New Addictions

By Nichole Giles

I recently added a new addition to my stash of books. This storyline has lead to an addiction that is apparently sweeping the nation. I’m talking about the Stephanie Meyers vampire series beginning with Twilight.

I have been meaning to read this series for a while, but have had so many things to keep up with that I’ve put it off. When I finally picked it up and got started, I was glad I for the wait, and even more glad for the chance to finally read it. Why? Because I couldn’t put it down. Not even to write.

Let me explain further. I started Twilight while on a camping trip with my family. Even with many interruptions, I finished the book in two days. Granted I’m a fast reader, but only when I’m completely absorbed. Actually, I was so engrossed by this book that when I finished it—while sick with pneumonia and fighting to breathe—I went directly from the doctor’s office on a quest to find books 2 and 3, New Moon and Eclipse, even though I had no energy for shopping. (I know I’m beyond help.)

To my consternation, they were much harder to find than I expected. Since Eclipse had only just been released a great many people were on the hunt for both books. But after three stores—and one extremely lucky find, thanks to the book fairy—I had both books. I hurried home, loaded up on cold medicine and settled in for three solid days of nothing but reading.

My addiction got me thinking. How would I feel if my book was so engrossing that people were willing to obsessively drive around in a fevered stupor in order to find it? And what would it be like if I knew that full grown adults were excited to put on one of the tattoos included in the back of the second book? (These same adults judiciously hiding the special tattoos from their kids.)

Hm. I don’t know how it would feel, but I have decided I really want to find out. So, I have to tell Stephanie thanks for a great example of what a well written, national-hit, LDS style romance/ fantasy can be.

There is no better motivation than having someone else’s work push you to extremes to find it. I can only hope that someday someone in the world will want my work that bad. Only then will I be satisfied.