‘Mockingjay’ Author Suzanne Collins ‘Stamps Books’: WIN One Of 5 Signed Copies

Over 150 fans gathered Thursday morning to hear Suzanne Collins read from “Mockingjay,” the final installment in the author’s blockbuster “Hunger Games” trilogy, at Scholastic’s flagship store in SoHo. Fans at the store also received “custom stamped books” pressed with a unique stamp designed for Collins’ book tour in lieu of signing books due to a hand injury.

“This is the biggest event since ‘Harry Potter’,” store manager Michael Strouse said. “We’ve been anticipating this book for over a year.”

Fans lined up well before the store’s opening at 9:00 a.m. Thursday, eagerly scheming for a prime position to see the author speak. By 11:00 a.m. when Collins was scheduled to speak, 50 children gathered on the storeroom floor, while many more adults stood behind them. Some adults wore “Hunger Games” t-shirts of their own and, judging by the looks on their faces, were more excited than the kids.

Read more HERE

When fantasy takes wing, cultures don’t matter!

Explore cultures other than your own, says David Hair, New Zealander and author of The Bone Tiki, to young writers who prefer to work within their own comfort zone.

Hair is coming to Bangalore to launch his book Pyre of Queens, published by Penguin Books India. The story is about Ravindra-Raj, the evil sorcerer-king, who devises a deadly secret ritual where he and his seven queens will burn on his pyre, and he will rise again with the powers of Ravana, demon-king of the epic Ramayana. But things go wrong when one queen, the beautiful, spirited Darya, escapes with the help of Aram Dhoop, the court poet.

Hair’s first book, The Bone Tiki, won the Best First Novel award (in the Young Adult Fiction genre of books at the 2010 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards). The Bone Tiki and its sequel The Taniwha’s Tear are fantasy novels set in New Zealand.

Read more HERE

Vampire business is bloody good
From books to film to TV series, creatures of night taking big bite

Hollywood has repeatedly peddled the apocalyptic threat from aliens, machines, comets, viruses and zombies, but who was watching the vampires?

Never exactly absent from the entertainment scene, those eternal bloodsuckers lately have infiltrated everything from big screens and little screens to bookstore shelves, clothing racks, download services, video games and video, record and jewelry stores.

The low-budget Fox/New Regency Twilight parody Vampires Suck grossed $20 million in its first six days, and five million regular viewers are rabidly following HBO’s newest hit, True Blood, as it swoops toward its Season 3 finale Sept. 12. Meanwhile, Justin Cronin’s The Passage, Stephenie Meyer’s Breaking Dawn and Charlaine Harris’ Dead and Gone hover on bestseller lists.

“By starting with one simple mythological creature that’s been part of our literary universe for centuries, you can create a story that has it all: romance, horror, action, special effects, sex, epic love, wish fulfilment, romantic leading men, delicious bad-boy villains, female badasses, damsels in distress, death, monsters and, ultimately, the perfectly flawed hero who would give it all up if it meant they wouldn’t have to spend eternity alone,” says Julie Plec, writer and executive producer of the CW series The Vampire Diaries. “It doesn’t get more universal than that.”

Read more HERE

What did you think about today’s book news? Have you read ‘Mockingjay’ yet, how would you like to have a signed copy? (uh, me too!) Is the Vampire business here to stay, or will it burn out soon enough?

by OBS Staff Member ifellhard 

Peter Facinelli was recently named “worst vampire” by Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers, stating that “Facinelli is a solid actor, but playing Carlisle Cullen, the white-haired head of the fang-challenged Cullen vampire family, he looks about as terrifying as ‘Project Runway’ winner Austin Scarlett, whom Carlisle closely resembles.”  The good-natured actor responded via Twitter that he was thrilled to be #1 at something and further commented, “As Carlisle is a compassionate humanitarian, and anti-vampire in nature, being the worst vampire was quite the compliment. Although, you had me at ‘solid actor’. :  )”

The actor’s response falls in line with my reaction to this title being bestowed upon him.  I can’t help but think that Travers is completely unaware of the character behind Facinelli’s role in the films.  If he had any inkling as to the character of Carlisle Cullen, he would have known that Carlisle Cullen is the antithesis of the traditional vampire (even in Stephenie Meyer’s mythical world).   As the son of an Anglican priest, his compassion goes against the very grain of vampire nature and instincts, enough so to allow him to treat and operate on humans.  Even when he turned humans to join him, he never swallowed their blood after biting them and only turned humans on the brink of death.  He has spent centuries feeding on animals because he cannot bear the thought of taking a human life while a “traditional” vampire does so without a moment’s hesitation or a second thought. 

