sweet little lies...

If you picked up 'LA Candy' last year from Lauren Conrad, you might be interested to know what happens next as her bittersweet saga continues in her Sophomore effort 'Sweet Little Lies'. Well, today is your lucky day, as TBAE has an exclusive excerpt just for you:

CRAZY GIRL

Just before 9 a.m. on Monday morning, Jane pulled into her usual parking spot behind Fiona Chen's building. She turned off the engine and carefully searched the entire lot through the window. Good—no photographers. She’d had to fend off two of them outside the apartment earlier. They were so obnoxious, shouting questions at her about Braden and Jesse—"Jane, why did Braden move to New York?" "Jane, what do you think of Jesse's new girlfriend?"—and snapping picture after picture of her while she gritted her teeth and tried to ignore them. She hadn't heard anything about Braden going to New York or Jesse having a new girlfriend. But she knew better than to talk to paparazzi.

Still . . . the thought of Braden and Jesse moving on without her, and so quickly, made her heart feel heavy. Neither had tried to contact her since the Gossip story broke. Obviously she hadn't tried to contact them, either. She knew she had to at some point. She owed Braden an apology—for hooking up with him when she was so mixed-up about everything, and for inadvertently getting him involved in this whole mess. And she owed Jesse an even bigger apology. She had no idea how she could possibly make things right after cheating on him, and in front of the whole world, too.

There was one guy she didn't owe anything—and he seemed to have no problem getting in touch with her: Caleb had texted her yesterday, from Vail—something about the awesome powder, and did she remember when they went to Tahoe during her senior year, and she wiped out on her new snowboard, like, twenty times? A few minutes later, he had texted her a photo of her lying in a pile of snow and laughing hysterically. Jane had no idea why he was sending her this stuff. It was nice that he was thinking about her. But confusing. And she didn't need "confusing" right now, on top of everything else.

Riding up to her office in the crowded elevator, Jane felt butterflies in her stomach. And not the good kind. She hadn't been to work in over a week, and she was really nervous about facing Fiona. She had sent her boss a quick email yesterday, saying that she would be back in the office on Monday. Fiona had responded right away, writing simply: SEE YOU TOMORROW AT 9 SHARP.

So what was in store for Jane at 9 sharp? A furious Fiona waiting with a long lecture? A pink slip, telling her that she had two weeks to find new employment? Maybe one followed by the other. Can't wait. To make things worse, the L.A. Candy cameras were up there already, prepared to shoot Jane's return to work. When Trevor had called Jane yesterday, Jane had felt compelled to pick up after ignoring him for so long. He asked her if it would be okay for them to shoot her at work the following day. After going MIA on him, what could she say but yes?

Much to her surprise, Trevor had been really sweet on the phone and didn't sound angry at all about the Gossip thing or her disappearing to Cabo. Which was weird, since he'd sounded so stressed in his messages. He told her that he was happy she was back, and that everything was going to be fine. He said that he'd been thinking about how to present "recent events" on the show, and thought her story line should be that she had cheated on Jesse (without naming Braden, of course), and that she wasn’t sure who had spilled the news to Jesse. Maybe she could confess to someone, like her coworker and friend Hannah Stratton, that she felt really bad about the whole thing. It would be Jane's opportunity to tell her side of the story. He promised her that after people saw her side, everything would be better. And that was that. Trevor added that he would talk to each of the girls—Madison, Gaby, Scarlett, and Hannah—to clue them in on his ideas.

Jane was relieved that Trevor was being so nice about everything. At the same time, she wasn't sure how she felt about his interpretation of "recent events." Trevor's story line wasn't exactly accurate. On the other hand, it sounded a lot more PG—and more protective of Braden’s privacy—than what had really happened.

Jane also didn’t like the idea of Trevor talking to Hannah about his ideas. Hannah wasn’t one of the main girls on the show—just someone who was lucky or unlucky (depending on your perspective) enough to have a desk across from Jane, which meant that she was almost always shot as part of the office “scenes.” Hannah wasn’t used to dealing with Trevor and Dana. Couldn’t he leave her out of this?

Trevor had also emailed Jane some short scripts he wanted her to record later that day, at the recording studio. They were the voice-overs that Jane always narrated for the show, recapping previous episodes for each new episode. Months ago, before the series premiere, Dana had told Jane that she had been chosen for the voice-overs because she was thought to be the most relatable of the four girls. Whatever that meant.

Jane pulled out her blackberry, opened the e-mail and glanced over the lines briefly as several people got out on the fourth floor. (The elevator was moving soooo slowly today—and Jane didn’t want to be late on her first day back.) One of the lines caught her attention: Last week at the gym, Scarlett and Gaby met a couple of cute guys from Texas. Will there be a double date in their future?

What? Scar and Gaby were going to the gym together now? Scar couldn’t stand Gaby, or at least, that was what she had always claimed. Jane couldn’t picture Scar and Gaby working out together—much less going out on a double date together. Had the world turned upside down while she was in Cabo?

The elevator doors finally opened on the fifth floor, and Jane stepped out. She was disoriented for a moment when she saw that the waiting area—usually so peaceful, with its dark gold walls, soft lighting, and miniature Zen garden complete with trickling waterfall—had been overrun by the PopTV crew. A couple of guys were running around with equipment, while Dana and Matt, one of the directors, were having a conversation by the receptionist’s desk.

Dana snapped to attention when she saw Jane. “Good morning, Jane! Hope you had a great Christmas. Not to rush you, but we gotta get a mike on you right away.”

“Not to rush you”? “Good morning”? Had someone slipped a Prozac into Dana’s morning coffee?

“Fiona’s all ready for you in her office,” Matt added. Matt was a nice guy, even though Jane had been confused by his presence the first time they met. After all, L.A. Candy was a reality show. Why was a director necessary? Like someone had to “direct” her getting a cup of coffee or chatting with her friends? Jane had quickly figured out that he was there to direct the shots, not the girls. His job was to watch all the cameras at the same time on his portable screen and make sure they got the necessary footage.

Matt frowned into his headset. “Or . . . not. What, Ramon?” he said to the person on the other end. “Well, fine. Let me know when she’s done with hair and makeup.” Jane knew that Fiona called in her own hair and makeup stylist on shooting days. The boss lady pretended not to care about things like her TV image, but she did.

