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As a fan of both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight, this was just darn near hysterical. Thanks SBTB for posting it first! I’m reposting it because well, nobody should miss it!
What would happen if Buffy Summers met Edward Cullen instead of Bella Swan?
I was surprised by how good the editing of this spoof film was… weren’t you? Wow! I wonder if they’ll do it again when New Moon is made available.
I bet that headline caught your attention! This post started innocently enough in the comments of The Smell of a Hero.
Susan said:
In my world everyone’s fang obsessed (lol) I’d say werewolves would also use fangs since wolves have large canines. (No claws) he-he.
I said:
They do have large canines. I think that should be a post - comparison of vampire and werewolf canines: Does Size Matter?
Susan goes on to note in an email:
…vampire fangs are thinner, when I think werewolves I think thicker (cough, cough).
Oh dear! What have we started? The battle between vampires and werewolves has begun. Will paranormal ever be the same? Probably, but let’s pretend otherwise…
Does size matter in paranormal?
When we think of heroes in paranormal romances we know a few basic facts. Nearly always, the hero is the alpha male whether it is in a vampire kiss or of a werewolf pack. Usually, the heroine is kick-ass. Additionally, she is also somehow forbidden to the hero. Rarely do we see a heroine go for the beta or lesser male in a paranormal. So that brings us to the question does size matter? I say it does.
In two book series that I’ve read, the vampire has won the girl in the end. The first is in the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series where Jean-Claude muscles out Richard Zeeman. Granted, the series evolves and Zeeman comes back into the picture, along with a few dozen other men. The second is The Twilight Saga with Bella clinging to Edward Cullen and choosing him over Jacob Black.
With the second series we’ll never know the characters respective sizes, but in Hamilton’s world alpha lycanthropes are so far very well endowed and have the added benefit of being able to control that part of their anatomy… ie make it even bigger. I imagine using that ability might be used in male to male posturing, as for lovemaking… a girl can only hold so much.
But back to the canines, and not err… other equipment. Which species of nighttime heroes has the bigger bite (allure)?
Vampire heroes are elegant, sophisticated, and mysterious. Their beauty is just one of their allures. Do not for one moment think their charming façade equates to being a pansy. Oh no, vampire heroes are known for their volatile mood swings, strength, and deadly control.
Werewolf heroes are overtly masculine, muscled, and alpha. Their outer strength is coupled with inner sensitivity. They are the leaders for their packs and must take care of every member. It is a task that burdens them heavily at times, especially when youngsters are determined to run a foul.
If you had to turn…who would you choose to turn you?
Likes:
Jasper - hot. Great clips from the birthday sequence.
Jacob transforming into a werewolf - nothing like the creepy wolf/man thing of Harry Potter. It’s well executed, which makes me extremely hopeful for the rest of the special effects.
The 3 words being included that Hardwicke didn’t provide in Twilight.
Laurent with his creepy red eyes and his dialogue. Nice.
Edward’s kiss on Bella’s forehead.
Costumes. Yum.
Dislikes:
Bella’s new look makes her look like the actress and not like the character. Sorry, it’s true. Definitely a big irk as I just loved the long curly hair from before and the pale practically makeup-less look. Would have been happier to see a difference between the birthday scene and the scene with Laurent as it would have perhaps just shown Alice’s influence, alas that does not seem to be the case.
Didn’t like how rushed the 3 words were. It’s too hastily cut or spoken… one or the other. Makes it all very awkward.
Toss-up:
I can’t decide if I like or dislike the awkward delivery of a majority of the lines. I’m sure they sound better in the movie and the awkwardness would still fit with the characters as they grow throughout New Moon, but at the same time I’m wondering why some of the lines are delivered in such a jerky/jilted manner.
Edward Cullen is the gorgeous aloof boy who sits with a select group of people at lunch. He keeps to himself and has a fantastic brooding expression that simply makes the girls drool. He’s into music: listening to it, playing it, and creating it. On top of all that he’s a vampire and that gives him the bad boy edge. Can we say swoon?
Jacob Black
Boy Type: Mr. Fix-It
Jacob Black is the ultimate handyman. The place you’re likely to find him is the family garage as he loves cars and spends all his time, efforts, and money fixing them up. In fact, Bella’s truck is just one of his pet projects. Jacob is good at fixing more than just cars– he can fix problems and people too. Must be his warm and fuzzy nature. His friendship with Bella is what brings her out of the dark in New Moon.
Mike Newton
Boy Type: Guy Next Door
Mike Newton is the boy next door. His life is pretty easy. He has good friends, a good family, a good entry level job, and good looks. He can be pretty bright too and make smart observations. He wishes Bella would give him the time of day. He’s persistent to a point and yields defeat when it’s apparent things won’t be changing.
Eric Yorkie
Boy Type: Sweet Nerd
Eric Yorkie is on the school newspaper, part of the yearbook staff, and on prom committee. He’s active and smartly dressed, a little dorky, but that’s all part of his charm. He’s not used to asking girls out and misses his chance more than once. Perhaps all he needs is a little nerd girl loving!
Tyler Crowley
Boy Type: Popular Jock
Tyler Crowley is the popular jock. He’s definitely into something athletic like basketball or football. Like Mike Newton, it’s not hard for him to find a date, unless it’s expecting that date to be Bella. Tyler is a flirt and very outgoing. If it isn’t his muscles flashing, it’s his shiny car as it comes toward you.
Victoria (Tori) reminds me of Anita Blake. Here’s why:
She’s known for always wearing a gun.
Not to mention she’s a police officer with connections to the vampire scene (not widely know to humans to exist).
She visits vampire clubs.
