By vanessa Mccray
TRAVERSE CITY -- Take a trip to the mall, and "Twilight" mania smacks you in the face.
In one wing of the Grand Traverse Mall, a stand sells calendars of the comely couple from the hit movie based on author Stephenie Meyer's wildly popular four-book series. Around the corner, another store offers T-shirts, posters, key chains, blankets and a "Twilight"-inspired liquid body shimmer titled "Immortal." Just inside the entrance of a book shop, there are the books, but also shelves with spin-off jigsaw puzzles and games.
And all of that was before "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," the second movie based on the series, hit local theaters. First thing today -- at midnight -- the film was scheduled to be shown throughout the area at special screenings from Bellaire to Suttons Bay. Local movie houses will continue to screen the anticipated blockbuster throughout the coming weeks. The movie stars Robert Pattinson, reprising his role as Edward Cullen, a vampire in love with human teenage girl Bella Swan. Bella is portrayed by actress Kristen Stewart.
Local "Twilight" fans, or "Twihards," made plans to see "New Moon" at the first opportunity. The devotion is a "cultural phenomenon," said Nicole Tipton, 17, a senior at Bellaire High School who has read the books.
She and her friends planned to attend a midnight screening of "New Moon," and Nicole expected the theater to be filled with the school's student body. Even some guys. She knows several boys who have read the books, although it posed some problems for male classmates. Some girls have higher expectations for boyfriends because of the gentlemanly demeanor of the heroic and courtly Edward. Many girls wish for a relationship with someone like his character.
The guys have to remind girls: "I am not Edward Cullen. I'm not this fairy-tale character," said Nicole, who spent hours reading the first books in the series straight through.
"You can't put it down if you wanted to," she said.
Fellow Bellaire student Marisa Kerr, 16, recommended the books to her mother, who then read the series. Marisa owns the first movie. She and Nicole agreed the actors cast for the film fit the book's characters.
Meyer writes Bella as clumsy, love-struck girl, and Stewart brings the right awkwardness to the role, Nicole said.
Plus, the "vampires are all gorgeous," as the book describes; and Bella's father is played perfectly by Billy Burke.
A promotion between Saturn Booksellers in Gaylord and the town's movie theater sold out a double feature.
Bookstore owner Jill Miner said the books are still selling, though "not as strong" as they once did. Related merchandise, such as the movie music and journals are selling well, she said. She noticed the books have drawn a wide age range, from young girls to their parents.
"I think what seems to have happened here is that the teenage girls wanted to read it, and their moms wanted to know what they were reading," Miner said.
Mary Fraquelli, Kingsley Branch Library manager, read the books, saw the first film and eventually will watch the next movie. Her 24-year-old daughter also started to read them. Fraquelli decided to pick up the series partly out of professional duty and partly out of curiosity.
"I wanted to see what all the rage was, and I have to admit it (was a) good little, pretend time," she said.
Parents ask her if the books are appropriate for their daughters. Fraquelli said that the first one "isn't bad" but warns the series gets more sensual as it progresses. She recommends parents read the books and decide for themselves. The latter books may be appropriate for readers ages 16 or older, Fraquelli said.
The Kingsley library has three sets of the books, which are constantly on loan. She thinks the appeal is because "Twilight" tells a contemporary love story.
"To me, it's like a modern-day 'Romeo and Juliet.' This is why it's grabbing the young teens," she said. "It's hard not to be cynical about it. It's all vampires."
Still, she finds herself defending the books and its good vampires.
They may be monsters, but they abstain from human blood and hunt animals instead.
"I liked Herman Munster, and I don't think it damaged me," Fraquelli said.
