Oct 17, 2011

The SLTA Gets Interviewed

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I haven’t posted about my fantastic group of friends for a while. In fact, many of my new followers probably don’t even know who the SLTA is.

Once upon a time, I didn’t like to read books but I decided to read a little-known book (at the time) called Twilight. The story intrigued me so much that I wanted to know more and I wanted to talk about it a lot. I couldn’t find anyone to oblige me–my husband couldn’t have cared less (not that I blame him) and my co-workers and friends liked the book but not as much as I did. I noticed on the back of the book that Stephenie Meyer had a website so I decided to check it out. From her website, I was introduced to the Twilight Lexicon, the premiere online fansite for the Twilight Saga.

I had never been compelled to find people who shared the same obsession as me before. I had never wanted to join an online fandom, not even with Harry Potter. (That was probably because I had people in real life to discuss the books with.) I decided to join the Lex thinking that I’d be bombarded by a bunch of tweens and teeny boppers and stop frequenting the fansite after a week or so. To my surprise, I found that there was a fairly large adult presence and many of them were from Utah.

About four months after joining the Lex, I was invited to meet some of these Utah women. We got together at a restaurant and I felt like I had met my kindred spirits. They aren’t kindred spirits just because of our connection through Twilight; Twilight was merely a vehicle that moved us all to the same point where we could meet. We’re kindred spirits because we were each looking to fill a void in our lives. We all have fulfilling lives through our families, school, jobs, church, etc. But, we needed something more … a way for us to be ourselves without wearing the wife, mom, student, and employee hat. This group gave us that.

We’ve now been together for a little over four years. Their friendship, love, and support has meant a lot to me. We’ve helped each other through different trials and adventures in each of our lives. I honestly don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t found these wonderful ladies. My life definitely wouldn’t be as fulfilling as it is with them.

The reason for this post is that my friend Danylle was contacted by our Channel 5 News. Stephany Beshara, the producer of the morning show, is planning to do a Twilight week during the week Breaking Dawn, Part 1 comes out. She wanted to interview people who are fans of the franchise and who have had their lives significantly impacted by these books.

On Saturday, part of our group got together and three of us were interviewed by Stephany, including me. It was so much fun to talk about how we met, how our lives were changed by Stephenie Meyer’s books, how not only our group has become fast friends but how we have made friends from all over the world through the Lex and other fansites that we still keep in contact with, and what we’re doing now that the franchise is coming to a close. (We’ll be featured on November 14 or 15 at 6:00 am. I plan to TiVo it so I can download it and post it on my blog.)

Many members of my group have moved past Twilight while others, like me, still enjoy the Twilight Saga (mostly in book form). But, none of us can deny the impact these books have made on our lives. I’ll always be grateful to Stephenie Meyer for facilitating a way for me to meet these wonderful ladies.

(Fortunately, when I met these lovely ladies, I had just started blogging. I’ve been able to document most of our adventures, including our trip to Forks with other Lexicon members and our many author parties.)

Filed Under: Friends, SLTA, Twilight · 12 Comments
Oct 13, 2011

Twilight Cliff Notes

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A few years ago when Twilight had just started to gain readership and the movie was in the very beginning stages of production–I’m talking no-actors-cast beginning stages–my friend Tarl started working on this little animation project in his spare time. (He’s the same friend who illustrated the characters in my awesome header.)

My friends and I, thanks to his wife and my good friend Debbie, got to see the first few minutes of it when Tarl had just started his work. I thought it was awesome even when it was less than a quarter of the way done. Now, the animation is finally finished and I think it has surpassed the potential I originally thought it had. I absolutely adore it! Tarl is a very funny guy and his humor really comes out in this, which makes it all the better.

I wanted to share his talents with you. Even if you’re not a Twilight fan, you should take the time to watch it; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Unfortunately, I can’t embed the movie, but you can watch it here. After you watch it, come back and let me know what you think! (If you want to check out more of his work, you can go to his website Tarl’s Scribbles.)

Filed Under: Twilight · 18 Comments
Sep 13, 2011

Breaking Dawn, Part 1 Theatrical Trailer

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Before I saw this trailer, I wasn’t really looking forward to the Breaking Dawn movies because I thought they’d be long and drawn out. (Mainly, my beef was with the fact that the book is being broken into two movies and I didn’t think Breaking Dawn needed to be.) But, after watching this trailer, I’m getting kind of excited now, and I think two movies may not be so bad.

In this case, the movie may actually be better than the book. (I love the book, but I was a bit disappointed with the anticlimactic ending.) At least the movie has more action!

Filed Under: Movies, Trailers, Twilight · 4 Comments
Aug 1, 2011

Twilight Reread-Along: Chapters 21-Epilogue

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The Twilight reread along is hosted by Ginger, Yani, Jacinda and Jasmine, and Lisa. If you want to join in the fun, you can sign up here.

Last week’s reading covered chapters 21 through the epilogue and here are the discussion questions:

  1. In chapter 21, James calls Bella telling her he has her mother and the only way he won’t kill her is if Bella comes alone. What would you do in that situation? Come alone or tell Alice and Jasper?
  2. Was everyone else as shocked as I was when I first found out about the Alice/James situation? Do you think this adds to the story line or was it not needed? Why do you think they chose not to include these details in the movie?
  3. Edward had to do something extremely difficult in order to save Bella from becoming a vampire. Have you ever had a similar situation in your life where you had to push your will power to its limits?
  4. Bella and Edward get into the “to change Bella or not to change Bella” argument in the hospital. If you were Bella, would you want to become a vampire? Why or why not?
  5. Twilight ends with everyone going to the prom. Did you go to your prom? Was your experience similar to Bella’s? Feel free to include pictures.
  6. Extra: It’s over … final thoughts?

