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| Team Alice Event Coordinator Leader |
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Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:52 am
Posts: 3794
Location: In Dr. Cullen's waiting room...
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TM: Any idea when we will get to see the first chapter of Breaking Dawn? I'm so excited I can't wait.
Steph: I don't have any idea. Things are different that when I first started. I doubt I will be allowed to post the chapter on my website at all this time. They might put it in the back of the Eclipse Special Edition, but that depends on if we can get that much editing done in time for the ESE's June release.
Don't get antsy for the first chapter, though. That's always just the recap/setup chapter. I try to work in as much new info as possible, but it's never anything to write home about.
TM: What was at stake in the Emmett/Jasper bet on how many people Bella will kill during her first year? Like Bella asked, "what is a motivating prize when you had everything?"
Steph: I'm not exactly decided on that point, but I'm pretty sure it would involve cross-dressing. With Emmett and Jasper, the bets are never about a prize, they're about avoiding humiliation.
TM: Steph, I love that you would stalk too! Who would it be? I have a few I can think of. If only Edward were real-dang.
Steph:
Matthew Bellamy
Steven Strait
Ian Ball
Joe King
Adam Lazarro
Henry Cavill
Elijah Shain
maybe Matt Damon
a certain producer who shall not be named
and that adorable lead guitarist for People in Planes
Not that I've given it any thought....
TM: Steph, why can't you read fan fic? for legal reasons?
Steph: To keep people from suing me, mostly.
Also, I did find it kind of unsettling how people had my characters so completely wrong. My perturbation resulted in Midnight Sun, though, so good did come out of it.
TM: During the talk that Bella and Edward have in his room towards the end of Eclipse, Edward tells Bella that he's refusing her to save his virtue as well as her own. I assumed this to mean that Edward was still a virgin. In discussions with several people, I have been told that I assumed incorrectly and that's not what he meant. Who's correct?
Also, at their first lunch together, why did Edward take a bit of pizza instead of the apple that Bella had just been holding? I thought the apple would have been so symbolic.
Steph: Edward is still very much a virgin. Bella was his first kiss. (So that means Bella has kissed more people then Edward has.) I think the virtue discussion was clear enough that you are free to really rub this in to the people who told you you were wrong.
When I wrote the lunch scene, there was no apple cover yet 
TM: How come Edward never specifically mentions that Bella would never be able to have children if she becomes a vampire. That is a big thing to sacrifice for a woman. Or is she able? I know you can't really elaborate here, but...
Also I love the religious themes, thanks for explaining them a bit.
Steph: I assume that Bella would have no issues with fertility if she was marrying someone human. I think that those of us who have kids are more upset by the sacrifice than those who don't. I've seen a lot of teen discussions to the effect of "Screw kids!! Bite her!!"
TM: I can't imagine how life altering it must be to wake up one day after being published to this madness of being famous. What is that like for you?
Steph: It comes on pretty gradually, so I really don't notice that many changes. And I'm only famous in very specific and uncommon circumstances. I'm a lot more stressed. I have more confidence (not that THAT'S saying much). I travel a lot more (but, as noted above, it sucks). Otherwise, I leave my house a lot less. And I don't get to read like I used to, or watch tv or see movies. Too busy. I feel like I'm listing all the bad parts. The good part is getting to write whenever I want and no one can tell me to get off the computer and go do something productive.
TM: Edward, Emmett and Jasper SO remind me of my husband's brothers.
All one way, right way thinkers. It really gets interesting! They all KNOW they are right, and they are all saying something DIFFERENT. Ha ha.
So if it is about saving face, how could she embarrass them too much?
They all had their own struggles after being changed...
(This question is referring back to the Emmett/Jasper bet)
Steph: No, no, SHE wouldn't embarrass them. The winner would embarrass the loser. Yes, they all had struggles. The bet really isn't about Bella at all. It's about boredom and boyness.
TM: What character do you personally relate to the most? Why?
Steph: Physically, I'm most like Bella (being human and all). Also, I've got the pasty-white brunette thing down. And I'm not very graceful.
But she's pretty serious most of the time, and I definitely have my giddy Alice moments.
Mentally, I tend to see eye to eye with Edward. If there are ever different opinions expressed, you can bet I'm on Edward's side of the argument. I'm a very black/white, right/wrong, rule-oriented person. Not to say that I am harsh or judgmental--I only apply this kind of thinking to myself. So I'm hard on myself, but I usually give everyone else the benefit of the doubt.
