kidding. (â"¢ someone over at f_w, I think.)
Now That's funny!!! I had to investigate so I clicked on that site. Lucky I got out with my mind in tact!!!
Watching fan reaction started with Breaking Dawn has been like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You know it's horrible. You know it's only going to get nastier. You know you want to look away . . . but you can't. The upcoming movie promos are only gonna make the craziness escalate, and the Midnight Sun leak only ramps it up.
Who leaked the book and why is almost made irrelevant to be because of S. Meyers reaction. She pulled the classic whining, flouncing author move of holding the rest of her book ransom now unless the fans kiss her feet for it, all implied of course. Leaking the 12 chapter is just dangling the carrot to the fans then telling them they're not getting the whole things is just to get them to gush her with support and a false sense of security that's she's still, like, the best author ever. Self-important fanfiction authors do this all the time, holding stories ransom until they feel enough people have reviewed it.
If she cared about the world she made and the characters, she'd finished the book already (and use a stronger editor who would make her fix her writing problems already). This move is clearly about herself to me, not doing right by fans, or else she would have just acknowledged the leaks, her personal feelings, and left it at that.
Oh, and theo, f_w is Fandom Wank, which last time I checked wasn't too mind bending . . . much, except for the boobie trains maybe. What exactly did you stumble upon? O.o
Mouse, I don't know if you saw this earlier post from TAAdmin, but they included this link:
I unfortunately clicked on that link and now need to scrub the experience from my mind if that's possible…
And not having thought much about it, I have to agree with your comment about SM holding her book almost as ransom to drive the fans into a 'YOU-MUST-PUBLISH-THIS-WE-CAN'T-LIVE-WITHOUT-IT' frenzy.
Question: to those of you who feel the books are "creepy," would the series come across to you that way if it were aimed at adults rather than YA? I am still in Eclipse, but am feeling that Twilight, at least, was an extremely conventional Romance, even more conservative than most paranormal Romance.
to those of you who feel the books are "creepy,†would the series come across to you that way if it were aimed at adults rather than YA?
But why? Is it the age issue? What if Bella were a few years older, or Edward hadn't died at seventeen? I'm trying to understand, I guess, how so many adult readers have glommed the series, but with the last book there seemed to be a rising chorus of objections to having the series aimed at younger readers. How is this series any different than the Romance featuring the self-loathing, needs to be emotionally healed alpha hero and the innocent and devoted, doesn't recognize her own allure heroine?
@ Robin –
:\ You're asking for it.
Most of the objections to the last book, Breaking Dawn, and I'm sorry if I'm about to spoil the book, stem from Bella's pregnancy, which, according to S. Meyer's own canon, wasn't possible no matter what excuses she give after the fact. Add into this the utter horror of her daughter's birth (c-section via vamp teeth), and the fact that Jacob imprints on the half-breed baby, and fans young and old got majorly wigged out.
The other major differences is that the characterization of both Bella and Edward is non-existent at best. Bella says she's clumsy, but that's her only visible flaw (except for her whining and general emo selfish personality). The rest of the time, she's perfect. Nothing really happens in the course of the books that fundamentally changes her more than that.
Edward is flat (Meyers says he has hobbies, but fails to mention one or why) and is similarly labled as perfection to Bella . . . except for the fact that he routinely stalks her, making their relationship more borderline abuse than really romance. There's no equality in their relationship, but Bella still acts as if it's normal for her boyfriend to tear the engine out of her trunk, forgiving him cause he cares about her.
In the end, despite their relationship, Bella gets everything she wants. She gets Edward, and marries him. She gets to lose her virginity to Edward. She gets a perfect baby without 3 AM feeding calls or terrible twos. She gets vamped and gains superpowers beyond the other Cullens. She doesn't have to break Jacob's heart after all because he imprints on her kid. She gets to be a part of a supernatural family while ditching her non-existent human parents. She gets out of the main conflict with no bloodshed on their part, saves everyone, and doesn't have to go to college or really work for a living.
All in all, she gets a happy ending with no sacrifice on her part and gets everything she wants with minimal effort or fuss. There's really no journey, no conflict, no sacrifices made, and nothing lost except Bella's mortality, which she and everyone else sees as a good thing. At least in most romances, the innocent heroine at least has to either work at something to get her happy ending.
The Twilight series has also been built up as the successor to Potter, while the two have almost nothing in common, not even sales. The Potter characters actually had to deal with death, loss, failure, and growing up even with the magical powers. Bella got it handed to her in a single bite. What some people dislike also is the message it sends to all the young girls picking it up with the adults, that an ideal relationship inherently abusive, that it's ok for your boyfriend to stalk and control you, that because 'he love me and is only protecting me' is a viable excuse for what a guy does to his girlfriend.
Being that Bella is also very co-dependent on him and generally helpless without him doesn't help matters either.
::pants:: Does this help explain reservations about the books?
I have exactly the same problem with them, Mouse, and I cringed when I heard someone in the media float the idea that Meyer is a successor to Rowling. I believe Rowling will still be read decades from now. If I had to put money on it, I'd say Meyer's books' popularity won't last past THIS decade.
Mouse, I get everything you're saying. And in general, I definitely see the reservations. What I don't totally get is how some of the critiques are coming from Romance readers who either loved the first books in the series or read what I would consider very similar books within straight Romance for grownups. Does that makes sense? In other words, how is this Romance between Bella and Edward different from many pairings in the genre between an innocent heroine and an alpha (I'll go one step further and add vampiric) hero? Would there be the same objections is Bella was 24 and Edward 35 + 90 years? IMO there are LOTS of creepy things in Romance more generally that don't get this kind of outrage. So why these books?
Let me also add that I have many problems with these books, not the least of which is that by book 2 Bella can only identify herself in relation to the men in her world, that she goes from being supposedly independent to incredibly selfish in her relationship with Jacob, and that her resistance to Edward's proposal IMO comes out of NOWHERE and looks mostly like artificial conflict construction to me. Just to start with, lol. But I have a lot of these complaints about some straight adult Romances, too.
It seems to be that Edward was written the same as many adult romance heros are. Greek Tycoon, anyone?
It was interesting to read a real guy's take on trying to play that kind of character. *L* I found that hilarious.
Many of the complaints leveled at the Twilight series could be leveled at many Harlequins, etc. I guess it doesn't bother me when this is written for grown women, but directing it at young girls disturbs me to no end. Unless their parents are back there doing some explaining.
But why? Is it the age issue? What if Bella were a few years older, or Edward hadn't died at seventeen? I'm trying to understand, I guess, how so many adult readers have glommed the series, but with the last book there seemed to be a rising chorus of objections to having the series aimed at younger readers. How is this series any different than the Romance featuring the self-loathing, needs to be emotionally healed alpha hero and the innocent and devoted, doesn't recognize her own allure heroine?
Because it's so much worse? And popular. I think those other books do get this same kind of treatment, but there are not as many people reading them, so it doesn't get the same kind of press Meyer's books do. The question, imo, is why Meyer's books have gained such an audience — they're sort of like a trainwreck you can't look away from. Or twinkies you know are bad for you but can't help eating, to borrow cleolinda's analogy (her commentaries point out some of the draws to the series, as well as snarking at all the fail).
