Our new Breaking Dawn quote for today (July 19, 2008) is:

Bella: "Why am I covered in feathers?"

That is actually a very good question... Why is Bella covered in feathers? Ok, so here is just one of my thoughts when i read the quote: Alice had a vision. She saw something go horribly wrong at the wedding and saw Bella in feathers. It is obvious that Bella isn't talking in the present tense... Cuz she would know why if she was covered in feathers. But if it's a vision... and she is wondering why she will be. Hmm. This will probably make Bella even MORE nervous for the wedding. [And yes, I think Stephenie Meyer is purposefully giving us strange quotes to make us think about them and possibly freak out about them.]

The different faces of the Cullens...

Rhel Aiden Cullen, the fire manipulator

Tiara Eva Cullen, the giver of life; healer

Liyana Aurelia Cullen, the golden girl; golden seduction?

Farie Rose Cullen, the giver of love; healer of hearts

Hanna Estelle Cullen, ability yet to be discovered

-picture in editting process-

Raz Whyatt Cullen, purist

That's all there is to it.

]]> http://spidurmunkey.wordpress.com/?p=96 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:09:56 +0000 spidurmunkey http://spidurmunkey.wordpress.com/?p=96

 
 [^EXAMPLE OF ENTRY]

NEW TWILIGHT CONTEST!!!
Hey there, everyone! I am having my first Twilight contest! It is going to be a caption/thought-bubble contest. Pretty much, all you need to do is find a Twilight Picture (with official cast, please) and add a funny caption or thought-bubble. Make sure they are funny! I want to be rolling on the ground laughing. I will post the top five and leave the comments open for voting. Then I will post the winner! GOOD LUCK!! (Send photo entries to: spidurmunkey@gmail.com)

Criteria:
- Official Cast
- PHOTO!! (No videos, please)
- Hilarious and Vamptastic!
- Caption / Thought Bubble 
- Also, please don't do small icons. Make them regular sized photos. The one above is just an example, not the standards. Thanks! 
- *WHEN YOU SUBMIT: Please add your Name, Age (optionally), Country, and Picture Title. If the words are hard to read on the photo, add them in your message. 

Good luck and have fun with it! I am looking forward to receiving your funny picture renditions! *Contest Ends: July 31st

(check out contest page)

ENJOY!

Twilight Guy has finished reading New Moon - Chapter 2: Stitches. You can read his hilarious entry here.

Twilight Lexicon did an interview with Jackson Rathbone (Jasper Hale) last April about his music. Now, we would like to introduce Jackson's band, 100 Monkeys. You can view the video and interview here. Thanks to Twilight Lexicon for the update!

Az from Reading Twilight will be posting her third podcast either this weekend or early next week. You can listen to her first podcast here and her second podcast on Twilight Chapter 1 here. Happy listening and do leave her a comment!

The movie. Bleh. I am SO mad the the casting choices. Kristen Stewart as Bella? YUCK! She's incredibly talented, btu she's NOT BELLA. Plus she's so blase about the whole fame of the book. In one interview, she said "Yeah. I guess the books are pretty famous. I've never heard of them, but... yeah..." Wouldn't you think that as soon as you were cast as the lead role in a movie based on a book, the first thing you would do is go out and READ THE BOOK? Well, at least, that's what I do... Am I crazy? Jasper looks SUPER femme, and Rosalie isn't pretty enough. Alice is too tall, Emmett's hair is WAY too short, and I'm too demanding XD.

Ugh, I'll just go back to my little world now...

This one is pretty cool.

:D

If you're someone who hasn't a clue what I'm talking about, go read Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. Then come back.

And, if you're me, stop reading your damn blog and get to work!

So, all corniness aside, here is my first update. 

Sooo, I'm working on Chapter 4 of "You Are My Heart Now". It's going to be long, and it's difficult for me to write; it's (obviously) the chapter wherein New Moon takes place, and I hate that book (in the most loving way possible). 

Since my first smut ("Playing With Fire") was a success, I'll do some more of those. Soon.

I'm trying to write one thing new everyday, but since tomorrow (July 17th) I only work for half the day, I'll be sure to try and get update BOTH "You Are My Heart Now" and "Look After My Heart".

I have an idea for a longer multi-chapter story that I don't think anyone has ever done before, and next week, I'll be in NYC. Hopefully I'll get more than a few chapters done there, although my laptop *doesn't* have word, so I'll have to be an idiot and e-mail all my ramblings to myself.

