Monday, November 30

Breath Me interview and a huge surprise !!


Before we start I have to tell that I am super excited about this post. Today I have fragile little human here and she agreed to talk to me about Breathe Me.


Don’t know about what I’m talking about??

Breathe Me is a fanfiction story which takes place after Edward left Bella in New Moon. But, instead of coming back, Bella started a new life trying to forget Edward and find new peace in her life without her big love. What makes the story even more interesting is that it is a crossover story between Twilight and Moonlight. What the heck is Moonlight you might ask?

Moonlight was a really cool Vampire TV show some time ago, unfortunately they stopped the show after just one season. Fragile little human includes now these two Vampire worlds and creates a world of her own.

Why am I so excited about talking about Breathe Me? I started reading Breathe Me right from the beginning, and I was immediately hooked. Fragile is a wonderful writer and she is super talented. New Moon is my favorite book because it’s on one side so heartbreaking when Edward leaves Bella and on the other side I was super angry with him doing something so extraordinarily stupid. Breathe Me is a wonderful story with a grown up and mature Bella and I love her. Let’s talk about this with fragile, but first I have a little surprise for you from my wonderful Twincé Betti, she made this just for you :


Warning: This post is full of Breath Me Spoilers, so if you haven't read it, don't read on!!! Why the heck haven't you read it yet anyway?

Enough introductions, let’s start!

Welcome fragile, I am so excited to have you here. I was in love with Breathe Me right from the beginning. But let me ask you, did you write stories before Breathe Me? Maybe not Twilight fan fiction but something else?

Thanks for asking me and for loving my story so much! Nope, I've never written anything before...unless you count computer software manuals :)


Why did you choose that your story take place in New Moon just after Edward left? Was it because you love New Moon so much or because you was so frustrated with the book?

While I love New Moon, I was very frustrated with how easy Edward got off in the end. He lied, he broke Bella's heart, and he deserted her. But Bella never really made him pay for that. Sure, I understand that she had to save his life in Italy (after all, how boring would Eclipse and Breaking Dawn be without Edward? *grin*), but, when they returned to Forks, she should have kicked his ass, at least a little. That frustrated me to no end. Oh, and the "I can't believe you believed me when I said I didn't love you" crap made me want to throw my book across the room. Good thing I'm very careful with my books ;)



Oh I totally agree with you with this quote from the book " I can't believe, blah" But I remember your Bella handled that a bit different in Chapter 13. "How dare you pretend to be wounded because I trusted and believed you? You don't get to play the victim here." This was awesome! Although I felt a bit bad for Edward, he truly deserved that!

Yeah, my Bella totally wasn't going to let him get away with that!

Where does Moonlight and Mick come in?

First, I LOVE Moonlight, and I was terribly upset when it was cancelled. In the story, however, I thought it would be interesting to mix the two canons. Plus, I wanted a more interesting reason for Edward's return than "he changed his mind" or "oh, no, here comes Victoria again!" Mick was the perfect reason: a vampire who, while completely harmless to Bella, would seem very threatening to Edward. Plus, I just love Mick *swoon*


Yes, I can read that in your story, you put in quite some love creating Mick as a character for Breathe Me. As you mention now the mix of the two canons I found it pretty clever how you did that. The Cold Ones being an older form of the Vampires, how did you came up with this idea?

I like the idea that, over the millennia, the vampire could evolve, taking on characteristics that made it a more effective hunter. If you compare the Twilight and Moonlight canon, it's the Moonlight vampires who could blend in and hunt more effectively. That allowed there to be a built-in tension between the two vampire lines, one thinking they're more advanced than the other. After reading the chapter where Mick describes the differences, my lovely beta said that she pictured Edward in a loincloth. That's when I started all the caveman references; I knew it would make her laugh.


Your Bella is so much different from the Bella we know from Stephenie Meyer; she is mature and grown up. Is your Bella just different because you wanted her like that or is your Bella so strong because of the things she had to go through to reach the point where your story starts?

It's a little of both. I didn't want my Bella to be the standard damsel-in-distress. I wanted her to stand up, brush herself off, and move on with her life without Edward. I also wanted her to become strong enough to be able to take Edward back on her terms, not his.