One of the crew members came over and handed Jane a small silver microphone attached to a wire. “You wearing a bra under that?” he asked, nodding at her pale blue halter dress. That question used to make Jane blush. But she was used to it by now.

“No, it’s got, like, this built-in bra. But I can tape it onto the dress.”

“Great. You know the drill.”

As Jane worked on the mike (it created a little humpback under her dress, which she covered with her hair), she saw the receptionist out of the corner of her eye giving her a little wave. Naomi was petite, blond, stylish, and whispered most of the time, not because she was naturally soft-spoken but because she was terrified of Fiona and took her philosophy of keeping a calm, tranquil atmosphere very literally. Which was pretty hilarious, given the chaos Jane and the PopTV crew brought to the office. Jane waved back. It was nice to see a friendly face.

“Okay, Fiona’s ready for you now,” Matt called out to Jane. “Let’s get a quick shot of you coming out of the elevators and saying hi to Natalie.”

“Naomi,” Naomi whispered.

“What?” Matt frowned.

“Her name’s Naomi,” Jane said helpfully.

“Naomi. And then Naomi will tell you that Fiona wants to see you, and you’ll head on back,” Matt went on. After shooting the exciting scene for twenty minutes—they had to let several crowded elevators go by, and then a FedEx delivery guy wandered into the frame, requiring a retake—Jane was ready to go face Fiona. Well, readyish.

Fiona sat behind her desk, busily typing on her computer. Two camera guys were in opposite corners of the room, filming. Forty-something and striking, Fiona was wearing one of her trademark all-black ensembles. Her freshly done hair and makeup looked lovely, especially with the help of the muted lighting, which Jane knew had taken the crew about two hours to achieve. They always had to go through this when filming in Fiona’s office. The fact that she insisted they leave her office exactly the way they found it meant they couldn’t leave the enormous lights in there and had to bring them in and out every time they filmed. “Good morning, Fiona,” Jane said with a nervous smile.

Fiona stopped typing and glanced up. “Good morning, Jane,” she said simply, nodding toward the chair on the opposite side of her desk.

Jane sat down on one of Fiona’s prized Eames chairs, set her bag on the floor, and waited. She mentally braced herself for the worst: Your behavior has disgraced this entire company! You’ve made one mistake too many! You’re fired! You’re—

“I have a new assignment for you,” Fiona announced. “Crazy Girl has hired us to do a Valentine’s Day party to launch their new drink flavor. I’m putting you in charge of it, and Hannah will be helping out. Ruby Slipper will be doing the PR, so you and Hannah will be coordinating with Gaby Garcia.”

Jane was stunned. No chastisement from Fiona for leaving without notice? It was as though nothing had happened. It was business as usual. And a new assignment? With a major client like Crazy Girl?

Also, how was it that she was going to be working on the assignment with Gaby, who happened to be on L.A. Candy, too? Had Trevor intervened somehow?

“The budget will be . . . Why aren’t you writing this all down?” Fiona demanded sharply.

“What? Oh, I’m sorry!” Flustered, Jane reached into her bag and pulled out a small notebook and pen. Despite the unanswered questions in her mind, Jane couldn’t help but feel kind of excited. Crazy Girl was a new brand of energy drink designed to appeal to a female market that might be put off by seemingly macho energy drinks like Katapult and Dragon Fuel. Even though it was new, the Crazy Girl name seemed to be all over the place. Now it would be all over a Valentine’s Day party organized by her, Jane Roberts. It was pretty amazing.

Fiona proceeded to give Jane more instructions about the assignment, while Jane took notes in her nearly illegible shorthand. When Fiona was finished, Jane said, “Great. I’m on it. I’m really excited about working on this project.”

“Crazy Girl is a very important new client for us, Jane. I need your full attention here.”

“Absolutely.”

“I haven’t had a chance to discuss this with Hannah, so please fill her in.”

“No problem.”

As Jane put her notebook away, she remembered something. “Isn’t . . . didn’t we have another party scheduled for Valentine’s Day? Anna Payne’s wedding or recommitment ceremony or something?”

“Recommitment ceremony. And no, that’s been canceled. She and her husband split up.”

“Really? What happened?”

“Apparently she cheated on him with his best friend while he was in rehab.”

Jane felt heat rising to her cheeks. “Okay, well, um . . . is there anything else?”

“No, that will be all,” Fiona said without looking up from her computer screen.

As the camera guys started to move their equipment to film in her and Hannah’s office, Jane gathered her stuff and stood up. And sat back down again. She had a few minutes between scenes, and she had something she wanted to say to Fiona off-camera. She waited as the room slowly emptied.

“Um, Fiona?”

“Yes?” Fiona picked up her cell and began punching in a number.

“I’m . . . well, I wanted to apologize. For everything that happened, and for disappearing last week. It was really unprofessional of me, and I’m really, really sorry.”

Fiona stared at Jane, then clicked her phone shut. Her dark eyes softened. “Apology accepted,” she said gently. “You’ve been through a lot. I’m sure it hasn’t been easy for you. But you’re a strong, smart girl, and you’ll survive this. I have faith in you.”

Jane blinked. Had Fiona, the world’s scariest boss (in Jane’s opinion, anyway), just decided to be human?

“Thank you,” Jane gushed. “Thank you so much, it’s really nice of you to—”

“Yes. Well, sorry, but I’ve got to take this,” Fiona cut in as she brought her phone to her ear. Her voice was hard again.

Jane scrambled to her feet. She’d better get out of there before Fiona decided not to be so understanding, after all. No point in pushing her luck!

“I’m so glad you’re back. Things haven’t been the same without you,” Hannah said. She hooked a long strand of honey-blond hair over her ear. “Did you have a good Christmas?”

“Yeah, it was nice to see my parents and my sisters,” Jane said. She glanced briefly at the two camera guys filming in the corners, then at the top of her desk, which was cluttered as always with files, fabric swatches, and magazine clippings. There was a vase of frilly peach tulips next to her Mac. “Where’d these come from?”

“Oh, I picked them up on my way in. I thought they’d cheer you up.”

“Wow. That was really sweet. Thank you!”

“You’re welcome!”

