Great Twilight Articles

Hey guys this will be brief because I have to run. But I just found this great source of Twilight information... a great source of information on everything actually (I think I'm going to apply for a job on this site). Anyway, you should all check out Amanda Bell's Examiner articles.  They have some great information and up-to-date info. on all things Twilight. She has articles dedicated to everything from Twilight music to interviews with the cast and crew. So, to get your twilight fix you should definitely go here. (And while you're at it check out other Examiner writers. They're really good. :) (I'm not just saying that because I want a job either.) But I'll catch you later Twilighters. I have to go suck some blood... um... eat some dinner. =}  

Banned Books =/

Desert Book, a book store in Utah which is owned by the Mormon church and deals mainly in religious texts has banned the Twilight series from its shelves.  It apparently doesn't matter that Meyer is arguably the most famous Mormon author. She's not exempt from being banned.

A representative from the store sent the Tribune an e-mail stating, "Like any retailer, our purpose is to offer products that are embraced and expected by our customers. When we find products that are met with mixed review, we typically move them to special order status." So I wonder if they will order them if asked? I doubt it.

There are many who have publicly shared their opinions on the subject and I found a few in the Baltimore Sun:

 "Twilight encourages young women to accept abusive behavior, condone a lifestyle that includes killing and her message to leave your husband because you're 'bored' is outrageous. This book is dangerous."

"I am a devout Christian....It's FICTION! It's not good or bad for you! People are drawn to the books because of the devotion the 'characters' have for each other."

And as always, the ban has had the opposite effect on some, "Now I want to read Twilight, although I had no interest in it before. In general, bans by churches seem to create more business for the banned."

I for one am not an advocate of banning books. I encourage you all to post your opinions on the subject... and while you're at it read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. =) Do it!

Copyright

You've all probably heard of this way before me, but yesterday my roommate was reading the new Stephenie Meyer book, Midnight Sun, online. I was thinking WHYYYY? But now I understand. Meyer's partial draft of Midnight Sun, Twilight from Edwards point-of-view, had been leaked onto the internet and was then spread without her permission. In August 2008 Meyer said she was postponing Midnight Sun indefinitely, and she posted her latest draft online for everyone to see. If you would like to read this click here.

I'd just like to say that this is... well I don't know the word for it. If I were the Author of a book and this happened I would be extremely angry. Meyer said she was so disappointed that she couldn't finish the book because the way she felt at that moment all of the Cullens would die and James would win. If you are a Twilighter then you know how upset she would have to be to do that. It's just sad that someone would take someone's hard work, steal it, and ruin it.

But Meyer is being extremely nice I believe. She said she does not think it was done maliciously... which would be the first thing that popped into my mind... I'd sick my vampires, werewolves and every other creature in my arsenal on them. }=[

TwiCon

There are Star Trek conventions, comic book conventions... and now there's TwiCon. That's right kids, a Twilight convention is in the works and scheduled for July 30 - Aug. 2 in Texas at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. Details about events and everything else you need to know are posted on the official TwiCon Website. It looks cool actually. (The layout is great haha.)

The people responsible for this event are: 

Becka Grapsy, an undergraduate student at Pennsylvania State who is pursuing a degree in Public Relations. 

Bailey Gauthier, (from Canada) who was voted the webcaster with the top Twilight site His Golden Eyes, and has dubbed the Twilight vlogging phenomenon (on YouTube) as its now better-known name 'TwiTube'.

Becky Scoggins, (NC) is a Twilight Mom (something that has popped up numerous times in my search for all things Twilight... I shall learn more about this and get back to you) who is the managing Partner of Scoggins Management Group which manages events, campaigns etc. 

Jordan Bressler is the head of Leapfrog Marketing, PR and Design and has twenty years of experience in his field.

So wow, these are the people who are bringing you TwiCon. They better hope it's good or I have a feeling there will be some pretty disgruntled Twihards out there.

