here.

Completely copy/pasted from this site.

Book banners SUCK.

I didn’t even really like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but I will still defend it against being banned.

Honestly, the author of this article is right about it being the Anti-Twilight. It’s just about four girls living their lives. And if this lady trying to ban the series thinks THAT is bad, she really shouldn’t read like… every other YA novel these days. Because The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is absolutely nothing compared to the sexual content in other books. Completely tame, seriously.

But just UGH. Book banners absolutely SUCK.

Found this article through Maureen Johnson’s twitter account http://twitter.com/maureenjohnson, and if you want to read the follow-up to this article, you can find it here.

(Excerpt)

When I was growing up, my fairly progressive-minded mom always told that she’d prefer I waited until I was married but that she really hoped I’d wait until I was in love before I lost my virginity. Now that I’m a mother, I put the characters in my books to a similar litmus test. Not married (I didn’t get married until I was 29 and I moved in with my husband when I was 23 so that should give you some idea of what I was up to). No, my test is this: Would I be happy if my own daughters were doing what my girl characters are doing?

In If I Stay, Mia and Adam have sex. It’s never on the page (though there is a sex scene on the page, it’s not intercourse, if we want to get technical about it) but it’s implied that they’re sleeping together. There has been very minimal fuss about this (more people seem upset about the cursing, of which there isn’t much, especially compared to this upcoming book which is like a four-letter-word-o-rama). I like to think it’s because Mia and Adam are so obviously in love. So are Grace and Sam. I haven’t seen much fuss made about their “relations” either in the brief Googling I did.

Or maybe it’s because we’re past that now. With so many of the Gossip Girl-type novels where everyone hooks up with everyone, maybe readers (and adults) have been become inured to a little action between the covers (heh heh). Or maybe parents who are reading books like Shiver and putting it to their own mother litmus test? I don’t know.

Speaking of the mother litmus test, let’s take this scenario: My daughter is dating a guy who might kill her. Then he dumps her and she gets kinda suicidal. But they reconcile and wind up getting married and she has his baby at 18, a pregnancy that near kills her. She’s not going to college. She hitches her wagon to a guy she’s known for a year for all of eternity. Literally.

If Willa were 13 right now and I were helping her with book selections and it was between Twilight and Shiver, I know which book I’d steer her toward.

If you want to read the article in its entirety, be sure to check out Gale Foreman’s blog, the source of the above excerpt. 

I don’t actually know much about the author of this blog article, but I was following a series of posts on the “taboo subject” of sex in YA and this one mentioned our absolute favourite subject so I knew I had to post it here.

Basically, the author, Gale Foreman, discusses Maggie Stiefvater’s popular book, Shiver, in relation to sex in YA lit and how the fact that the main characters do have sex makes it much better than the Twilight series, which, as you probably know, has the characters abstinate until after marriage, thus making it ”morally correct”.  I find this interesting, especially as the author further elaborates that she often writes thinking of her own children and doesn’t think the Twilight series is a good example to base your life on. 

It’s refreshing to hear this opinion coming from another author/mother — comparing to Stephenie Meyer, of course — especially one whose books already seem a great deal better than Twilight, even though I haven’t actually read them (yet).

I’m not sure how I feel about this.  I like steamy YA romance as much as the next girl though, and I really agree with what the post says about how if teens are not completely kept in the dark about every little sexy thing, we’re less apt to try stuff out ourselves. 

The Twilight series has been praised by many people for its message of chastity and abstinance, but frankly, I agree with Gale Foreman when she says that the ends do not justify the means.  And to be quite honest, I am way more interested in reading Shiver, now that I’ve heard such a positive review on it… though I suppose on the other hand you could compare anything to Twilight and have it be a million times better.  Hmm.

Something to think about anyway.  How do YOU feel about sex in YA lit?  Good or bad?  Why?

Source: http://www.bookbyyou.com/vampire/default.asp

Found it through twilightsucks.com… you can also try out a “free personalized demo” here .

Don’t know what I’m talking about yet?  I’m not sure you want to.

As the user glados209 said on twilightsucks: “That sounds almost ironic, it’s like Twilight, but where the main character is cast to represent the reader rather than the author.”

Read at your own risk. =(

In this personalized vampire romance novel, our heroine meets a mysterious hero whose passion is stronger than his bite. Perfect for fans of the Twilight movie and books!

Vampire Kisses begins with a chance meeting of our heroine and hero at a college library, but their encounter is short-lived as our main man suddenly vanishes… leaving our heroine lusting for more.