Tori brings her gun into the bathroom with her when she showers.
Tori even resists Michael like Anita resisted Jean-Claude at first.
Michael reminds me of Twilight vampires, because interestingly enough Tori smells to him as Bella does to Edward. He labels the smell of her to something akin to mimosas. Michael can also feel her feelings, like Jasper of Twilight, and project feelings onto her.
Vampire lore:
All have mind reading capabilities.
All are involved to some extent in the D/S scene.
All possess a type of thrall called: affascinare.
All have theability to project feelings/sensations called: trucchi.
All obey or follow the vampire code/law of Alleanza.
Humans can bond with vampires as equals and as slaves.
They can be warm/hot and have heartbeats.
They breathe.
They sleep?
The bad guys are particularly scary. They make the book very dark indeed. Think vampire Mafia with terribly nasty taste in sexual preferences (torture/slave).
Sex: D/S, voyeurism, good kinky fun
Overall it was a pretty enjoyable read but there were some problems in the story telling. For instance terms are not defined. As the first in the series they should have been. That’s not to say that quite a few can be derived from connotation but the nuances are lost. Additionally, while some of the Italian terminology is similar in format to the English translation, not all of them are.
A few inconsistencies and redundancies scattered the pages, ones that should have been picked up by an editor. They stuck out like a sore thumb in an otherwise seamless story. There is some great dialogue scattered throughout the book. One of my favorites was:
“I wish I believed you.”
“So do I.”
If you can get past the small annoyances it wasn’t half a bad read. The bad guy gets caught, the good guys triumph, the couple gets together, and you close the book happy.
Well we can easily define paranormal romance as subgenre of romance. But what is it really? Paranormal romance combines the supernatural world with that of the real, the natural, the plain. One lover is sure to be something special and the other lover is special because they are so plain; something is found in their ordinariness that strikes a cord with the extraordinary lover.
More than not these stories take place in America, especially when dealing with vampires, but it’s not a requirement for the genre. Paranormal romance usually blends mystery, thriller, or suspense as part and parcel of its tale. You could consider these novels to be more than a bit Gothic in theme. Anita Blake Vampire Hunter and the Twilight Saga are two such series that can be found within the category of paranormal romance.
Why do people like it so much?
The sales of paranormal romance have risen over the years. It is not uncommon to find several titles of paranormal fiction in romance aisles. Why is that? As I said when discussing Edward and Bella in the Twilight books, I believe it is because we are all craving that extraordinary romance.
As with time travel romances, paranormal romances that involve vampires have that glorious advantage of a love out of time. One person waits, separate from the time stream of the normal world with all its stresses and hectic schedules just for you. Waters run deep in the one that has been waiting, he (or she) knows just what it is like to live a small eternity in loneliness and now that you’ve been found, you won’t be let go. He (or she) will love you forever.
Besides vampires what fits into this category?
Magic users, lycanthropes (like werewolves), selkies, fairies, ghosts, superhuman capabilities (like flying), gods and goddesses, and angels and demons are all perfectly acceptable.
If you have more on the subject of paranormal romance feel free to add!
Originally posted 2008-07-01 08:32:53. Republished by Old Post Promoter
I was very excited to get my Breaking Dawn in the mail from Amazon. They managed to get it to me one day before they told me that it would arrive on my doorstep and I devoured the novel, all 700+ pages, in two days, which is consistent with how I’ve read the other three that came before.
The novel did many things I did not expect, and one thing in particular that I did expect. This review will contain spoilers, so read at your own risk. Suffice it to say I give Breaking Dawn four stars.
The wedding, surprisingly takes place within the first hundred pages. I thought that it would happen at the end after Jacob did something to delay it so he could win Bella for his own. This is not the case. The wedding is lovely and Bella gets through it just fine and afterwards can’t believe how uptight she was about the whole thing.
On their honeymoon, Bella and Edward make love successfully; unfortunately the scene fades to black, which annoyed me. The morning after Bella stirs and is blissfully happy but sore, Edward is composed and staring blankly at the ceiling and ruins her buzz by killing the mood. He won’t make love to her again, claims that she’s lying when she says she’s feeling fine—no great, all because he can see how rough he was with her. Bella only recalls that he held her tighter when she wanted him to, etc. Edward is sickened by how much of her skin is covered in bruises that match his hands.
Luckily, Bella manages to break him out of his funk through the use of sexy lingerie Alice packed for her and some innocent seduction. The second and third and so on times, Edward manages to ruin furniture instead of Bella’s skin, making him extremely satisfied… Bella too.
Meanwhile, I started to think about how much food Bella was consuming and came to the conclusion before it was revealed that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy is ridiculously accelerated and Edward freaks out. Bella knowing something is up, makes plans of her own to protect the life inside her and calls Rosalie for help, making the female vampire happy for the first time with her decisions.
From here the novel switches from Bella’s point of view to Jacob’s, which made me call up my friend and ask for some spoilers because I just don’t like the werewolf. During this part of the novel we witness Bella’s pregnancy, a break in the werewolf tribe as Jacob takes partial leadership, and Bella becoming very attached to Jacob’s presence.
The pregnancy takes a lot out of Bella until they realize that because the child is part vampire Bella’s diet needs to change from human food to a liquid diet of blood. Drinking blood immediately affects Bella’s health for the better, but also that of the baby’s. Every time the child moves inside Bella it leaves bruises on her skin and potentially breaks a rib in the process.
Edward is seriously going crazy and blames himself at this point and goes as far as offering Bella to Jacob if she really wanted a child as long as she’d be willing to give their child up as it was hurting her so much. Of course Jacob thinks on the idea and manages to bring it up to Bella who denies that its children she wants so much as her and Edward’s child that she wants.