The issues in Meyer's writing have been there from the start; it's only gotten more and more blatant as the series went on, imo (and the first 12 chapters of MS do nothing to dispel the stalker!Edward tendencies; in fact, it does quite the opposite), like whatever mainstream slickness that might hook a reader onto Twilight has fallen away more with each book. BD was the straw that broke many, many backs — or, perhaps, some readers gained a bit more perspective/critical thinking skills by that point.
Twilight was creepy to me right from the start because of the imbalance in power between Bella and Edward. Silly me, I thought this might be deliberate (though not in the Man Is Always Right/Morally Superior; Woman Must Subsume Her Identity In His kind of way — it's not just the age thing; I have the impression this is the way Meyer sees things as Natural and Right, and even at 30 or 50, the relationship would still be Edward > Bella) and something SM would address in the later books (even with all the purple prose and sparkling I thought this; clearly I need my head examined). She didn't (needless to say?) and the issues keep piling on from there.
Edward's stalking, manipulative and controlling tendencies are never addressed, except to make them WORSE. Bella never stands up for herself — or when she does, it's to put herself in a TSTL position from which Edward must save her (I don't know if Meyer thinks this is empowering or whatnot).
When Edward leaves (for a short time in NM), the only way Bella can move on is if she's got another guy in her life (Jacob — who gets Edwardified in Eclipse, much to the horror of many Jacob-fans, because he pretty much forces himself on Bella (but it was just a kiss and she liked it later so it's all okay! Plus, Charlie, Bella's dad, likes him better than Edward and congratulated him on forcing a kiss on Bella).
And that was a triangle of Much Contrivedness. Not that there isn't much that is not contrived and convenient for the sake of Mary Sue-ing Bella and Edward, and to give their relationship some sort of plot, at this point. She gives no reason for Bella wanting to be vamped, but not wanting to get married, other than oops! forgot the conflict for this story.
Meyer keeps protesting that the series is "anti-human, not anti-female"* (which, when fans are asking if the series is anti-female, it might be the first tip that there's something wrong here), except she keeps disproving this, with her treatment of her female characters, be they human, vampire or werewolf. Plus, there's the whole baby craze (no woman of any species is complete without one (or five), but only vampire and werewolf males can reproduce (except Bella, or course), wft, smeyer?). And there's Meyer's tendency to make her characters follow her own beliefs without explaining why her supposedly secular characters would behave that way — but that might require giving them a personality and de-Sue-ing them a bit; as it is, it's pretty much the only "characterization" they get.
Although, that might be one of the draws to the series. SM's refusal to write sex scenes or swear words (but violence and gore, yay!!) and Edward's I'm-More-Moral-Than-You, Undeserving Females (who must be protected/sheltered and not allowed to think about things girls don't need to be thinking about) stance had gotten the series touted as "clean" or something: it's "safe" for everyone to read! (ignore the pesky issues!) I'm not sure if this changes after BD — though the characters don't have sex until after marriage, so it's probably considered alright still.
*This is one example of how Meyer "tells, not shows". She doesn't see all the problems in her writing (and has said that if readers don't like the books, they're just reading it wrong) and I think pretty much expects readers to take the books at face value — ie, if Edward says he loves Bella and is stalking/controlling her for her own good, then it's fine because he loves her and all that. Or, Bella is okay with it so readers ought to be okay with it too! — never mind what's actually happening. Although even at face value, there's a lot to be creeped out about; it's not like one has to look very closely at the text to find stalker!Edward.
In case you think I'm over-stating the problems, here's a quote from Midnight Sun:
And then she started to walk away from me.
Without thinking about my action, I reached out and caught her by the back of her rain jacket. She jerked to a stop.
"Where do you think you're going?" I was almost angry that she was leaving me. I hadn't had enough time with her. She couldn't go, not yet.
The creepiest part? Is that the creepy part is unintentional. This is what Meyer thinks is romantic or a good quality for a romantic hero to have. There's no hint of awareness or irony at all in the books.
Contrast all this with, say, Kelley Armstrong's Clayton Danvers, who is a pushy, overbearing and overprotective alpha-type, and Elena Michaels, who is pushed around/manipulated, but only to an extent and eventually develops a relationship with Clayton in which both are equals (in part because Clay realizes what an ass he's being and backs off). None of that happens in the Twilight series. Bella becoming a vampire is a dues ex machina, not character development (and that's not even getting into what message that sends, that in order to keep a guy or be seen as "strong", you have to change your entire species for him); although, vamp!Bella is far less annoying than human!Bella, despite the exponential increase in Mary Sue-ness.
Plus, Charlie, Bella's dad, likes him better than Edward and congratulated him on forcing a kiss on Bella).
handyhunter, you're kidding me, right? *blinks*
Unfortunately, Handyhunter isn't kidding. It's in Eclipse.
As someone else said earlier, Twilight means never having to say you're kidding.
Ya know, out of everything that's been discussed, that had the power to floor me.
That is suppose to be perfectly normal? That is not normal. How many parents here would be infuriated? Or am I the only one? I don't think I know any parents who would react in a congratulatory way.
As much as I am a believer in the freedom to read what you want to read, I think something like that needs serious discussion before my daughter can read it.
And THAT, Shayne, is what I think so many of us find wrong with the books. The males, all I understand except for Bella's almost non-existent father, are control freaks who look at Bella like a…*thing* to be played with on their terms and Bella has no say in it.
And I, as a parent, are in the same camp as you. WAY serious discussion, because we can't really say we didn't read an alpha male in some book when we were younger who made an impression on what we'd like to have in a man. I'd have to shoot the boy my daughter brought home if he was like Edward (sans vampire…or…) I have a shovel and back up to a nature preserve…he wouldn't be missed.
But I digress.
I think it's the impression the younger set is getting that having a boy treat you like that, think about you like that, is just peachy. And oh, the added bonus is that he's the one who doesn't want to consummate the relationship. At least for a while anyway…
theo, I'm sitting here, wondering why the author didn't see something wrong with that picture. That's just too many levels of you're fricking kidding me.
All of us are used to the alpha male and TSTL heroine in romance. And quite a few know it's fun to read, but you'd kill if you had a boyfriend like that. I think some teenagers can make that distinction, but from what I've read of the fanbase, a lot of them aren't. So I think you're right on that.
I just asked my daughter if she'd heard of the books, and apparently some of her friends have read them and she would wants to. This will be a series of books we will read together.
And I, as a parent, are??? Yeesh! I must have had serious grammar farts when I typed that one! Really that whole post is…
Okay, never mind that.
Shayne, yes, if my girls were younger, this would be one of those books I'd have read with them and discussed with them. (They're both in college now) But I think that's a huge problem with a lot of tweens and teens. They are reading, the parent is thrilled they're reading at all, so don't really question the material as long as it's labeled YA.
From the various discussions and all the excerpts I've read, I'm not sure you really *can* put it into the young adult category though it's really not adult either.
I do know that I cringe at the thought of how many ten-year-olds are reading this right now and thinking that's the kind of boy for them because Bella thinks he's perfect and they want to be her.