Today, I'm writing a one-shot, from an interesting POV. It should be up before 10, since all I've eaten/drunk today is coffee, ice cream and pepsi, so I'm going to collapse soon. Hopefully I'll finish the story first.

And, I'll post it here. 

Soon.

Question:
I would like to know how the august solar eclipse will affect my life and especially my relationships as it falls in my first house.
Any reply is much appreciated,

Thank you !
A

Response from Dipali:

Hi A, Thanks for your question.
This is a real general overview to your question, since you didn't indicate whether you were referring to romantic/personal or professional relationships. Please use your own wisdom and common sense to see what resonates.

Indeed, when glancing at your natal (birth) chart, the Solar Eclipse/New moon in Leo at 9 degrees on August 1, 2008 does "activate" your 1st house. This particular area (the 1st House in the natal chart) will help energize YOU and how your sense of self expresses into the world around. So it's time to put your best foot forward - let your heart guide you. Activation in the 1st house is all about your confidence, ability to be assertive, courage, physical body, outward appearance and your lens in the way you view as well as the energy you send out into the world. New Moon/ Solar Eclipse signify new beginnings and changes. What is up for you to change regarding your way of expressing to others or connecting with someone in relationship?

I can see you have been going through some conflicts, internal questioning, doubts, fears and stress regarding love, relationships and self-worth. So leading up to this Eclipse/New Moon there is a nice lighter more buoyant energy for you.

"It's all about the Song of the Heart, Be Bold - Express the Genuine You"
It is as if you appear more radiant with the Symbolic Solar Energy of the New Moon/Solar Eclipse warming up your sense of self and individuality. Transiting Mercury and Venus also in Leo will all be poised in that same area (the 1st house). You may feel more vitality, passion, playfulness and enthusiasm, filled with color and ready to go and take spontaneous action on any wisdom you receive from your heart. This will directly influence relationships as you will be appear like a "bold and bright beacon of light" - appearing more inviting or ready to welcome individuals "in" your life. This can be both personal and professional relationships.

This lifetime with your North Node (represents the Soul's Path this lifetime) in Leo in the 1st House - also being energized by Transiting Venus in Leo during the New Moon/Solar Eclipse time - your unique style and expression is to radiate from what you feel deep within your heart. It's how colorful you are, light-hearted and creative. This is an nice opportunity filled turning point for you. The only thing is watch for any old "wounds or pains" that arise - that you feel low self-worth or tension in being worthy to have what your heart desires. It's time to transform another layer, heal and move ahead.

During this super energized New Moon/Total Solar Eclipse on August 1st, 2008 - You will be ready to "plant symbolic seeds" or intentions within your subconscious. If you are not with a partner, you may soon be sending out magnetic waves to invite someone in. If you are with a partner you may feel to express yourself differently, perhaps changing your style or appearance a bit. If you wanted to get into shape and get more exercise to look good, this fiery energy could start you off with a huge boost. It is possible you feel extra energized (even a little hyper) leading up to and shortly after this solar eclipse/moon moon as it gives you a boost.

Wishing you all the very Best!
Dipali

*Feedback is welcome on the Blog.

The second book in the Twilight series begins with Edward and the Cullens leaving Forks.  Bella is devestated by this and spends a lot of time depressed.  She does make a new friend, Jacob Black, who has a secret of his own.  As Bella fights to keep her own life, she learns that Edward may be in danger also.

I definately didn't like this book as much as twilight.  To begin almost the whole thing consists of Bella being depressed and not really doing anything.  Even when she starts hanging out with Jacob she still has relapses and it can get a bit tedious reading.  Another sad part is that there is almost no Edward...and isn't that why everyone reads this series??? :P  I thought it was a decent book, but Bella comes across as too winey for me.  I really think that she needs to be a stronger character for me to continue to like this series. 

On a better note, Jacob's problem and the history around it is interesting and Meyer goes into nice detail like she did with the Cullen family.  Well, I'm picking up the next book (I think it's eclipse?) today so I'll see what I think of that one.

Lion

Originally uploaded by elfpunk999

I love this shot... even thought its through a fence it still looks awesome.

Anywho... as you can tell from the title I've read the best book ever; TWILIGHT. Read is an understatement... I've memorized the book almost. I bought Twilight because I wanted to read it before the movie comes out in December. So it usually takes me forever to read a book but I just couldn't put the damn thing down. I stayed up all night reading it. I literally read from the second I got it till about 6 am and then got up the next day for work at 8 am. I LOVE THE BOOK. So I went out and bought the other two thinking that I could read them in the time between the next one coming out (Breaking Dawn) but no... I've read all THREE books now THREE times and I still have EIGHTEEN days till the damned book comes out! Its ridiculous.