Bella dies during birth, but luckily Edward manages to successfully turn her into a vampire while Jacob does CPR to keep the venomous blood flowing through her veins before it activates. Jacob leaves when he thinks it’s failed and goes downstairs where he intends to kill the child, now in Rosalie’s care. He never does, because once he lays eyes on their baby girl he bonds with her. This ends Jacob’s point of view in the story and switches back to Bella’s viewpoint.
The rest of the story deals with what I thought would happen to postpone the wedding—the Volturi are coming and they plan to execute the Cullen family for their Immortal Child (which is not what Edward and Bella’s child is per se, the term refers to something else). Alice and Jasper leave after Alice gives some very stern instructions to the family. The whole Western hemisphere is being herded together to witness the growth and humanity of the child.
It ends happily and Bella has amazing control on her thirst and on her special gift. I love the last few scenes between her and Edward. I am looking forward to reading the series again from Edward’s point of view, starting with Midnight Sun.
What did you think of the series ending?
Rating: 3 Stars
Originally posted 2008-08-13 05:03:13. Republished by Old Post Promoter
The first book in the Twilight saga as said by the author in the Amazon interview is about finding true love and is conveniently entitled Twilight. Stephenie Meyer was partial to calling it Forks, the name of the little town Bella goes to live. Her name was chosen because Stephenie Meyer would have named her daughter that if she had one. It fit so nicely with Edward. Bella’s full name is Isabella Swan.
Isabella goes to live in Forks, a little town that really does exist on the map on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Forks is full of rain. It never stops raining. It rains so much you never dry out. Isabella is horrified at the idea of returning to her childhood home to live with her father, Charlie, but she is going to go through with it. Bella is like that. Once she has made up her mind she won’t change it. The agonizing and worrying and doubting happens during the decision making process only.
Bella moves to Forks so her mother Renee can move around from place to place with her second (new) husband Phil and not feel guilty. She wants her mother to be happy and by going to Forks she’ll make Charlie happy. She’s going to miss the sunshine and heat of Arizona. But most of all, Bella is going to miss how easily she blended despite her pale skin into the crowds of her large high school. Forks is small and can not hold a secret. Bella is afraid of her first day of sophomore year. She doesn’t want to stick out like the clumsy sore thumb she is but knows she will.
At school things were going like she predicted and in ways she wasn’t expecting. Boys were paying attention to her, she was the center of attention, and at lunch the most beautiful kids were staring at her. Who were they? Why did suddenly, the most handsome look up and glare at her? At the table sat the Cullens. Each was adopted by Dr. Carlisle and his wife Esme. They didn’t hang out with anybody in school. Bella was told they thought themselves better than the rest.
But this did not explain the youngest Cullens’ behavior. Why did he act like he couldn’t stand her when she had done nothing to him? Why did he try to change out of biology before the school day was over? Why did he skip so much school? Was it to avoid her? Edward Cullens mystified Isabella Swan. That was until she found out he was a vampire. Then it made sense.
The Cullens are different from other vampires. The first of which I can’t say since it is fun to hear of it in the third book. The second is because they are in their own terms, ‘vegetarians.’ They choose to drink animal blood over human. You can tell when vampires shy from human blood because their irises are gold and not blood red. Bella can tell when Edward is thirsty or mad simply by the color of his irises. At first he is surprised, but then he relaxes. After all she was observant enough to notice he was a vampire when others simply ignored all the signs.
The sentence structure of Twilight is a little choppy and hard to get into. The story picks up, right where the author first dreamed about it. Stephenie Meyer wrote the scene in the meadow first and finished the story before returning to write the beginning. Beginnings are hard, and if you can push past the first one hundred to one-hundred-and-fifty pages then it gets good. That is when the story becomes captivating and hard to put down. Edward and Bella is a classic that only gets better.
Book three in the Twilight saga is by far my favorite of those books published. (Breaking Dawn, book 4, is coming out in August) Eclipse is simply beautiful. It’s longer than the other two books but does not contain chapter one of the next book (darnit!). In Twilight, true love was found. In New Moon, true love was lost. In Eclipse true love is a choice.
Eclipse is all about Jacob and Edward and their love for Bella. Edward hates Bella’s attachment to Jacob, but he feels he should not get between. Why? Simply put, because Edward feels he should suffer the consequences of his actions last year. That having to deal with Jacob is part of the price he has to pay for his foolish decision to leave Bella.
Victoria, the vampire out to get Bella from the last book is still at large. It is Bella who puts all the clues together and comes up with the answer. Edward and Jacob and the rest of the Cullens and Werewolves have to work together to protect her. Are the dogs and bloodsuckers really going to work together? Hmm… you could say trouble is in the air.
I have three favorite scenes in this book. The first is the night Bella goes over to the Cullens for her weekend abduction (this is part of the plan with the werewolves and the vampires) and stays with Edward alone. I won’t say exactly why I like this scene, but if you could probably guess if you have read the other books by this point. I loved it. It is hands down the best scene out of all three books. I laughed out loud quite a few times because of Bella’s remarks.
The second is Bella’s quasi dream where she overhears Edward and Jacob talking in the tent. Jacob asks that Edward speak plainly since he can’t hear his thoughts like Edward can hear Jacob. They talk about Bella and Edward is so noble in this scene you just want to find him and cuddle him to death. Pun intended. Their truce ends at daylight.