Oh yes the Reunion didn't went so smooth like in New Moon, when Bella first saw that Edward came back she was furious instead of just happy to see him. But she had to go through a lot because of him. Actually I loved the part where Bella told him to breathe in her "Now you know how I felt." You made it not easy for Edward. How did you feel for him while writing those chapters?

I love Edward; I'm Team Edward all the way. But that doesn't mean he should always get away with his bull$hit. I love that scene because it gave Bella some of the power and allowed her to turn the tables on Edward, who was always getting her hot and bothered then turning her down in the books.

Talking about Edward, I smiled so many times reading about him in your story. Here Edward reacts much more like a teenager. Did you miss that in the Twilight books?

In the books, Edward is always worldly and wise, and, even though he's been 17 "a while," he never acts 17. However, he's a virgin and never had a relationship with a woman. I think it's reasonable that, in those respects, he would be unsure and a little awkward. After all, we all had health class, but I'd hazard a guess we weren't experts in the sack, no matter how old we were when we finally got there.


You created quite a thick bond between Edward and Mick. It feels like Mick acts more like a mentor to Edward and a good friend. Edward doesn't really have friends; he has his family but no friends. How do you see the relationship between Mick and Edward?

That's exactly how I see it. While Edward is unsure and virginal, Mick has definitely had experience with women, both as a human and a vampire. He's already trudged through the doubt of his relationship with Beth, and he knows exactly how Edward feels, what his concerns are. And, if you've seen the TV show, Mick always tries to help the people and vampires around him. He's just that kind of guy.


We have to talk about this, although it broke my heart: Charlie's death. On one hand I was extremely upset about this, but on the other hand his dead made it easier for Bella to move on with Edward. What was your reason behind Charlie's death?

I love Charlie, and I wanted to redeem him after SM had him be an ass and basically congratulate Jake for assaulting Bella in Eclipse. I always see Charlie as Billy Burke/movie Charlie, which is so much more than book Charlie. That said, his death was planned from the very beginning, as was Renee's.

There was two reasons for that. (1) One of book Edward's arguments against turning Bella was that she'd have to leave her family behind. Making her an orphan took that argument away. (2) Most importantly, seeing Bella lose Charlie allows Edward to see death and loss as something real and tangible rather than some lofty, romantic notion. Seeing Bella's grief makes Edward realize that he'd do anything to keep her with him.


Those chapters have been pretty tough to read, but you did a wonderful job there and you spoke right to my heart during these chapters. How hard was it for you to write?

Very difficult. I cried a lot writing it. Having lost my mother suddenly when I was in my early 20s, I remember very clearly what that first night and days after were like. Writing Bella's feelings in those chapters are probably the closest I've ever come to explaining how I felt then.


However, I thought that the Cullens would come to the funeral. Why didn't they?

In the wedding chapter, Edward says that he doesn't have the family at the wedding because "we need to do this our way, Bella and I." I wanted the story to be about Edward and Bella coming to terms with their past and the things that happen to them once they reunite as adults and as a couple. If the Cullens come into the story too soon, the decisions begin to be colored too much by the input of the family. The Cullens are giving Edward and Bella their space, and Carlisle only comes towards the end when he's called.


A really tough thing was when Bella went out to kill Charlie's murderer, but I could understand this easily from her point of view. But then you let Edward kill him instead. Not just killing him but ripping his heart out, this was really hard! Why did Edward just not bite and drain him?

Wow, um, I just liked the visual of him ripping someone's heart out and it still beating in his hands. Plus, I think Edward wouldn't want to drink a human's blood; it would kinda set up a bad precedent ;)


Then you surprised the hell out of me by Edward's request that Mick changes Bella! Clever! Did you have this in mind right after starting the story, or did this idea came up while writing?

That was planned from the beginning. It only made sense to me that Edward would want Bella's existence to be easier than his. One reviewer said they couldn't understand why Edward would trade the ability to survive on animal blood and never having to sleep for a dependence on human blood and a body that's not indestructible. As Mick and Edward explain in the changing chapter, however, Bella doesn't have bloodlust, she doesn't have to kill to feed, and she can blend in with humans if she needs to. Edward's thoughts say it best, I think. "If anything ever happened to him, Bella would be able to blend in with humans and live a life of freedom he'd never know."


What I really loved was that Bella told Edward that SHE wants to marry him! Wonderful! I found it super confusing that Bella reacted so stupid in New Moon and Eclipse about Edward's proposal. Why does your Bella now want to marry him?