Jane smiled at Hannah. Hannah had started working at Fiona Chen Events shortly after Jane. She was one of the nicest people Jane had met in L.A., and she was a good listener, too. In fact, Jane used to confide in her a lot about Jesse—not just because of her listening skills but because she was one of Jane’s only friends who actually liked Jesse. Madison, Gaby, Scar (especially Scar), and even Braden had all advised her to stay far away from him because he was trouble. Hannah was the only person who had encouraged Jane to follow her heart. And back then, before everything blew up, Jane’s heart had told her that she was falling for Jesse. That they belonged together.

“So we’re gonna be working on the Crazy Girl party together,” Jane said. “It’s gonna be amazing.” “Definitely,” Hannah agreed.

“We need to go over some details, then set up a meeting with Ruby Slipper.”

“Yes! Anytime is fine with me. My schedule’s pretty clear.” Hannah peered at her computer monitor. That girl was always on IM at work.

Jane felt her phone vibrating and fished it out of her bag. It was a text from Dana.

CAN YOU SAY GABYS NAME WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT RUBY SLIPPER? Dana had written.

Jane ignored the text and shoved the phone back into her bag. Guess that’s confirmed, she thought. Trevor had obviously intervened, convincing Fiona to pair Jane and Gaby up for the Crazy Girl party. The PopTV cameras would be all over their entire event-planning process from beginning to end.

“Soooo. Have you, um, talked to Jesse lately?” Hannah asked, breaking the silence of the room.

Jane shook her head. “No. I’ve been meaning to call him, but . . .” Her voice trailed off.

“You really should call him,” Hannah told her. “I’m sure he wants to talk to you.”

“I’m pretty sure he doesn’t,” Jane said. “I don’t think he’ll ever forgive me.”

“You made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes.”

“Yeah, well, this wasn’t just a mistake. I really screwed up, Hannah.”

Then, before Jane knew what was happening, her eyes welled with tears. She wiped a tear off her cheek. “I really screwed up,” she repeated, whispering.

Hannah got up from her desk and hurried over to Jane. She wrapped her arms around Jane’s shoulders and gave her a big hug. “We all screw up once in a while,” she said. “Call Jesse. Apologize to him. You’re gonna feel so much better if you do.”

“I’ll think about it,” Jane said, wiping away another tear.

Jane remembered then that the cameras were still rolling. She had just confessed to Hannah on-camera how bad she felt about cheating on Jesse. This was what Trevor had told her to do when they spoke on the phone last night, wasn’t it? Did that mean he’d put those words into her mouth? No, they were her words. So why did she feel a strange sense of . . . what? Being directed somehow? And had Trevor directed Hannah, too? No, that’s crazy, she told herself. Trevor’s suggestions were no different from Dana’s text-messaged requests. They were simply meant to help shape the girls’ conversations while they were on-camera. To make things more interesting for TV. After all, they couldn’t just sit there and talk about nothing, right?

Right?

For more from "Sweet Little Lies", make sure to get it when it gets its release date in the UK, as well as a special edition of "LA Candy" in Paperback, with behind the scenes information, photos, and twitter extras.

Exclusive Q&A with Lauren:

1. You had a whirlwind book tour, 2 weeks and 10 cities. What was your favorite thing about meeting your fans?
Beginning the tour, I didn't really know what to expect. It was a bit intimidating looking over the schedule of all the stops we were making, but then the tour began. No matter how tired you are from the travel or lack of sleep, arriving at a book store with 1,000+ people waiting for you will make you forget. Every person was so kind and happy to be there. It was such a pleasure meeting everyone who came and now I can't wait until my next tour!

2. Congratulations on selling the movie rights to L.A. Candy! We would kill to know some details. Do you have any exclusive info you can share?
We are in the very early stages right now, but I am looking forward to all I am going to learn thoughout the development of this movie. Stay tuned for more...

3. In Sweet Little Lies, Jane escapes to Mexico to get away from the media circus. What do you do/where do you go to get away from it all?
My favorite place to go for a quick getaway is Cabo. That is actually why I sent Jane there in L.A. Candy. It's a beautiful place, full of remote resorts, and it's a quick flight from L.A. If I ever had to make a quick getaway, Cabo San Lucas would be my first stop.

4. I love the titles of the chapters! Like "Just Another Guy" or "Is That Girl From That Show?" How do you come up with these?
The chapter titles are actually lines within the chapters themselves.

5. Now that we all know the characters, what is your favorite thing about each of them? [Jane, Scarlett, Madison, Braden, Jesse.]

Jane:	She can be a bit naive, but tends to see the good in people.
Scarlett:	She is intelligent and very strong, but if you are one of the few that she trusts enough to let in, you'll see a softer side of her.
Madison:	As you learn more about Madison, it's easier to understand her. She is shallow, bitchy, and conniving, but she isn't heartless.
Braden:	He is sweet and laid-back. He basically represents everything Hollywood is not.
Jesse:	He is the bad boy that everyone loves. He is good-looking and charming...with a darker side.

6. Can you give us a hint about what Madison is hiding?
Madison is hiding her past. She isn't the person everyone thinks she is, and there is someone out there who is threatening to expose her for who she really is.

7. So you're busy working on the next book in the series. Can you give us an inside scoop?
The next book is titled Sugar and Spice. It continues the story of the girls and the increased impact the show is having on their lives. In this book, Sugar and Spice, not everyone is nice.

P.S Lauren's Favourite Book is The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald - Again, a classic and a must read so go pick it up!!

stephenie speaks...

In celebration of the release of the twilight saga: new moon [which i have now seen, will see again numerous times, will buy the t-shirts and the special ed dvds and cannot stress how amazing the film is], stephenie meyer has answered some fan questions in regards to writing the twilight saga and her views on the film, the cast, the soundtrack, her inspirations, and much more. the interview is really interesting and gives a first hand glance into stephenie's own way of writing. enjoy!

What was your favorite thing about Chris Weitz and how was his interpretation of the books different from Catherine Hardwicke? - Mira N.

My favorite thing about Chris Weitz: everything. Sounds hyperbole-ish, but he's really that amazing. If you follow along on some of the cast interviews you'll hear the same thing over and over. We all adore Chris. I would have to say that my very favorite thing about Chris as a director, coming from my unique position, is his passion for being true to the source material. He really immersed himself in the Twilight world and came to the set with the feel of it already in his head. We were very much on the same page. Second thing, he listens really well—to everybody, cast and crew.