If Facinelli portrayed Carlisle Cullen as an intimidating, vampire-like being, it would have been a betrayal of the character created by Stephenie Meyer.  It’s pretty hard to blend in to the world of humans and seek gainful employment as a small-town doctor when you give everyone the creeps. 

The creepy, scary, intimidating vampire roles in the Twilight films belong to Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning, Cam Gigandet, Xavier Samuel, and Jamie Campbell-Bower, to name a few.  That is not the domain of actors like Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, or Ashley Greene who portray vampires who do NOT feed on humans and strive to retain their humanity. 

This fan of vampire books and films says, “Well done!” to Peter Facinelli for being true to the qualities of the character he was cast to play.

Is there something that you feel strongly about?  If so, we would love for you to contribute to OBS by writing an article.  Contact OBS Staff Member ifellhard for more information. 

“Breaking Dawn” Shoot In Brazil Hits Snag

Source: MTV

Plans to shoot scenes from the second half of “Breaking Dawn” — the final installment in the “Twilight” series — in Brazil may have hit a snag as a result of violence in the country.

According to Agence France-Presse, Summit Entertainment, the production company behind the hit vampire series, planned to begin shooting in Rio de Janeiro within the next few weeks. However, due to a situation in which gang members held 35 guests hostage in the city’s Intercontinental Hotel, and a subsequent shoot-out that left one person dead, the future of the film’s production in Rio has reportedly been jeopardized.

RioFilme, a Brazilian film investment agency, said that Summit was discussing the issue with government officials. In a statement to RadarOnline.com, Summit insisted that no decision about abandoning production in the South American nation has been made.

Read more here

Ian Somerhalder Beats Robert Pattinson for EW’s ”Sexy Beast” Title

Source: Enterainment Weekly 

 When the blood, sweat, and broken fangs were wiped away, who was the winner? Let this be the official reveal: Damon Salvatore eked out a mild upset victory over Edward Cullen by a margin of 138,630 to 134,728, a difference of just 3,902 votes.

Maybe it was a last-minute Tweet from Somerhalder himself –”That Pattinson guy will end up kicking my butt, however thanks for taking the time, that’s really cool : )” –that turned the tide in favor of his character. Or maybe it was a get-out-the-vote campaign by Somerhalder’s co-star Matt Davis (Alaric). “I think he text-messaged Justin Bieber and said ‘Hey, would you please vote for my friend?’ I’m not even kidding,” Somerhalder tells EW.

Read more here

Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene Play Dominoes for Charity

Source: Examiner.com

Twilight co-stars Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene will be spending their Labor Day weekend in Vieques, Puerto Rico playing a game of Hollywood Domino for charity.

Hollywood Domino is a celebrity gaming event – which took place last time in March for Haiti earthquake relief – that has been hosted in various cities across the world, according to one source, including London, New York, and Los Angeles.

Read more here

Melissa Rosenberg To Talk Vampires With Stephen King

Source: New York Times

The [New Yorker] Festival, which runs from Oct. 1 through 3, will also feature panel discussions on “Saturday Night Live,” with Seth Meyers and other cast members, and moderated by The New Yorker editor, David Remnick; on vampires in popular culture, featuring Stephen King and the “Twilight” screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg and moderated by Joan Acocella.

Read more here

That’s some scary stuff about the hostages in the hotel in Brazil.  My friend’s husband is from there and they’ve told me stories about how bad the crime is down there and it’s quite unsettling.  Something about this article bothers me, though.   The article mentions that they would be filming scenes from the second half of the film and that Rob and Kristen would be going down there to shoot.  Are we to believe that this is the second half of Part 1?  When I first read it, I assumed that it would be Part 2 and that would be Amazon rainforest scenes as Jasper and Alice seek another vampire-human hybrid.  I suppose that since they specify Rob and Kristen that these would be Isle Esme scenes.  Some clarification would be nice. 

What do you think about the EW poll results?  Did you vote?  If so, who was your choice?

