Glad to be a Twilight fan yet a little wistful

Hmmm this feels familiar

Dear Twilight,

I was watching the live feed of The Hunger Games premiere tonight while I worked and it made me a little sad, a little annoyed, and a lot relieved.
. 

A little sad because it’s kinda like watching the beginning of Twilight all over again, only this time I know like half the fandom already, I’ve read all the books and I’m not mispronouncing the main dude’s name in instant messages to UC. But I still feel like I’m missing out a little when I see all our other site friends posting pictures and updates from the premiere. It also makes me feel a little wistful that this fandom is just getting ramped up as Twilight is winding down. It makes me think of how we’re in the final sprint towards the finish line.
. 

Yup, more familiar...

A little annoyed because the whole thing looked like Twilight the redux from the set up at LA Live, Yahoo covering it live, fans in that camping area, the Kardashians in the “Bing Box” all the way down to the black carpet. I doubt LA Live even bothered to vacum those before they went in storage they just rolled ’em back out and dusted off the dried tears and Krispy Kreme crumbs (say that 5 times fast). I mean Summit and Lionsgate are now merged and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, but still it’s a little like, come on guys.
. 

Killing it!

That brings us to a lot relieved. I watch this and while I’m a bit sad, a lot wistful, a little annoyed I’m mostly terribly relieved! It’s been fun to watch from the sidelines without being a stake holder. Who in the Twilight fandom will jump ship to the new fandom? Who will be the Robsten of Hunger Games? Who will leak stills from the film and launch an all out fandom war? Which fansites will not be on the red carpet and which won’t? Who will write a fan fic that becomes popular and decides to publish it? Ya know what? It doesn’t matter for us but it’s a ton of fun to watch with a bucket of popcorn via Twitter and Facebook.
. 

And you know what, we have one more left here in this fandom and for that I’m SUPER excited. Now bring on the freaking trailer/sneak peek whatever it is we’re going to see from Breaking Dawn Pt 2 being Hunger Games next weekend.

So hooooonnngray!
Themoonisdown

Your thoughts? Are you feeling the same way or have you jumped head first into the HG fandom?
Image source: Down with the Capitol 

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The Hunger Games sooooo wants to be like Twilight

Dear Hunger Games,

(Yes LTT reader, you’re in the right place) I want to tell you a story about a picture- a picture I saw THREE Years ago that changed my life. A picture that, after I saw was accompanied by a video about the making of the picture, I spent hours watching and wondering about trying to figure out what was going on with the characters .

In this picture the lead female was wearing converse. The two men she is torn between are both present in the picture, but you wouldn’t know yet that there is a love triangle. There are hunky dudes. There’s a black guy. Some of the guys are pretty short- like it would have been better had they made him stand on a box. There are girls clinging to their male friends. The colors were raw & bland- almost sepia like. They were in a field- a dry field, almost a desert but with trees. It was… perfection. The perfect beginning for an incredible story. You know what I’m talking about. It was…..this:

Wait. That’s not right. Wait.. Is it? What happened? It looks different. But it looks the same? Short guy in the back? Is that you Taylor? Hunky dark-hair dude- you’re Rob? Did Renesmee join this picture?? What the…

Ohhhhh, I see. This is the cast of The Hunger Games. Here is the picture I was talking about:

I see what you’re doing here. You’re trying to copy Twi. It worked for them, right? After this picture the saga went on to be a multi-billion dollar smash hit for Summit. Trying to steal some of their “Vanity-Fair Style” beginnings, eh? Or we’re there really no other locations left for photos-hoots in California?

Look familiar?

The other night I was at a dinner reunion of the BBC (Brookelockart, Bunny (My real name, remember?) and Calliopeblabs) and we were discussing this picture and how obviously it looks like the first Twilight cast picture. You can’t ignore that fact. Did you do that intentionally? To get us talking about it? Maybe. It worked. But we started talking about The Hunger Games & what the frenzy WILL be like once the first movie is finally released. Will it be like Twilight? Will it be worse? Less? Or just… different? Brooke mentioned she recently saw the promo pic for “Warm Bodies” the zombie love story that Summit is making into a film. Look familiar? Yeah.