In comparing New Moon to Twilight, I would say that the biggest difference in style is that Chris is more classic while Catherine is a little more edgy and modern. I wouldn't want both movies to be the same, though. I like seeing different interpretations. After all, no two people see the same thing when they read a novel. I enjoy seeing that visually.

After seeing Twilight the movie you mentioned that you wish you had thought of Bella catching a glimpse of Edward watching her sleep and thinking it was only a dream. Are there any new moments in the New Moon movie that you thought...I wish I had thought of that? Miss having you around the fandom, Nicole B. (Cocoa) Crestwood, KY

Hey Cocoa! I miss you guys, too! Hope you're well!

New Moon stays closer to the novel, so there aren't a lot of scenes that aren't closely related to the book. I am a little sad that my action movie—Crosshairs—is so generically titled. I like the name of the action movie they used for the film (they couldn't use Crosshairs because there is a movie named Crosshairs somewhere out there). It makes me laugh every time Kristen says it.

Also (and I don't consider this a spoiler because you've seen the trailers) there is a bit of a fight sequence in the Volturi tower now that isn't there in the book. At first, I had some resistance to this idea because in my mythology, if you start a fight with the Volturi, your story ends right there. It would have been kind of a bummer to have Edward, Bella, and Alice slaughtered in Volterra and no happy reunion scene (and no Eclipse or Breaking Dawn). But I worked with Melissa Rosenberg (the screen writer) and Summit until we came up with a solution that made sense with the story but also gave them the visual action they needed. And now that it's all put together and beautiful, I love it and kind of wish Felix had gotten his moment in the book.

Hi Stephenie! Texas LOVES you!!! In staying true to the novel, I'd like to know if there were any scenes missing from the original screenplay that you insisted be in the movie?? Thank you SOOO much!!!! -Trinity in Fort Worth

Sort of. In the original screenplay, Jacob's visit to Bella's room that one night didn't exist. The necessary information was still there, it was just scattered through a few other scenes. I really missed that scene, but change (and cutting!) is a part of the adaptation process—especially when you write really long books—so I was prepared to suck it up. And then Chris Weitz felt like we needed that scene, too, and he wrote up a beautiful version I love. And we all lived happily ever after.

I'm curious about whether or not you would have liked to write the screenplay for New Moon or any of the movies? Melissa has done great so far, but do you think the movies would have been any different if you hand a bigger hand in the screenplay? - Colleen

I don't think I'd be any good at adapting my own books. As you can tell, I like to write long stories. I do actually cut a lot in the editing process (Twilight was ten thousand words longer in the rough draft form), and what stays all feels absolutely vital to me. I just can't look at it objectively. I think I'd be better at adaption if I had some distance from the work. So yes, the movies would be different if I'd written the screenplay—they would be six hours long, which might sound great to some people, but as such they never would have been made.

Hi Stephenie - What is your favourite scene in New Moon the movie? - Laure

I can't really choose just one. I love so many things. Bella's and Edward's first conversation in the parking lot...the painting...Jessica's monologue...the scenes in Jacob's garage...the first time you see the werewolves!!...Jacob in Bella's room (thanks, Chris!)...the underwater moment...what you see while Thom Yorke's amazing song is playing...everything in Italy...and I could go on. It's all so good.

Hi Stephenie, I know that your writing is inspired a lot by the music you listen to, so my question is how much say did you have in the music that was picked for the movie/soundtrack? Thank you! - Marci P.

Not a ton. I had a short wish list, and I got one wish out of the four, and that's really a lot when you think about it. My answered wish: a Muse song. My wishes that were not granted: a Blue October song, a Marjorie Fair song, and a Motion City Soundtrack song. All of these artists were a big part of the New Moon writing process for me, and I would have liked to see them included, but in the end, the soundtrack is truly amazing, so I don't have any complaints.

Do you make any appearances in the New Moon movie? - Mandy, Captain of Official Team Jacob

Nope. I felt really awkward doing the first one, and I still have to cover my eyes for that part of the movie. I decided this time I didn't want to do anything like that, and it never came up, so problem averted!

What do you think about the casting of Robert Pattinson as Edward, i.e. does he look like you expected Edward to look like and does he portray the right emotions? - Carly, Captain of Official Team Edward

Initially—as in when Gillian (the producer) called me and said, "So, we're going to cast this guy, Robert Pattison. Go google him and see what you think!"—my opinion was that Rob would do a good version of Edward physically. Not the Edward I see in my head, of course, but a good and interesting portrayal. There's something otherworldly about his face, I thought as I watched him in Harry Potter and checked out the pictures on line. If vampires really existed, that's the kind of face you might wonder about, right? So I was happy with Catherine Hardwicke's choice, because it's not like we were going to find someone who looked like the person in my brain.

I continued in this same opinion for a while. I met with Rob a few times and was impressed by the amount of thought that he was putting into the character (though we still don't entirely agree on who's got Edward's emotional state right—Rob contends Edward is more depressed than I think he is) and I was excited to see what his version of Edward would be like. Cut to a few weeks later, when I headed up to Portland to watch the filming. And then Catherine said action, and Rob shifted into character and my jaw dropped open.

Suffice it to say, he really nailed it. He's not playing a version of Edward, he's playing Edward. There is still quite a difference between Rob's Edward and the Edward in my head, but there are moments when they look eerily similar. I'm still not sure how he does it, but I'm glad he can. As for emotions, I think he does a great job.

Of course, a lot of the credit for this goes to Kristen as well. She contributes the other half of that Bella-Edward vibe so amazingly well. I've been on set through three movies now, and I still thank my lucky stars every day that she signed on to this franchise.

How did you come up with the Twilight character names, were they random or did you have a reason behind them? - Carly

I'm not a huge research junkie, because I'm always more into creating the fantasy than the reality, but names are one of the things I do spend some research time on. For example, for Jasper's name I searched roll calls for the confederate army in Texas. Both "Jasper" and "Whitlock" are on those lists, but not together. The name Cullen exists on seventeenth century English headstones. Other names I find by time and place of birth—I look through the most baby popular names from that year or census records from that city. Some things are more random; if I'm really stuck for a surname, I'll flip through the phone book. For Edward, I wanted a name that had once been very romantic, but had fallen out of use (See: Edward Rochester, Edward Ferrars). Bella was the hardest for me to name, because I needed a modern name but nothing seemed to encompass her personality. I tried a lot of things that didn't fit at all. In the end, having just surrendered the hope of ever having a daughter, I gave her the name I would have given one of my children if any of them had decided to be a girl.