I think some teenagers can make that distinction, but from what I've read of the fanbase, a lot of them aren't.
There seems to be a pretty substantial part that is made up of moms/adults who take the series seriously or also think Edward is the best thing ever.
handyhunter, you're kidding me, right? *blinks*
Even better, in Breaking Dawn, Charlie does a 180 and is suddenly supportive of B/E's marriage. His biggest concern is telling Bella's mom (who as it turns out, is ALSO okay with the marriage for unknown reasons, despite her previous feelings regard marrying so young). Continuity, what's that?
theo, in a way, it is no different from sneak reading a mother's Harlequins in the 70's when one was only 10. *coughs* But then, those books were not specifically marketed to young girls. That's probably what is irking me at this point about Twilight.
I can see Robin's point in there's not much difference between Twilight and what gets sold as adult romance fare. I have to agree there's no real difference at all, except the age of the reader it is marketed to.
handyhunter, I think those women are called TwiMoms, and if they haven't figured out why it would suck to have a real boyfriend like Edward, I'm not sure anything anybody could say can convince them. Either that or hopefully they already know why which is why their husbands aren't like Edward. *snickers*
Shayne, I do agree that in many ways it's probably not much different however (and I'm really going to show my age here) I read Manfreya in the Morning, in hardback, when it was new, clandestinely, under the covers with a flashlight.
However, I think one of the points is, and maybe I'm wrong here, a true romance, at least the ones I grew up on and admittedly, I read every Victoria Holt written, contains a H/Hn that have redeeming qualities they display throughout the story and a desire (though they may not realize it at the time) to…can't think of the word I need here, but they grow to become emotional equals who share in the relationship. Maybe all the excerpts I've read (and I think with all of them, I've been able to read almost each book in its entirety there are so many out there! :shock: ) are not giving me a true picture but what I see is an ignored teenaged girl, plain, she claims she's clumsy but we don't see that, who attracts the 'best looking boy' in school. He just happens to be a vampire who treats her like less than a plant but claims he loves her and she accepts that.
Neither one of the really has a redeeming quality that the reader sees throughout the stories, so who do you 'root' for? Couple that with the very bizarre backstories going on, the inconsistencies, and no real balance of power achieved yet between the H/Hn and it becomes something that only glorifies to a ten or twelve year old girl, a relationship that is controlling, and one sided where Edward is the cat and Bella is the mouse. And he constantly toys with.
I would hate to have my daughters so caught up in the stories that they believes that's life. I'm going to probably get myself in trouble with some, I believe in equal pay for equal jobs but I also want my daughters to understand that a woman should be cherished while at the same time, her thoughts, feelings, and input should matter just as much as his. That still hasn't happened as far as I can tell through how many books?
As far as the TwiMoms? Now I'll really get shot here but I'm wondering if their own relationship or lack thereof is so bad it's easy to imagine themselves in the excitement of a relationship with a bad boy like Edward without any consequences.
Sorry, am rambling. *sigh* Don't mean to. I shall shut up now. :-)
*L* Go ahead and ramble, theo. I do it too.
To be honest, I stopped reading m/f a while back simply because of the formula of overbearing male, brainless or dependent female. I've missed whatever may have been written in the last several years that doesn't follow that formula. My closest is Kim Harrison, and her books aren't all about the romance.
The last up to date 'romance' I read was by a Top Ten NY bestseller, I was bashed over the head with how sexy the hero was, how the women around him would die if he didn't f*** them, the heroine inspired naught but my contempt. I've not been tempted to pick up a romance since.
Anyway, I'm still going on what I read years ago and the fact the Greek Tycoon blackmailing with the secret baby is STILL on Harlequin's top ten list, and the one romance I was unfortunate enough to read a few months ago. There's not much redeeming there that I see, and I hate that blackmailing plotline btw. I can dismiss Twilight like I do those formulaic romances as just so much drivel to me.
It also sounds like the author wrote characters and situations she believed would appeal to young girls. The not so beautiful, non-cheerleader gets the dreamily handsome male to die for. Details unnecessary, just drool over their kisses. That's a downright appeal to female fantasy. The adult women are on their own if Edward is their idea of a man worth marrying. And I've often thought some women, like the TwiMoms probably have relationships that have fallen short and they have nothing but the fantasy. It's a theory about some of them. I think and hope most enjoy it like a train wreck.
Also adult writers write the same for their contemporaries. Is this good or bad? I don't know. I won't read it, but I won't deny somebody who wants to read it and thinks it's great. Apparently it is selling to a lot of folks or that one writer would NOT have been on the NY top ten. That really scared me on many levels, let me tell you.
On this subject, I just know I'm sure as hell not going to let my daughter read it without a balancing opinion on exactly why Twilight might interesting as a fantasy, but you really don't want a boyfriend like that. Plus I'm hoping other parents do the same.
Now I'm rambling. I'll shut up now too.
It seems kind of telling that the inspiration for Twilight came to Ms. Meyers in a dream. The entire story kind of ran like one, where things dont really connect right when you think about it, random stuff just happens for no apparent reason. It seems like the author took the dream and ran with it and never actually sat down to consider the dream as it might pertain to reality.
And she needed to do it.
And as a teen who has read the series since 7th grade…it is very, very well loved, and I can say right now that beyond thinking Edward/Jacob is the hottest thing ever (not Edward on Jacob, though I'm sure that has some follower ;-) ) there isnt really a whole lot of consideration given to any undertones in the stories…
I'm thinking that this year, though, with the huge BD backlash, there are going to be smack downs during lunch worthy of the 7th Harry Potter's book ending, which some (read: me) very vocally disliked.
I really appreciate the recent posts on this thread, and as I said earlier, I agree with many of the criticisms of the books. I am bothered, as a reader, by the way Bella becomes more and more dependent on Edward rather than less. I kept hoping that her character would progress the other way, and it seems even stranger to me that in order for things to go the way they have, some of the secondary characters have had to change abruptly themselves. That makes me feel like there was no grand plan for the series, and in some ways the books seem to have progressed in such a way as to make the romance between Bella and Edward central to the books, which may be why readers have become more and more disenchanted — because in order for that focus to narrow, other things have had to adjust and in some cases change direction.
I still wonder whether readers who object to these books for teenage girls feel the same about Romances that these young girls are reading, too. I mean, most Romance readers start really early, right, like in their early teens? So does that mean these teenagers shouldn't be reading adult Romance, either, because the reality is that some adult Romances contain similar dynamics to those in this series. Although this series is definitely aimed at a YA readership, which perhaps makes the reaction stronger– I don't know.
One thing seems clear to me, though: for all the talk of how books don't affect readers, the substantive critiques of this series seem to frustrate that argument. Which gets sticky, of course, because we don't want to get back into that place where we worry that every book is dangerous to its reader. But there is clearly an anxiety with this series that it's sending some scary messages to young women, and I wonder if it isn't easier to delve into those questions with a YA series rather than with regular adult Romance, where many readers are less comfortable examining potential messages in the books.
A fascinating subject, nonetheless.