Book Bella is such an idiot about that! "I'll give up my life and possibly my soul for you, but marriage is too big a commitment." WHAT?! How does that even make sense? My Bella sees Jackson's and Angela's marriages, and she understands the meaning of that kind of commitment. She wants it for herself, and she wants it with Edward. She doesn't see anything wrong with letting him know that.


Ok, I don't tell a secret that I am a big crier. But I cried like a baby during the "changing" Chapters. Thank you for bringing in some erotic moments, I always pictured it like that.

Thanks! I was worried about the change scene, how people would react to what Mick and Edward do. I'm very glad to know that you didn't dislike that part, because it was important to me that Edward have something of Bella since he wasn't the one changing her. As Mick thinks in chapter 12:

Irregardless of the circumstances in which it occurs, drinking the blood of a lover is the most erotic experience a vampire can have. He imagined the same was true for a Cold One, except that their lovers tended to not survive the feeding. It must be agonizing, he thought, to know the one thing you crave the most is the one thing you can never have. Edward's guilt over feeling such pleasure in the midst of such a horrible situation must be tremendous.

In the change scene, Edward has one last chance to feel pleasure and not guilt when he drinks Bella's blood. He might be ashamed, but, ultimately, it is a gift he's been given by Mick and Bella.


Oh my goodness, but we are coming to the end now. This makes me so incredibly sad, but let's talk about the last chapters.

You described the moments when Edward was there sitting beside Bella and waiting for her to wake up really emotionally. His desperate wish for her to wake up. Honestly shortly I thought you might let her die!

No no no no no, I'd never kill Edward or Bella. I'm a faithful E & B shipper, and, no matter what hell I put them through, I'd make sure they ended up together.


You surprised me once more, when he could hear her thoughts and when she "talked" to him. How did this idea come up?

There were two scenes in Breaking Dawn that I really liked. The first is when Edward can hear the baby's thoughts in the womb, and he realizes that she loves Bella. The second is when Bella is able to drop her shield and let Edward hear her thoughts. Since Bella wasn't changed by Edward, the shield power didn't materialize, but I still wanted them to have that mental connection they have at the end of Breaking Dawn. I thought having her be able to at least communicate some of her thoughts to Edward would be cool.


In the end it was great leading towards a happy ending, she met Charlie and Renee and could get her peace. I think that was your intention?

Absolutely. When you lose a parent, you often end up wondering what they would think of the choices you've made, would they support you and be proud of you. I gave Bella the opportunity to know those answers, because, after all, forever would be a long time to have those questions.


But finally she woke up - thank you! I was so happy it all went well in the end.

*sniffles* Ok we are really close to the end now. It was a bit sad when they all went to the airport to say Goodbye. Mick and Beth both won my heart and now they go.

I was so sad when I wrote that scene. They all had created this new little family in the void left behind by Charlie, and then they had to go their separate ways. *sniffle*


You gave us another surprising moment when you revealed Jackson's wife being a vampire! Why did you do that? Is there a special reason behind it?

I actually had a whole scene in my head where Mick and Bella go to buy retail blood and run into Jackson's wife there, but it didn't really fit into the story. Instead, I decided to have her reveal herself to Bella at the end. It's kinda of my way of showing that the elite community Josef talks about is bigger than anyone knows, that their bloodline can blend in with humans so well that Bella couldn't tell Jackson's wife was a vampire.


And just as a sidenote: I love that Josef wrote the letter to Bella and Sparklepuss (hilarious) and gave her the Jaguar as a gift! You know I love these exclusive cars.

You're not the only one - Greta, my lovely beta, loves Josef. No, you don't understand, she LOVES Josef. :)


The end of the story was absolutely perfect, Bella and Edward at the Meadow!! So wonderful, and actually here we have my favorite quote from Edward: "Lead the way, love." Absolutely fantastic! If he would have let her lead right from the beginning so much wouldn't have happened, and they would have their happy ending so much earlier!

Exactly! It took Edward a while, but he finally figured out that he can't just control and decide everything and expect Bella to follow along. In the end, their relationship is becoming a partnership, and Edward realizes that he makes better decisions when he lets Bella be a part of them.