Since many of us will not have the opportunity to visit a movie set, what part of film making was fascinating to you? Thanks again for the opportunity to ask questions! It is appreciated! Anny

The most fascinating thing about filming is probably just what a huge undertaking it is. I'm constantly stunned by the sheer number of people it takes, by the size of the sets, by the intricate planning necessary. It's surprising to me that given all the effort and expense necessary, so many movies even get made. I love the care that goes into the set design, and the amazing things they can build (like tower interiors and mountain tops). I love watching the actors make dozens of minute shifts for each take of a scene, so that the director has a variety to work with when he starts cutting it together. I love it when everything comes together just right and even on the tiny little monitor, with no music and no editing, you can see that something exceptional just happened. It's a cool process, and one I never expected to have the opportunity to be involved with.

Of course, being on set is not constant excitement by any means. It takes hours to set up for each different camera angle, and during those times, it's pretty dead. On the last set, a bunch of people learned to knit. It can be very slow.

I am curious, when you think of Edward and Bella, or read or talk about them, do you still picture the people from your dream? Or has your images of these characters changed over time, especially now after seeing your books adapted to film? Thanks! Danyeal J.

When I read the books or think about the characters in a writing scenario, I still see them they way I first did. I can still see exactly what they looked like in that first dream. When I'm reading the script, however, it's all Kristen and Rob and Taylor.

Why in the world is Edward's volvo now black in the New Moon? - Kim B.

This wasn't my call. Picky as I am about cars, if I'd been rounding up the vehicles for Twilight, they all would have been the exact makes and models I'd written about (especially that '53 Chevy!). I don't know what all is involved with choosing the cars—I know they have to be able to get their hands on several identical vehicles—but I can say that I like this Volvo—the XC90—better than the first one—the C30. In regards to the color, it's actually a dark silver, not black. And I enjoy the black rims quite a bit.

Dear Stephenie, Each director brings something different to the movie they are working on. Do you feel that by using different directors for each movie will take away from the continuity of the story? - Shannon

As I said before, I like having new styles for each story. I think it reflects, to an extent, all the millions of different versions that exist in the world—a different one for every reader. As for continuity, I think we're fine there. The actors bring the same characters into the new vision, and the backdrop of the location is consistent.

Will New Moon the movie have a lot of Edward in it or will it be like the book and he will be missing for a big chunk of it? - Patricia M.

Something I felt very strongly about was that Edward's absence was essential to keeping the feel of the movie consistent with the feel of the book. The story doesn't work without the missing hero. Chris was able to come up with a way to preserve that feeling while at the same time conveying the fact that to Bella, Edward is always present. It's more than just that Bella's audio hallucinations are now visual hallucinations; Kristen's performance revolves beautifully around that absence. Edward is absent for a "big chunk" of the movie, but he's always there, too.

What does Stephenie think about the change of Edward from an auditory to a visual hallucination? For me this was an integral part of the book in that it added to the longing for Edward. - Karen M.

I think this change is necessary for the visual format, and I also think it works really well. The longing is still there.

Dearest Stephenie, I was wondering if you had given the actors in the movie some kind of advice to get a better insight to their character in the movie. Thank you so much for everything! You're amazing! - Lucila S.

I was able to give Rob the first half of Midnight Sun to help him prepare for the first film, and I feel like that manuscript is basically a guide to Edward. Of course, Kristen gets Bella's first person perspective in all the books. I have discussed most of the characters with the actors. I'm always happy to answer any questions, and it's fun to hear some of the backstories they come up with. I know Edi Gathegi has a fairly elaborate Laurent history in his head, and many others do the same thing. I like that they get into the roles so deeply.

Is there going to be a Breaking Dawn movie? If you are not sure of that, then do you wish there is going to be one? - Jamie C.

At this point in time, we're in talks. I would love to see BD made if it could be made well. It's a little bit trickier than the others.

First, thanks for the amazing books! Now, with the question: If you could live one scene (for real) in the movie, what would it be? - Anna

I think a lot of the scenes that are exciting write or to read about or watch on the screen would be very uncomfortable to experience first hand. The ones I would want to live would be the quieter scenes. In New Moon, probably the only scenes that would actually be fun to live would be Bella's birthday up to the papercut, and the night after Italy (though that one starts out pretty emotionally painful, too). Twilight, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn all have a lot more "it would be cool to be Bella right now" moments.

I love your books, thanks for writing them. What was your favorite memory of writing new moon and filming new moon!! - Christina B.

I have a lot of favorite moments from both. In the writing, envisioning Volterra and putting Bella into that situation was very exciting. I loved spending time with Jacob's character. All the interactions with the boys in the pack made me smile. The reunion scene between Bella and Edward felt really good to write.

As for the filming process, my favorite memories are not exactly favorite scenes, because you don't entirely get a sense of the scene until you see it cut together. I loved walking into the Volturi tower for the first time. (Adding to that moment was the fact that it was also the first time I met Daniel Cudmore. Picture the scene: I'm in this huge white marble rotunda, just in awe of the sheer size and how good it all looks, when through the door walks Daniel in full costume. Six foot eight, tailored black coat, deep red eyes. Totally perfect and totally intimidating. It was great!) Another favorite memory of the filming was watching Michael Sheen work. Michael is a staggeringly talented actor. It was an education just to watch his process.

I was wondering, in the trailers for New Moon, the werewolves all have tattoos on their right arms. What does that stand for? It wasn't in the book, so I wasn't sure. - Carissa S.

Like the Cullen crest that Catherine invented for the first movie, I believe the tattoo is just a visual sign of solidarity for the pack.

Do you think Taylor Lautner does a good job of portraying Jacob's smart alec side? Taylor seems so sweet, especially in the first movie, and I like to think of Jake (esp werewolf Jake) as a tough guy with an attitude, who sometimes let his nice side slip. Thank you! Larissa

Taylor is going to surprise you. He's wonderful as the sweet kid, but even better as the angry werewolf. The kid can act.