And lastly I loved the ending scenes from the time Bella stops crying to the very end. They feel like one big scene, culminating once again in Edward and Bella’s meadow. It is here he’s determined to be the selfless he’s ever been. He’s been watching her and it seems she’s doing everything everybody else wants, making them happy at her own expense. So he puts his wants aside and lets Bella choose how to best make herself happy. She’s happy right where she is and the other pain will fade in time… she hopes.
The point of view changes from there to Jacob’s and as I read it I was feeling vindictive. Not a very nice thing to begrudge a fictional character, but I was glad for his pain. I still am. It’s just another sign in my opinion at Stephenie Meyer’s skill at writing her own characters. We don’t get that wrapped up in the story too often. It is very rare, last seen in Harry Potter, the story of the boy wizard. I hope you will pick up this saga and find yourself as riveted by this compelling love story as I was.
Rating: 5 Stars
Happy Readings!
P.S. What book four will be about I can not begin to guess. True love is able to heal all wounds? What do you think? Leave a comment and tell me!
Originally posted 2008-11-27 10:05:57. Republished by Old Post Promoter
I can’t think of a better way to start the weekend off than with an author interview with romance writer Lynsay Sands. I got the opportunity to pose a series of questions about her writing and tips and advice for new writers. Her responses are a joy to read! Thank you again, Lynsay for interviewing with us, and now on with the interview!
LRP: So first question, what do you enjoy doing besides writing?
Lynsay: Walking and nature. Luckily the two things go together.
LRP: You like to write paranormal romance on top of historical. What do you think is the appeal of vampires?
Lynsay: Actually, I just like to write, period. I don’t prefer any genre. I have written medieval, regency, vampires and shape shifters. I’ve also written contemps and will do so again. I wouldn’t mind trying my hand at horror too, although I don’t think I write dark enough. My horror would probably be black comedy rather than strict horror.
As for the appeal of vampires, I can’t really answer that, that’s not what it’s about for me. With the Argeneaus it was the family and the situations that appealed to me. The vampire stuff was just handy as a problem of sorts, something that was both a blessing and a little bit of not-so-much-a-blessing at the same time. These are people who just happen to be vampires. They still have the same issues everyone else does.
LRP: How do you decide on character names and book titles?
Lynsay: That is the hardest and most important part for me. The names usually have a lot to do with their character for me and when I say I struggle at the beginning of writing a book, the name is part of what I’m struggling with. I can change the name several times until I find the character and the name that suits them.
As for book titles . . . I suck at those and my editor is always changing them. The Accidental Vampire is one of the few they didn’t change.
LRP: What is your advice to would-be authors?
Lynsay: Write what you enjoy and do it for your own pleasure. Do not go into writing for the money, or even thinking you’ll make any. Most writers don’t make much money. I’ve been lucky of late and can work at only this, but most writers have to continue to work a day job throughout their career. And this is HARD work. Believe me. At least it is for me. I work long hours. It isn’t just the writing you have to do. You come into it thinking it will just be writing your stories, but there is the writing of the book, the corrections, the proofs, the fan letters, the promotional stuff they want you to do, etc. etc.
And then it isn’t like accounting or engineering where if you get it right, it’s just right across the board. Writing is more subjective and a story is NEVER just right. You can’t please everyone and there is ALWAYS going to be someone who hates your story and seems to delight in telling you that. Even those who like them overall, may criticize the pants off you for something. That is life as a writer. You either develop a thick skin quickly, or . . . So make sure you love it if you’re going to give it a go.
LRP: How long does it take you to write a novel on average? What work took the shortest amount of time and what book gave you the most trouble?
Lynsay: Usually a month for the first round, I tend to write them straight through. The fastest I’ve ever written one was two weeks. That was my first book, The Deed. The one that gave me the most trouble was A Quick Bite. It was my first book for a new publisher and I was a bit anxious (read panicking like CRAZY) so I really struggled with it.
LRP: How do you handle writer’s block? (Or better still… coffee or tea?)
Lynsay: Tea . . . and sometimes coffee. As for writer’s block, moving work to a coffee shop and writing there by hand in a notebook usually loosens things up.
LRP: What is your favorite aspect of writing?
Lynsay: Finishing it. LOL. That’s not really true, though sometimes it is a relief to print them up and send them out. There are several aspects of writing that are great. Working from home is one. My commute is a short walk to the sunroom and I can go there in pjs or a toga if I like (grin).
Making my own hours is nice too, although with me, I tend to not know when to stop, I just work around the clock which isn’t good. But I guess the stories themselves are my real favorite part. I am experiencing them as I write them. It’s kind of like reading them but it takes longer and involves more work (grin). However, I laugh, or smile my way through the stories, and sniffle at the occasional touching scenes too and for me, that’s probably the best part. I get to enjoy the stories as I write them, and I write exactly what I enjoy. I’m just lucky others seem to enjoy them too.
LRP: What do you think makes a good bedroom scene?
Lynsay: I’m not sure. I’ve been told I write them well, but I’m not sure that’s true and if so why it is. I have a friend who has a real struggle with the sex scenes. I think she thinks too much. She seems to think people will think it’s her sex life she’s writing about, so she gets all self-conscious and is very stiff when writing them. I don’t get caught up in that. For me the beginning of the book is where I struggle. I can often write the first chapter or two twenty or more times. I’ve come to realize that what’s happening then is I’m getting to know my characters. Once I have a handle on them (how they think, feel, react, etc) the stories usually flow after that and become a film in my head that I’m just typing up as quickly as I can, sex scenes and all. That gives me a certain amount of distance from it all I guess and less self-consciousness than others might suffer.
LRP: What do you hope your readers will gain from your books?
