Tuesday, May 06, 2008

A New Dawn is out

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News flash for all of you Stephenie Meyer fans: You'll like this book. I was contacted a few months ago and asked if I wanted to write an essay about the Twilight series for a compilation that Teen Libris was putting out. It's thirteen authors getting philosophical and funny about the hottest series out there. Sort of like when all of those country stars put out an album of a tribute to Shania Twain songs. (But you know, without the singing on our part.)

Since I am an Eward/Jacob/Bella fan I agreed. (Read between the lines: more people will probably read my essay about the Twilight characters than will actually read my books. Who could resist that?)

Anyway, since I received a couple of extra copies, I thought I'd run a Twilight trivia contest to see which dedicated fan out there in the blog world should get them. The first one I'll send to the first person who can answer this question: Which two literary works does Stephenie Meyer mention (and we could even say model parts of her books on)?

The other book I'll just randomly give to one of the commenters. (Like if I have fifteen comments, I'll have one of the kids pick a number between one and fifteen and then send it to that person.) So comment even if you don't know the answer.

For those of you who must have one anyway, you can find the book at Borders. (I'm assuming anyway, since there is a sticker on the front which says: Borders exclusive.

And as a teaser I'll post the first couple paragraphs of my essay: To Bite or Not To Bite; that is the question. (See, Stephenie isn't the only one quoting classics.)

What's your definition of a bad day? A fight with a friend? A speeding ticket? How about being attacked by a vampire and painfully being turned into the undead, then realizing you must wander for eternity fighting off a craving to kill people? Yeah, that would pretty much be a bad day.

Carlisle, the leader of the Cullen clan of vampires, had this bad day (and we can assume) many other bad days that followed. Stephenie Meyer doesn't skimp when handing out problems for her characters. Seriously, if you were Cinderella and could choose someone to be your fairy godmother, you wouldn't want it to be Stephenie Meyer. Sure, she could come up with the ultimate prince charming to take you to the ball, but he might kill you afterward.

You'll have to get the book to read the rest of the essay!

45 comments:

MarjoleinBookBlog said...

Hi Janette,

i would like to enter te contest : )

Marjolein

Asenath said...

Maybe it's just because I am where I am, but I think the girl on the cover looks poly.

And I refrain from entering the contest because we're related.

Tamra Norton said...

At the moment I can only think of one of the two literary works she mentions, but I'm gonna keep thinking about it for a bit. Hmmmmmmm... Anyway, what a great idea for a book! I have to get my hands on it one way or another.

wonderlandchick said...

Romeo and Juliet and Wuthering Heights.

Sounds like a fun book!

Marcia Mickelson said...

I could only remember Wuthering Heights. Oh, well. I'll take being part of the drawing. SOunds like a fun book.

The Golfing Librarian said...

For and in behalf of my daughter, I'd like to throw my hat in the ring for the copy reserved for the 3 people in the world who have not read this series, and therefore cannot give a correct answer. However, I'm sure my 12 yr. old could give the answer in a heartbeat!

Rachael Stein said...

ooh ooh!!! i remember!! but someone already answered first. oh darn.

but it's Romeo and Juliet. and also Wuthering Heights.

Karlene said...

The only one I could remember was Romeo and Juliet. But I didn't get here first anyway.

But I'd love to win a copy of your book, so please enter me in the drawing.

By the way, her sci-fi book, The Host, just came out and I've been dropping Mother's Day gift hints for that one.

C. Michelle Jefferies said...

I knew Romeo And juliet, but I am slow.
Please enter me anyway? Thanks
Michelle J

Wendy A. Jones said...

Did someone say "free book"?

Please enter me!

Wendy

megs said...

Actually, she says that Twilight is loosely based on Pride and Prejudice, New Moon is strongly connected to Romeo and Juliet, Eclipse has a lot of Wuthering Heights, and the up and coming Breaking Dawn is going to have some Midsummer Night's Dream! Ask me another one.....

Janette Rallison said...

Ahhh, you are a true fan! Do you know what inspired Twilight?

megs said...

Oh my goodness that is easy. Stephenie Meyer had a dream in 2003 about a sparkly vampire in a meadow with a young girl. The two of the them were in love and trying to decide what to do about it because he also wanted to kill her. Stephenie wrote the dream down (which is essentially chapter 13 in Twilight), and then wrote the rest of the book surrounding this dream. Yeah! Anything else?

Janette Rallison said...

Congrats, wonderlandchick! You got the question right. If you'll email me your address at rallison1 at cox dot net, I'll send your book to you.

Anonymous said...

That's so awesome. I LOVE Twilight and I can't wait for the movie and Breaking Dawn. I hope I win but if I don't, I'll definitely be getting it sometime :)

Asenath said...

Just a note: by poly I mean Polynesian, not polygamist. I'm in Hawaii, not Texas. :)

Renee said...

Romeo and Juliet and Wuthering Heights. Though I'm glad that the series hasn't had a tragic end yet, as both of those did. :) Count me in for the contest.

Have a great day!

Unknown said...

dangit! i cant believe that i am soooo slow! i love twilight and would love to read your piece on it! but i definately want to enter the contest!

Erin said...

Enter me pretty please! And I knew it was Romeo and Juliet and Wuthering Heights, even though people have already answered that. :)

Anonymous said...

I love this book! I Think it has alot of the same themes as Romeo and juliet. :)

Melinda said...

"Me, too. Me, too. I want to join too," said Iguana. (Does anyone else remember the Sweet Pickles books?)

And I was wondering what a poly was. Thanks for clearing that up.