The lineup of events looks pretty entertaining though. There will be a cast member meet and greet followed by a Q&A session. No 'Edward' and the other 'Stars' are not expected to be there but the list of attendees looks promising all the same. Peter Facinelli (Carlisle :) is supposed to be there, as are Jackson Rathbone (Jasper), Ashley Green (Alice), and Kellan Lutz (Emmett). 

There will also be music acts inspired by Twilight (I can't really imagine these being really great, but it would be worth seeing) such as The Bella Cullen Project, a masquerade style 'Volturi Ball', a screening of the movie Twilight, and fanfic readings. 

So yeah, it sounds interesting. If you're a Twilight fan you should definitely check out the TwiCon website. If you are not and only like to make fun of the fandom, click here to see a hilarious article about Twicon ]=}   Either way... you're cool with me.

Twilight Extras

Hey Twilighters, sorry about the last post being so... blah. I'm feeling much better now. And on a much lighter note, Twilight is now casting movie extras!

I was traipsing through websites looking for the latest bits of juiciness (that did not include gushing over 'Edward" when an ad caught my attention on the right side of my screen. Yes, Twilight is casting extras, and you can go here and fill out the application.

The app. is on the site Talenthunter.com. I'm not entirely sure about his site though. You have to register (and you must be 18, so anyone under this age go grab mom/dad) on this site. 

According to their site:

TalentHunter.com is a public access general purpose profile hosting web site and community for models, actors, photographers, agencies, or any other form of talent. TalentHunter.com provides a hosting service for person to person display, marketing, and communication on a professional level between models and photographers and agents.

But I'd be careful and read all of the agreement before I signed up because apparently there are also profiles you can buy on this site.

So, if you are a brave Twilighter and want to be an extra in the upcoming films check this out. Apparently no experience is needed, all looks and types are wanted, and you could make $150-$300 a day. Sound interesting?

NOT being shallow

Well I don't even know how to start this blog entry... what I want to say is I'm a little mad about what the director of the new Twilight movie has done regarding the "Wolf Pack." Maybe it's just hit me wrong at this moment, maybe the grilled chicken wrap I just ate from Dairy Queen is disagreeing with me, or maybe I'm just tired of people being judged solely on their bodies no matter what their gender.  Of course everyone likes to look at the pretty people, but I think sometimes we go too far. 

I just read an article about how the director of the Twilight New Moon film, Chris Weitz demanded that his werewolf actors prove their Native American or First Nation ancestry with official paperwork. (I can see wanting to be authentic.) He also demanded they be physically fit and willing to bulk up even more. The article is also accompanied by a photo of four members of the wolf pack shirtless. Taylor Lautner who plays Jacob, is missing from the pictures, and according to the article he's going through a round-the-clock workout regimen... So what... if he doesn't meet the standards of fitness and muscle they'll replace him? What a crock. I'm sorry it just makes me mad.

Here are the faces of the Wolf Pack. If you want the rest of it with the bodies on display... well, you should just go find it yourself. 

Twilight Prom

Do Bella and Edward have a prom in the Twilight books? I haven't got that far yet. I was just wondering because I just read an article about a library in Visalia California that is throwing a Twilight prom.  (Wait! I just remembered. At the end of the first movie they go to a dance... was that prom? I feel bad because I just watched it and I can't remember.)

Anyway this library in Tulare County is throwing a Twilight themed Prom this Friday (that's tomorrow people!). It's open to teens ages 14-19, but the catch is there is a limited number of people that can attend. There's only room for 200. So if you want to go... I'd go early, like yesterday.  

I would actually like to see this scene. All of these teens in their prom outfits... who have been waiting outside for hours and hours. Bleh. Better hope the library has good ventilation. ]:}

A Twilight Getaway

Okay Twilighters, are you looking for a romantic getaway like Edward and Bella share in the book series? Well, what if you could have THEIR romantic getaway? I mean you could stay in the exact locations that you've read about and seen in the films.

