Stephenie Meyer to shelve last book in Twilight vampire saga
Last Updated: Sunday, August 31, 2008 | 10:30 AM ET
CBC News
Stephenie Meyer says an internet leak of the latest manuscript in her Twilight vampire teen saga was a 'huge violation' of her rights as an author. (David Stone, Little, Brown and Company/Canadian Press)Stephenie Meyer, the author of a popular teen vampire series of books, says she has temporarily ditched the final episode of her series after an incomplete draft was leaked on the internet.
The last book was to retell the story of the first instalment of her series, Twilight, from the point of view of Edward Cullen, the main love interest of the human teen Bella Swan.
"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. The manuscript that was illegally distributed on the internet was given to trusted individuals for a good purpose," wrote the Arizona-based author on her website.
"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."
The announcement comes after the release of Meyer's highly anticipated fourth instalment, Breaking Dawn, which resulted in a massive backlash by fans who have been following the love story of Edward, the vegetarian vampire, and Bella.
Readers were so upset with the book's plot that some returned their books.
Fans expressed their distress over what they see as weak character traits in Bella who, in Breaking Dawn, is desperate to hold on to her new husband, Edward. Critics are also disheartened by Bella's unexpected but post-marital teen pregnancy and feel Meyer has inserted an anti-abortion message into her book.
Meyer's book series has been compared to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books.
The three earlier books in the series have sold seven million copies worldwide and have been translated into 20 languages. Twilight, published in 2005, is coming out on the big screen in November.
Breaking Dawn topped Amazon.ca's bestseller list as soon as it was released in early August.
As for fans of the series, Meyer does offer a hint of hope in her posting: "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."