TM: "What do you want me to do?" Edward growled, too anxious to bother with politeness anymore, "Carry her through that?.." (skipped some stuff here)
..A sudden howl ripped through the roar of the wind, and I covered my ears against the noise. Edward scowled.
"That was hardly necessary, " he muttered. "And that's the worst idea I've ever heard," he called more loudly. (p. 489)
What was the idea? It seems that there was the idea that lead Edward to say "Carry her though that" and then the idea that ended with Jacob in bed with Bella. Were they different ideas? Which was Edward responding to when he said "that's the worst idea I've ever heard"?
Steph: Here's Jacob's approximated side of the conversation:
J: You're letting her freeze to death. Do something, idiot bloodsucker.
E: What do you want me to do? Carry her through that? I don't see you making yourself useful. Why don't you go fetch a space heater or something?
J: Space heater, huh? (Howls as he alerts the pack that he needs backup.) If you can't help her, then I will.
E: (Can see J's unarticulated intent to warm Bella up with body heat). That was hardly necessary. (This refers to the howl, since the pack could hear him without the vocals. It's a habit thing for J though.) And that's the worst idea I've ever heard. (Referring to the body heat part.)
TM: How many times do you read your own books with writing, editing, etc.? Do you ever read them just for fun? Sometimes I wish I had written these cool books, but on the other hand I'm glad you did, so I can just enjoy them without any of the work. Do you ever wish something like the reverse of that? Do you ever get sick of reading your own words? Do you ever get sick of the characters "talking" to you? (I love how you describe your writing as just telling the stories the characters are telling you. I know a lot of us wish we heard Edward's voice in our head )
Just curiosity. I've never been in the mind of an author before. It's great that you will just share with us. Thank you.
Steph: I would estimate that between self-editing and real editing, I probably read my books about 200 times. While I write, I read through the parts I have done over and over again to get up to speed. Yes, I do read them just for fun when I can, but I also do get sick of them at times, too (like right after a big edit.). You know how you enjoy something when it's your idea, but if someone else is making you do it, it's suddenly a chore? Like when you're baking cupcakes because you just want to frost and eat, as compared to baking cupcakes for a class party. I don't get sick of the characters talking, but then, they don't just repeat the same stuff over and over again. They're all moved on into the future, and I'm just trying to catch up. I think that might be why Breaking Dawn turned into such a hard thing at the end--I'd known the story for so long that the characters weren't at that place anymore. They'd moved on, and I was on my own.
I don't wish someone else was writing them. Creating a story is about a bazillion times better than just reading one. I used to think reading a good book was about the best escape in the world. But creating the story touches me in deeper places, and it's so much more satisfying. I wouldn't trade that.
TM: Welcome back Stephenie. I know you have said that your characters "speak to you" and that is how all the wonderful pages of writing come about for you;(even if you don't want to write what they are telling you); my question for you is what were (to date) the most difficult pages to write for you in any of the books from an emotional point of view?
Steph: I have a hard time with exposition and transition. If there is a good dialogue going on, I can write 40 pages in a day (well, I did that once). There was one section of BD where I had to sum up a certain amount of time. It's about ten pages long, and it took me almost a month to finish. I'm happiest when people are talking.
Emotionally, nothing's really hard to write. Sure, I may cry along with the character at the time, but in a sick way I enjoy torturing them. Pain is compelling to write. In The Host, I got to beat my characters up pretty good, and I would be lying if I said it wasn't fun. And I know the good parts are coming, so I can't get too depressed or anything.
TM: I was SO glad to see you like Evanovich novels. They are my one big "guilty pleasure." I avoid R movies, lewd music & most books that would fall into that category as well, and even the hotties pages...but I love her novels- every last one of them! You can tempt me with all sorts of things I can turn away from, but sick humor...DANG! It's almost like reading Bella as a grown-up...with Edward as Morelli, just not "undead." Too frickin' hilarious!
Steph: I know exactly what you mean. Only I'm a Ranger girl. (C'mon! He KILLED a guy for her!) Books 7-9 made me laugh so hard I was sobbing. I feel like the series is going backwards now, though. She's erasing any emotional progress that Stephanie's made. Just make a decision for crying out loud!!
TM: Seriously, though, thank you so much for hanging out with us and answering all of our questions. You have no idea how much this means to us. I've been on Cloud 9 for the last three days. My husband asked me why I'm smiling so much!
Steph: Can I just tell you how weird it is to be able to make people happy just by answering a few questions? I guess it's nice, too, but mostly weird.