Their next unexpected rendezvous occurs at a campus alumni party, and after some clever repartee the hook is set, but once again our hero mysteriously disappears. Not to be outdone, our heroine and her best friend decide to hunt for their mystery man.  Little do they know the tables have turned, and they are the ones hunted!

Our hero is centuries old and doomed by a vampire’s curse. Luckily, his intellect and compassion enable him to control his primal instincts. Nevertheless, he shies away from our heroine, fearing his vampire urges will harm the one he both admires…and desires.  After much intrigue, our couple’s paths become entwined and it’s not long before cupid’s arrows find their mark and they fall in love.

The plot thickens when our hero’s unnatural habits give him away, and our boisterous beauty discovers that the man she loves has a bite that is definitely worse than his bark. They are forced apart; he by his worry of turning his beloved into one of his own, and she by the unsavory thought of becoming her love’s next meal.

But will love conquer all? Can our heroine live without her true love, or will our hero make her his mate for life and forever after? Vampire Kisses is full of intrigue and passion! Romantic Tip: For a little extra fun and excitement, include a set of vampire teeth along with this book. These can be found at costume shops or “dollar” stores.

Remember: You co-author Vampire Kisses by selecting the heroine, hero and heroine’s best friend – and even your dog or cat! Vampire Kisses is 175 pages, professionally bound, with over 26 characteristics to personalize making it a gift that is truly unique and sentimental. A gift that will be cherished forever.

With its personalized front cover, this book will look stunning on your coffee table or bookshelf. What a wonderful gift idea for all occasions! Why read between the lines when you can read between the sheets?

Follow your heart and give the gift of romance -
they’ll ♥ you for it!

I’m not an avid Vampire Diaries fan… In fact, I only just saw the first episode yesterday.
I’ve also never read the books.

BUT, I am already pleased with what I’ve seen. Even though so far the main vamp guy (Stefan, is it?) is without a doubt modelled after Robert Pattinson as Edward, he at least seems to, you know, have fangs & drink blood & stuff.

So, this is for any Vampire Diaries fans out there. Why it’s better than Twilight, according to the NY Post.

Listen up, Twi-hards!

“Twilight” may get all the headlines (”New Moon” Crosses $200 Mil Mark!” “Kristen Stewart: ‘I’m So Not Bella!’”).

But “The Vampire Diaries,” also a tale of the deadly undead, has quietly built a loyal following, first as a series of young-adult novels and now as a CW TV series.

The two may seem the same — both are high-school-set dramas about a young mortal girl in love with a brooding vampire guy — but “The Vampire Diaries” is no “Twilight” wannabe.

With the first 10 episodes of “Diaries” as evidence (all week, the CW is marathoning the season so far on Ch. 11, vamping until the show returns next month), here are five reasons it’s better than “Twilight”:

LOVE BITE: Nina Dobrev (left) and Kayla Ewell, from the breakout “Vampire Diaries,” are more fun than those mopey kids from “Twilight.”
1.) Believe it or not, “The Vampire Diaries” came first.

The “Vampire Diaries” book series, by L. J. Smith, started in 1991 — that’s 14 years ahead of Stephenie Meyer’s first “Twilight” book, in 2005.

The series went out of print until 2007, when creator Alloy Entertainment — the company that gave us the “Gossip Girl” book and TV series — worked on a reissue and shopped around a TV version.

“We certainly saw the success of the ‘Twilight’ books and felt that there was an opportunity,” Alloy Entertainment president Les Morgenstein told The Post.

2.) The Vampire Diaries is bloody, gory and full of killing.

In other words, it’s a more traditional vampire horror tale than “Twilight,” which is heavy on romance, light on murder.

And while they all look like models in both series, the ones on “Diaries” sometimes get dirty.

“The vampires, while pretty, are still sort of vicious,” explained Lindsay Soll, editor of MTV’s Hollywood Crush blog. “When they’re hungry and about to feed, their fangs come out — they don’t even have fangs in ‘Twilight’ — and their veins stick out. They’re not afraid to make pretty people ugly.”

They’re also not afraid to make pretty people die.

There’s already a sizable body count and, now that the people of Mystic Falls, Va., are gathering their stakes and fighting back, Morgenstein promised, “There will be more killings.”

3.) These sexy vampires actually have sex!

In “Twilight,” Bella and Edward lust after each other and yet miraculously manage to avoid having sex. Written by a Mormon, “Twilight” has long been considered an abstinence fantasy.