And as I was thinking about these posts yesterday, I was reminded of this old story by Joyce Carol Oates, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?," which IMO would make an interesting companion piece to the Meyer books. The story, for those who are unfamiliar with it, can be read here, and it was even made into a film, Smooth Talk, starring Laura Dern and Treat Williams. The story was apparently inspired by several murders of young women, but it always struck me as a meditation on the sexual, physical, and emotional vulnerability of girls who are undertaking the difficult and volatile process of maturing into women. Which, I guess, is why the discussion of the Meyer series got me thinking about it again.
Robin, I think the thing about these books that many find so much of a grrrr with is, and this is based on my own experience only:
When I read romance novels at a very early age, I understood I was reading *adult* material. As such, I also understood that what I read was geared to an adult audience and the mores and ideas that go with.
In this case though, there are so many cringe-worthy things that adults are going EWWW over but the book is aimed at the YA market and so, they might be more inclined to think "well, that's all right then, isn't it? because this book is a book for ME."
At least, for me, that's how I'm looking at it. The adult novels I read were juicy little slices of being a bad girl as I read them. These novels almost give the YA reader the impression that everything between the covers is a fine thing to do or have.
And that probably doesn't make sense, but that's my take on it.
theo, I understand what you're saying, and I suspect that a lot of readers would agree with you. And I agree that the YA focus and address amps up the issues in a particularly creepy way. But I also think that it's impossible to completely separate a series like this one from adult Romance novels that teens are reading, even though it might not be comfortable for some readers to consider the similarities between the Twilight books and some adult Romance novels. Because I've read some pretty creepy adult Romance, too, lol.
LOL, Robin! Agreed! Though I have to admit, the really creepy ones…I don't bother to finish.
I don't know. I have two daughters who are now in college and they were both always very…"It's a perfectly good book mom! It's not an adult story. It's a story for my age." Which I suppose is fine if you're not throwing birth by vampire teeth at them when they're ten or twelve. That creeps me out as an adult! (probably because both girls were C's)
I just think it's easy for them to justify believing the stuff because it's geared for them as opposed to "geez mom, you adults are weird"
But again, I can only base my perceptions based on my experiences. So I suppose ultimately, there isn't any right or wrong anything to be found. And as such, the debate will rage on. ;-)
I still wonder whether readers who object to these books for teenage girls feel the same about Romances that these young girls are reading, too.
I object to these books, period. For any reader, YA or adult. Or, well, it's more that I object to reading them without any sort of critical outlook (because I sekritly sort of enjoy them, when I'm not wanting to throw them against the wall; I don't usually read romance novels like this, though — or if I used to, which I probably did when I was younger, I've outgrown my tolerance/enjoyment of them).
Although this series is definitely aimed at a YA readership, which perhaps makes the reaction stronger- I don't know.
One thing seems clear to me, though: for all the talk of how books don't affect readers, the substantive critiques of this series seem to frustrate that argument.
One book or series probably isn't going to bring down civilization as we know it, but it adds to the. . .existing problems, eg, how women are portrayed in media. And the Twilight series is promoted as something that's good for kids to read because it's all clean and wholesome (and creepy, but let's ignore that part). It also adds to the skewed view on sex vs violence; killing people – especially women/girls – is fine to show in explicit detail, but more than a chaste (or forced) kiss? Oh noes! Think of the kids!
One book or series probably isn't going to bring down civilization as we know it, but it adds to the. . .existing problems, eg, how women are portrayed in media.
I've never believed that there is a one-to-one reader to book relationship that impacts people, although I know that any particular reader can be moved strongly by a book. But in terms of altering a person in any fundamental or lasting way, I've never really bought into that argument. But yes, I do think that cultural representations matter, that they do affect us all (look at how women in the US view the female body). But that is obviously a much more difficult and amorphous thing to analyze.
It also adds to the skewed view on sex vs violence; killing people – especially women/girls – is fine to show in explicit detail, but more than a chaste (or forced) kiss? Oh noes! Think of the kids!
This definitely disturbs me — the idea that violence is so much more acceptable than sex, and I even think we see it in Romance quite a bit. I don't know whether people think they're more inured to violence, but how can that be, when our society is so perversely sexualized, as well (I say "perversely" because for all the coverage, we're hardly comfortable with sexuality, at least not in the US). But yeah, a concern, I agree.
Ann Bruce
Take a break for the weekend and I miss all this!
Seriously. If I were a ten-year-old girl reading this book, I probably would have been traumatized by the birth scene.
Actually, there a some teeny-boppers on-line who are saying that Edward was super-hot in that scene.
Man, I didn't know child birth is sexy.
Ann Bruce
It also adds to the skewed view on sex vs violence; killing people – especially women/girls – is fine to show in explicit detail, but more than a chaste (or forced) kiss? Oh noes! Think of the kids!
This has always been the case in fairy tales (of course, fairy tales were originally used to give children nightmares so they don't do dumb-ass things, not give them the warm and fuzzies). (I'd go into detail, but I analyzed this topic ad nauseum in uni and don't care to do it again.)
Ann Bruce
I haven't read the series yet and probably won't for awhile. I'm number 468 at my library for a copy of Twilight, but from what I've heard it isn't too bad. I know Breaking Dawn got a lot of criticism, but Twilight was mostly loved by everyone.
SB Sarah has a review of Twilight that sums up my feelings after reading only three chapters, except I don't recall be an angsty teen myself. During the tween years, I was more interested in video games and comic books than boys. By the time I was 17, I was in my second (third?) year at university and trying to decide between a career as a starving writer or selling my soul to big business. I chose the latter because I never fantasized about a pretty, rich boy sweeping me off my feet. I fantasized about earning my own money and retiring at forty-five.
The significant other's cool with that since I still haven't grown out of my video games and comic books phase.
Ann Bruce
During the tween years, I was more interested in video games and comic books than boys.
Okay, that's a lie. I was interested in a boy at that age: Optimus Prime.
And that comic is priceless!!! ROFLMAO!
This really is the series that won't die. There is more wank/crack: SM posted BD FAQs on her website. In short, it seems that inconsistency or plot holes in a series is fine as long as it's a fantasy story (who cares about that pesky world-building and internal logic), any issues one might have with the series is the fault of the reader (ie, you're reading it wrong) and the series is not misogynistic because Meyer said so (don't let the subtext or actual text fool you). And BD needs to be two movies because there's no way 700+ pages will fit in two hours.
Ann I completely share your love of Optimus Prime, and was REALLY upset when they killed him in the movie and I had to watch that pissant Hot Rod race around like an idiot for 90 minutes. :)
handyhunter, I'm going to go check out the FAQs since I have many, many questions I need answered about Breaking Dawn, but I can think of one way that it would fit into a 2-hour format. In fact, it should have been done with the book: EDITING.
Ann Bruce
I can admit that I cried during the movie. And I took great relish in Rodimus turning back into the pissant Hot Rod when they were forced to bring Optimus back. Still ticked off that they didn't bring back Ironhide and the others, though. I never warmed up to the new cast.