What do you think of today’s Twilight news?  Join us in the forum and share your thoughts.  We’d love to hear from you!

Teacher Uses “Twilight” To Enhance Biology Course

from: The Gainesville Times

When Bauck was deciding how to teach human biology, a course she’ll teach for the first time this fall, she wanted to find a way to interest the nonbiology majors.

“If you can engage students in the process a little bit and get them excited and keep the interest going, you have a better chance of delivering the material,” she said. “This is a challenging course with a lot of detailed and difficult content, and I want to engage them instead of droning on about the anatomy of the cell.”

“There is an actual biochemical basis to legends of vampires, which have been associated with a genetic mutation thought to have originated in Eastern Europe in the late 1700s,” Bauck included on her syllabus. “This inherited disorder — porphyria — resulted in an abnormal heme molecule, with symptoms of pale skin, extremely sensitivity to sunlight and brain disorders including odd behavior. Further, individuals affected by porphyria often drank animal blood, as it was thought to alleviate the symptoms.”

Read more here

“The Bad Mother’s Handbook” Now on DVD

US Fans of Robert Pattinson as the nerdy-yet-lovable Daniel Gale in the British series “The Bad Mother’s Handbook” can now watch it on DVD.  Purchase a copy at Amazon for $19.99 or rent it there for just $3.99. 

Source

Atmosphere of “Twilight” Echoed In Jewelry

from: moviematics.com

The signs and symbols of Twilight are strong reminders of the narrative’s power. Bella’s moonstone ring echoes the timeless “life” of the vampire and her engagement ring is reminiscent of the sparkling skin of Edward in the sunshine. Wolf rings evoke the strength and speed of Jacob and the other werewolves.

Read more here

Bid To Win “Twilight” Cast Signed Baseballs

Fans can bid to win a baseball signed by Jackson Rathbone , Ashley Greene, or Kellan Lutz as part of a fundraiser to benefit the Little League Urban Initiative.  Bidding ends on August 29th.  In addition to the “Twilight” cast members, there are balls for many other sports figures.  Check them out here. 

Source

Peter Facinelli To Appear At Mall In Sandusky, Ohio

from: The Morning Journal

Actor Peter Facinelli, who plays Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the “Twilight” series, will meet fans at the Sandusky Mall from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday. Photos and autographs will be available for $25 and $40, with proceeds going to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a charity that seeks a cure for childhood cancer. The mall is at 4314 Milan Road, Perkins Township.

Source

I love that teachers are getting more creative with their lessons and that they are willing to incorporate items from pop culture, such as “Twilight” into the curricululm.  “Traditional” lectures certainly do not hold a student’s attention and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that application of the subject matter helps a student retain the knowledge.  I think that tying biology lessons to elements from “Twilight” could certainly increase the amount of material learned and retained in that class.  If not, it would at the very least be more enjoyable to sit through than a traditional lecture.

Have you seen “The Bad Mother’s Handbook”?  I’d like to check out the DVD so that I can see it in a version other than the grainy, small-screened one on YouTube.

What do you think of today’s Twilight news?  Join us in the forum to share your thoughts.  We’d love to hear from you!

Vampires Suck

Brought to you by OBS staff member Annabell Cadiz

Vampires Suck is a spoof made parody at poking fun at the Twilight movies. You would expect from the title the movie would offer humor toward various vampire movies made throughout the last couple of years but instead all you get is a movie with vulgar useless humor and a redundant plotline.

Opening with the same beginning of New Moon and progressing backwards toward Twilight then bouncing between scenes from the two movies, Vampires Suck had no dimension to offer. The jokes fall completely flat. I chuckled about three times but never laughed out loud. There is a small part where Director’s Friedberg and Seltzer poke fun at Alice in Wonderland (she gets shot by Edward Sullen and falls into the rabbit hole) and of the next upcoming movie in the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn, where Becca’s friend needs someone to explain to her why a movie about a girl falling in love with a vampire and having a baby is worth watching (a review I agree with!). But for the most part Vampires Suck was pretty much a summary of everything Twilight related.