Ok, I have to, I really have to ask this one burning question. I think I'm not the only one who would beg you for this, but is there a possibility that we might see Edward, Bella, Mick, Beth, and maybe Josef again??

Well, tomorrow (December 1st) I'm posting the first chapter of an AH Alice-centered story titled Spell My Heart. It's only five chapters long, so it will end the last Tuesday of December. Also, I'm starting a new AH Bella/Edward story titled Not That Cool (Bella's a geek, and Edward is the non-geek that maybe kinda loves her), and the first chapter of that is tentatively scheduled to go up December 11th. Then, in Spring 2010, I plan to write a Breathe Me sequel. I know my major plot points, but I don't have a detailed outline yet. I can give you two "spoilers" though:

1 - You'll get to see what the Cullens are up to in Anchorage.

2 - There will be lots of Josef. I mean LOTS of Josef :)

So everyone go and add an author alert, pretty please!


*jumps up and down in excitement* OOoooOOoooO really??? I'm freaking out!!! Girls, did you all read that ?? We will get a sequel!!!!! This is awesome! Thank you so much!

Thank you! I've gotten so much support from my blog and Twitter friends and my readers/reviewers! I won't go through my epic A/N again, but I'm really thankful for all my wonderful friends in the fandom! *hugs* *kisses*


Friday, November 27

My wonderful Twiancé and our New Moon weekend

MRSV: Oh Betti, I think we have to talk about our weekend right? I mean, we waited for this since months and drove everybody crazy in Twitter and here, so I think we should tell them a bit. May I start, may I start???

BETTI: No! I'm older. And taller. I will start.

MRSV: ?!?

BETTI: Aww.... just kidding!! *punches Mrs.V playfully* Go ahead!

MRSV: I really counted the days until THE Saturday arrived and I'll finally gonna meet my Twiancé Betti in flesh and bone and can actually hug her so tightly. Then it was time...

BETTI: *mimicking Alice* It's time. It's time!

MRSV: ...and I nervously drove to the airport and waited impatiently for her to show up. I hoped that I would recognize her immediately since she promised me to wear her red cap.

BETTI: Which I did!

MRSV: And then Betti came and yes, I recognized her immediately and, wanna know what she did? She dropped her bag and made a small dance! Yes this is Betti! *giggles* Then we just hugged tightly!

BETTI: Well, I told you I would perform a happy dance, right? *laughs* But maybe it was more of a... uhm... modern free dance, I don't know... anyway, I just... danced.

MRSV: I just freaked out because Betti is sooooo taaaallll and even wore those high heels and well, I stood beside her, tiny and with my Chucks…

Yes, I really wore that stuff ...

BETTI: and your Cullen Baseball sweater! Sooo cute... fell in love in a split-second!

MRSV: However, I took her to my car and first thing we did was having a smoke.

BETTI: Uhh... I needed that badly. *cough*

MRSV: Yes, one of the things we really have in common - we smoke like hell.

BETTI: By the way, does anyone of you Twi-merch experts know whether there is such a thing like a Twilight ashtray? For a car? Just asking... because Mrs.V made me open the window and...

MRSV: Betti!!! I don't think this belongs...

BETTI: Ok, ok... *giggles*

MRSV: We went briefly to my workplace, and I showed her my Twioffice. Remember Betti? one can even see it from the outside: Look, 2nd floor in the middle, there where the Rob posters are on the wall.

BETTI: Yes, there was one window screaming TWILIGHT! We went inside and Mrs.V introduced me to some of her co-workers and some stemm cells. Both species were very friendly. I felt a little uhm... scrutinized by that one handsome male co-worker who followed us to the lab, but it was ok. Oh, and I swear, one of the stemm cells waved at me through the mikroskope!! Fascinating...

MRSV: However, when we arrived at my place we figured out that we have another thing in common, we are addicted to coffee!

BETTI: Oh yeah...

MRSV: I didn’t know anyone who drinks as much coffee as I do, but this was before I found you!

BETTI: I didn't know anyone who makes such a good coffee before I found you, my dear! I was tempted to ask whether I may have it intravenous, you know, moving around with an IV bag, hanging from such a pole on wheels... *laughs*

MRSV: Oh yeah I would love having that too!! After one more smoke, and with another hot coffee in our hands, we started giving us presents! Squeeeeeee! Yes, we he had presents for each other!!! But this is your turn Betti, you unwrapped mine first, right? Which was a small one, but perfect for our weekend!

