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| Stephenie Meyer |
But on Aug. 2, fans crowded Borders for a different book -- "Breaking Dawn," the fourth and last installment of the "Twilight" series by Stephenie Meyer.
In the hours before the countdown and screaming began for the new book, fans took part in costume competitions. Sarah Amireh, 13, an eighth-grader at Kastner Intermediate School, took second place in her werewolf costume, while her sister, Dana, took first place as Alice, a character from the books.
Sarah admitted that she was a big fan, despite her aversion to reading: "I never read, but after I read the first chapter, I was hooked. I couldn't put the book down."
The book release was the first part of a national mania that will probably swell through the fall -- right up to the scheduled opening of the "Twilight" movie on Nov. 21.
Published in October 2005, "Twilight" was an immediate success. It was Publishers Weekly's Best Book of the Year, made the Teen People "Hot List" pick, and became a New York Times best-seller. Three years and three more books ("New Moon," "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn") have gone by since "Twilight's" publication, and Meyer's series has become increasingly popular, especially with its recent release of the last novel -- and the forthcoming movie release.
The plot of the "Twilight" series revolves around a normal teen girl, Bella Swan, and a not-so-normal vampire boy, Edward Cullen. As they fall in love, they create a whirlwind of chaos and trouble that includes evil vampires, more evil vampires, werewolves -- and, of course, a love triangle.
But with the somewhat-overdone plot about vampires, what's so alluring about the story that it can attract today's nonreading crowd?
For many, it's that forbidden dark romance, because love never gets old. Amanda Cochron, 26, wearing a "Mrs. Edward Cullen" shirt at the "Borders" unveiling, said, "I like it because it's like a romance novel." Kastner eighth-grader Reyna Vargez, 13, gave the series a perfect 10, for "the love."
And of course, no romance novel is complete without the dreamy and handsome hero. That man -- or vampire, rather -- would be Edward, whose trademark crooked smile is enough to make half the population swoon. As Ruby Okazaki, 40, waited excitedly with a group of friends for "Breaking Dawn," she admitted with a laugh, "I like Edward because he's perfect."
Others are attracted to the fantasy aspect of it. Sixteen-year-old Camelia Banea, an Edison High School student, says love of fantasy is what drew her to the book; "I'm obsessed with vampires, and I just fell in love with the story line," she said.
Yet, despite the fantasy theme, many readers feel that it's written in a style that keeps the plot realistic and believable. Girls feel that they can relate to Bella because the book is written from her perspective.
"I definitely can relate to Bella in the way Stephenie Meyer wrote it," said Sarah Taylor, 16, of Bakersfield. "She's just like us -- she has our flaws."
The last big fad to rock the world was "Harry Potter." What started as an idea J.K. Rowling had on a train one day eventually became "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in 1997 -- and that begat six more books and branches into other industries.
The first movie, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," was released in November 2001, with more to follow. ("Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" is slated to reach screens in 2009, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" in 2010.) When chocolate frogs made their way into candy shops and Harry Potter clothes and toys became available, it was obvious that it had become more than just a book series.
The "Twilight" series is following in the footsteps of "Harry Potter." Hot Topic is the place to go to for Twilight shirts and hoodies, and a quick search online reveals gobs of Twilight merchandise. And, of course, the rule to any super-popular book is to ... make a movie!
Although many fans are excited to see the book "Twilight" come to life on the screen, others are wary.
"I'm not going to see the movie," said Mitchell Suet, a Fresno City College student. "It will ruin my perception of the characters."
Some are disappointed with the cast, especially with Robert Pattinson playing Edward. Corrie Williams, 13, a Computech eighth-grader, said, "They screwed up on Edward, considering that the actor has to be human."
And despite the "Twilight" series' growing popularity, not everyone is joining in on the fun. Some teens have no intention of ever reading the "Twilight" books.
Mohammad Khorsand, 17, a senior at Buchanan High, refuses to give the book a try. After hearing too many "fangirls" raving over Edward, he's lost all interest: "I've actually heard people compare real people to the Edward guy. We're being compared [to] a fictional character in our demeanor."
Well, imaginary boyfriends or not, "Twilight" has become a trend. And, as online fan sites show, "Twilight" is no longer an American fad, but a universal phenomenon.
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