Lynsay: I hope they get an escape from their everyday lives, a chance to relax and hopefully smile if not laugh. I don’t aspire to write something that makes them stop and think or changes their views on anything, I just think life is tough and we all need a break from it and I hope my books give readers the opportunity to do that
LRP: Thank you again Lynsay, for taking the time to answer all my questions.
Lynsay is really friendly and welcomes questions. Be sure to visit her website @ http://www.lynsaysands.net/.
I am very upset with Associated Press Movie Critic Christy Lemire’s review of Twilight. She gave the film 1.5 Stars and wrote a very unappealing look at the book’s film adaptation. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and I think the review was written to be controversial rather than an adequate depiction of the movie. I don’t know why critics try to take the fun out of something, but I am determined she was just being a sourpuss about the whole affair.
I went to the midnight premiere last night wearing one of my handmade Twilight pendants. I sat there in my seat waiting for the movie to start for nearly two hours and chatted with a nice girl who came dragging along a friend who wasn’t at all interested in the movie or books. We were both Edward fans and had similar opinions and views of the books and the waiting time was spent very pleasurably. I commend the theater for opening up seating immediately instead of making us wait outside. The one question we both asked was:
Would the movie live up to the hype?
I say it did. Sure there were some over the top segments, but it was done in accordance to the book. The slow-down filming of the scenes pushed it to the level of being too much. This mostly occurs with the introduction of the supermodel vampires - wonderfully cast and in the biology scene when Edward first gets a whiff of Bella’s pungent and lethal scent. It was unintentionally funny, and I think watching it a second time away from immature boy commentators will be thoroughly acceptable instead of slightly laughable.
Thoughts on the Casting:
Bella was perfectly cast with Kristen Stewart. She made watching the slightly awkward and shy Bella Swan very enjoyable not at all the sullen face Lemire makes her out to be. (Her hair I could kill for - gorgeous!) The sexual/romantic tension between Stewart and Robert Pattinson, playing vampire Edward Cullens, was phenomenal. Very hot kiss scenes between them (once again would be more enjoyable without the immature boys yelling across the theater… and that’s saying something because the scenes were amazing even with the commentary going on.)
The Cullens family was wonderfully cast too. I was worried with how many unknown names (at least to me) that were appearing throughout the film that it would fall short of readers’ expectations. Alice played by Ashley Greene was perky, cute, and fun. Jackson Rathbone played a seriously sexy Jasper. I loved him in the film and could watch him as often as Bella and Edward. Jasper is the newest Vegan vampire and it’s very hard for him to be around humans - hence the nearly always present expression of pain on his face.
Lemire mentioned that Rosalie only had one expression - the sneer and scowl. Well if Lemire has read the books Rosalie is the disapproving vampire. She doesn’t like Bella and all Bella ever sees her do is sneer and scowl. Rosalie does provide some good humor at the start of the flight from danger scenes.
Dr. Carlisle Cullen is also one sexy vampire. Yum. He plays the hot fatherly doctor figure very well. Of the vampires, he looks most like a vampire. The others are as pale as Bella in most instances.
The high school mortals were also amazing in their roles. The film built up their friendship quickly without much dialogue. I could easily believe that the group had been friends for years. Eric and Mike were fantastic. Jessica and Angela too. Jessica provided a lot of humor to her scenes because you can see where her thoughts were all the time based on her facial expressions.
Bella’s father and mother were similarly excellent choices, though I agree with Lemire’s comment on the bad cop style mustache for Billy Burke.
Jacob and the rest of the Quileute Tribe were done well. I have never been a Jacob fan by any stretch of the imagination but I enjoyed him in this movie. I did hear on the way out of the theaters that some girls were switching loyalties to Edward. I thought Jacob was pretty cute - apparently they didn’t agree.
Casting gets a 5 out of 5.
Thoughts on Special Effects:
Lemire says Twilight was a low budget film. I don’t know what that means, or how much Twilight ran on so I can’t really comment on money to visual effects and ask something like where did all the money go?
Edward’s flying through the trees reminded me of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It was more choppy than the Chinese film and harder to get behind. This goes very much into the over the top area. The meadow sequence was perfectly acceptable. I also enjoyed his second run through the trees and climbing up them with Bella on his back. That was easier to believe in a way. Sort of Spider-Manish. I also liked his pet name for her in spider monkey. Much better than sweetheart, baby, luv, honey, sexy, etc. we hear most of the time. It’s unique and therefore special.
The ballet studio sequence was wonderful. I can only imagine how hard it was to edit out all the camera and extra people and I’ve seen the behind the scenes look at the ballet studio and what they were doing. It was amazing! I liked it a lot and I sure most moviegoers will too.
Back to the meadow - Edward as his sparkly vampire self could have passed easily any sunny day in San Francisco as a Queen with glitter decorating his whole body. I could see the diamond comment, but it wasn’t as noticeable or excessive as the books made it out to be. If all vampires looked like that in the sun they should just move to California and nobody would notice or look twice.
Ending:
The ending was great with prom. Jacob showed up but didn’t get to dance with Bella. I’m so vindictive that I giggled on the inside at this, striking up a point for Edward. Very possessive returning to Bella’s side when he spies the soon to be werewolf.
The gazebo reminded me of a lot of dancing sequences in other high school films… for instance A Cinderella Story. But I loved how he picked her up and had her dance with him. As they were dancing the other couples noticeably left the gazebo giving Edward and Bella a few private moments at the end. The parting words were sweet and the moment sizzling even as it was tender.
Overall I give this movie 4.5 Stars. A must see for any Twilight fan and a chance for non-Twihards to become smitten with Twilight and its biting appeal.