WHY are you still tallking about Optimus Prime??
i love the twilight series i cryed laughed and a ton of other stuff i loved midnight sun and i had hysterics when i knew meyer wasnt gnna publish it … i got issues but so what im in love with a fictional character thats not so bad as it sounds
Well I heard that steph was gonna make midnight sun again, only she was going to name it something else. I am torn. I want to read the first 12 chapters but I feel like I'am betraying her if I do. So I guess I'm not going to do it. My friends have.
P.S. I think she should write a book from nessies point of view. like through her life and whatnot.
Hey i think it is wrong that someone posted that skript Midnight sun on the internet but why should we be punished. I know that the book means alot to you but it dose to everyone so please publish the book please! I love that book its amazing im for one will never read the 12 chapters cuz it would not be the same to me. Unless you publish it. Oh and i lve the way you describhe everything it makes me feel like im there! So you HAVE TO PUBLICH MIDNIGHT SUN
Your bigest fan: Amanda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hey im ttly sad bout the book you should ttly have the right to be p offed i would be well i read the 1st chapter of midnight sun with some friends and it was amasing and if you dont publish the book it would be a tradgitty and from what i've read of it it seems as if it will complete twilight you can't take that away from us and who ever leaked the book should be hanged or shanked or whatever its ttly insane. your deninig us the write to more Edward and thats serious buisness there so please please don't stop writeng WE NEED MORE EDWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
one of your readers….. Tori !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
They think that since this blog is titled "Dear Author" this is about writing to authors with petitions and stuff. *snort*
Maybe it is a fatherly love ;)
I am sooooo sick of hearing about the greatness which is edward from my lil sis
Wow. I would have loved to have been in this debate in August/September. I have to say, it was very interesting reading it all(it's Sat. night and I had some time on my hands), though now that it's over I can't say that I could have added anything that wasn't thoroughly explored and scrutinized. This has given me a lot to think about. I honestly didn't think that much into it. I loved the books, and, I must be out of the loop because this is the first that I've heard of the negative reactions to BD, I thought BD was just as good as the other three. I didn't find the birth scene terribly gross, and the only thing that I would have liked to add is that I don't believe 10 to 12 year olds were the intended audience. Young adult entails 13 to 17 in my opinion.
Erm, anyone else scared for the future? The grammar… no wonder the kiddies love smeyer.
lol Thanks for the article Jane!
can somebody please send me the link to the 12 chapters each time i open the page it just closes…pelase i would really appreciate it
my email is firstname.lastname@example.com
sberigs alegre
i think stephanie meyer could continue the midnight sun cause
even if the 12 chapter's of midnight sun are illegaly posted in
internetn by some one who are jeolous with you so he/she stgolen the twelve chapters
If anyone knows the link to the 12 chapters of midnight sun could you please please send me it at email@example.com
please & thank you. :)
Ann Somerville
the link is in the original post.
Hehe, I think it's funny that the fangirls have found this site, and can't even find the links to Midnight Sun.
Grammar and spelling? Who needs it when you're a teen.
I'm a Twilight Fan. I've been thoroughly sucked into the story despite the bad writing, despite the questionable relationship but I have to say, it is so much more interesting being in Edward's head than Bella's head. I really hope she finishes writing Midnight Sun. (i'm also a big Dexter fan, so maybe I'm just sick)
However, Breaking Dawn totally grossed me out. The moment she started with the cravings and the morning sickness, I thought, no, don't go down that path and what did she do? The birthing scene was horrible. I absolutely hated it, but like a car accident…I read on.
And I think good on Rob Pattinson for finding some deeper motivation for acting the part of Edward than the worship from Bella's point of view. I'm not sure that his motivation actually translated that well to the screen, though. I'm hoping that the new director will inspire the actors to a better performance in New Moon.
What has ruined Meyer's writing for me going forward is her "threat" not to write any more on MIDNIGHT SUN because she's just "too sad" about the leak. Wow. I never realized how much inherent trust I unconsciously give away to authors if I find myself becoming emotionally invested in their stories until she decided to be punitive to her readers like that. That felt like a bigger, misplaced betrayal than the initial leak. I just don't expect a professional writer to say, in essence, "I'm really ticked about something that has nothing to do with you, dear reader, and thank you for making my work so successful, but I'm a control freak in a bad mood so you don't get that next installment I know you've been waiting for." Apparently, she's reversed her decision, or maybe her publisher smacked her upside the head, but I think I'm going to be "too sad" about all of this to spend one more dime on any of her upcoming books.
I really think that the book midnight sun should be finish ( if not already) and published because no everyone has read it from the leak and alot of people want to either finish reading it or start to
I agree with Susan above. Meyer's threat is very childish not to mention unfair to her readers. She needs to grow up, get over it, and finish the book
i want it to publish.
but i dont want to ruin
the happily ever happening!
i wish my boyfriend was a frickin vampire!
so where can i find the 12 chapters ?????
Where online are these 12 chapters???? where can i find them?? did anyone know how many chapters it was going to be in total?
okay not to be mean or anything, but to all of you who say you love edward cullen, how can you love him?-he's a fictional charactor from a book…..
o and also the guy who plays edward cullen in the movie, his name is ROBERT PATTINSON.
you can find an video interview with edward cullen and the editor of SEVENTEEN* magazin ( yes ik i didnt spell it right w/e) @ seventeen.com/twilight
Hi everyone, i'm Spanish. Twilight is a new film here, i saw the film recently and i fall in love with the story i bought all the books and i'm watching loads of interviews and the like! Today i was searching and i found the new book "midnight sun", i got the first 12 chapters but it is incomplete… Can everyone tell me where can i find the other chapters? Or maybe if the book is being already sold in the shops? i was trying to find the translation into spanish of "midnight sun" but it wasn't fruitful… Can anyone help me please??? Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
I think when all the hooplah!!! with the twilight series is over, she'll finish/release mudnight sun. Maybe she isn't that concerned with the release because of all the success from the other four books. I'm also upset that Taylor will be playing Jacob in New Moon. How can a 16 year old play a tall, mature male who looks 25 years old?
Taylor??? How is it? in the new film you mean¿ sorry i didn't read all the comments cus if i do i'll be reading till tomorrow! SO….Midnight sun isn't going to be written till the films finish? :S
Montse, how are you reaching such conclusion based on one comment that makes reference to an actor in the movie? Where in that comment did you see that? Do yourself a favor and go read the author's website. El libro no ha sido contratado por ninguna casa editorial pues ella lo va a re-escribir, y no ha provisto ninguna fecha. No hay traduccion al espanol.
Mireya, are you spanish? At first, i didn't reach any conclusion, i was just asking… because i didn't know… loads of people post comments on Internet and i was confused, i was JUST asking. If you are so kind please, can you give me the website of Stephenie Meyer please, in order to not reach conclusions?? Si sabes español, te darás cuenta que la frase que has escrito es ambigua, querrás decir que por el hecho de que le han cogido los doce primeros capÃtulos, ella reescribirá el libro por lo tanto ninguna casa editorial, hasta que ese libro esté escrito, no puede realizar ningún tipo de contrato. Expresémonos bien. Another thing, the ironic way can be kept at home, cos this is something tha is used to ask doubts ok?