BETTI: Yes, I opened the small one first, and in there were two NM wristbands in red and white, that was so sweet!

MRSV: And I bought the same for me just in black.

BETTI: Yes, I put mine on, and Mrs.V and I waggled our wrists at each other and laughed and squeed like teenage girls!

MRSV: But then came my biggest surprise for her, something I knew she would never buy for herself *giggles*. And she really freaked out.

BETTI: I did!! I literally jumped off the couch and screamed... because it was a fucking Pocket Edward!!! I think I smooched him and pressed him to my boobs, I might even have licked him... I don't remember, because as soon as I saw him, a kind of frenzy began... and I stammered: 'Mine... you are mine... oh yeah... mine!'

MRSV: It was awesome! I’m beyond happy to see that she apparently loved my little present that much. OooOoOo now it’s my turn: and Betti came with a big beautiful red box! This was a bit scary. A.Big.Red.Box! Full of wonderments.

BETTI: Well, since it was the first time in years that someone had invited me to their place, and - I mean, it was my beloved Twiancé! - I had been so excited the weeks before, so I had started to collect little presents and just couldn't stop *laughs*, so in the end I actually needed that big box *shrugs*

MRSV: She brought me some of her music, which is wonderful because I always wanted to hear more of her stuff, including one CD with Bedtime Stories. *does a lill happy dance* and a poster from her band.

BETTI: Uhm... yes, it's a little awkward to make one's own stuff a present like this... but I just wanted you to have something personal of me. I'm so glad you liked it!

MRSV: Sure I did!! I mean I can always hear you when I listen to your music, that’s awesome! Then there was one more small box and my pulse quickened when I opened it, and inside were super sweet little buttons and……OOooOOooo a twigagement bracelet!!!! Squeeeee!!

BETTI: Woot! *claps hands*

MRSV: Now it was me freaking out, with a little “B” and “D” (this is me, Dani) and a crystal heart, aaaannnnddd Betti has the same, annnndd she made them all by herself which makes it even better...

BETTI: Oh God... breathe, Mrs.V!!! *laughs*

MRSV: Really, I freaked out about this wonderment, how sweet is that??!??! Since that day I wear it every day!


Isn't that super sweet?!!

BETTI: Awww... me too!

MRSV: As I promised my Twiance I would cook for her and since she was still suffering from her flu, I made something with tons of calories: Lasagna!! Homemade, for sure.

BETTI: Yes, and while you were cooking, I had a conniption and laughed my ass off alone in your living room, and you came peaking around the corner to see what was going on, remember? I had dressed my new Mini-E *cackles*


MRSV: Oh god this really cracked me up, I stood in the kitchen and heard suddenly I big laugh…

BETTI: Yeah, since I had to learn that I couldn't strip him... LOL, he looked like a Teletubby!!! Didn't you take a picture, Mrs.V?

MRSV: Sure! wait, here it is giggles Isn’t he sweet??

BETTI: Oh, yes... and then... whoaaaa, came the Lasagna!! Oh. My. God.

MRSV: I was so surprised, skinny Betti ate not just one portion, not two, she eat three!!!

BETTI: No idea what came over me...

MRSV: Hello?!?! Is there a better compliment for a cook than this?

BETTI: Certainly not! I didn't even like pasta before... but this was... nomnom... like... oh...

MRSV: And I’m not talking about the Belgium pralines afterwards.

BETTI: Well, it was just one family box of cream filled chocs. No big deal. And you ate one or two pieces too!

MRSV: Ok, after we calmed down and more coffee and more smokes we just talked, chatted and talked, oh yes and we watched Twilight again. This was obvious, hu?

BETTI: *mimicking Billy* ...actually came to visit your flatscreen! *giggles*

MRSV: It was so wonderful to see it with a true Twifriend, something else than just seeing it alone or with a “normal person”, right?

BETTI: I agree. Though we didn't really “watch” it, did we? Because we either spoke along with the movie dialogues or fell back into excited chatting and swooning... it was just lovely that the DVD was playing while we were there, together finally, right?

MRSV: Absolutely, finally I had someone with whom I could share all my thought about the movie, that was awesome! After more coffee and more smokes we finally went to bed and tried to get some sleep to be ready for the New Moon day! Squeeee!