I haven't read a book, or series of books, like this since Peter Pan. I just love the dynamic between Bella and Edward. I have to confess tho... that I skipped some things in New Moon... I can't stand Jacob Black. When I read his words I hear my little brother and I just skip ahead because he's not important. LOL. I know that he's a huge character but... I just can't stand when people talk like they know everything. Edward DOES know everything and he doesn't talk like he knows everything. If you can't tell I'm on Team Edward :)

Check it out!!

Check it out!

BREAKING DAWN QUOTES OF THE DAY - CLICK!

Enjoy!

"RESCUE" - EVE 6
[audio http://www.miasteczkosmallville.stopklatka.pl/fanart/media/mp3/Smallville%20Soundtrack%20-%20Eve6%20-%20Rescue.mp3]

Several weeks ago I was reading in our local paper an article about what people are reading now that the Harry Potter series has concluded. Having read the entier Potter series (and facing a summer break in which I like to catch up on popular fiction), the article caught my eye. Several series were mentioned, but one in particular stood out to me as an alternative young adult fiction series that might rival the Potter franchise. It was the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer. I read the first two books in the series, Twilight and New Moon, and they center on a teen who falls in love with a vampire and has to navigate various issues related to this love, including a friendship with a werewolf, who, as we all know, are mortal enemies of vampires. In any case, it is interesting to catch up with what teens are reading today. I am planning to read Eclipse in the next couple of weeks, as the fourth book, Breaking Dawn, is scheduled for release August 2, 2008. Entertainment Weekly has an article on the first (of presumably many) movies based on the series.

Why did I even get into this series? What was intriguing to me at the outset was that Stephanie Meyer is a Mormon. I am not certain the extent to which her faith impacts her writing, but the article I read suggested that her conservative religious background may have contributed to decisions made by key characters in to the series. For example, the central love relationship is one of romantic and sexual tension but not of sex per se; the fact that Edmund (vampire) resists the urge to devour (literally) Bella (human) means they cannot get too close. Some critics have found this to make for a bland novel/series, while others seem to appreciate the nod to chastity (of sorts). Also interesting is that the central vampire clan does not feed on humans but on animals; they fight their own nature to live within a value system their leader holds.

So there are some interesting twists here. The Twilight series does indeed appear to be the heir apparent to the Harry Potter series. I think a few people feared that reading among adolescents would once again slump once Potter wrapped up. But thanks to Stephanie Meyer and others, there are several options in young adult fiction for the summer and beyond.

Do the rocks control the river or does the river have more power?  Engaging photo by Hamad Darwish; used here under a creative commons license

The New Moon and Full Moon are always wonderful times for meditation and ritual, or just for self-reflection on where you are in your life.  The Full Moon of July 17-18 (depending on your time zone) will be a very "serious" moon.

With the Sun in Cancer, all those emotions are flowy and intense, and I have to say, the meditations and rituals of the last New Moon and the Summer Solstice were extremely powerful and have yielded some amazing results for everyone I've spoken with.  In every case, there has been a Two of Cups feel to the results--a new agreement that will eventually yield cold hard cash, a new way of bonding between people who thought their relationship was done, a new beginning that forces people to come together in unusual new beginnings.  These have all been more like intense promise rather than physical manifestation, in all these cases, something occurring that must shift EVERYTHING before the future can come to fruition.  Or, as I said a month ago, a time of BRIDGES between how things were and how they will be.

This July Full Moon carries a different flavor.  It's in the sign of Capricorn which has the texture of seriousness, restraint, heaviness, harshness, reality, solidity, and even coldness.  Maybe it's just me, but everyone around me right now seems to be going through a time of feeling loss or structure as Jupiter--normally an expansive influence--is also in Capricorn.  If nothing else, the US economy is having a muting effect on many people right now.

If we look at the high and low manifestations of this cosmic weather, we have a choice for how to direct our meditation work and its results for the next month.  We can either look at the cold hard facts and restraints of our emotional arena, mostly relationships, or we can focus on solidifying and structuring those relationships.  In either case, it's a time of structure to our emotions.  We can focus on cold reality and cut our losses or we can focus on bringing emotional promises into the physical realm, whether those emotional promises involved relationships with other people or relationships with, say, money and paying off old debts. 

