Friday, April 24, 2009

Confession Time

First: Jody, my cyber writing accountability friend, I totally failed this week on getting anywhere near my word count. But somehow I don't feel too guilty. I think I needed the break.

You see, everyone, I posed yesterday's question for a very good reason. I got caught up in several good books that tell one amazingly inventive, creative, imaginary, fictitious, mythical world, and I'm not sorry one bit for the experience.

Yes, on the very rare occasion that little annoying editor in my head would prop up and say things like: "Too much introspection, let's get on with the action.", "Oh, come now, Mrs. Meyer, that would have made a wonderful scene. Why tell? You should have shown." Then my own mind would answer: "Take a look at the size of these books, Eileen. She had to tell some!" But, honestly, this happened very rarely, as I was engrossed in the read majorly.

All in all, Mrs. Meyer took me for an amazing ride with her Twilight Series. (Disclaimer: I'm not quite finished Breaking Dawn , but I may be by the time scheduler posts this.) It's difficult to break myself away from this story that trumps all just to write this confession, I admit. Perhaps it's because it's written in an imaginary world that I find it so interesting. The creativity and imagination tapped to create this fictitious world in Twilight, and yet relate it to the earth we walk on so well, is amazing to me.

If your teenager is mature enough to read fiction for fiction, knows the difference from reality, then you may want to see what these books are about and judge for yourself if your teenagers are ready for such an imaginative read.

Why am I so enthralled with this series? Let me try and state a few.

  • Abstinence. Though the story reason isn't the same as the one I give my children, it still leads to the same result. Not until after marriage. And Edward does think the same way as me, it would seem, at least at one point in the series. Wait because God advises us to. For my teenage daughter's reading, this is a major bonus to this secular series.
  • It portrays measures of unconditional love. At least, as close to an unconditional love that the majority of humans can truly offer. And it offers this concept in various threads of the story, not just the romance one. Huge bonus! We are definitely more selfish in nature than selfless. Hence, why Jesus, our Savior lives. Again, if your teenager is mature enough, they might read this between the lines.
  • The question of one's soul is addressed throughout. Though we're talking mythical, fictional characters here, any referencing to the importance of a soul is a good thing in my mind. It might spark questions to our teens. A desire for them to seek some counsel from God-fearing, God-loving children of our Creator in their real world, too. I'm all for that connection.
  • There is no graphic description of the act of sex in at least the first half of Breaking Dawn after Belle and Edward are married and try. We get a before and after look at Belle's nerves, anticipation, and finally, reaction, but that's all. So refreshing in a story written for the secular market. (Again, I reserve the right to change my mind on this if Meyer's doesn't stick to her first depiction styling throughout the rest of the book.)
  • And to wrap this list up, though I could find many other reasons for enjoying this series, I really value the hope this series offers in regard to breaking down the enemy lines in our lives. It is our perception of the enemy that keeps them the enemy in many cases. If we allow ourselves to see the good in those who seem so opposite and opposed to us, peace may be viable and even rewarding.

Anyway, that's why my writing was slim pickings this week. I needed to rest in someone else's creation of a fictional world, and just be mostly entertained for once.

Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

15 comments:

Katie Ganshert said...

I also got swept away in those books! I read them when my six month old boy was just out in the world - a few weeks old. I would be up pacing the living room with him in my arms, and instead of stomping my feet at being awake at such a ghastly hour - I would read while I paced. I thank Stephanie Meyer (is it Meyer or Meyers?) for keeping me company. They definitely draw you in!

Eileen Astels Watson said...

Oops, thanks, Katie. It is Stephenie Meyer. I always concentrated on Stephenie with an "e" instead of an "a" that I never paid much attention to her last name. Isn't that awful!

Books are great in those very young rearing years. I almost forgot about those nights. LOL

Katie Ganshert said...