The Kalaloch Lodge in the Olympic Peninsula is offering two packages (better hurry cause it only lasts through May 31st) that allow guests the chance to visit and explore locations from the Twilight books and movie. Fans can choose the Bella package ($149) which is for one night or the Twilight package for two nights. (If you are interested follow this link.)

So I may think some of the Twilight stuff out there is pretty ridiculous, but I think this is a really good idea. If you have the location to offer fans the chance to explore the setting of characters in books (and ugh film) why not take advantage of it. And it's not false advertisement, because Forks Washington is real and filming was actually done there.

The Lodge is actually located 30 miles from Forks and there is tons of stuff you can do to mimic your favorite Twilight characters. You can comb the beaches like Bella or hike into the Emerald Forest after dark and hunt for werewolves. Wow, just reading about it makes me want to go (and I confess I haven't even really started to read the book yet).

You also get some of that Twilight merchandise I was talking about when you choose one of these packages from the lodge. With both you also get a Forks area map highlighting all of the locations from the book, Twilight water bottles (maybe they should supply cherry kool aid to put in them, hmm), a special Twilight dessert (I'd be a little afraid of this one), and they also give you some Twilight trivia so you can really impress other (less worthy Twilighters who didn't take this trip) fans.

So if you're a fan and would like the "real" Twilight experience this seems like a good deal. Just remember to pack your rain boots. The weather isn't fictional. :}

Obsession

I just wrote the previous post and my last question was "why are teens so obsessive?" I then went out in search of more things Twilight and found something very disturbing that shows how truly obsessive people can be. I'd like you to read the article Twilight Fans Stab, Choke, and Beat Haters Into Submission. This makes you think twice before saying or *gulp* writing anything negative about Twilight or any of its stars. 

Please, please don't hurt me! If I came off as negative in any way I am so sorry!... Psh, just try it Twihards }:[

The Mundane

You will all be so proud of me. I am finally reading the first Twilight book. Well, at this moment I'm about to. I'll let you know my opinion later, but I'm assured by many that it is the greatest. 

I was just sifting through all of the media that is Twilight right now and found some interesting articles. When I say interesting I mean, It's interesting how something so inconsequential can be turned into a news story. I found myself asking "did they not have ANYTHING else to right about to fill this space?" 

For example, there was one article about a particular dish Pattinson likes to eat at a restaurant in Vancouver where the Twilight movies are being filmed . (Now wouldn't this be bad for business? It seems to me he'd want to keep up his 'vampire' persona. JK.) Apparently he likes the Kobe beef meatballs with truffled spaghetti... well at least it probably looks like he's eating intestines. ]=}

The article also mentions Pattinson's favorite drink at the Glowbal and Satey Bar which prompted one writer to predict "Expect the restaurant to be doing a lot of ID checks in the weeks ahead." Now I wonder whyyyy.  (Why are teens so obsessive?)

'Interesting' Twilight Merchandise

First of all, every Twilight lover should be very proud of me because tonight I am giving the movie another chance. I just rented it and vow that I will not make fun of the acting... much. (Oh come on! Angry does not = batting your eyelashes really fast while pursing your lips together.) 

Anyway, what I really wanted to talk about tonight is something that was brought to my attention in one of my classes Wednesday night. A guy walked into the room and launched into a story about how one night he entered his apartment, locked his door, flipped on the light, and encountered a full sized Edward Cullen cardboard cutout.  *shiver* Now I know a lot of you females out there would love to have this life sized vamp spook you in the middle of the night, but apparently he wasn't thrilled... and alas the cutout did not survive. 

But my point after all of this is: I wonder how much and what kinds of  Twilight merchandise there is out there. 

I found a couple of websites that specialize only in Twilight stuff.

Buy Twilight Stuff has T-Shirts, collectibles (the jewelry is pretty and is supposed to resemble what is worn by characters), and a newsletter which you can have sent to you when new merchandise is discovered.