Pardon me while I channel (!), but I see this moon's energy as either dam walls or high riverbanks--directing, holding, guiding, restraining all that watery emotional flow.  We are moving into a time that is "just around the riverbend," but this month, we'll be aware as much of what holds the river to its course as we are of the river itself.

Was mache ich jetzt die restlichen 19 Tage bis Breaking Dawn endlich erscheint?

Ganz ehrlich ich war noch nie (nicht mal bei Harry Potter) so Besessen von einer Geschichte - das macht mir ein bisschen Angst. Aber wie die ganzen anderen Twilight-Seiten im Netz zeigen, bin ich Gott sei Dank nicht alleine mit meiner Leidenschaft.

Stephenie Meyer weiß es einen in ihren Bann zu ziehen - ich habe mir auch The Host bestellt und bin schon gespannt, ob mich diese Geschichte auch so mitreißen wird. Zumindest wird es mir die Wartezeit verkürzen ... hoffentlich.

So when I was told about this book about vampires and how it was amazing, I really didn't think much of it. 

I was randomly at Kroger last Saturday and saw the book and it was only $8 so I though I would buy it and give it a try.

I will tell you what it is one of the BEST books I've ever!!!! In case you're wondering the book is Twilight, a series of which I've already read the first two and have purchased the 3rd but haven't started it yet.  

They are amazing.  I mean I never would have thought that a book about a girl falling in love with a vampire would be good but this is great stuff!

Apparently its like this big phenomenon that I didn't know about and there are a ton of people who, like me are awaiting the 4th installment which comes out in 3 weeks!

I'm just waiting for my vampire...

Like Twilight, I read New Moon in about 2 days. Again, it being summer, I'm going to evaluate in terms of its ability to force me to turn each of its 500 pages.

I really don't know what it is about these books. The writing is repetitive. The description can be painful to read. And there is a whole heap of teenage angst. You'd think after the 900th time Bella gets dizzy or the 1,800th time Edward's body is described as marble, I'd be thinking "Enough already!" But, no. It's more like "Give me more! Give me more!"

Stephenie Meyer is a whiz at creating suspense. She creates hundreds of little moments that contain big suspense. Bella riding a bike. Bella walking around in an empty house. In Meyer's hands, these down moments are transformed into scenes that keep the pages flipping. I thought the suspense in New Moon was better crafted than in Twilight, but while the action payoff was "cool," but it was ultimately less climactic than in the first book.

I've heard that New Moon is the worst of the three books out and I'm not sure whether I liked it better than Twilight or not. I will say that the Romeo and Juliet alternative ending idea is fascinating and the conflict set up in the love triangle introduced during the course of the book is fantastic. It is one of those books that will make fans choose sides. Kind of like some people wanted Harry and Hermione to end up together while others were happy with Ron. Or Mychael v. Tam in the Raine Benares series by Lisa Shearin. That kind of conflict makes fans and keeps them because it's the stuff that drives discussion boards and fan sites.

While I don't want to give away too much, I will say that I would have liked Bella to choose the opposite of her final choice in this book.

Finally, despite the edge-of-your-seat, my-eyes-hurt-cuz-I've-been-reading-so-long type of suspense found in New Moon, I find the Twilight saga to be incredibly relaxing to read. I think part of that results from the repetitive description that can be comforting to a reader in a book filled with adventure. Moreover, I'm going to stick with my theory that the repetitive description and lack of character development outside the few main characters is meant to mirror Bella's tunnel vision and helps the reader to progressively fall for Edward.

So, if you are looking for an incredibly fun read and you aren't an analyze-to-death kind of reader pick it up! It's always fun to be "in" on the series when new books and movies come out, so now is a great time to jump into Twilight.

Status: Packing and working on moving stuff today. The query letter is up on a page devoted to SCOUT. I'm waiting to put artwork up until I have a little more to show you. I'm excited for you all to see, but I think that waiting is the right thing to do.

Nate will be here soon and we are headed to Atlantic City tonight. I've never been and this will be my first time gambling!

This is really cool!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!

Always check back for more Twilight related info! I'm always updating!

As a thank you, here's a tip:

The magazine comes out today, but EW has released the article online, along with some....very vamp-tastic pictures.

TAKE A LOOK AND CLICK AWAY!

Enjoy!

-M

"MAKING OUT" - NO DOUBT
[audio http://tommorowstechnologytoday.com/arrowroot/04%20-%20Making%20Out.mp3]

That's pretty bitchin.