Vampires Suck is a ridiculously over the top comedy at the absurd melodrama lovers of Twilight eat up so easily . Vampires Suck just proves a book-turned-into-movie franchise doesn’t really mean it ever had a GOOD plotline to begin with in order to become wildly successful (i.e. The mysterious bad boy who’s in reality a good guy at heart, the fact that EVERY guy would be lusting after a girl who has not a SINGLE drop of personality within her!). Jean Proske does a MARVELOUS job of capturing, Kristen Stewart’s Bella Swan character– the downward gazes, the lower lip biting, the constant hair tucking, the obsession with sex, the lack of smarts– Jean Proske as Becca is actually quite entertaining to watch!

For Twilight lovers everywhere, this is not a movie for you. For the die hard Twilight haters, this probably won’t be enough for you. For everyone in between, who is tired of books and movies aimed at female characters who play the role of mindless damsels in distress and the bad boy who gives up his bad ways to be with the girl he loves, you’ll probably get some enjoyment out of this movie.

As for me, I enjoyed the fact that Vampires Suck helped show the world just how useless the Twilight Saga really is. It wasn’t a wrap-your-hands-around-your-stomach-tears falling-from-your-eyes type of comedy so don’t go in expecting to be roaring with laughter. But if you need a break from all the Twilight lovers out there and don’t want to feel so alone in making fun of it, then go check it out. But truthfully, you can wait to dollar box it (redbox). It’s not really worth the price of admission.

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 115 minutes

Director: Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer

Rating: 2 stars/10 stars

‘Doctor Who’ wins sci-fi heroes poll

By Morgan Jeffery at Digital Spy

Doctor Who has come top in a poll listing the greatest heroes in science-fiction film and television.

The Doctor was awarded the title of ‘Favorite Hero’ in the list compiled by SFX, beating Firefly‘s Malcolm Reynolds into second place.

The character has been played by eleven actors since 1963, with Matt Smith the current incumbent of the role.

Other high-ranking characters included Dean Winchester from Supernatural, Star Wars smuggler Han Solo and Ianto Jones from Who spinoff Torchwood.

Read More here

Daleks top sci-fi monster poll

By Morgan Jeffery at Digital Spy

The Daleks have topped a poll listing the greatest monsters in science fiction films and television.

The Doctor Who villains beat Angel character Lorne (Andy Hallett) into second place in the SFX survey.

Another Who foe, the Cybermen, placed 15th in the list.

Both races reappeared in the most recent series of the show to battle Matt Smith’s 11th Doctor.

Read More here

Alexander Skarsgard Doesn’t Wear a Sock During Nude Scenes

via Us Weekly

The cast of HBO’s True Blood not only strip down for the new Rolling Stone — they also bare all about shooting the show’s racy sex scenes.

Says Alexander Skarsgard (who plays sexy vamp Eric): “I don’t want a sock around it, that feels ridiculous. If we’re naked in the scene, then I’m naked. I’ve always been that way.”

Anna Paquin says she covers up — somewhat. She reveals that she wears a “patch” – a thong-like attire with the sides cut off – while filming nude scenes as her character Sookie Stackhouse.

As for her costar (and real-life fiance) Stephen Moyer (who plays Sookie’s vamp love Bill Compton)? He wears a sock on set — out of consideration for others

Read More here

Getting Lost with Damon Lindelof and ‘Heroes’ creator Tim Kring

By Dennis Nishi at The Wall Street Journal

Tucked between the Porn Star Guide to Great Sex and a coffee table book on Vanessa Del Rio, Tim Kring (”Heroes”) and Damon Lindelof (”Lost”) put on a show for eager fans at Book Soup in Hollywood Tuesday night. They were there to promote and sign copies of Kring’s first novel “Shift,” which was released last week by Crown Publishing. They also chatted about their careers and future plans. The two writers had previously worked together on the now defunct NBC series “Crossing Jordan,” which Kring created in 2001. Lindelof was a writer on the show for three years before he left to work with J.J. Abrams on “Lost.”

From then on, Kring’s interest in the supernatural became a reoccurring theme in his writing and he went on to write and/or produce “Teen Wolf Too,” “Chicago Hope,” “Providence,” “Crossing Jordan” and most recently, “Heroes”. In regards to the later, both denied any implicit plot connections between “Lost” and “Heroes,” though Kring did say that the two shows were first cousins thematically. Lindelof added that the shows were actually first cousins that had sex with each other regularly.

Read More here

Do you think Doctor Who should be the number one Sci Fi hero? What do you think about the Tom Kring interview? What do you think about the nude scenes in True Blood?