Originally posted 2008-11-21 13:18:31. Republished by Old Post Promoter
The second book in the Twilight saga is entitled New Moon and if the first book was about finding true love, then this book is about losing true love. I am not particularly fond of this book. It is because it contains so little Edward. We are introduced to the other paranormal group just up the road however. We meet those that live La Push Reservation, home to the Quileute Tribe. Some we’ve been introduced to before, like Jacob Black. Others are new.
If you couldn’t wait for the library to hand you this next book in the series, you read the beginning chapter that was at the end of Twilight. A teaser that leaves you wondering what happens to Bella when she cuts herself at the Cullens house. Her blood makes them thirsty, none more so than Jasper who has the least control. Edward gets Bella to safety but the damage is done.
The next few days he becomes more and more distant to Bella. She’s desperate to break through to Edward when suddenly he starts to talk to her again. Only she wished he wouldn’t. I wished he hadn’t too. He breaks it off with her at the edge of the forest. It is better than the sewers Angel dumped Buffy in, but I was heartbroken and Bella more so. Here it is, I thought, the end of a good story (but just you wait… keep reading).
So deep is her grief over losing Edward she loses herself and becomes a walking shell. It isn’t until half a year later that she can even stick her head above the water. She does it only because Charlie is running scared and pulling ultimatums about going to Florida to live with her mother. Bella can’t do that. Doing that means leaving the magic of Forks behind and relegating Edward to a memory and not a reality. So she asks a friend to the movies… anything without romance. She couldn’t handle that. It’s after the movies that the story gains interest again. She hears Edwards voice… in her head. His voice is a beautiful hallucination warning her of the danger ahead.
What follows next is a series of stupid reckless moves as Bella fights to hear his voice. She turns to Jacob Black to help her fix motorcycles, thinking the danger in riding them would provide her with Edward’s voice. She becomes Jacob’s friend, and over the hundreds of pages left he becomes the sun to warm the desolation of her life. I don’t like Jacob. He keeps pushing the friend boundary, so certain of Bella turning to him and forgetting about Edward despite her repeated warnings that she’ll never love anyone but Edward.
But then the story changes again and it’s like sweet music playing in your mind because you just know Edward’s coming back into the picture. And like Bella, you fear you are going to miss him, lose him again. The book ends on the sweetest note imaginable and you close this sad book feeling ridiculously happy. The ending is four and a half stars.
Rating: 3 Stars
Originally posted 2008-11-19 04:13:23. Republished by Old Post Promoter
Today’s intimate interview is with Rhonda Leigh Jones, the author of Maestro’s Butterfly, which was reviewed the other day. I’m excited to share her with you today as we’re going to be discussing audio books, epublishing, her books, writing and more!
Q: I have just finished listening to Maestro’s Butterfly on audio and it was wonderful. What was your inspiration for the book?
A: First of all, thank you for listening, and for having such kind things to say. For me, characters usually come before story, and so I was aware of Claudio for some time before I began to write MB. I didn’t know his name at first; I just had a face and the hint of personality. That actually came from a minor character in a movie I’d watched.
Q: Have you had the chance to hear your audio book? How did you feel hearing your writing the first time?
A: It was both thrilling and painful! Thrilling because Rebecca did such a wonderful job. I really wasn’t expecting French accents and the whole nine yards, and so it was a great pleasure to hear someone “act” my story. But hearing her say some of the things I’d written made me blush terribly. I kept putting my hands over my ears and saying, “No, turn it off; turn it off!” And then, “Turn it back on!” I can’t believe I write these things, lol.
Q: What do you think of your narrator and the voices? Did she give you chills? My favorite voice was that of Claudio. Shiver. Grin.
A: Yes, it’s pretty amazing that, on one level, you hear this woman reading the part, and on another level, you hear his voice, at the same time. I think she did a great job with Claudio. He was so much fun to write. If I have a character that could be considered my “Lestat,” meaning that I love him as much as Anne Rice obviously loved Lestat, then that would be Claudio. He’s such a beast, lol. There is an interview with him on my blog by the way, and another with Chloe.
Q: Do you think readers get more out of the audio version than they do in the print?
A: I think it depends on the reader. And I think it’s hard for the writer to say, because I’m so close to the material. I personally get a lot out of the audio version because I’ve been looking at this book in print for years, and I’m fairly sick of seeing the words. But when it comes to me in a different format, it’s like experiencing the story for the first time. For the first time, I can really step back and see - or hear, rather - what I did. I’m very glad there is an audio version because I know that there are plenty of people who would rather experience books that way. And who knows? Maybe some readers will like the story so much they have to experience it both ways.
Q: Do you prefer listening to or reading erotica?
A: I would rather read it because, honestly, I tend to skip a lot. I’m a very tough customer, and easily bored. Especially when it comes to sex, because my buttons are hard to reach. And I’m a very visual person. And if I’m terribly interested in a story, I’ll devour it quickly, which you can’t do with audio.
Q: Can you share a bit about Maestro’s Apprentice and Maestro’s Maker? What order should your books be read or does it matter?
A: Maker is the second in the series, but it’s actually the prequel. It’s the story of how Claudio became a vampire, and it’s set at the beginning of the French Revolution. “Claudio” is actually an Italian name, so we see how he got that. If you look beyond Claudio’s arrogance and his frightening qualities, you’ll see that he really is a very loyal man who is very concerned with family. Maker goes into that, and also reveals some of the reasons why that is true. And there is another person in the book that Butterfly readers will know. Apprentice takes place right after Butterfly, and focuses more on Adam, although it’s really more about one of the feeders. All of these books are really about how Claudio affected other people. So, though he’s the series main character, the books have their own main characters-the women he has affected.