@Montse: If you use Google do a search of her name and also her most recent interviews for more recent statements on her part regarding Midnight Sun. If memory serves her site is http://www.stepheniemeyer.com. You will find a lot of information just googling her, though. I don't doubt someone may have done a translation to Spanish of the leaked text and posted it to a Spanish or Latin American fansite or something along those lines, but you will have to ask for it in Spanish speaking fansites or scour the internet for it. Good luck on your search.
thank you, i've already found it.
Felly Velicia
I am extremely disappointed about the leak.
I understand how she must have felt when she found out that her writings had been leaked into the internet. I am studying to become a novelist myself and have wrote a few novel. I had experienced the same thing like her, one of my friend sneaked into my room, hacked into my computer and stole a draft of my novel. Although it wasn't leaked or no other person got a hold of it and I was not planning to publish it, I was still upset. I couldn't control my emotion and stopped writing my novel immediately.
I understand that maybe she was tempted to stop writing the book but her will to finish it and make her true fans happy was a great news for me. I still can't forgive the person who hurt her like that! To tell you the truth her book had become an inspirations for me, it motivates me to become a great author.
I heard rumors that she might have done it on purpose. I admit, it is a possibility but however, she is still someone I look up to.
I am very disappointed and pissed actually because i really was looking forward to reading Midnight sun. Please Stephanie if you are reading this please publish the book it is not our fault for whoever did that. i totally agree,that was dishonest and very hurtful to you but do you really think we all should suffer because of that person? Stephanie Myer is a wonderful author and her books puts imaginations in my head and it inspires me. in my opinion i think she shouldn't worry about it and just continue to do what shes doing because its just going to put more stress on her if she don't.
Where is the 264 pages, or 12 chapters, that are supposedly floating around in cyber space? I can't find it anywhere and I want to read what's available of Midnight Sun. Please inform me!
Rihanna you can find it in stephenie meyer website, just search on google Stephenie Meyer Official Website and click on the part of Midnight Sun, you'll find it!
mary ellen*
this is my first time doing something like this so i think ill talk to u first. i just want u to know that the topic of sex comes up with kids in schools everyday( i would know im a kid im 12) so its nothing big (its just akward so we giggle ) there is nothing to worry about. i hav red breaking dawn and she skips over details ( not kidding she skips the whole damn nite ,my friends were kinda upset……..) note* DO NOT FREAK WHEN UR KID READS IT,NOT RECOMENDED 4 YOUNGER VEWIERS
mary ellen*
Kisses (go blue !!!!!!!) b nic to the enviornment ,peace out luvs yas
Mary Ellen (aka Mae) (( not kidding about mi age either pps do not underestimate mi reading level i hav one of the higgest ons in the nation)) :-)
mary ellen*
i conclude w/ statements above we luv u stephenie, and please 4 the sake of ur fans i cannot stress that enough , PLEASE KEEP WRITING MIDNIGHT SUN FOR ALL OUR SAKES AND MINE ESPECIALLY PLEASE KEEP WRITING IT WE LUV UR WORK SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH ,DO NOT LISTEN TO THOSE MALICIOUS PEOPLE ( if we can call them people at all) u r sweet
kisses ( go blue !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) b nice to the enviornment peace out (<) luvs yas soooooo much Mae
ok so you need to keep writing midnight sun it will be sooo good and i will not be able to quit writing when everyone loves your twilight series and i think you should continue writing it so do it we love your writing Stephenie keep writing MIDNIGHT SUN
DO NOT STOP WRITING MIDNIGHT SUN IT WILL BE GREAT SO PICK UP YOUR PENCIL AND: do it now and dont stop We love your books so keep writing and if you dont i will keep posting comments like this untill you do ok so keep writing i love your books i cant wait to read breaking dawn and then if you keep writing Midnight sun will be a great hit so keep writing
mary ellen*
cassidy,thanxs sooooooooo much 4 backing me up, ur awsome. I ( out of curtosy to u ) will not spoil Breaking Dawn 4 u . it is really sad though. :.-( . i hav new news,tomorrow is my Birthday i will b thirteen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my bffs shcnitzelfritz bojangle,bobett,purple but,and fefe r invited to my party. btw i used my friends nicknames . i blive that im getting a new i pod (4 all my fav twilight sound track songs) (( rob pattionson is NOT going to b on their, the man cannot sing , he mumbles )) and of course ill hav my old favs on there ( beautiful day-u2 , the who will b on their along w/ the beatles too , as u can see my dad taught me well.) and then the twilight collecters addition official twilight saga fan guide with the character profiles ,( more about jasper ? woo hoo or as bear* would say WHOOT ) maps etc etc ……….. omg i cant wait !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i hav a question 4 u all . what is ur fav twilight book ? mine is Eclipse. please reply there will b a new question every day( unless i hav swimming) (( or hw)) thanks. if u hav twilight news ,i will b on from about 8:00 pm to about 9:30 pm
luvs yas, b nice to th enviornment, luv twilight ,luv edward .thanks again -mae
mary ellen*
@Renesmee: i totally aggre w/ u there-mae
mary ellen*
@B: r u kidding me?(alert rant mode) U PEOPLE HAV NO RESPCT 4 STEPHENIE ATALL.ITS NOT HER FAULT THAT MIDNIGHT SUN WZ POSTED ILLEGALLY ON THE WEB .WE OWE IT TO HER TO FAITHFULY RESPECT HER WISHES 4 THIS BOOK SO SUCK IT THE HELL UP AND DEAL WITH IT . U SHOULD B ON UR KNEES THANKING HER 4 THE OPPORTUNITTY TO EVEN READ ONE OF HER BOOKS…… EVEN ONE OF THEM. STEPHENIE HAS CREATED A WONDERFULL UNIVERSE 4 EVERYONE TO LIVE IN FANTASY AND B A KID AGAIN.U "PEOPLE" R SNIDE RUDE MONSTRUS EVIL BINGS THAT DO NOT CARE 4 ANYNE BUT THEMSELVES. LITTLE SCARLET O'HARAS IF I MAY B SO BOLD . U HAV OFFICIALLY PISSED ME OFF AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINING> STEPHENIE MEYER IS AN ARTIST IN HER OWN RITE . SHOW SOME DAMNED RESPCT-Mae( yeah the 12 yr old)
mary ellen*
what now,B
i think that it should put 12 chapters of modnight sun
yall should tell people how you can read the first 12 chapters
I really think its a priviledge just to be able to read a book by Stephenie and I love the books. When I read her books I dream of myself being Bella. I really think that it's inpolite to illegally post 12 chapters of her unfinished book. Please don't do it again.
Rachell Gossett
I really don't know where to start here. Perhaps after the stomach cramps from laughing have stopped?
