To be a vampire...or a writer...

Stephanie Meyer is my hero...for a couple of reasons...

First of all, she provided me with four fabulous days of distraction and pure vicariousness as I escaped almost unnoticed from the predictable chaos that is my life to the little town of Forks, Washington and into the enchanting and irresistible existence of the Cullens--a coven of vampires, and their long-haired neighbors/sworn enemies--the legendary werewolves of La Push.
Within my diversion I could visualize the Cullen's white house deep within the forest, I could see Edward's crooked smile and feel his icy touch. I could relate to Bella's conflicted pain as she attempted to maneuver her way through the maze of addled feelings she had for Jacob.

I found myself making frequent references to "imprinting," "Volturi," and "newborn vampire" like they were relevant to my everyday life. Discussions with friends were focused solely on the actions of our beloved vampires, and their immortal destinies.

As I made my way through each captivating chapter I found myself wondering at times why I was so enthralled by this novel series. I tend to gravitate toward "good literature." I enjoy books that are well written and life changing. I appreciate historical novels, and love a challenging book that tests my knowledge and expands my literary boundaries. But I am absolutely smitten (obsessed) with the Twilight series. I know that these books would be ripped to shreds in an English Lit class, and they bear no relevance to the real world, but they are fun...and entertaining...and addictive. They provide a respite from kids and cleaning, grocery shopping and carpooling. With an open mind and a little imagination even the most intellectual, astute reader may just find themselves wishing--even THIRSTING--(see there I go again with the lingo) to become a beautiful, indestructible immortal creature (aka...vampire!!).

Stehanie's heroic act number two in my mind is her success story. Five years ago Stephanie Meyer was just like us...stay-at-home LDS mom with three kids, lots of laundry and endless meals to fix. She never planned to become a writer--it just happened--literally overnight as she dreamt about Edward and Bella and their complicated and dangerous love affair. She is now a highly acclaimed author, compared to the likes of ...J.K. Rowling...!

I believe her story should serve as a motivating factor to all of us who love to express our thoughts and ideas through writing. Who knows who will come up with the next intriguing story to lure legions of fans into a fictional world derived from pure imagination, perseverance and tenacity...(personally, my money's on Brooke...)

I have a half-baked novel that has been rolling around in my head for ages that someday...sigh...I hope to put actual words to. I wouldn't expect overwhelming fortune as experienced by Miss Stephanie, but just a bit of recognition would be so sweet.

So...Read on...Write frequently...Dream big. There you go.