When Fantasy Collides with Real Life

So if you have been following my twitter feeds at all, you'll know that I can't stop obsessing over Twilight. Really it started last summer. I was in the bookstore with my friend J and came across the Twilight display. I had seen all the random pieces of flair on facebook about vampires, specifically about Edward. Who the heck was this character? Surely I'd like vampires a lot longer than these silly teenagers (yes, I was 23 - officially NOT a teenager).

So I pick the book up as I roll my eyes. These silly teen fads. Just another Harry Potter craze that would be annoying. I flip to the back cover and read dramatically to J:

"About three things I was absolutely positive.
First, Edward was a vampire.
Second, there was a part of him -- and I didn't know how dominant that part might be -- that thirsted for my blood.
And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."

I was snickering when I finished. He looked at me with a grin and told me that I was going to buy it. Not a suggestion, mind you. An acknowledgment of a fact. I nodded and tucked the book under my arm. It would be a quick read if nothing else and I'd find out who this Edward fellow was.

Little did I know my coworker at the coffee shop had also just started. He saw my book in the back room and confessed. We proceeded to read through all three books in about a week. It was completely addictive and we couldn't stop. I would call M when I got to certain places and I'd get calls from him yelling at me to hurry up and get to the next chapter. When we were on breaks at work, we'd talk about these people like they were our friends. "Can you believe Bella and the voices? Do you think Edward knows?" Alas... they were fictional friends. (As an aside, on Stephenie Meyer's website she wrote about writing and publishing the book: "Overall, it's been a true labor of love, love for Edward and Bella and all the rest of my imaginary friends, and I'm thrilled that other people get to meet them now.")

M and I made plans to go the Breaking Dawn release party. If nothing else, we'd get our hands on the final book that much quicker. I really, really hate when a book gets spoiled for me. I was late reading one of the Harry Potter books and someone told me about a certain professor. It killed the book for me. So... I didn't want to accidentally hear a spoiler about Breaking Dawn that would spoil it for me.

So we went... and M was one of about 5 guys there... and I was one of about 10 people older than 20 (okay... 18?). SO embarrassing. But we got our books. Most depressing of all was that I couldn't read it that weekend as I was in the midst of my big move. Of course, when I finally got to it, it was fabulous. A little ridiculous, but the whole series has been!!!

If you want to read it, know that Stephenie Meyer is an amazing story teller. She's not the greatest writer and the fact that it is written for a teenage audience makes sense - this ain't poetry friends. On the other hand, there are lines in the books that have made me laugh out loud. It is just an all around GOOD time with the Twilight saga. A little ridiculous, a little light hearted, a little love story, a little danger...


~~~~~ Which brings me to today. I've watched the movie too much already. So I thought I'd get in pajamas and curl up in bed with the original book and read (it's been a long day - the history test is complete!). Low and behold, I come across this:


" 'Carlisle was born in London, in the sixteen-forties, he believes. Time wasn't marked as accurately then, for the common people anyway. It was just before Cromwell's rule, though.'

I kept my face composed, aware of his scrutiny as I listened. It was easier if I didn't try to believe.

'He was the only son of an Anglican pastor. His mother died giving birth to him. His father was an intolerant man. As the Protestants came into power, he was enthusiastic in his persecution of Roman Catholics and other religions. He also believed very strongly in the reality of evil. He led hunts for witches, werewolves... and vampires.' "
(page 331)


I'll have you know I JUST wrote that history exam about the English Reformation, Cromwell, Cranmer, and the struggles of the Anglican church with the Evangelical Revivals.

It also doesn't help that Edward was born in Chicago!! He was dying of the Spanish influenza when Carlisle turned him. For my birthday, two friends gave me an awesome jacket that reads on the front: "Team Edward. Dazzling since 1918. Chicago, Illinois." LOVE IT!

... It just gets a little creepy when obsession collides with real life. A little creepy.