Q: Of the three works, which is your personal favorite and why?
A: Easy! Maestro’s Butterfly, because it was the first. It was the work that really taught me how to write a novel. I suffered terribly while writing it because I wasn’t sure at first what the story was, but Claudio’s presence was so strong I couldn’t stop tinkering with it. It was a very romantic time of my life. I spent many late nights working for my vampire muse. And it led to my meeting one of my best friends, who is also a writer with a sexy vampire. We would both be up working late, and so ended up emailing and supporting each other quite a lot.
Q: I sort of have this mental picture of Claudio in my head and you mentioned earlier that he was inspired by a minor character… so dish if he were played in a movie by an actor, who would it be?
A: LOL! Stephen Rea, because he looks like Rea’s Santiago in Interview With the Vampire. Except that was 20 years ago, so Rea is a bit older now, so we’d have to get someone younger. But Victoire would definitely have to be played by Adrien Brody, lol.
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Ravenous Romance and epublishing. How are you finding the whole affair?
A: That would be so much easier to answer if I had something to compare it to! They’ve been very good about keeping in touch and troubleshooting things and listening to me. I know that friends who are published by traditional publishers have communication issues that I don’t have. And if a mistake is made, it’s very easy for Ravenous to fix it. They seem very enthusiastic about what they’re doing. In addition, I think they’re on the cutting edge, because the industry is changing, thanks to the alternatives that technology gives us and the shifting economy. I really like the idea of epublishing for various reasons. It’s greener. It’s convenient. You can have so many more books this way. So I’ve been happy with the experience. And I think the name is perfect, since my first series happens to be about vampires!
Q: What do you think makes a great [written] bedroom scene?
A: I’m glad you asked me this, because almost everybody does it wrong. A great sex scene is all about the conversation. It isn’t enough to tell readers who is doing what to whom. Let’s face it: Sex is basically “insert Tab A into Slot B.” The rest is foreplay and there are only so many variations. Once you see where a scene is going, physically, you don’t need to read the rest. However, if the scene is about how and why this or that is done, then you have a conversation. If you stress the conversation, then you have as many unique scenes as you want to write. The conversation of sex is going to be different at different times, even with the same couple. The actions should show mood, power structure, and whatever else is going on in the person’s mind.
For instance, think about blow jobs and power. If the dominant male demands that his submissive female give him a blow job and she complies happily, that is one story. But what if she is angry with him? That should come out in the scene. What if it is a dominant female giving her submissive male a blow job? What if she is angry with him? See how many different scenes you have? And all with the same act. Nuance is everything.
Q: Got any pet peeves when it comes to romance or writing?
A: I hate HEAs. I do. I like a certain realism in writing and I don’t want things tied up neatly at the end. It seems silly to me. So I write Happy For Nows. I like to have the suggestion of motion present, even at the very end. I prefer grit and darkness, which is why I write about things like punishment. Real corporal punishment is something you will see in every erotica story I ever write. As far as writing in general goes, I don’t like it when authors get so happy about what they can do with words that they forget to tell a good story. If you must sacrifice prose or story, sacrifice prose.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
A: I can’t think of anything at the moment, but something may come later.
Listening to the Maestro’s Butterfly is an experience that will leave you flushed and begging for more. You’re in luck too because there are two more books after this! Rebecca Rogers is a truly phenomenal narrator. Her character voices are a treat and she’s a real actress. Quivering sighs, harsh words, moans, groans, she does them all without ever breaking form. Rogers draws you into Jones’ secret world of vampires and you can not escape… just like Miranda you are trapped, captivated and set a fire.
Jones’ mythology is unique. Her vampires have heartbeats, never get sick, can’t reproduce, and fangs that extend. The feeders once bitten become the perfect meals, producing more blood, become slightly stronger, and live longer younger. Holding one’s breath even ruins the flavor of blood. To be taken by a vampire is to know the true meaning of sex as they love to combine feeding with intercourse.
In the Maestro’s Butterfly, Rhonda Leigh Jones sets a sexy stage and does not fail to deliver. If you’re into dominant/submissive power plays, vampires, and kinky sex you will love this story. There are elements of S&M, including whipping, public/stage sex, voyeurism, sex with multiple partners (not at the same time unless you count in sync with watching others), and anal sex. Very hot!
Miranda wants to be dominated. She wants to include fear, surrender, and the unknown in the bedroom. She longs for it and is afraid of her desires. Her dreams involve running down darkened streets and being caught and forced upon by the mysterious hunter. In her day life she’s a musician and with a lucky break gets Claudio du Fresne to tutor her for half price. One night after a performance of his, he invites her back to his place and along the way they strike a bet. He will be the partner she has always dreamed of and if at the end of 30 days he will make her his forever… if not she will allowed to leave and he will continued to tutor her at the prearranged deal.
But there is a darker side to this story. Miranda is unaware of Claudio being a vampire. That’s not all… in addition Claudio has struck another bet, this time with his brother, Victoire “Jack” du Fresne. If at the end of 30 days Miranda stays with Claudio, Jack will pay for Claudio quarter of a million dollar performance piece. If however, she bolts like Jack suspects, Miranda will belong to Jack… whether she wants to be or not.
In the fashion that orange is the new pink, is Edward Cullen to be touted as the ideal man for future generations in the same manner Mr. Darcy has been glorified? I’m not saying that Edward Cullen is a Darcy Double or Darcy Reincarnated or even a Darcy Sequel. Edward Cullen is as far from Darcy as a literary romantic hero can be – he’s the undead after all.