BETTI: And MrsV generously granted me unrestricted access to her Holy Grail (i.e. her Macbook), which I found unbelievably sweet... so trusting... and... *sighs*

MRSV: *giggles* The next morning I made a coffee and tried to wake up Betti with a fresh coffee. Truly I never met one who sleeps deeper than Betti.

BETTI: Well, you know, I use to only sleep every second night, and this was my second, since I had been much to excited to sleep the night before we met, so...

MRSV: “Betti, coffee, wake up” - “Betti, we gonna see Ne Moon today” - *include some music* - “Betti, coffee is getting cold” - “We gonna miss New Moon if you won’t wake up”... 10 minutes!!!

BETTI: Well, yeah... uhm, sorry... *laughs* your couch was really very comfortable.

MRSV: Finally she managed and after some coffee and some smokes...

BETTI: ...which I took sitting in the open balcony door, wrapped up in the comforter, with Mini-E huddled to my bosom. Hey, that was the first time I was glad that I don't have a real cleavage, because that two-finger-space was perfect for Mini-E, you know? *laughs*


Yes, this was the New Moon morning, I think Mini-E felt quite well...

MRSV: ...we got dressed in our fan-shirts, and nervously drove into the city, ready for New Moon! God, we were both so excited!

Isn't she gorgeous??

MRSV: The theater was full of Teenies and yes, we raised the age average quite a bit.

BETTI: Well, actually it was just ME raising the age average. MrsV was the one lowering the average height *snicker*

MRSV: Ha-ha!! Really funny, Betti! Anyway... since we had skipped breakfast we had to buy some Popcorn, I mean what is a movie without it?

BETTI: I was well stuffed with insulin... and adrenaline...

MRSV: OooOooo, my goodness! I won’t give a New Moon review now because this would been hell too much. Just put it like this: I had water in my eyes nearly the whole movie.

BETTI: It was awesome. And MrsV was so brave... she didn't break my fingers during all the hand-holding and death-gripping we did, I was very thankful. We just, uhm... cuddled a lot. *smiles at the memory*

MRSV: I love Robward, I was positively surprised by TayTay and I was touched be KStew! Yes, you read this right! I love her in New Moon. But more on that later, this has to go into a separate post!

BETTI: I liked her too. I think Kristen actually made it to Face G, or even H in this movie. And she looked beautiful.

MRSV: Afterwards Betti and me found ourselves in a NewMoonComa, we were emotionally worn out, but it was heaven. We went for dinner and just talked and talked and talked about everything we have seen and loved, it was perfect!

BETTI: Just like it is supposed to be when you share such an event with a twifriend. It was a first for me, and I can't tell you how much I loved that!

MRSV: We managed to drive home, somehow, and chatted a bit with MrV, who was really lovely.

BETTI: Oh, he truly was! *giggles* First thing he said, after looking up and down at me: ”So... did you get a lot of phone numbers already here in Munich?” A little cheeky, but such a nice compliment, right? And he sat down with us and we got talking. He seemed to be really interested in everything, and kinda fascinated to see that, besides all the twimania, MrsV's twifriend is just an ordinary woman and not a total whacko *laughs*. No really, he's such a sweet guy... lucky MrsV!

MRSV: However, after he went to bed, Betti and me did what we did the whole weekend, coffee, smoke and chat.

BETTI: Yeah, and we got a little more close up and personal that night which was great. But I had felt like visiting someone I'd known for years from minute one anyway. *smiles lovingly at MrsV*

MRSV: sigh it was wonderful, getting to know my Twiancé better was wonderful! Next day it had to drive her to the airport, which was sad enough, but altogether we had a wonderful perfect weekend

BETTI: Absolutely! We shared one last tight hug in the parking lot. And I couldn't help but bend down to give her another Edwardly kiss on her hair, because I just so much loved to do that. Don't get me wrong, folks – NM and everything was awesome – but the part I internalized the most and took home with me to remind me that everything was real, is that: the feeling of MrsV's tiny shape against me and my nose in her hair... - oh noez, honey, don't... oh fuck... water in her eyes – again! *shakes head*

MRSV: And yes, I love you even more! Love you honey! I truly do!

BETTI: Love you too. Thanks for everything!

 
Blog designed by TwispiredBlogdesign using Lily's Little Red Bird kit.