I was wondering what made you choose Italy for the home of the Volturi? Is there a special meaning about Italy in your life or was it a random setting? Thanks :] - Kerry K.

I chose Italy because I needed a place with a really long history. Choosing Volterra itself was a strange thing. I wrote the whole Volturi scene before I'd picked a location for it. For the first time, I was planning to create a fictional city, because at this point, I was starting to realize that people were actually going to read this book, and I was nervous about what the real life citizens of Forks would think, and more especially what the real life people of La Push would think—I'd taken some rather big liberties with their fictional history, and I wasn't sure if they would find it amusing or irritating. So, to avoid similar moments of panic, I decided to set my clan of ancient ruling vampires in a made up place. I was going to call this place "Volturin," and I knew it needed to be located in Tuscany about an hour or two from Florence—I'd already written the drive from the airport. I'd also already written my descriptions of the plaza and clock tower and Volturi turret. So I pull up a map of Tuscany, trying to decide if Alice should drive north, south, east, or west, and look at that—there is a city named Volterra just about an hour from Florence. So I google image search Volterra, and the very first picture that comes up is the Volterra clock tower. Chills. I called my sister (who'd already read about my fictional Volturin) and told her to go look at Volterra. She freaked, too, because she'd pictured it the same way, too. It was actually a rather creepy moment.

After that, I gave up the idea of creating a fake city and just hoped the people of Volterra did not mind a few vampires. When I went to visit a few years back, all the people I talked to were totally fine with the vampires—what had upset them was the fountain. They don't have one, and think their square is perfect without it.

Hello Mrs.Stephenie Meyer, I adore your books. My question is where did you get the inspiration to make Jacob Black a Native American? What is the whole back-story to Jacob being Native American? I too am native American [Navajo] by the way, therefore making me curious. Thank you very much if you answer my question or not, you still bring a great story to your readers around the world. - Kristine B.

There was a bit of random chance involved with including the Quileutes, but it was also about my personal fascination with Native American history. I picked Forks first, and at that point in time the Jacob character didn't exist. But around the same time that I realized it would be out of character for Edward to be able to admit that he was a vampire, I discovered the existence of La Push and started reading about the Quileute's unique history and culture. Jacob developed really naturally from that research, as a solution to my "how does Bella find out" dilemma and also as a way to enrich the mythology. If I hadn't always been very intrigued with Native American history, though, I don't know if the proximity of La Push would have resulted in Jacob's creation.

I love that you decided to skip over describing that first week (and the following months) after the break-up between Edward and Bella. It makes it that much more gut-wrenching because you truly feel like Bella was detached from herself and the world. I was wondering if it was your initial intent to leave that void there or did you edit anything out? Did you start by writing how she felt the next morning after Sam found her? I always wonder if it was just too hard to write for you. Thank you so much for answering these questions for us. Your books (The Host, too) have changed my life. --Eden S., Vancouver, Washington

This is how the blank pages came about: I never planned to write about the time immediately after Edward left. Originally, I just skipped to the one-paragraph preface to chapter four ("Time passes..."). It felt way too abrupt that way, though. I knew I didn't want to put those four months into words, because the words would never be as good as the reader's own imagination, but I wasn't sure how to make that transition feel right. So put some blank pages into the document to separate September from January. That felt a little bit better, but the passage of time still wasn't clear. I typed in the names of the months at the top of the pages, just playing around with it, so it looked like blank journal entries, and instantly felt a sense of rightness to that format. I think I tried it out on my agent first ("What do you think about having one-word pages, Jodi?") and she liked it. Then my editor played around with the formatting, putting the month names in the center of the page in caps, and that gave them more impact. We all loved it. So it was a process and not an immediate inspiration, but now it's one of my favorite things.

I am a 39-year-old member of the Older Women's Group (OWG) on thetwilightsaga.com. My question is, what lead you to the concept of IMPRINTING — in reference to the Wolf Packs future mates? Thank you for pouring your heart and soul into this series! I can't tell you how much happiness it has brought me! Sincerely, Stephanie R. - Atlanta, GA

Imprinting was inspired by two different sources: ducklings and dragons. Imprinting actually exists in nature, but usually between parents and their offspring. I saw a nature documentary about ducklings imprinting on their moms and it always stuck with me. The other inspiration is Anne McCaffrey's dragon books (which, if you haven't read them, do so now! Start with Dragonflight). In her mythology, humans and dragons bond so tightly that if one of them dies, the other either suicides or goes mad. They love each other with an absolute and unreasoning love that never falters or changes. I was always captivated by this concept, and I wanted to explore that kind of life-changing and compulsory relationship.

While writing the books, were you ever unsure of whether Bella would choose Edward or Jacob, or did you always know she would end up with Edward in the end? - Samantha V.

I wrote New Moon and Eclipse after I wrote Forever Dawn, which is pretty much the rough draft of Breaking Dawn. So I always knew Bella's destiny was with Edward, and as her relationship with Jacob evolved and deepened through the course of the middle novels, writing about it was sometimes painful. Even knowing Jacob's eventual happy ending, it was hard to put him through all the heartbreak. I do know what would have happened if Bella hadn't jumped off the cliff that day, but I always knew that was a could-have-been that wasn't the right way to go.

Question: Lets say Bella did go to college... Later on in life what profession do you imagine for her?? - Abigail

I always imagined that Bella would someday teach. She really admired that one part of Renee's personality—Renee may be dippy, but she's a great teacher and the kids love her—and I saw her taking her love of books in that direction. She would have taught older students, though. High school or college. Maybe she still will—in night school.

Out of the entire series, to you what is the most romantic moment between Bella and Edward? Why? - twilight-fan

For me, it's always been the last two pages of Breaking Dawn. It's the culmination of so much that's happened between them, and such a happy, satisfying moment for me.

My question for you is.... are you at all surprised by the variety in age of your readers? I am 32 years old and absolutely loved your books, and I know I am not alone, in many discussion groups I have found there are 30, 40, even 50 somethings reading twilight. Thanks and keep writing! - Amy B.

Because I wrote Twilight for my twenty-nine-year-old self and not for a future YA audience, it always made sense to me that women my age would get it the same way I did. Are you ever too old to remember falling in love for the first time?

