1. I am female.
2. I was born in the ’70s.
3. My name starts with an “S.”
4. I majored in English at college, concentrating on literature rather than creative writing.
5. I graduated from Brigham Young University.
6. There was less than a year between my first date with my future husband and our wedding.
7. I have three kids.
8. I live in a very hot climate.
9. I love Muse (the music group).
10. I am the talented, successful author of two New York Times Bestselling Children’s Books, the second of which is now #1, and has been on the list for 34 weeks. My third book will be released in August.
I am …
Stephenie Meyer, author of Twilight, New Moon and the soon to-be-released Eclipse.
Usually, 9 out of 10 ain’t bad, but when #10 is as above, I feel kind of (or a whole lot) sick. I’ve only read Twilight so far. To call it a children’s book is like calling Gone with the Wind a nice, 30 minute sitcom pilot. Now, of course, I can find thematic and plot points (not to mention vampire morality (or lack thereof)) to quibble with (which I’ll save until some people read the book for themselves), but WOW.
I treated myself to Twilight on the second-to-last day of Dick’s recent trip. I’d sort of been fasting the previous 4 days; no books (no mommy books; plenty of nap- and bed-time books). I read from 8 pm until sometime after 4 am. It was good. I was happy. And then my sister pointed me to Stephenie Meyer’s online bio and I started to feel ill.
Dick asked, do you wish you’d written that book? No, not that book; there’s no way (literary talent aside) I could or would ever have written a book like that. In my constricted/inhibited world view, vampires aren’t so ambiguous. Another hobgoblin of my tiny mind.
All (most!) jealousy aside, I can’t wait to read the next two books.


Are you saying you love Muse? I looked them up and thought their music was annoying.
well, my favorite (and the only song of theirs i listen to, really, is Starlight. that song is awesome). i think i got trained to like one hit wonders in the 80s.
don’t you hate it when people read a long post of yours and then make a comment about one tiny portion of it?
(but don’t stop)
hey, have you checked out the Passion Worship Band? i like “Here I am to Worship” and “My Glorious,” also possibly others, but i seriously do get stuck on one song and just listen to it over and over (“my glorious;” it’s listed on my good music page). tom was like, uh, does this band have any other songs?
Ha! and I thought you were describing my wife (Susan, also living in hot Arizona, BYU grad in english, 3 kids, awesome husband . . . oh that’s extra) until you got to that last one! Although, she has been getting up at 5:30 AM lately to have some personal time to do research for a book! And Stephenie Meyer is a relative of one of her friends here in the ward!
Maybe we should get you two together (at least online) to produce the next big hit – then the DH’s can stay home and help take care of the kids!
hi Eric, and good to hear from you. i’ve looked at your family blog through Tara’s site, but it seemed to be mostly from your wife’s pov. she (Susan) looks so familiar to me; i’m sure we must have had a class together at some point. i graduated in 1999.
is Susan writing fiction or nonfiction? i was looking around last night at all the fanfiction/lexicon stuff surrounding twilight. incredible.
your idea for collaboration is exactly what my husband suggested!! (great minds and all…), but i can’t imagine giving up control like that–i bet your wife agrees.
i guess if i found some soulmate who was at the same time way cooler than me, i would be only too happy to get together
. (Since you guys are friends with Tara, it’s certainly a possibility–Tara is pretty much my soulmate and way cooler, but i don’t think she has writing aspirations).
[...] I’ll admit that I’m jealous of Stephenie Meyer’s success. I’m jealous of her book tours and her new house, and that she never has to cook anymore, and [...]