Okay. First of all, mary ellen, for a twelve year old you have quite a sailor's mouth. Do you talk like that in front of your mother? Secondly, the link to your coveted twelve chapters is at the end of the article. That's right children, you will have to scroll all the way to the top of the page. Lastly, for the rest of you pre-teen Twilighters, I cringe to hear you taking Meyer as inspiration for future books. I also recommend a few courses in remedial English before you actually reach college.
mary ellen
hey peeps how r u ?sorry about going off on u like tht SOME of u didnt deserve tht. i did get mi i-pod though and im soooo happy. rite now im listining to i caught myself,by paramore (its on the cd)as any true twilight fan would . soo please tell me wht u think about this …………. heres my next question do u think tht rob pattionson can sing? i dont he mumbles
peace to the peeps , WAR IS UHEALTHY 4 ALL LIVING THINGS and luvs yas
mary ellen
heres my playlist , u can look up the songs on youtube
-american idiot,green day
-bellas lullaby,carter burwell
-blurry,puddle of mudd
-no air,jordin sparks & chris brown
-na na na na naa,kaiser chiefs
-all summer long,kid rock
-roll on,kid rock
-dark blue,jacks mannequin
-sex and candy,marcy playground
-twilight soundtrack
luvs yas- mae
Ugh.. please.. if you don't mind, "mae-the -twelve-year-old-kid", LMAO could you just please keep your thoughts to yourself? You're giving everybody a brain hemorrhage! Nobody understands you at all..


text:
Today we found some great articles on cheap and easy DIY home improvement projects, jobs to satisfy your wander lust, and putting your tax refund to work.
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text: Ivory Rustic 18"x18" Travertine Tile Glamour Flooring has the lowest prices on Travertine Flooring Versailles Patterns aka French Pattern. We offer travertine flooring and installation visit our large showroom located in Katy, TX we serve the Houston, TX and greater area. If you have any questions regarding our travertine versailles pattern please call us we are more then happy to assist you. We can obtain any travertine color you are looking for, if you do not see what you are looking for here please call to inquire.


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Every pastor and church leader has read, reread, memorized, and agonized over Matthew 28:19-20, the verses spelling out the Lords Great Commission. But how do you make a disciple, what defines a disciple, and how do you know when the commission has been fulfilled?This guide offers a way to measure discipleship. A biblically based, quantifiable discipleship plan for every church fellowship, The Plan reveals how it is possible to have a ministry without guilt that accomplishes the most basic command of the Lord.
This plan produces powerful results and eliminates the condemnation every church leader feels.Pastor Stephen R. Clark examines what it means to become a disciple of Jesus. Using personal examples as well as passages of Scripture, he discusses the reasons that disciples are needed in the church, the ministry they should implement, the cost--both spiritual and emotional--of being a disciple, and the incredible rewards it brings. In addition, he reveals the two main components of the plan that must be present for it to work: comprehension and compliance.Its time for all church leaders to embrace the Great Commission with love, joy, and hope.
Let The Plan show you how.
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text:
Autumn made its presence known across the rocky hills of Redridge, arriving with gusting breezes laced with tastes of distant winter bite. Red, orange and yellow leaves fluttered from thick-limbed oak trees, coating the ground with a carpet of color. These leaves fell thick in the Lake Everstill cemetery, especially on the stoop of an unobtrusive, wood-clad shed tucked behind the tombstones.
It wasn't empty. Gray-black smoke curled from the top of a black, iron pipe. Attached to the backside of the shed, it remained mostly hidden from view, even to the occasional fisherman who stalked catfish on Lakeshire's opposite shore. Had someone been fishing on this particular morning, they might have heard laughter, singing and the banging of copper kettles from within the nondescript shed.
Brother Jeb was brewing.
Named after his grandfather, Jebediah was the latest in a long line of moonshiners who'd been brewing illegal alcohol in the hills of Redridge for time eternal. In fact, they'd been brewing for so long, the list read like a heraldic tree of Bradferd brewmaster lineage. Bradferd Shine was famous, and most in Redridge knew the family, or had at least heard the name.
Every so often, the King's revenue agents would ride into town in an attempt to shut them down. However, the beverages always seemed to reappear in taverns, tables and cabinets around the district. When the King's men asked questions, they were always met with blank stares and shoulder shrugs. If they asked more, they might mysteriously disappear while on patrol.
Redridge liked their shine, and the Bradferds kept their neighbors happy.
It was an October morning. A morning filled with bird song and acorns drumming on the shed's tin roof. The cool mists settling across Lake Everstill provided the perfect water temperature for this seasons dram, and Brother Jeb was using it to his advantage. Metal vats of cold water, pulled straight from the heart of the lake, was now mixed with mashed cherries, tart apples and pure cane sugar. Local yeast had fermented the mixture into wine, yet the true magic was happening in the large copper still over which Jeb was leaning.
Making shine was a labor of love. Exact temperatures required for the perfect liquor took his constant attention, and singing brewing songs helped him keep time with the boil. Too hot and the liquor would flow fast – not good for quality shine. You wanted slow and steady, which he never failed to produce.
Autumn Bite. That was this season's brew. The sweetness of the deep, red cherries from Elwynn combined with the tart, green apples of Westfall would make for a memorable drink to usher in Hallows End. So far, from what he'd tasted, it was one of a kind and better than any his pa ever made. This drink would be legendary.
Yet, as hard as he tried to do otherwise, his mind drifted elsewhere.
Just the week before, he'd run into Charlie while fishing for catfish in a refuse pile beneath the dock. He'd just pulled a small, wooden box from the floating debris when she called his name, taking his attention from the potential treasure chest. After some small talk and discussion of happenings around the district, they'd slipped into the tavern for a few drinks, and to catch up on local gossip.
He now wished he hadn't. Not because of her, of course. She was a looker and friendlier than all get out. Always had been, so far as he recalled.
Nah, it's what she'd said to him about a Colonel hanging out in city hall, looking for volunteers, that'd ruined his mind. The man wanted help with the Orc problem, and like a catfish gobbling up stink bait, Charlie'd taken the hook.
Come to find out, she'd been learnin' bout bein a paladin. Even had a set of armor, so she said. Even had a book to help her learn, for fel's sake. Borrowed from the cathedral in Stormwind. What was worse, she'd introduced him to the Colonel and now his mind was spinnin.
He twisted a copper knob on the still, lowering the flame to a yellow flicker. "Dang that woman," he said, stepping to the top of a 3 rung stool to stir the thickening wine. He used a long, wooden paddle like found in wood-fired ovens to remove bread. He swirled the liquid, filling the air with the pungent sweet-tart scent of his future brew.
"Gettin' me all fired up ta help that man." He lifted the paddle, tapped it on the edge of the vat then hung it from a hook on the side of the shed. "I knowed she says he's from round here, but I bet he ain't. All a ruse ta get us kilt er somthin."
He climbed down the stool and twisted the knob, running his fingers along a curling, twisted copper tube that wound its way into a large, glass jug. Soon, the good stuff would pour forth. He'd already skimmed the foreshots and saved the heads for the next batch in small glass jars he'd placed atop a wooden shelf.
Who wanted to fight wars, anyway? Sure, they'd all sat around a campfire talking bout how great the army was an all. But that was just beer talk. This man wanted fighters, recruits to convince some pit fighter to save em all from the Orcs. Or the Gnolls. He weren't sure.
But Charlie? She wanted to be a hero. Swing swords, chop heads and save the world. Or at least Redridge, anyway. Fel, he'd tolt her all he could do was wack thangs with a stick. Orcs had swords and shields an such. What good would a stick do against that?
