One Lifetime Is Simply Not Enough For Me

My favorite type of book or movie is the kind that takes you a little bit out of this world. I live a real life every day and it's okay. I like my life; working more then 40 hours a week, keeping up with school work, exercising at least 3 times a week, and cleaning up after myself, my boyfriend and our dog. Who doesn't want to live vicariously through the life of Bella Swan, a 17 year old who is stalked by a good looking vampire and wooed by his charm. 

My review on this book would be at least a 4 star ranking (on a 5 scale bar). There are others that I have read that wouldn't agree. Elizabeth Spires writes on the NY Times website "the book suffers at times from over earnest amateurish writing. A little more "showing" and a lot less "telling" might have been a good thing, especially pruning to eliminate the constant references to Edwards shattering beauty and Bella's undying love."

My take, Stephanie knew she was writing to young adults. A little more "showing" would probably have brought the audience to the Fifty Shades of Grey level. I'm sure that's not what Stephanie was going for. 

No Matter How Perfect The Day Is, It Always Has To End

I wanted to post this video from Oprah's website. I enjoyed listening to the way she talks about how she has to write. She says she has to believe that whatever she is writing isn't going to be seen by any other eyes, only hers. 

(The video is five minutes, but the first minute is where she talks about how she writes)

http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Twilight-Author-Stephenie-Meyer-Video

Do I Dazzle You?

Stephanie Meyer has been called " the world's most popular vampire novelist since Anne Rice" (Gregory Kirshling). She has been compared to JK Rowling; she actually won the British Book Award while in competition with Rowling (Wikipedia).

She has a long list of accomplishments that most authors will never meet.

The first three books of Twilight (Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse) spent a combined time of 143 weeks on the New York's Best Seller list (Wikipedia).

One of the greatest awards, in my opinion, is the 2008's title "USA Today's Author of the Year" (McEwen). Stephanie was also ranked number forty-nine in Time's Magazine 100 Most Influential People of in 2008 (McEwen). I want to put that into perspective; this year Hilary Clinton, Richard Sherman and Miley Cyrus are on the list. 

The Twilight novel can be purchased world wide and more than 116 million copies have been sold (McEwen). 

I can't imagine being in my 20's and having accomplishments like that. I also believe that Stephanie Meyer (along with Rowling but we aren't talking about her right now) became a role model for other authors, as well as a trendsetter. The Twilight saga became movies. The next big name I can think of to do the same was The Hunger Games. Now, Divergent has taken the same steps. 

I may be taking it a bit too far by saying that she also introduced Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson to superstardom. 

The Lion Fell In Love With The Lamb

Stephanie Meyer didn't grow up thinking that she was going to be a writer. She did go to college at Brigham Young University and received a bachelors degree in English. Previous to that she thought about going to law school, but what changed her mind was giving birth to her first (of three) son. She knew at that time, that she just wanted to be a mom. (The Official Website of Stephanie Meyer)

It was just one random night that Stephanie woke up from a dream she had. The dream was about Bella and Edward, the main characters of the Twilight novel. The characters were so real to Stephanie that she decided she had to do something with this dream. Stephanie says "Though I had a million things to do, I stayed in bed, thinking about the dream. Unwillingly, I eventually got up and did the immediate necessities and then put everything that I possible could on the back burner and sat down at the computer to write - something I hadn't done in so long that I wondered why I was bothering." (The Official Website of Stephanie Meyer)

Just three months after her dream, Stephanie finished the first book of the novel. She then submitted the book to as many agencies as should could and was picked up by Little, Brown publishing company and it was released in 2005. (The Official Website of Stephanie Meyer)

In 2006, Stephanie released New Moon. 

In 2007 came Eclipse.

In August 2008 the final book of the novel, Breaking Dawn, was released.

In between Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, Stephanie released The Host. The Host wasn't part of the Twilight saga, but it had a Sci-Fi romance storyline. 

If you can imagine, having three sons and writing and releasing five books in four years, then adding the release of the movie Twilight (November 2008). 

About Three Things I Was Absolutely Positive...

First, Stephanie Meyers is the author of one of my favorite book series of all time, Twilight. Second, that Stephanie Meyer was born to Stephen and Candy Morgan (Wikipedia), while I was born to Stephen and Candy Morton. I read Stephanie's bio a while back on Wikipedia and thought to myself, how weird! It went on to say that she was born in Phoenix, Arizona, while I was born in Tucson, Arizona and that she had five siblings, well I only have four. Still, I was intrigued with all the close similarities. And lastly, third, it is unreal that Stephanie met her husband when she was four years old before leaving Arizona and ended up marrying him seventeen years later. While, this isn't a similarity we share, I find it so romantic and it just goes to show how she was able to write several books about a love so deep.

If you haven't read the series of books (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn) I would recommend them, at least to anyone who likes romance, with vampires, and some violence.