Women of all ages and ethnicities have fallen at the feet of the passionate and feral Edward Cullen. He is as impossible a character as Mr. Darcy with his moodiness, aloofness, and let’s face it overbearing behavior. Elizabeth Bennet would not have stood for it, but Bella is enchanted by it. What Edward Cullen can get away with on paper no man in his right mind would try in real life. It is one thing to love Edward’s protective stalker tendencies and quite another to experience it first hand. I’ll be the first to admit I love every aspect of Edward Cullen’s character, so by pointing out the obvious I’m not dismissing his infinite appeal.
Edward Cullen watches over Bella Swan in a similar manner that Angel watched over Buffy in season one. Of course when Angel loses his soul in season two and hovers over Buffy while she sleeps it’s seen as creepy and more than slightly unnerving. Naturally, there is a dramatic difference between being watched over by a protective presence than a sinister one. I’m quite sure Buffy would not have minded Angel watching her; it was Angelus that was the demonic and unwanted presence. Edward does not behave like Angelus and of course Bella wants him around. She thrives off his very presence and noticeably misses his absence awake or asleep. It also helps that as the reader we are enlightened to Edward’s true motivations and can be sure of him. Edward is seen as a guardian angel… and who would tell a guardian angel to go away? That would indeed be madness.
Speaking of madness, this brings me to the next point; to be desired as Bella or Elizabeth is every woman’s secret fantasy. Darcy loved Elizabeth ardently; Edward loved Bella fiercely. It is a heady thing to be wanted so much that to be parted from you is sheer agony of spirit and body. Darcy would do anything for Elizabeth, including reunite her sister with the man she loved or patch up one seriously incriminating scandal; Edward would kill for Bella… he would even leave her if he thought it best… and he did. Both. Edward even tolerated the presence of his competition, Jacob, because to do otherwise caused Bella great distress.
Darcy and Edward share many characteristics, being men born to a similar time. They are strong-willed, powerful, imposing and dependable. Despite their good qualities, both literary heroes exhibit some very negative qualities that at the whim of one stroke of a pen or tap of the keyboard could easily have alienated them permanently from their loves. Including a severe lack of the society grace for small talking, Darcy showed the character flaws of pride and prejudice. Also suffering under a lack of social graces, Edward’s more serious flaws are arrogance and a stubborn certainty that he is always right. He is so determined to protect Bella from himself he fails to admit her feelings or opinions have merit. This grossly unacceptable behavior throws the star-crossed lovers into intensely charged conversations and months of grief stricken paralysis, where both are unable to function because of their emotional wounds.
Luckily for both men they get out of their own way and win against all odds love, happiness, and peace. Nothing could be sweeter to readers or more potent. As I’ve demonstrated, Edward while similar to Darcy is distinctly set apart and it’s not just because he’s immortal. His very presence has rocked the foundations of the great romantic literary heroes and they have shifted aside to give him space. It’s yet to be seen if Edward will match Darcy’s fame in the generations to come or perhaps to even eclipse the brooding figure all together.
For those who have read both love stories what are your thoughts on the subject? If you haven’t you need to read them right away!
where Jean-Claude muscles out Richard Zeeman. Granted, the series evolves and Zeeman comes back into the picture, along with a few dozen other men. The second is 
with Bella clinging to Edward Cullen and choosing him over Jacob Black.
Werewolf heroes are overtly masculine, muscled, and alpha. Their outer strength is coupled with inner sensitivity. They are the leaders for their packs and must take care of every member. It is a task that burdens them heavily at times, especially when youngsters are determined to run a foul.
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. Here’s why:
Eclipse is simply beautiful. It’s longer than the other two books but does not contain chapter one of the next book (darnit!). In Twilight, true love was found. In New Moon, true love was lost. In Eclipse true love is a choice. 
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. I also liked his pet name for her in spider monkey. Much better than sweetheart, baby, luv, honey, sexy, etc. we hear most of the time. It’s unique and therefore special.
. But I loved how he picked her up and had her dance with him. As they were dancing the other couples noticeably left the gazebo giving Edward and Bella a few private moments at the end. The parting words were sweet and the moment sizzling even as it was tender.
obviously loved Lestat, then that would be Claudio. He’s such a beast, lol. There is an 
In the fashion that orange is the new pink, is Edward Cullen to be touted as the ideal man for future generations in the same manner Mr. Darcy has been glorified? I’m not saying that Edward Cullen is a Darcy Double or Darcy Reincarnated or even a Darcy Sequel. Edward Cullen is as far from Darcy as a literary romantic hero can be – he’s the undead after all.
. Of course when Angel loses his soul in 
and hovers over Buffy while she sleeps it’s seen as creepy and more than slightly unnerving. Naturally, there is a dramatic difference between being watched over by a protective presence than a sinister one. I’m quite sure Buffy would not have minded Angel watching her; it was Angelus that was the demonic and unwanted presence. Edward does not behave like Angelus and of course Bella wants him around. She thrives off his very presence and noticeably misses his absence awake or asleep. It also helps that as the reader we are enlightened to Edward’s true motivations and can be sure of him. Edward is seen as a guardian angel… and who would tell a guardian angel to go away? That would indeed be madness.
Speaking of madness, this brings me to the next point; to be desired as Bella or Elizabeth is every woman’s secret fantasy. Darcy loved Elizabeth ardently; Edward loved Bella fiercely. It is a heady thing to be wanted so much that to be parted from you is sheer agony of spirit and body. Darcy would do anything for Elizabeth, including reunite her sister with the man she loved or patch up one seriously incriminating scandal; Edward would kill for Bella… he would even leave her if he thought it best… and he did. Both. Edward even tolerated the presence of his competition, Jacob, because to do otherwise caused Bella great distress.
, 
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