TWILIGHT STAR: 'Breaking Dawn' with Stephenie Meyer

Monday, August 4, 2008

'Breaking Dawn' with Stephenie Meyer

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I may not get the appeal of the whole vampire lit thing -- much like I don't get NASCAR or the movie "Borat," the 84 most unfunny minutes in the history of cinema -- but I do recognize its wild popularity. Ever since Anne Rice came on the scene with Interview With the Vampire and "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" became must-see TV for teens everywhere, beautiful bloodsuckers have filled many a pocket paperback.
Author Stephenie Meyer seems to have tapped into an even greater audience with her young adult "Twilight" series, which features beautiful teenagers -- some vampires, some not -- who share all the angst of high school, along with a few more otherworldly pressures.
In grand Harry Potter fashion, bookstores nationwide stayed open late last Friday night to host "Twilight" parties in anticipation of the release of Breaking Dawn (Little, Brown, $22.99), Meyer's fourth and final installment in her vampire romance series. (Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse are the first three.)

And today the Associated Press reports that the book sold a whopping 1.3 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release -- not nearly as much as the final Harry Potter book (8.3 million), but huge nonetheless.
If you missed CBS's "Sunday Morning" yesterday, here's the show's segment on the Mormon housewife and her rise to literary stardom:

Interview with Twilight Cast and Crew

Thirteen Twilight Twilight The Nativity Story

DAILIES TRANSCRIPT "Twilight Interview" INTERVIEWED: Taylor Lautner, Catherine Hardwicke, Stephenie Meyer, Robert Pattinson ORIGINAL AIR DATE: July 28, 2008 See where to watch ReelzChannel TV Mike Richards: Welcome to Dailies. I'm Mike Richards. Now as part of our Fan*tastic Summer we've taken Dailies on location, out of the soundstage to bring you the latest in all the big summer movies. And the big summer action was right here in Comi-Con, We're in San Diego, the big comic book and movie convention. A lot happened over the weekend, we've got it all covered for you. Let's start with the stars of Twilight who talked to me about meeting the very excited fans of this book, soon-to-be movie. Mike Richards: This is your first, sort of, interaction with the fans of Twilight and they're rabid fans. Taylor Lautner: It was good, you know, the fans they're, uh, they're crazy but they're passionate. I understand their passion for the book because I'm just as passionate for it. Mike Richards: Was there nerves bringing your books, your movie to Comic-Con? Catherine Hardwicke: Well I didn't wear white in case tomatoes were hurled at me but Stephanie was brave... Stephenie Meyer: I wasn't afraid. Mike Richards: We've talked to the cast a little bit about being on the set, that it didn't feel like this big, huge movie but now that it's here you're, I'm watching them begin to get overwhelmed. Did you guys give them any advice? Stephenie Meyer: I did lean over to Rob today with the screaming and said, "I apologize for what I've done to your life." (laughs) Robert Pattinson: It's a terrifying sound, like, hearing 6,000 people screaming. It sounds like the devil is coming down or something.