TA TALKS BACK: SECRET INDULGENCE, A LOVE AFFAIR WITH TRASH

My first impression, and possibly second and third of this person is: “What a snob.”

All through this article, she combines with each and every compliment, an insult. She is embarrassed for the workers at the pub to see the title of the book. What self-centered BS! She is embarrassed to admit to her Twilight loving friend she loves (not just likes) the stories.

She compares Twilight to well known classics, love stories all, and has the nerve to say Twilight is predictable! Tell me please the surprise in Wuthering Heights?

She feels the need to throw insults about mediocre writing, but that same writing grabbed her by the throat, caused her to miss her dinner sitting in front of her, caused her to sit up all night reading the book, and the others in the series. It also caused her to seek out answers from online sources for questions she had. She sat with Twilight and juxtaposed with Midnight Sun from Stephenie’s website (I have done this repeatedly) to further understand the nuances of both characters. Perhaps she needs to check the definition of mediocre.

Then she has to declare the “thread-bare” books are hidden in her closet. Why? So no one will see these “mediocre books” in your elitist house?

Puh-leeze. I like many books that are declared as classics. Are Stephenie’s books classics? No one alive today can answer that. We will be long gone from this world when that declaration is made.

I do know this: Her books, the stories, the characters, the passion they share, within the stories and with the readers, have inspired a modern phenomenon. They are still selling at a mad dog pace all over the world. The off-shoot from these books: movies, websites, book clubs, etc. is still growing. The pulsing, living entity that Stephenie’s books has inspired tells me these are damn good books.

If you, or anyone is embarrassed to have someone, anyone, know you read and yes, love these books, then step up to the plate. The books are not the problem, your problem is the facade you have plastered in place of the real you. The problem is this: You are a PHONY!

Ha! Well said creamy!! I couldn’t agree with you more! Bravo!

You are right, “Creamy”, I am a snob. I eat good organic food, I don’t watch television, I buy environmentally conscious/responsible products, I immerse myself in philosophy and culture at every turn and I have been irrevocably changed by a surprisingly good—yet badly written story. Shame on me!!
Allow me to rebuttal. Being a snob, you can deduce that my friends are no fools. As I stated in my article, they know me well enough to have noticed the change in my behavior over these books. It has now become a much enjoyed jab that I am a “reformed Twilight addict”. I can take their teasing me because I acknowledge who I am on all counts and I am comfortable with it.
I never said Wuthering Heights isn’t predictable. I simply stated it is a much better written story. It has been said countless times, by other Twilight fans in fact, that this series IS mediocre in its writing—never mind the grammatical errors. All love stories are predictable, else they would be horror stories. [Insert laughter here]
The story is, as you said, what grabbed me by the throat and not the writing. The reason I joined an online discussion group for the series was because the writing was so bad, I had to speak to others to feel my way through moments in the series that could have been more clearly expressed by Mrs. Meyer. I am not ashamed of the fact that since my joining of said community, I have befriended these fellow addicts—most of whom agree with me and stand beside my thoughts.
And you are exactly right. The Twilight series is still hidden deep in my closet, right alongside other controversial books by authors like Voltaire, Salman Rushdie and Orson Scott Card. I think the series is in pretty good company, wouldn’t you agree? My home is open to the public on a regular basis and rather than allow for public scrutiny of my personal collection, my more “interesting” volumes are out of sight.
Good for you that your palate is diverse. That renews my faith that I am not alone in my love for this series. But know this, dear: classics are classics because they are classically written, not because they are popular. Popular books are simply popular books.
Thank you for stating the blatantly obvious. No one has ever denied The Twilight series its pop-culture status. They are a phenomenon and have created a cult-like following that is astounding, I agree. Who wouldn’t? But so did The Harry Potter series which is a much better written and well put together story. So I am sorry, what was your point?
Have I not stepped to the plate, as you put it, dear? Have I not expressed my love for this series against all previous better judgment? Did I not admit my downward spiral into an obsessive love for a good story even if it is poorly written? There is nothing phony about me “Creamy”. I state who I am unabashedly: a snob who fell in love.

Relax.

First dear: Please take your own advice. Relax.

I’m not sure what your eating habits, non-television viewing, and eco-friendly purchases have to do with the subject at hand. Could it be you are trying to convince yourself of what you are? Or, who you are?

You don’t need to feel ashamed for loving these stories. Badly written you say? Are there mistakes? Sure. So what. Any mistake, grammatically or otherwise is irrelevent. I saw one or two in your response. Do you feel your message was diminished? Probably not.

These stories have characters crafted in such a way as to draw people in. We want to read them again and again. They are addictive because Stephenie created people and situations we can care about. WE LOVE THEM.

I agree with you that the Harry Potter series is excellent. I have read them all.

But back to you. You hide the subject of your conversation from a waiter (as if they care), you “loathe” your interest in this “sappy teen angst melodrama,” you want to hide under a table from your friend, you hide books in your closet so visitors can’t see, you lie to other friends about your real interest.

Glad to hear you stepped up to the plate, at least in part. Snob, yes. Phoney, without a doubt.

Why else would you exert such effort to maintain a facade to convince others of something other than the truth.

wow creamy, you’re really immature. this site is supposed to bring twilight fans together. i’m really tired of negative stuff like what you wrote (and all the kristen stuff). dahlia wasn’t personally attacking anybody. she loves the books and was just comically explaining her mature outlook which i agree with and enjoyed. please keep your junior high or high school drama where it belongs, not here.

I don’t blame her so much for not wanting to be seen with Twilight at first, because as soon as people see you with a book/item related to the Twilight Saga, you are immediately classed as one of THOSE people.

There are some people I know who think that my friends and I are just complete babbling idiots, as all we talk about is Twilight. But what I say to them is; you have your intrests, I have mine. I don’t criticise you, so I think it very rude that you would do something like that to me.

So, I am all for a fully Twilight lifestyle, but I try not to overdo it to the point where I am making other people feel uncomfortable.