To Bella and Edward

At 11:30 on August 1, Twilighters gathered at Barnes & Noble and raised their glasses of blood-red Passion Tea to Stephenie Meyer and Breaking Dawn.

I was honored with the task of giving this toast. Here's what I said:

Thank you so much for joining us this evening for the latest (I won’t say
the final) chapter in the amazing story of the Twilight saga. In Twilight, Stephanie Meyer introduced us to a strange new world that challenged everything we thought we knew about vampires. A New Moon rose and broke our hearts, Eclipse achieved the impossible: a fragile
truce between sworn enemies, and now Breaking Dawn promises to take our breath away.

Many of you were swept up in the romance of a first love, others were intrigued by Meyer’s new telling of the old vampire legends, and still others were simply spell-bound by a captivating story. Stephenie Meyer has created living, breathing characters who touch us, who seem real to us, and we want all of them to have a happy ending, even when that seems impossible.

But tonight we’re here to celebrate a wedding. Even though some of us still harbor a soft spot for a certain werewolf [big cheer here from Team Jacob], and when an accident-prone disaster magnet tries to marry a vampire, absolutely anything can happen [cheers from everyone], I don’t think any of us want to bet against Alice.

Please join me in raising a glass to toast the imagination of Stephanie Meyer, the launch of Breaking Dawn, and the triumph of love over evil.

To Bella and Edward!

Breaking Dawn Predictions

I forgot to mention the contest Barnes & Noble held to predict 1) whether Bella and Edward will marry, 2) if Bella becomes a vampire, and 3) what will happen to Jacob.

A random drawing from the correct answers will be held on September 1. Prizes are Barnes & Noble gift cards.

Good luck!

Amazing Breaking Dawn Event

Thanks to everyone who attended Bella and Edward's vampire wedding reception at the Denton Barnes & Noble on Friday night. What a great time!

I was knocked out by the number of people who came in costume--either evening dress or Twilight-themed t-shirts. I was even more pleased to see that there are other Team Jacob members out there. Howl on, my sisters, howl on.

There were a number of great events: the postcard-making table, the chess demonstration, the sci-fi/fantasy art class, the presentation from the Rare Books Room (loved the 3-D book shaped like an apple!), a dramatic reading from Breaking Dawn, and Find-Your-Twilight-Character from the Teen Advisory Board. I gave a talk about "Transformation and Choice in the Twilight Saga" and brought Alice to answer fans' questions about the next book. (A friend of mine took some great pictures of me and Alice; I'll try to post them soon!)

But I think the moment everyone will remember is when Jacob showed up and challenged Edward to a fight! Wow! All the camera phones came out (if you had yours with you, PLEASE send me a picture) as the crowd backed out of the power aisle, giving the two room.

The confrontation escalated from verbal sparring to a duel with swords and finally a no-holds-barred fistfight. Edward smashed Jacob's face directly into the wedding cake and then laid him out on the ground. Poor Jake was down for the count! But when Edward reached down, wiped some icing from Jake's face, and ate it--well, I thought that was insult to injury. But the Team Edward crowd went wild!

Hope you had a great time, wherever you were.

Three days and counting ...

Sorry it's been so long between posts, but our air conditioner broke last week and we've been suffering through this awful heat wave. Too hot to do anything but lie on the couch and read.

Hmm, that doesn't sound too awful, does it? Except for when the pages get all sweaty.

REALLY looking forward to the Breaking Dawn release on Friday night! Here are some more events to look forward to:

The Denton Chess Club will sponsor a demonstration speed chess game with champions representing Bella (yay!) and Jane (boo!). Afterward, chess club members will be on hand to help beginners through the intricacies of chess. The cover for Breaking Dawn suggests that chess is going to be an important theme or even plot element for the book, so come get your game on!

The charming clairvoyant Alice will be on hand to answer all your questions about what the future holds for Bella, Edward, and the fine folks of Fork. Be sure to phrase your question so that it can be answered "yes" or "no" and remember: Alice can't see werewolves!

Games, prizes, and fun galore! Join us at 10 p.m. on August 1 at the Barnes & Noble in the Golden Triangle Mall.

Breaking Dawn Events

Denton is hosting lots of events to celebrate the release of Stephenie Meyer's newest book, Breaking Dawn. Be sure to mark these dates on your calendar:

Twilight Saga Book Talk: Friday, July 18, 7 p.m.

Barnes & Noble in Golden Triangle Mall

We'll dish about your favorite characters and make predictions for the conclusion of this exciting series.

Breaking Dawn Release Party: Friday, August 1, 10 p.m.

Barnes & Noble in Golden Triangle Mall

You're invited to a vampire wedding reception for Bella and Edward.

• Come dressed to kill (literally) for our photo booth
• Do the Bad Bridesmaid Dress Walk of Shame
• Cheer on Team Edward or Team Jacob in a surprise contest
• Enjoy the fantasy art gallery
• Make your own gorgeous crafts
• Join our discussion on Timeless Romance
• Books go on sale at midnight!

Breaking Dawn Book Talk: Thursday, August 28, 7 p.m.

Emily Fowler Central Library

Once you finish the book, you'll be dying to talk about it. Meet your fellow Meyer fans!

Stephenie Meyer Book Talk

Can't wait for the release of Breaking Dawn on August 2? Then come to our Stephenie Meyer book talk in July!

Date: July 18, 2008

Time: 7 p.m.

Place: Barnes and Noble, Golden Triangle Mall

We'll dish about the Twilight saga and the upcoming movie, compare notes on The Host (Meyer's recent science fiction novel for adults), and make our predictions for Breaking Dawn. See you there!

Update on Breaking Dawn release party

All kinds of cool things are happening at the Breaking Dawn release party!

Bad Bridesmaid Dress Fashion Show (and you thought you'd never wear that awful bridesmaid/prom dress again. Work it, baby!)

• Throwdown between Team Edward and Team Jacob

• Garter/bouquet toss to win free copy of Breaking Dawn
  
• Romantic arts and crafts


• A real-life sword fight


• Roundtable discussion on Stephenie Meyer


• Photo booth


• Refreshments
  
  

It's all happening on Friday, August 1, 10 p.m., at Barnes and Noble in the Golden Triangle Mall.

Be sure to RSVP: 940-383-9261.

You are cordially invited . . .

to a Vampire Wedding Reception!

Date: Friday, Aug. 1 (Eve of the New Moon)

Time: 10 p.m. to midnight

Occasion: The release of Stephenie Meyer's new book, Breaking Dawn

Where: Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the Golden Triangle Mall

Dress: Vampire Glam (werewolves also welcome)

Knowing Bella Swan, any number of things might happen to prevent her marriage to Edward Cullen, but as far as we know, the wedding is on! Come celebrate with us!