Can the Twilight frenzy be replicated? Is it different than the frezies of other sagas? I think so. I’m here writing on a Twilight blog, not a Harry Potter blog or Hunger Games blog. But maybe that’s just me.

One big difference I see with Twilight is the romance. It’s central to the story. For Harry Potter & The Hunger Games it’s just a nice side note amidst what could be really sad without the lightness that it brings. So the romance in Twilight means its going to appeal mainly to girls & the occasional sensitive unicorn. Other movies (like you, Hunger Games) have had (and have the potential for) a big male following. Appealing to mostly girls means more passion more drama & more … well, whatever you call you the Nonsten/Robsten stuff (and HEY- Harry Potter didn’t have that… two cast members who did it (or didn’t do it. whatever) off screen… That DOES mean something with Twilight!)

But, hey, you can try to replicate Twilight.. Go for it!  All you need next is—>

But I think you should do your own thing .. Cuz your story is pretty damn great

Xp
UC

What do you think? Did you think “Twilight” the MINUTE you saw The Hunger Games picture like we and all the people who emailed/tweeted & facebooked us did? And that guy playing Peetah is gay right? (I’m a big fan of the books but soooo out of it when it comes to the movies. MAN he’s short)

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Read the vanity Fair article about The Hunger Games

Updated Friday afternoon

I apologize. I forgot the most important part of today’s letter:

There it is!

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Cheating on Twilight with the Hunger Games

Can you believe that in 20 months of blogging Moon & I have never been gone at the same time? Well, we broke our streak of blogging perfection & we’re BOTH gone this week. Moon is in Africa being selfless caring for kids & I’m sipping champy from a can on a beach in South Carolina (and meeting LTT friend @lula34 for the FIRST time in person!) We were tempted to hang up a “Gone Fishin’ ” sign this week and say “see ya next week” BUT… we resisted. We’ll be bringing you fan letters, some fun posts & mostly just have a simple week. So rest up as we do too and we’ll be back with you next week! Oh- pending comments will be approved but slower than usual- Moon has to send me an owl from Kenya then I use send a telegram to Stephenie Meyer asking her to approve new comments- she’s the only one we trust.  You’re in good hands today- Obird Moon’s favorite “boobs in the shoes” girl takes the reigns today and has a shocking confession!

Looks like there's a new kid on the block...

Dear Twilight Saga,

I have a confession to make….you might want to buckle your seat belt.  I am fully anticipating being shot at dawn for my crimes, but I have to come clean.  The weight of my transgressions are just too much to carry and I just can’t take the guilt any longer.  So, here it is.  I have been cheating on you.  (ducking head to avoid the onslaught of flaming darts from the Twihards)  But wait, before you break-up with me please hear me out….I mean we were “on a break” and all.  Who was it you ask?   Well, if you really MUST know it was Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Series.  I couldn’t help myself….actually, I blame Janetrigs and Lula with their “Real Books are the ONLY way jazz”….and when the two of them love a book and tell you to read it….YOU DO IT!  How many times can one person read #PeetaOwnsMe on twitter and not be curious??  I’m only human after all.  I mean even the Queen Bee herself has a gleaming review on the back of the book.  I told myself I would just read a few chapters to see if I liked it.  I seriously didn’t even think I would like it….there aren’t even any cool hands holding apples on the front cover….it’s just some weird bird with an arrow in it’s mouth.  Alas, I was weak and it sucked me in with its amazingness from chapter one.