Not so “Vampire Diaries,” which has no falsely neutered innocence.

“We’re not pulling any punches,” said Morgenstein.

4.) Elena is an independent young woman.

Perhaps “Twilight” is so popular because Bella is a blank slate, an everywoman on which young girls can project fantasies of themselves.

But Elena, of “Diaries,” sets an example for young girls as a strong-minded woman.

“She doesn’t let her attraction to Stefan completely control her, whereas Bella is totally blinded by her passion,” Soll said.

“When Bella finds out that Edward’s a vampire, she acts like she’s just learned he went to the dentist — as if it’s no big deal.” “She gives herself over to Edward, while Elena questions it all, like most people would.”

5.) Had it with the Twi-hype? “The Vampire Diaries” is the underdog.

And who doesn’t love rooting for an underdog?

Evidently it’s a vampire’s world right now — but we get to choose which of many vampire tales to watch. (HBO’s “True Blood” will return next June, by the way.).

And since “Twilight” didn’t invent vampires, how about giving Bella and Edward’s vacant, lovestruck gaze a rest, and resting your eyes on “The Vampire Diaries.”

Source: nypost.com

Thanks to @melissa_marr, and @lotuselyse on Twitter for…. well, for tweeting about it and giving me the tip. =)

Oh, and to the obsessed Vampire Diaries fan I know who tells me to watch the show every chance she gets.

I’M WATCHING IT, OKAY??? xD

Interesting blog post up. I found it via Melissa Marr, another author I really like a lot.

She’s one of the people Stephenie Meyer has dissed (in the process, giving us Mortal Instruments fans a bad rap with the disgruntled Wicked Lovely fanbase… Thankfully  Melissa stepped in & was super nice about it.) & — understandably — doesn’t seem to like Twilight very much.

Anyway, this is kind of funny, just thought you’d all enjoy. =)

Reposted from WTF: Writing Teen Fiction.

RT @melissa_marr *lit teacher moment* I didn’t write a saga–which is a specific type of text, NOT another wd for “series.”

Thank you, Melissa Marr, author of the Wicked Lovely series, for this clarification.

According to the Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms & Literary Theory (Fourth Edition!) sagas were:

medieval Icelandic and Scandinavian prose narratives usually about a famous hero or family or the exploits of heroic kings and warriors.

Makes me wish the New Moon publicists had bothered to crack a dictionary or, heck, dictionary.com, before labeling the movie franchise The Twilight Saga. I spent four years as a groupie at the Anglo-Saxon Studies Colloquium, so this chafes me more than it does ordinary folks.

Further, Twilight is not a saga novel, an early 20th century innovation that generally involves a series of novels focusing on a large family over a period of many years. If you really want to read a saga, go pick up The Sagas of the Icelanders, a truly hefty paperback that collects these stories rendered in clean and modern English prose.

I want fan art illustrating the saga versus series struggle. In particular I want chibi Viking vs. Edward pictures. But remember, as NYU’s esteemed Anglo-Saxonist Haruko Momma reminded us non-specialists in Old English I, Viking helmets wouldn’t have had horns on them: “Would you go into battle with handles on your head? Very stupid.”

Sources:

Dictionary of Literary Terms & Literary Theory. New York: Penguin Books, 1999.

The Sagas of the Icelanders: A Selection. New York: Penguin Books, 1997.

I posted it above as well, but you can find the source post here.

Background Info:
John Green is the (completely awesome) author of a few of my favourite books, Looking For Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns.
He and his brother Hank also have a youtube channel (Vlogbrothers) in which they often talk to each other, but they talk about Big Issues also for the world & stuff.
Oh, and they’re are the founders of Nerdfighters.com which is just kind of made of awesome.

So, without furthur ado, this is John Green’s opinion of Twilight (the source being his youtube channel, obviously):

Source.

There was a topic about this on Twilightsucks.com. I haven’t gotten it confirmed so we won’t consider it valid yet but still.

Observe:

Valient, by Holly Black. A companion book to Tithe and Ironside. These are gritty, evil-faerie kinds of books.

Apparently the cover was recently redesigned? What does it look like to you?

Apparently the idea is that the new cover will market it better…?

Personally, I like the old one better, but that could be just me.

There’s going to be a comic book. No, not what you’re thinking– not about Twilight.

Before you let out that sigh of relief, read this source article or just look down.

Yes folks, a comic book.

About Stephenie Meyer.

The life of Smeyer.

WTF?!?!?!?!?!