TM: It is obvious that your characters are SO real. There is a depth in your books that isn't found very many places. It really takes a gift to put that on paper. The love triangle between Edward, Bella and Jacob is one of the deepest feelings I have had in so long. Your heart aches for Edward, your heart breaks for Jacob, and there is Bella...right smack in the middle!
As mothers, wives, sisters etc. we know how overwhelming it gets. Bella plays so many active roles in her life. That is one of the things that really endears her to me. She loves her family in spite of the flaws. It seems they are the one thing that is REALLY hard for her to sacrifice. Even with all the perfection Edward offers, he still has misgivings...which makes him VERY human to me. He really does just want her to be happy. BD will be fantastic. Even if the characters moved on, I know you will be able to fully express all that they have felt and experienced. Thank you!!!
Steph: 1st paragraph: This is why I'm here! People our age understand about different kinds of love, even different kinds of romantic love. You are able to have sympathy for all the characters. People who have yet to fall in love for the first time seem downright horrified by the idea of loving more than one person.
End of the 2nd paragraph: I'm not worried that BD will suck because the characters were so over it by the time I was able to finish--it's really fun for me to read, and that's always a good sign. It just made it really hard to write it.
TM: Do you think you will write more in the Twilight series? I have a minor crush on Jasper. I just find him adorable, in a Matt Damon in Bourne kind of way.
Steph: I can't say for sure. Right now, I'm seriously burned out on vampires, and I still have Midnight Sun to go. Plus there is all kinds of behind the scene publishing politics with this series that sucks some of the fun out.
But could I really leave them behind for good? Probably not. I assume that after some recovery time, I'll revisit the Twilight universe. I have a detailed outline for a fifth book, and I finally figured out how I'd end book six.
I say I'm burned out on vampires, but what have I been working on this weekend? Vampires When I need to recharge, sometime I write stuff for fun. So I'm working on an Eclipse extra that tells the story from the newborns' perspective. Specifically from Bree's pov. It's really fun! I got to say "junkie ho"!
TM: Have you seen that new show, Moonlight? It seems like they are ripping off your story a bit. Any comments??
Steph: I don't watch vampire shows--or read vampire books. But I've heard that Moonlight is taking advantage. That show was actually supposed to be called Twilight! (You can't copyright a title.) I'm glad they changed that. There's really nothing I can do about it, so I don't worry about it.
(In response to a few wedding and honeymoon in Italy photo manipulations with Steph and Steven Strait)
Steph: These are freaking awesome. I may need to print one out and frame it. I'm sure my husband would love that!
TM: (talking about Robert Pattinson) The wispy armpit hair picture (LOL) was taken when he was 17 - he's 21 (going on 22) now.
And my ONE beef with him is that he really is skinny. Not even just lanky - skinny. Here's hoping that the next two months bring him a sculpted Edward-esque body.
Steph: Robert is undergoing intensive physical training as we speak (type). He should be excellently ripped by the time he films the meadow scene.
TM: Stephenie, how about you and the Twilight Moms on Oprah discussing the books?? After all, isn't Edward originally from Chicago???
Steph: I don't think my books qualify to be Oprah books. I think you have to take on bigger issues than Vampire/Werewolf love to make her interested. I don't have any incest, adultery, spousal abuse, mental disease, molestation, anorexia, suicide, cutting, etc. Which is why I won't ever get the Printz award either.
TM: Steph, I was posting about this under Midnight Sun, but wondering what your answer was.... Did Edward not "smell" Bella in the cafeteria the first time he saw her? Was it just because there were so many other humans and the smells all mixed together? After reading the first chapter of Midnight Sun again, this was my guess, but I thought with their excellent sense of smell, that he might have caught a wiff in the cafeteria?
Steph: Bella was upwind of him in the cafeteria. He didn't catch her scent until the biology room.
TM: we've talked a lot about the wolves learning more during their "training sessions" with the vamps then just what they needed to know to fight the newborns. Were they collecting more information thinking they might fight the Cullens down the road? Also, if Carlisle had not taken care of Jacob and re-broke his bones so they would have healed correctly....would he have ever been able to morph again? If not...I think Billy needs to be eternally grateful to the Cullens....
Steph: The wolves were definitely thinking about that aspect.
Jacob would have healed up wrong, and, since a normal doctor couldn't have been involved, his packmates would have had to try to straighten out his bones. It would have been a lot more painful and the end result would have been no where near as good. He would have been able to phase, but his wolf-self would have been just as messed.
Yeah, Jacob and Billy both owe Carlisle. But Carlisle owed the wolves for saving the Cullens' butts, too. So maybe they're even.
I have to go put the boogers to bed. It's been a fun night! You ladies rock!
S
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