I knew the answer, but I am clearly not checking Janette's blog often enough. I thought once a day was enough, but...

Tamra Norton said...

Dang! Yeah, I remembered Wuthering Heights this morning but couldn't think of the other. Now that I know, all I have to say is, DUH!

tenacious d said...

So you are at BYU-Hawaii now, Asenath? that's so neat, you lucky duck!

Janette Rallison said...

I have a question for you, Megs. Where were you when I was writing this essay and needed to find out what page number the scene with Jacob and Bella talking and the eagle comes down and grabs the fish?

I needed to use it in my essay and couldn't find it. I knew there were hordes of girls out there who could tell me, but no, I had to practically reread Eclipse to find it.

Janette Rallison said...

Oh, and Melinda--I love the book about Rooster, pig, turtle and iguana. Is that the book you were talking about?

Melinda said...

Janette,
Sweet Pickles was a series of books. You could join a club and get one a month. There were animals for each letter of the alphabet: Postive Pig,Imitating Iguana, and Temper Tantrum Turtle, to name a few.

I think I was in third grade when I read them -1980.

I think I am the only one who remembers them. I now find them at the D.I.

BookWyrm said...

One is Wuthering Heights and I'm betting the second is Romeo and Juliet.

I really don't get the whole Romeo and Juliet thing though. It's Jaccobs family and Edwards who are feuding not his and Bella's. I know Edward's family isn't so hot on the two of them as a couple at first, but does either family really fight to keep them apart?

While I am a Jaccob and Edward fan, I am NOT a Bella fan. My niece is though and so if I snag a copy of the book it will be going to her.

megs said...

Ha ha this is so funny, because I wasn't sure exactly where that scene was, so I went to the Twilight Lexicon (they have chapter summaries!) and found the page in (no kidding) 3 minutes. It's page 109, chapter entitled "Nature". Wish I could have been there for ya! I've read these books too many times for a woman that should be busy feeding her family etc.

I might add (and I'm not flattering), your books have kept my family waiting for their dinner at times as well.

Janette Rallison said...

Dinner is overated. I think cold cereal is fine to feed the kids. (Actually, they beg for cold cereal when I put many a dinner in front of them.)

Lu Ann Brobst Staheli said...

I might as well throw my name into the drawing as well. I started reading The Host last night, but only got a couple of pages in. I have too much editing to do for clients! Arg.

Unknown said...

She mentions Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen as well. The main character's name is "Edmund"--too close to "Edward" to help Bella not think about him.

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Unknown said...

Please add me to the free book contest. The teens at my library are clammering for anything Stephenie Meyer...although at risk of getting things lobbed at my head, I'm not a huge fan of the Twilight books.

Anonymous said...

Wow, i've never done this before, i don't know if it's even going to post... but yeah, if it does post, i'd love to be entered in the contest! :)

Anonymous said...

I really don't think you should give it to me but, heck I never win anything anyway.
I cannot answer your question because I cannot remember exactly. I think it was Pride and predjudice(I watch the 6hr. movie every weekend and read the book once a month) And Sense and sensebility (Bella was iin her backyard trieng to read the complete works of jane austen but coudn't because the guy in Sense and sensablility and another one were named Edward.) And she also has to read Romeo and Juliet for her class(at one point edward and bella actually watch the movie together.)
She also reads wuthering hieghts(spelling?) and I remember that one because I'm pretty sure she used the story line for one of her books. SO my mom and I read it together. 9we never could understand it so gave up halfway through.)
So this is all I have to say, and I hope I'm not supposed to email this to you. i'm kinda...well REALLY technology impaired and flat out clueless!
Stephenie Meyer is not my favorite author but then again fantasy is so well....unrealistic. :)

Anonymous said...

Ooops, that was a long post. I REALLY should stay away from computers!

Anonymous said...

Is this a new record, 38 posts, and probably more by the end of tody. Just promise a free book and your set for the next year or so.
If I offened anyone by this next comment(sorry Aunt Sandy) I'm sorry to all of you, but I think the series is really dark and that(sorry again) Stephine Meyer can't write a good romance. It's probably just me though, I've alway liked books with happy, non-vampire endings.
Hey, if I do happen to win that book, in like a one in a 100th chance, I know a couple of twilight crazy fans...I could get a good price for it.

Janette Rallison said...

And the winners are: Wonderland Chick and Sara. You'll both need to email me your addresses so I can send your books off to you. You can hit the contact me button on my website.

Happy reading!

Anonymous said...

Someone got to it before I did, but as I was reading your blog post, I knew the answer. It's Wuthering Heights and Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet are star-crossed lovers, just like Bella and Edward are, which means their relationship is destined to fail and wouldn't usually work. Wuthering Heights because Edward is just like Heathcliff.

Janette Rallison said...

Except for Heathcliff never sparkled. Actually, am I the only person who didn't like . . .well, anyone really in that book. (Wuthering Heights, that is.)

megs said...

Edward didn't seem to like the book much either.

Janette Rallison said...

Maybe that's one of the reasons that I like Edward. I also like him because he's old fashioned, has nice handwriting and never leaves dirty dishes around.

Anonymous said...

i would like to enter the contes too but i was reading ur blog and its funny u ssay that u think you were a hawain preson becase me i am totally fascinated with Egypt hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............ now that is very weird but yah i luv twilight and i noe its Romeo and Juliet witch Bella loves and Wuthering Heights witch Edward hates

Anonymous said...

I want to enter the contest. It's Romeo and Juliet and Wuthering Heights.