I was so used to getting ~100 hits a day.

This is very cool!

THANKS GUYS! :D

-M

"19-2000 (SOULCHILD REMIX)" - GORILLAZ
[audio http://thighswideshut.org/music/albarn/Gorillaz%20-%2019-2000%20Soulchild%20remix.mp3]

All good questions. And here are you your answers.

For whatever reason--I'm guessing it's decorum--the publishing industry has broken advances into categories:

A "nice deal" is defined as any advance equaling $49,000 and under (ex. Joy Preble's Spark)
A "very nice deal’"is between $50,000 and $99,000 (ex. StarLit Productions' The Break Up Code)
A "good deal" is $100,000 to $250,000 (ex. Lindsey Leavitt's Princess for Hire)
A "significant deal" is $251,000 to $499,000 (can't think of one right now)
And...A ‘major deal’ is $500,000 and up (ex. Anna Godbersen's The Luxe)

(For some humorous descriptions of how these advance categories should really be labeled check this out.)

Most books advances for first novels fall between $5,000-8,000. Nice deals make up almost 50% of advances. The median advance is about $5,000.  Now remember that an advance is not a lump sum. The publisher will break it up into parts usually. At least some of it is paid on publication. Your agent can try to weight the money as heavily toward the front end as possible, but the insistence of publishers on splitting up the advance has become increasingly heavy-handed.

Don't quit your day job. Until you've written more than one book and have begun to earn royalties, do not depend on your writing. Think about this: Ally Carter, author of the Gallagher Girl series just quit her day job this winter and she has two bestsellers, a couple adult books out there, a movie deal with Disney, and another couple books already bought up unwritten.

I always find it funny when people ask, "So, if your book sells are you still going to law school?" Yes, Yes, Yes! I am still going to law school. I am still completely law school. No matter what. Make the time to write. Work it into your life, but if you force yourself to depend on it, your muse might be too stressed out to appear.

Status: Later today I will be posting the artwork that goes with SCOUT. I still have not seen it yet, but my fingers are crossed an my hopes are high. Earlier this morning I finished New Moon. I guess it's time to get Eclipse. I ordered in Story of  Girl by Sara Zarr at the library, too. Now, I'm working on a synopsis for SCOUT, which will be part of a proposal package should we get a request for more materials.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAREST SISTER! You have finally turned 28 this year! I wish you luck in your future endeavours. I really hope you'll get that Nursing diploma in 3 years to come, yes? Anyway, lil brodda LOVES YOU ALOT! Thank you for the times you made my day, sister!

Yes, when I love a person, I love them till the end. I treasure them like alot alot. And that includes YOU. You know who you are. (:

Like OMG. The week is finally over! Heees. Weekend, here I come!

And so the Queen Bitch/Cullen coven sat with the Lord of the Bitch coven during break. Lord of the Bitch's minions bought a plate of noodles and sat with us at the parapet. Didn't eat today, didn't have the mood to. Don't ask me why. I just didn't. I only bought a bottle of Blueberry drink that has basil seeds floating in them. I'm more thirsty than hungry lately. Pffft.

During Math, I was sooooo bored, I started camwhoring. After that, I highlighted my Preliminary Exam timetable. When the boredom fully seeped in, I decided to read New Moon. At the end of the lesson, Miss Tay said to the class, "Next time, during Math, I do not want to see anyone reading newspaper or storybooks or I'll send you out". She looked at me and said, "Understand, coloured pens boy?". I gave her a sheepish grin, sat down and continued reading. Before that, I saw her shake her head and returning a smile back to me. LOL.

I also found out from Razeef that Mrs Ong asked Mdm Noreha to enquire our class whether anyone of us kept to our promise of having abstinence from sex. That is like so random because 4E1 kids look too innocent to do things like that. Well...exception to some. -averts eyes- Now, now. Don't get the wrong idea. I AM innocent.

Oh, after prayers just now, Razeef separated from his class.

Hahas. I'm such a bitch when it comes to vertical measurement.

Anywaaay, here are some pictas I took today.

Edward Cullen knows all your inside jokes.

Jasper Hale will never be a therapist. He already knows how that makes you feel.

Edward Cullen doesn't wear a watch. He decides what time it is.

Breaking Dawn Prediction #13: Bella will rape Edward.

Dear Jacob. I win. Sincerely, Edward.

Haha. Those are just a few of my favorites. Have any good ones? Leave a comment with your favorites. Maybe sometime I'll have a contest for it.