There are many of us 30+ that enjoy (well we are actually obsessed with) the entire Twilight series! Is there anything that you do to help you escape reality momentarily? - Michelle P., Oklahoma

Reading was always my favorite escape. I read a lot of fantasy; I like spending time in worlds that don't exist. However, writing is now my best escape. For me, it's more fulfilling and takes me farther away from the real world than reading does.

You have such a great taste in music. What would be your ultimate karaoke song? - Justina

This one changes a lot. Today, I'd want to sing along with Metric, probably "Sick Muse" or "Front Row."

If you had to choose, would you rather be a vampire or a werewolf? - Kaitlin T.

Werewolf. I like being able to change my mind, and the werewolves always have the option to go back to "normal."

Are you writing any other books right now? - Kershia

One of the weirdest things for me about success is how it sucks away your time. I'm successful because I write books, but that very success takes all my writing time! It's very frustrating. I'm just itching to get back into a fantasy world right now, but the real world won't let me. I thought this would be a writing year, but unless you count emails as writing, it didn't work out that way. I was able to do a few smaller things that will show up here and there—an extra chapter for the release of The Host in paperback, that kind of thing. I've really worked to clear my time, but that is a slow and ongoing process. Of course, another aspect is that I am more burned out by the last five years than I even realized.

My question: Is Stephenie Team Jacob or Team Edward? Please add that "I am a huge fan. Xoxo, Jenny"

I am Team "You Don't Have to Choose When it's Fiction."

Hi Stephenie! :) Of course, I love the Twilight saga, but I was also blown away by how beautiful and unique your other novel, The Host, was -- so I was wondering: do you have any plans for more books not related to Twilight? Thank you so much! :) Kelly <3>

I'd like to eventually have The Host be part of a trilogy. That's one of the projects I'd really like to get to in the next year or so.

To address the many, many questions about Midnight Sun:

I've found that there really isn't any answer I can give that changes the substance or tenor of the myriads of requests, pleadings, and demands I get for Midnight Sun to be finished, so I feel a little silly answering that question at all. But it's the most popular question, so I'll take another stab at it.

I am not working on Midnight Sun now. I don't have a plan for when I'll get to it; I don't know now what the right time for it will be.

In your questions, there were some erroneous conclusions about the situation which I'll try to set straight. First, Midnight Sun is not finished and locked in a safe, waiting for me to be done angsting over the leak. If it were done, I would be throwing it on the bookstore shelves myself. I'd love to be able to give it to all the people who are anxiously waiting for it. Second, I am not upset about the leak. I haven't been for a long time; I was over it after about three weeks. Third, and most important, I am not trying to punish anyone. Not the persons who leaked it, not the people who read the leak, nobody. As I said, it would make me very happy to be able to give it to anyone who wants it.

So why the hold up? Because it's not finished and lying in a safe. It's not done, and finishing it is not a simple matter of sitting down in front of my computer and typing out the words; the words have to be there in my head to type out, and right now, they're not. I have to be in the zone to write any story, and trying to force myself into that zone is a waste of time, I've found. I'll get back to Midnight Sun when the story is compelling to me again. Just because people want it so badly does not make it more write-able; kind of the opposite, actually. I need to be alone with a story to write, and Midnight Sun feels really crowded, if you know what I mean.

People write for different reasons. I have always written to make myself happy. If I'm enjoying a story, feeling the creativity flow, engrossed in a world, then I write and I write fast. If I'm not into it, I can't write. I've never been someone who writes on demand and I can't imagine working that way. As cool as it would be to say to my favorite author, "You know, I'd really like to read a great book about a narwhal mafia. Write that for me, 'kay?" or even "I'd love a sequel to that last one," that's not how it works. How it works is that my favorite author writes a new book about whatever he/she is interested in. Maybe it takes a year, maybe it takes five. If it's something I want to read, I buy it or I check it out at the library. If not, I find something else to read. The end.

(All of this goes for writing about vampires in general, too. Vampires and I? We're on a break.)

I'm pretty sure this won't slow the pleadings and the demands, but I didn't want you to think I was ignoring the question.

In the meantime, there are so many great books out there. I've got some recommendations on my site, and any librarian would love to show you more options. Same goes for independent bookstore employees. Ask for guidance, and they will fill your arms with awesomeness!

Zadie Smith: Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays

For me, Zadie Smith is one of those rare finds when it comes to intriguing, fictitious literature. Having changed her name from 'Sadie' to 'Zadie' in order to give her more of an exotic edge, Zadie quickly impressed the literary world and blew away her critics with her debut novel 'White Teeth' which was quickly followed on by her sophomore effort 'The Autograph Man', and most recently, her third novel, 'On Beauty', no doubt one of her best yet, with its intricate yet very real, no holds back intimate portrayals of each individual character and their role within the dysfunctional Belsey family.
Having taken a hiatus to pursue lecturing and teaching at prestigious Universities in America, including Columbia and New York Universities, and a quick edit of the book published last year, 'The Book of Other People', Zadie is back with her own collection of essays, called 'Changing My Mind' in which she gives her own, frank view on everything from Middlemarch to Will Smith, calling him 'A waste of space.' And from her own insights into how she views the world as well as highlighting her undulated passion in her love for books, it seems Miss Smith is never sated and satisfied until she tries or makes people aware to her particular way of thinking, and it would seem that in this book, she does so, in such a delectable way that I can't wait to read it.

Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays
Published: 26th November 2009
Publisher: Hamish Hamilton LTD, Hardback, 330 Pages
£20.00
ISBN: 9780241142950

delicious dinner parties....