His eyes widened as the first drop of the good stuff fell into the greenish glass jug. A left over from a Goblin beverage incursion several years back, it provided the perfect container for the drink. He licked his lips as one drop became two, then ten and before long, the entire jug was filled with the first batch of the good stuff, Autumn's Bite.
It would be legendary, and all thought of Orcs, Colonels and wacking sticks disappeared into the intoxicating red liquid that defined his life, that of his family and that of his heritage.
Autumn's Bite, a name that would soon mean much more than he could have ever imagined.


text:
Keith Richards Talks Up His Jack White Recordings, Possible Rolling Stones Sessions
They've famously shared the concert stage, strumming guitars side by side at New York's Beacon Theatre in the 2006 Rolling Stones concert film, 'Shine a Light.' But the collaborative relationship between Stones guitarist Keith Richards and indie-rock stud Jack White also extends to the studio — and Richards has no problem with the recordings they made three years ago reaching the public.
"I don't know if [Jack] ever considered that it was actually, like, master cuts," Richards recently told Rolling Stone magazine. "But at the same time if Jack wanted to [release them], I'd probably say, 'Yeah.' "
Speaking of recording, Richards would like to see the Stones hit the studio soon.
"We're going to talk about that in July and see," said Richards, referring to a Stones meeting that's scheduled to take place in London and focus on the band's 50th anniversary plans. "I mean, I'd love to get some tracks down and see what songs we've got. And that goes along with part of getting the band back together and getting things moving."


text:
Ricardo Signes was thrust into the job market with only a rudimentary humanities education, and was forced to learn to fend for himself. He is now a full-time Perl programmer, maintainer of the Perl Email Project, and incessant contributor to the CPAN.
For information on exhibition and sponsorship opportunities at the conference, contact Sharon Cordesse at firstname.lastname@example.com
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text:
Local man's dog inspires worldwide phenomenon
"A Golden Retriever at the Museum"
Tom Mosser credits the worldwide phenomenon that made him a star all to Lucas, his four-legged best friend.
Lucas is the topic of Mosser's work of art, "A Golden Retriever at the Museum." The painting has sold copies worldwide.
"This is my gift to golden retriever owners, to all dog owners, and I wanted to share it," said Mosser.
When Mosser put the image online, it quickly went viral.
"We started getting messages and emails. People, some of them, were very emotional about it. They had lost a dog within the last year, (and it) reminded them of their dog," said Mosser. "It covered all gamuts; men, women, countries, people from Thailand, Turkey, Australia."
Buyers even receive an official "paw-centicity" with their purchase, and sales have been brisk.


text:
EDITORIAL: Reminder to ready for hurricane season may save lives
June 1, 2011
When islanders flipped their calendars this week from May to June, many of them probably did so with a bit of trepidation. That's because we have now entered a new hurricane season, which will last until the end of November — although a hurricane can strike at any time of the year. We are, however, most susceptible to these tropical storms during the warmer summer and fall months.
Dr. William Gray and Phil Klotzbach, the nation's leading hurricane forecasters from Colorado State University's Department of Atmospheric Science, announced earlier this spring that they are predicting nine hurricanes this season, of which five are estimated to become major hurricanes.
Despite the fact that Sanibel has not experienced the brunt of Mother Nature's wrath anywhere close to equaling Hurricane Charley nearly seven years ago, the islands have been under several hurricane or tropical storm watches/warnings in almost every season since: Katrina and Wilma in 2005, Ernesto in 2006, Barry in 2007 as well as Fay, Gustav and Ike in 2008.
During the past two seasons, tropical storm activity in Southwest Florida has been fairly low, with only Tropical Storm Bonnie a blip on our radar last July. However, as experts have again reminded us, and we will do the same: you can never prepare too early — or too much — for a hurricane.
In preparation for Hurricane Season 2011, we would urge our readers to take a couple of moments to go over a "checklist" of things to do right away, if they haven't done so already:
• Have an evacuation plan ready — Know where you're going to go in case an evacuation order is issued. Back in 2004, more than 95 percent of Sanibel's residents were evacuated prior to Charley's arrival. If you have a pet, check to see which hotels and/or shelters accept them.
• Make an emergency disaster kit — Stock up on bottled water (one gallon per day, per person is recommended), non-perishable ready-to-eat foods, medications, personal hygiene items, blankets and towels, a first aid kit, flashlights and radios with fresh batteries, an analog (land-line) telephone, credit cards and important documents you'll need after a storm.
• Place hurricane hang tags in your vehicles — Emergency personnel may not allow your vehicle to return to the island following an evacuation without one. For questions regarding hurricane passes or emergency preparedness, contact Emergency Management Specialist Stephanie Dowd of the Sanibel Police Department at 472-3111.
For additional information, visit our website — www.captivasanibel.com — and click on "Hurricane Guide 2011."
We hope that all islanders will make the necessary preparations now for hurricane season and pray that this reminder will save lives should we see any major storms. The old adage "Better safe than sorry" certainly applies here.
— Reporter editorial


text:
Wi-Fi leeching tech Devicescape has reinvented the Wi-Fi landing page, popping a notification into the Android menu to alert those users for whom the internet is no longer the web.
Devicescape calls the technique PopWiFi, and hopes to sell* the service to businesses already giving away Wi-Fi to customers who currently might not even know they're using it, limiting its value as a promotional tool.
In days gone by, free Wi-Fi would almost inevitably lead to your browser being redirected to a landing page, requiring you to agree to some terms and, critically, view the name and message from the Wi-Fi provider. But these days a user's phone might make its own connection to update Twitter, download some Facebook postings and send off a few queued emails, all without the browser, or the user, being involved.
DeviceScape cunningly addresses the problem of notifications on the iPhone by not supporting iOS
Devicescape provides what it calls a "Curated Virtual Network". That's basically a client app which automatically logs on to free Wi-Fi points, bypassing any landing page though the use of crowd-sourced experience to provide connectivity without user intervention.
The app is part of Intel's Ultrabook platform, and a limited form comes preinstalled on Windows Phone 8 devices, connecting users to 11 million Wi-Fi hotspots without the user, or hotspot owner, ever knowing it happened.
Unless, of course, the hotspot owner takes up the PopWiFi offer, in which case they get a dashboard showing usage and the ability to customise that notification message to link to special offers, or their Facebook page, or even a new landing page. They also get the ability to deny users access until they've clicked on that link, or at least viewed the message, but that obviously removes the user-not-present capability.
Assuming that option doesn't prove popular, the accumulation of notifications showing whose Wi-Fi you've been leeching from seems a fair exchange for free connectivity - even if it feels a little like Devicescaoe is blackmailing the small businesses offering free Wi-Fi. Of course, the businesses are free to be remove themselves from the Curated network, so it's not really blackmail.
With Wi-Fi connectivity increasingly becoming part of the cellular mix, those providing it do deserve some recognition, and a notification is certainly superior to a landing page when it comes to finding out who's paying for your connectivity. ®
* That's "sell" in the broadest sense: shops don't have to pay DeviceScape for PopWiFi. The money comes from installation deals with Intel and the like.