"New Moon" News & Happy Birthday, Joss Whedon!

Despite crappy economy -- or because of it, you tell me -- sales of paranormal romances are doing swell. "“Part of it is, they’re sexy and romantic, but not in a cheesy way...It’s called ‘paranormal romance’.” (Craig Daily Press) As if there's anything wrong with cheezy. (I'm appalled that the newspaper misspelled this word that any well-educated ten year old could spell properly.)

Review of Katie MacAllister's Sex, Lies and Vampires. "Sex, Lies and Vampires isn’t my first experience with Katie MacAlister’s work, and I’m sure it won’t be my last. MacAlister writes very comic, steamy romances (and steampunk, and young adult novels, and, and…) and this one is no different." (Ticon4)

The cover you see to the left is the amusing Aussie version. The cover on the right is the American version, which I think is rather bland.

Amanda reviews Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan's The Strain. "The Strain is a contemporary mixture of thriller and horror novel. The vampirism in this story is a virulent virus, one that is spread through parasitic worms and takes over its host body within mere hours." (Love Vampires)

In "Twilight" News:

Edward who? Teen Angel Taylor Lautner, who plays Jacob Black in the Twilight movie franchise, is on the cover of the movie tie-in book. (Entertainment Weekly) I think that's supposed to be Edward's face in the moon, which brings to mind, uhm, cheezy! I can hear the art director telling Kristine Stewart, "Okay, twist your head sideways into his chest, like you want to smell his armpit, and then wrap your arms around your body kinda pathetically, and shove your shoulder upward to your chin, and then look wistful!"

Perez Hilton reports that Mattel is now selling Edward Cullen Barbie dolls. I don't want to know what infatuated fans will do with it.

Read an interview with Peter Facinelli, who plays Carlisle Cullen in the Twilight movie franchise. The interviewer consistently mispronounces his last name, which any well-informed ten-year-old knows. (Reelz Channel)

A must-read article. The ever-fabulous Charlie Jane Anders contemplates the downfall of vamps as wimps and hosts an awesome video with a mash-up of Buffy and Edward Cullen. "It's pretty fantastic stuff, showing just how creepy Edward really is, and how overbearing his smarmy brand of 'lurve' is...But really, the Buffy fans shouldn't throw stones at the Twilight-heads. Joss Whedon was a major pioneer of the broody, stalky, 'dangerous' yet kittenish vamps. It's not what Buffy was about, but it's pretty much what Buffy turned into." (i09)




GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

It's Joss Whedon's birthday, so happy birthday, Joss! The vids are tributes to some of his shows.