Twilight Gear has now partnered with ebay to find even more Twilight merchandise for Twilight fans.

But after searching the web the weirdest Twilight items I found were on ebay (Good ol ebay). There I found:

A poker chip card guard' imprinted with the faces of the characters. 

An Edward Cullen "License to Bite" card.

So, I know this cannot be the only weird Twilight merchandise out there. Here's what I want you to do; go out and find it, then post what you've found in the comments section... this should be interesting };[

"Fan" Bloggers

I’ve been looking at some of the other Twilight blogs out there and some are really interesting… some are not. But good or not there ARE MANY! It makes me wonder what is so special about this book series (and if my roommate would ever bring me the first book in the series I could find out).

While checking out these other blogs I’ve found some neat things people have done. One blogger provides a running commentary of what she and her friends thought and said while watching the first Twilight film.

I thought this was really interesting because as a person who never read the books, but was dragged to the film (by a boy no less… and don’t get me wrong, I love vampires… I just have a difficult time when they, um, sparkle *eyeroll*) I found myself agreeing and yelling “That’s exactly what I was thinking!” at my computer screen as I was reading this one particular blog entry. (It also makes anyone who did not read the book and found themselves confused by parts of the movie feel better about themselves… just saying.)

So, Twilighters check out this link Twilighters Anonymous and let me know what you think. I think it's funny, but I want to hear your opinions. I know there's something here for all levels of Twilighting (did I just make that up). Enjoy! }:[

Blood for Movies

Okay, so I've been getting all kinds of alerts about the release of the Twilight movie on DVD (which goes on sale at 12:01am Saturday March 21... like you didn't know), and all of them seem to be about the same things; "There's going to be a party at such and such store celebrating the release" and "Patterson and Stewart say this about their movie," but one article really caught my attention. It was a small article from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and it was only a few paragraphs long, but it was about a Blockbuster store that had a genius idea for their Twilight party.

"At the Blockbuster store in Brookhaven (3944 Peachtree Road), the party kicks off at 10 p.m. with trivia, a scavenger hunt and a blood drive by LifeSouth Community Blood Centers."

Blockbuster Inc. also released a statement stating it would hold blood drives in select stores nationwide on the night of the movie release.

This is a great idea! Why did no one else think of it? It's a vampire movie... vampire - blood - blood drive. Sometimes it's so simple.

And for those who may be squeamish about giving blood there's also an added perk. As part of its “give a pint, get a pint” event, Blockbuster will give the first 50 people to donate blood a free pint of Edy’s or Haagen Dazs ice cream.

Wouldn't this have been great if everyone had done it?

File Sharing

I’m not much of a music buff, and I’m not a downloader. So, I think my outside looking in viewpoint makes me an excellent person to give her opinion on downloading and sharing music files.

I personally see nothing wrong with people sharing their music with others. From the time we are babies we are told to share right? (Insert mischievous smiling face here.) So why not share our music?

Seriously though, what’s the difference in sharing music files and sharing, oh I don't know, lipstick? (Okay, it’s a stretch, but I was looking around the dorm room for a product and focused on my roommate’s collection of lip goodies.) The same principle applies. Someone goes out and buys the lipstick and then whenever she’s out with friends and they take a trip to the bathroom together (or she corners her room mate and forces her into a makeover) she might generously share her possession with another. No one thinks a thing about this.

So why it is that no one bats an eyelash at someone sharing one thing, but then will file lawsuits when it comes to sharing music? It just doesn't make sense to me. I mean I'm sure Maybelline would like to get in on the suing action as well.

When you think about it lipstick is actually a good comparison in another sense. The potential passing of viruses is a problem when using both products. Just like with lipstick you must be careful who you file share with. For example; I wouldn’t want to use the campus network to download anything. College is full of tech savvy people who have nothing better to do than attach viruses to music files just to mess with other unsuspecting students. And who wants to share files with a person who has a playlist called Funky Bunny? True story.