My Answers

  1. I’m not sure. I think I’d want to tell Alice and Jasper because they’d have the better resources to protect me and save my mother (and it’s just more logical). But, I know one of Bella’s fears is that one of the Cullens would get hurt in all the falderal with James. With that being said, I’d probably want to do the same thing Bella did, but I’d be too scared to do it.
  2. I was very shocked to find out that James had something to do with Alice’s transformation. I don’t think it was absolutely needed and that’s why it was left out of the movie. Personally, I like back story like that, though; I like finding out more about the Cullens. And, since Alice’s transformation was a mystery, I think James having something to do with it is a perfect way to integrate it into the story.
  3. No, I haven’t ever had to push my will power to its limit like that. I don’t know how I’d do if I ever had to.
  4. If I were Bella, I’d want to be a vampire to be with Edward for eternity. However, as myself, I wouldn’t want to be one. I’d rather be some other type of mythical creature, like a witch from Harry Potter or a Shadowhunter from Cassandra Clare’s series. I could still live, age, grow, and be a part of the mythical world. (And, no, I don’t have any desire whatsoever to be a werewolf. Werewolves are my least favorite mythical creature.)
  5. I went to my senior prom as a junior. I’m very much like Bella and hate to/can’t dance. But, I caved into peer pressure and went. I had a pretty good time, but definitely not as good as Bella had with Edward. It’s all about your date, and mine left something to be desired.
  6. I’m so glad I participated in this reread-along. I wouldn’t have reread Twilight any time soon if I hadn’t participated. Rereading it helped me realize that I love this story every bit as much as I did when I first read it. I now plan to do a slow reread of the other books in the series. Thank you to all the hosts for such a fun reread along and great discussion questions!
Filed Under: Books, Read Along, Twilight · 14 Comments
Jul 25, 2011

Twilight Reread-Along: Chapters 16-20

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The Twilight reread along is hosted by Ginger, Yani, Jacinda and Jasmine, and Lisa. If you want to join in the fun, you can sign up here.

Last week’s reading covered chapters 16-20 and here are the discussion questions:

  1. If you where in Carlisle’s position, do you think you would’ve been able to fight off your vampiric urges? Would you ever bring someone into that life as he did with Edward and Esme?
  2. We are introduced to Edward’s playful side in these chapters, before he gets all manic about the new vampires. I think we have a better picture of who he is. If you had to describe him in five words, what would they be? Good and bad qualities, whatever you like!
  3. While rereading, I’ve been taking notes: observations that I’ve come across and comparisons to the movie. One of my notes deals with page 383 in which Edward screams at Alice there’s no other option. The first time around, I didn’t get that he meant the future that Alice saw for Bella as a vampire, but now that I know the whole story I see that’s what he meant. Has this happened to you? Do you have any examples of things that are clearer now, or things that you have realized while re-reading?
  4. We haven’t talked about this yet, but I think the idea of your human gifts amplifying in your vampire life is interesting. What do you think your gift(s) would be?
  5. We’re coming to the end of the book. What is your opinion of it on this reread? First, when was the last time you read it? Second, do you feel you like it more, the same, or less this time around?

My Answers

  1. Knowing what I’ve learned about myself in the last few years, I tend to give in to instant gratification. It’s my addiction in life. Because of this, I don’t think I’d be like Carlisle. However, if he sired me and told me about his lifestyle, then I might be able to resist my instincts. I think if I were as lonely as Carlisle and I encountered someone on their death bed, like Edward or Esme, then I’d change them.
  2. Intense, loving, protective, old-fashioned, chivalrous.
  3. Yes. Many Breaking Dawn haters don’t want to admit that Stephenie Meyer had planned Renesmee from the beginning. They feel as though Meyer came up with the idea of a half-vampire/half-human baby out of nowhere in regards to the rest of the series. However, as I’ve reread Twilight, there are tiny hints that plot Meyer’s course. For example, when Bella is researching vampires on the Internet, on Page 133, she says: “It seemed that most vampire myths centered around beautiful women as demons and children as victims; they also seemed like constructs created to explain away the high mortality rates for young children, and to give men an excuse for infidelity.” I realize this refers to the immortal children more than Renesmee, but that’s because other than Nahuel, half-vampire/half-human babies didn’t exist. And, the whole reason the immortal children are brought up in Breaking Dawn is to prepare for what’s coming. I don’t think Meyer would’ve mentioned these myths if she hadn’t planned Renesmee from the very beginning.
  4. I tend to worry a lot about how others are feeling. I want everyone to be happy and not feel left out or sad because I know so well how that feels. I think I’d have a similar gift to Jasper’s. However, I don’t think I’d be able to control the emotions around me; I’d just be able to feel them and know how to act accordingly.
  5. The last time I read Twilight was in 2008 when Breaking Dawn was released. However, I did listen to the audiobook at the beginning of last year. When I listened to the audiobook, I found myself getting annoyed with the descriptions because I was around a lot of Twilight haters at that time. And, I was still trying to decide whether I was going to give up on the series like most of my “Twilight” friends already had. Now, that I’ve decided that I don’t care how other people feel about Twilight, for good or bad, and that I still love the series, this reread is going a lot smoother. In fact, I feel the same giddiness I did the first time I read it. And, I’m glad to be there again.
Filed Under: Books, Read Along, Twilight · 10 Comments
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