Hey!
One of the things that I would love to do would be to hold a dinner party for all my friends, especially as its summer! Its definetely on my to do list, as its a bit more grown up than a night in with popcorn and DVDs, which is what i've been doing on many an occasion!
I've recently started to get into baking cookies, which has become a favourite past time of mine at the moment! I can also make a pretty good chicken risotto but now that I've started buying cookbooks, I've made up my mind to try and use them more!
One of my favourite ingredients in the world is chocolate, so I figure I'd find a way to incorporate some green and black's dark chocolate into the party somehow, maybe with a flourless chocolate cake! As well as this, stir-frys are really quick and easy to make, especially when using something easy and no fuss like tofu, which is like a protein sponge that you can just crumble or mix into anything! Tomato and Basil pasta is also really easy, as well as soups, which you can just make in a blender....
Missoni do lots of little ceramic plates and china cups that are cute, almost doll like, and although they can be a tad pricey, see them as an investment as you can continue to use them to make memories with friends and family again and again. As well as this, Wedgwood, Muji and the Egg Boutique in Kinnerton Street also do really cute linens, dinnerware, tableware, and ceramics! For candles, head to Diptyque who do the best scented candles - also tea lights from somewhere cheap like your local supermarket will also do the trick! For flowers, the best to go with are tulips, pink carnations, tiger lillies, chinese peonies, hydrangeas, and dahlias, but if you really want to push the boat out, add roses too!
hopefully a dinner party with lots of [bottles of] lovely Rose wine will turn into a reality soon, but if you're thinking of something to do which is relatively cheap which will impress your friends, show your creative streak and be delectably different, you should try this!
Let me know if you do - would love to hear all about it!
My ideal dinner party would look something like the above....
Cle xo

summer reading....

Hi Guys!! :-)
Most people I know, including me, are on holiday [i'm still in London (:-] or preparing to enjoy some much needed late summer downtime. So if you plan to enjoy lazy afternoons in a park with a picnic, or if you're off to the beach to catch some rays and flirt with your scuba instructor :), one of the things to pack in your beach bag/handbag is a good book you can enjoy and find a little bit of escapism with, whether you're sunning it in London or living the life in paradise!
Here are my top picks for good summer reads!

1. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger - [one of my favourite books ever - read this then go and see the film - looks to be just as good and as heartfelt as The Notebook - McAdams and Bana at their romantic best!]

2. After You'd Gone - Maggie O'Farrell - [ A really sad page turner and impossible to put down!]

3. Chanel - Edmonde Charles-Roux - [the definitive biography of Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel on which Audrey Tautou personifies incredibly in the film Coco Avant Chanel - read and enjoy while listening to the sounds of the equally chic Carla Bruni in the background, and after this, pick up Justine Picardie's Coco Chanel - out next month]

4. Jamaica Inn - Daphne DuMaurier - [DuMaurier at her best - its exciting and alluring!]

5. Who What Wear - Katherine Power - [the definitive 'everywoman' fashion book for all women everywhere - a must for the brands that celebrities are really wearing this fall, and autumn/winter - Nicole Richie is also a firm fan]

6. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding - with lazy summer days and amidst rumours swirling of a third BJ film in production, you can't not pick this book up and read with comedy and intrigue at every single page. A genuine book to highlight a little bit of Bridget in all of us - reminding us that the art of being female, and a woman, really is just that - its something you have to hone, but along the way you might as well sit back and enjoy the ride, and let the comedic moments of your life unfold!

7. Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts - Here's one for the Boys - woop! Its a best seller, and even though its quite thick, every single detail is worth it for the epic unravelling of this book!

8. A Million Little Pieces - James Frey - another one that both men and women will marvel at - this is a dark, sometimes shocking, and incredibly sincere insight into the realities that James Frey lived with during one period in his life - a haunting, yet compelling read. :-)

9. The Alchemist - Paolo Coelho - A book that continues to grace many people's book list around the world, and has always done so since its publication. Since the critical success of this book, Coelho is considered to be somewhat of an authority and this, is one of his many publications that has proven simply a must read!

10. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller - One on my reading list - there's something about this book that makes it that little bit more special on the bookshelf, and i've had it recommended to me a thousand times over!

11. Eleven Minutes - Paolo Coelho - Coelho tells the story of a young Prostitute who closes her heart to love. Is this good thinking given her occupation or will this choice begin to haunt her and ruin her life?

12. Caesar's Women - Colleen McCullough - I'm really into Historical Fiction - I'm in love with the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, as well as the Tudor periods. This is a insightful book into the life of Julius Caesar, his political career and conquests, but most of all, his love affairs, and insatiable desire for women.

13. Antony and Cleopatra - Colleen McCullough - After reading The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George and falling in love with the book, I'm keen and excited to try and get a different perspective on their love affair together - another one that promises to be on my list!

14. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevski- another must read that is currently on my list!

15. The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Afanasevich Bulgakov - another one added to the list - this is also Dutch Supermodel Helena Christensen's [who recently did a Harpers Bazaar covershoot with Gossip Girl's resident bad boy Ed Westwick] favourite book and tells the story of the personification of the devil as a black cat.


16. Look Who It Is! My Story - Alan Carr - For those of you who love the comedic genius of Alan Carr, this honest, refreshingly original and warts and all autobiography is for you! Alan has a no holds back charm to the way he retells his life story, and a must read for any of you who love his work on The Friday Night Project with Justin Lee Collins, and most recently, his own show, Alan Carr: Chatty Man

17. The Beach - Alex Garland - An absolute must for a summer read. Richard is on the ultimate search for the perfect paradise - then in a twist of fate beyond his wildest dreams, he finds it. But the more alluring this perfect world becomes, the deeper he descends into the dark secrets that threaten its very origins - and before he long, he finds himself ensconsed into his own hell.

Enjoy your Summer!!
Cle :-) xo

[cle's book list / beautiful awakenings update]

Hey Everyone!
OK, so brand new beautiful awakenings is officially up!! it doesn't look like a lot but i understand its a lot to get through and takes time, unlike looking at a photograph or listening to a song - but if everyone manages to do this for me, words will be unable to express my appreciation - this thing has been like my baby so its very important to me, and i just hope everyone likes it!
the rest of chapter four [the beautiful and the damned] will be on its way very, very soon!

For now, here's a little bit of what I'm reading / on my reading list:

1. eat, pray, love; one woman's search for everything - elizabeth gilbert
2. reading lolita in tehran - azar nafisi
3. a thousand splendid suns - khaled hosseini
4. go ask alice - anonymous
5. delta of venus - anais nin
6. fugitive pieces - anne michaels
7. anna karenina - tolstoy
8. wuthering heights - bronte
9. the duchess - amanda foreman
10. the pirate's daughter - margaret cezair thompson
11. the host - stephenie meyer
12. essays in love - alain de botton
13. outliers - malcolm gladwell
14. the secret - rhonda byrne

P.S for those of you who have not read the twilight saga, go buy the special editions with the lovely new red pages - a must have!