Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" Companion, "Midnight Sun," Leaked Online

I discovered the "Twilight" series late - well after the release of book four, to be precise - and when a certain Mamapop writer began to schlep her brand of literary heroin to me [cough]Catherine[/cough] I went for it and devoured the entire series in one week. And then I read it again. And just as I was depressed about the series being over, no more new stories being written and resigning myself to the happiness that the movie would bring, I read about "Midnight Sun" on Meyer's website.

"Midnight Sun" is the accompaniment novel to "Twilight." Told in Edward's perspective.
Meyer admitted that the book began as an "out-of-control" character development. I was looking forward to Meyer finishing and selling the project - until someone leaked the unfinished manuscript online (she previously only offered a chapter .pdf on her site) online. Dismayed and angry, she's unsure when she'll start the project back up as the breach sucked the wind from her sails.

Dear Stephanie: I will still buy the book. Please for the love of all things holy publish it.
Love, Dana

Meyer uploaded a .pdf of the entire unfinished draft out of concern for her fans. I reheated leftovers and rushed through my kids' bedtime stories so I could race to my laptop and eat it whole. It may have been an afterthought, but I think "Midnight Sun" is crucial; Meyer is a master of perspective. It adds so much more to the story - more than I initially thought - to have an insider's take on Edward's perspective, to realize just how much he battled. It sounded different in Bella's ears "I'm not good for you" and the like; but to understand just how close Bella comes to death-by-Edward, how often, how quickly and deeply he falls in love with her - just, well, it makes the book more multi-dimensional than before.

I'm upset that she was violated as a writer, that her "baby" was thrust out into the world without her permission, errors and all (and even with typos, the draft is brilliant), begging for criticism just by its very existence. I can imagine the horror, the anger, the reluctance to carry the story on when you feel as though people will be watching over your shoulder as you type.

Still, I hope Meyer resumes the project and finishes it so I can add it to my home library. I hope she understands that nothing can diminish the attraction and value of a good story - not even a leak.

If you haven't already, and I have fifty-hundred times, check out the Twilight trailers:

The Twilight movie folks have also released some stills - I haven't looked at these yet so I don't know how different they are from the shots taken on location and posted around the Web. ENJOY.