The only reason I asked was because I wrote her name on my last blog and I always called her Meyers - then I Googled it quick and saw Meyer and typed it, even though it sounded funny. I thought maybe I was wrong (it happens a lot). Stephenie - not Stephanie. That's good to know!

I'm excited for you to finish the last one. It gets pretty "out there", but I still liked them.

Terri Tiffany said...

But you are honing your craft by reading so no excuse necessary:)) Look what you got from it!

Eileen Astels Watson said...

Terri, you're so right. It's wonderful being a writer because you never need to feel guilty about reading. You do, however, have to find a balance between reading and writing and real life. That's difficult to master, at least for me it is. I love to live in fictional worlds too much.

Jody Hedlund said...

Hi Eileen,
OK. I'll let you off the hook this once!! :) For a writer, getting into a book is the only excuse that works!! Sick kids, no. Family emergency, no. But good book, yes!

Glad you had a refreshing week! We need it every once in a while to help us keep on going!

Hope you have a good day with your daughter and with finishing the book!

Eileen Astels Watson said...

Jody, you are too funny!! I use ALL those excuses as often as I can, you know.

Good luck with your writing today, as well.

Sherrinda Ketchersid said...

Ahhh, to escape in a book is one of my favorite things to do! Since I started writing, it is harder to let go and just be a reader, but there are books out there that "take me away". I love that! I also enjoyed the Twilight books and it gave my daughter and I alot to talk about. The last one does get a little strange (one word....IMPRINTING!) I recently read a partial of the first book from Edward's perspective. Very interesting.

Jennifer Shirk said...

I just started Twilight last night! (Too soon for me to wager an opinion but so far so good) :)

Jessica Nelson said...

I Love getting lost in books! I'm glad you're enjoying yourself and don't think you should feel guilty at all. :-)

Jeannie Campbell, LMFT said...

i got totally lost in those books, as well. my husband was deployed, and i wished they had lasted longer than they did! then katie told me about Meyer's Midnight Sun (which half is on her website...it's twilight from edward's POV...and it's awesome!) so i read that...yay! you've got even more to go to when you finish breaking dawn. love me some vampires. :)

Eileen Astels Watson said...

Hey, Ladies:

Glad to see I'm not alone in getting lost in these. And, ah, yes, the whole imprinting thing. Very strange! I keep thinking I ought to study wolves. Maybe that wild creature does do something like that with their kind. You wonder where Stephenie Meyer came up with all this way-out-there creativity. Just amazing! I bet she keeps her husband and kids on their toes with her imagination!

I must read Edward's version some day...soon. That would be cool.

jess said...

I'm so tired of people bashing this series! Yes, the writing style isn't so sophisticated, but large numbers of people have responded to it, which means there's something about the story that touches us as humans.
Good observations. If I reread them, I'll be looking for those elements. And hopefully stifling my internal editor.
How's the novel going? (I can see how it's "coming" by your word count, but I still want to know how it's "going.")

Eileen Astels Watson said...

Jess, I've heard rumblings about it, too. Similar to the Harry Potter Series. Whether it's jealousy or fear of the mythical, very fictitious world that drives their comments, I'm not sure, but I find this Twilight series quite facinating!!!

As for the writing not being sophistacted. I don't know. Are teen novels supposed to be? I can't see how any teen would get into it if it was, really. I like simplicity myself. But still there is imagery enough for me in it.

My novel? Thanks for asking, Jess. It is, or rather, was going well as of last week. Hopefully once I get back into it next week it'll be going well again. Though I soon have to set it aside to brush up an old one for pitching at the conference I'm attending in June. How are things going for you?

Thanks for stopping by, it was great 'hear' from you again!

Michelle D. Argyle said...

Getting lost in a good book is a great reason for a break! Reading always helps my writing in the long run.

Those are great reasons to like the series! They annoyed me, yes, because of the writing. Not my style, and I normally don't like YA. But I did enjoy the books, and you have excellently stated reasons here that the books are good.

Thank you for a great post!