Friday, August 29, 2008

Midnight Sun!

Don't know if you guys heard but some idiot leaked Stephenie Meyer's partial draft of Midnight sun (Edward's view of Twilight) on the internet and now she is not going to publish it anymore. I am really sad I have been reading it the last few hours and it is so good and addicting like all the rest. Here's the quote off of her site about it.
"As some of you may have heard, my partial draft of Midnight Sun was illegally posted on the Internet and has since been virally distributed without my knowledge or permission or the knowledge or permission of my publisher.
I have a good idea of how the leak happened as there were very few copies of Midnight Sun that left my possession and each was unique. Due to little changes I made to the manuscript at different times, I can tell when each left my possession and to whom it was given. The manuscript that was illegally distributed on the Internet was given to trusted individuals for a good purpose. I have no comment beyond that as I believe that there was no malicious intent with the initial distribution.
I did not want my readers to experience Midnight Sun before it was completed, edited and published. I think it is important for everybody to understand that what happened was a huge violation of my rights as an author, not to mention me as a human being. As the author of the Twilight Saga, I control the copyright and it is up to the owner of the copyright to decide when the books should be made public; this is the same for musicians and filmmakers. Just because someone buys a book or movie or song, or gets a download off the Internet, doesn't mean that they own the right to reproduce and distribute it. Unfortunately, with the Internet, it is easy for people to obtain and share items that do not legally belong to them. No matter how this is done, it is still dishonest. This has been a very upsetting experience for me, but I hope it will at least leave my fans with a better understanding of copyright and the importance of artistic control.
So where does this leave Midnight Sun? My first feeling was that there was no way to continue. Writing isn't like math; in math, two plus two always equals four no matter what your mood is like. With writing, the way you feel changes everything. If I tried to write Midnight Sun now, in my current frame of mind, James would probably win and all the Cullens would die, which wouldn't dovetail too well with the original story. In any case, I feel too sad about what has happened to continue working on Midnight Sun, and so it is on hold indefinitely.
I'd rather my fans not read this version of Midnight Sun. It was only an incomplete draft; the writing is messy and flawed and full of mistakes. But how do I comment on this violation without driving more people to look for the illegal posting? It has taken me a while to decide how and if I could respond. But to end the confusion, I've decided to make the draft available here (at the end of this message on the Midnight Sun page). This way, my readers don't have to feel they have to make a sacrifice to stay honest. I hope this fragment gives you further insight into Edward's head and adds a new dimension to the Twilight story. That's what inspired me to write it in the first place.
I do want to take a moment and thank the wonderful fans who have been so supportive of me over the past three years. I cannot begin to tell you how much each of you means to me. I only hope this note will stop all the confusion and online speculation so that the Twilight universe can once again become the happy escape it used to be. After this incredibly busy year, I am now focusing on spending more time with my family and working on some other writing projects".
--Stephenie
August 28, 2008
So sad now we will probably never get to hear the rest of the story!

5 comments:

April said...

Yeah, I just heard the news. That makes me SO sad! Edward is my favorite and I really wanted to hear his side of the story. Guess we'll just have to be satisfied with reading the draft now. Darn!

Leah said...

Amy, you are so funny. I'm sorry about the book. That IS a bummer, I guess. I still haven't read any of them but April (and Tyler) have offered me their copies. Someday I'll read them...

Anyway, we were just in Washington and my sister and sister-in-law (big Twilight fans) drove to Forks just to see the place. I guess there is Stephanie Myer paraphernalia everywhere. Have you been?

Dayton and Candice said...

Wow...Why do i kinda feel like I have been punched in the stomach! I was so excited for that to come out--Man, This just sucks!! Well Amy I am sad right along with you :)

{natalie} said...

hawaii looks awesome! i want to go back so badly. that really stinks for stephanie meyer. i would be really disappointed if i were her.

Kelly said...

Hi Amy! I'm so sorry...I cannot get that flower anymore. I will keep my eyes open and let you know if I ever do though. I think I can get the black one....was it the one like a rose? Sorry:( Cute blog...your family is so cute!!