Now I know this might be a little premature because the Hunger Games trilogy is not yet complete (Mockingjay comes out 8/24/2010 count it down peeps), but I might go as far to say I think this series may be the “next Twilight”.  <—insert record screeching, car crashing, baby crying, woman screaming, apocalyptic mass hysteria  etc.  WAIT….don’t leave….I’m not saying it will REPLACE Twilight, but it just might be the next in line to take the YA fandom by storm.  So, being a major Twi fangirl fail I took to to my email to see if I was totally going crazy!  Thank goodness I had both Lula and Freya to help me work through the guilt…..proceed with caution and an open mind.  PS….slight spoilers ahead.

It's a fandom when the creepy drawings show up.

The first question Twi vs. Hunger Games……and GOOOOOO!!!

Lula:  Twilight is the brooding romantic fluff that we all love, the other is young adult literature with a strong heroine & sensitive subject matter with a Sci-Fi bent.  There is room for both!

Obird: I completely agree.  I mean Twi will ALWAYS be very special, but I was so taken a back by how much I loved Hunger Games.  It is the first set of books since Twilight that gave me that “special feeling”….twss.

Lula: Loving another series isn’t a traitorous act.  Like ebony & ivory, I don’t see why Twilight and Hunger Games can’t live together in perfect harmony.

Obird: I mean even SM loved them and couldn’t put them down….If that is a “get out of jail free” pass, I don’t know what is.

Then I pulled out the serious guns….aka my tweed jacket and brought Freya into the mix…..

Freya: The Twilight series were the right books at the right time for me.  I needed an Edward in my life; that romantic, protective hero who would sacrifice anything for the one he loves.  It was very satisfying, and I got hooked into the series.

Obird: Amen lady.

Freya: Hunger Games has not made me obsess like Twi did, but there are elements about it that are superior to Twi.

Obird: Well, I think I might have to join a support group, so give me an example.

Freya:  Katniss.  Katniss is extraordinary.  Bella downplays any talents that she might have (although I do think that Bella is more interesting and talented than she gives herself credit for), but Katniss knows that there are things she can do that are better than others.  She’s not vain, she just has some confidence in herself.

Obird: Yes, I totally fangirl over her with the bow and arrows….I wish I had at least some sweet nunchuck skills!!  Ok, I’m gonna hit below the belt ladies.  Peeta vs. Edward.

Lula: When Katniss kisses Peeta and says that for the first time since they were in the cave together, in the first Games, she “felt that thing again…something stir deep inside. Instead of satisfying me, the kisses have the opposite effect, of making my need greater.  I thought I was something of an expert on hunger, but this is an entirely new kind.”  That. Right there.  That my friend did it for me….slayed me, completed me more than any meadow scene or cold breathy kisses. ‘Cause that right there was freaking amazing….beautiful…frightening….HOT.

I'm team falafel

Freya: Edward vs. Peeta….Must I choose?  They’re so different.  So I’ll differentiate this way:
I would want Edward:
To do home renovations
To buy me presents
To be on my dodgeball team
To help me do math

I would want Peeta:
To snuggle with
To make secret plans with
To make decisions with (because I would get a say)
To go into business with

Obird: I guess I could settle for a Peeta/Edward sandwhich….heavy on the Peeta ’cause y’all know I’m a sucker for the carbs.

Well, fear not I will always love Twilight and nothing can take that away, but I must say I have enjoyed my torrid affair.  Hey, I will even share!  If you haven’t read Hunger Games…..GO READ IT!!  You will love it….and like Lula says….that’s ok.  There is room for both in your heart…I promise….you know ebony and ivory and all that jazz! If you have already read HG what are your thoughts???  Do you want a Peeta/Edward sammy??

Thanks to Freya and Lula for talking me off the ledge and making me want to play dodgeball at 1:30 am….you ladies rule.

Don’t forget “WE WERE ON A BREAK”

xo,
Obird

So what say you? Do you feel like you’re cheating on Twilight when you read and love other stuff or do you understand there’s room for lots of great stories in your life? Who’s read Hunger Games?

And hey… even though it’s not true… what the heck:

Hey- have you sent in anything for “While Moon was Gone” yet!?

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