Archive for the 'Art And Entertainment' Category
Sexual Metaphors in Rock Music Lyrics
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Merryl Lentz asked:
Rock and roll and *** have always been inseparable bedmates. And it’s been no secret affair. Many musicians admit that they only learned how to sing or play an instrument so they could enjoy the fringe benefits of band membership. They don’t mind sharing the details of these fringe benefits in their lyrics, either. Some lyrics are blatantly explicit, while other lyrics hide their sexuality behind metaphors. Here are some lyrics that seem very suggestive—or maybe we just have dirty minds!
“Brand New Key” by Melanie
Remember this novelty hit from the early 70s? Also known as “The Roller Skate Song,” there seemed to be plenty of innuendo in the lyrics, “I got a brand new pair of roller skates/You got a brand new key/I think that we should get together and try them out, you see.” Also, many listeners interpreted the lyrics “new key” as “nookie.” Although Melanie didn’t intentionally write sexually suggestive lyrics, she did admit that, “I guess a lock and key have always been Freudian symbols, and pretty obvious ones, at that.”
“Knocking at Your Back Door” by Deep Purple
The blatant title, which also makes its way into the song lyrics, needs no explanation. But the band wove more subtle suggestiveness into the lyrics, “So we put her on the hit list/Of a common cunning linguist/A master of many tongues.” If you don’t get it right away, quickly say the lyrics “cunning linguist” out loud several times. Oh, so that’s what he’s saying! The lyrics flew under the censor’s radar, and were played on numerous radio stations. According to the liner notes in the band’s Greatest Hits, they wrote the lyrics as a joke, and never expected the song to get any airplay.
“Little Willy” by The Sweet
This incredibly catchy tune by glam band, The Sweet, initially drew critics’ scorn for its “nursery porn” lyrics, “Little Willy, Willy won’t go home/But you can’t push Willy ’round, Willy won’t go.” The song lyrics were supposedly inspired by late singer Brian Connolly’s nonstop nightclubbing. Since “willy” is also British slang for a man’s you-know-what, there’s also speculation that the lyrics regard that organ’s endless desire for satisfaction. In any case, the song and its lyrics ignited a succession of 14 hit singles, including 11 chart-toppers.
“Cherry Pie” by Warrant
The lyrics of “Cherry Pie” are filled with so many humorous sexual metaphors, where do we begin? Well, here are a few of those lyrics: “She wanted me to feed her/So I mixed up the batter/And she licked the beater,” “If I think about baseball/I’ll swing all night,” and “Tastes so good/Make a grown man cry/Sweet cherry pie.” Singer Jani Lane wrote the song’s music and lyrics on a pizza box in 15 minutes. Talk about a quickie!
“Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel
Influenced by sexually suggestive soul music lyrics, the lyrics of “Sledgehammer” are loaded with innuendo. In addition to “I want to be your sledgehammer,” the lyrics refer to steam trains, bumper cars, pollination, fruit, bees and a big dipper. Regarding the lyrics, Gabriel said, “Sometimes *** can break through barriers when other forms of communication are not working too well.”
That theory may work well in song lyrics, but it’s a line that might backfire if you’re trying to pick up someone in a bar!
Rock and roll and *** have always been inseparable bedmates. And it’s been no secret affair. Many musicians admit that they only learned how to sing or play an instrument so they could enjoy the fringe benefits of band membership. They don’t mind sharing the details of these fringe benefits in their lyrics, either. Some lyrics are blatantly explicit, while other lyrics hide their sexuality behind metaphors. Here are some lyrics that seem very suggestive—or maybe we just have dirty minds!
“Brand New Key” by Melanie
Remember this novelty hit from the early 70s? Also known as “The Roller Skate Song,” there seemed to be plenty of innuendo in the lyrics, “I got a brand new pair of roller skates/You got a brand new key/I think that we should get together and try them out, you see.” Also, many listeners interpreted the lyrics “new key” as “nookie.” Although Melanie didn’t intentionally write sexually suggestive lyrics, she did admit that, “I guess a lock and key have always been Freudian symbols, and pretty obvious ones, at that.”
“Knocking at Your Back Door” by Deep Purple
The blatant title, which also makes its way into the song lyrics, needs no explanation. But the band wove more subtle suggestiveness into the lyrics, “So we put her on the hit list/Of a common cunning linguist/A master of many tongues.” If you don’t get it right away, quickly say the lyrics “cunning linguist” out loud several times. Oh, so that’s what he’s saying! The lyrics flew under the censor’s radar, and were played on numerous radio stations. According to the liner notes in the band’s Greatest Hits, they wrote the lyrics as a joke, and never expected the song to get any airplay.
“Little Willy” by The Sweet
This incredibly catchy tune by glam band, The Sweet, initially drew critics’ scorn for its “nursery porn” lyrics, “Little Willy, Willy won’t go home/But you can’t push Willy ’round, Willy won’t go.” The song lyrics were supposedly inspired by late singer Brian Connolly’s nonstop nightclubbing. Since “willy” is also British slang for a man’s you-know-what, there’s also speculation that the lyrics regard that organ’s endless desire for satisfaction. In any case, the song and its lyrics ignited a succession of 14 hit singles, including 11 chart-toppers.
“Cherry Pie” by Warrant
The lyrics of “Cherry Pie” are filled with so many humorous sexual metaphors, where do we begin? Well, here are a few of those lyrics: “She wanted me to feed her/So I mixed up the batter/And she licked the beater,” “If I think about baseball/I’ll swing all night,” and “Tastes so good/Make a grown man cry/Sweet cherry pie.” Singer Jani Lane wrote the song’s music and lyrics on a pizza box in 15 minutes. Talk about a quickie!
“Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel
Influenced by sexually suggestive soul music lyrics, the lyrics of “Sledgehammer” are loaded with innuendo. In addition to “I want to be your sledgehammer,” the lyrics refer to steam trains, bumper cars, pollination, fruit, bees and a big dipper. Regarding the lyrics, Gabriel said, “Sometimes *** can break through barriers when other forms of communication are not working too well.”
That theory may work well in song lyrics, but it’s a line that might backfire if you’re trying to pick up someone in a bar!
Ted Kennedy Dead – Edward M. Kennedy Known as Ted Kennedy Died
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Robert Tailor asked:
Edward M. Kennedy, one of the most powerful and influential senators in American history and one of three brothers whose political triumphs and personal tragedies captivated the nation for decades, died late Tuesday at his home in Hyannis Port, Mass., at age 77.
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“This is the cause of my life,” Ted Kennedy wrote. “For four decades I have carried this cause — from the floor of the United States Senate to every part of this country. It has never been merely a question of policy; it goes to the heart of my belief in a just society.”
–Ted Kennedy
Here’s what some had to say about him:
“But Ted Kennedy didn’t belong to all of us. He didn’t even belong to all Democrats. He was not of the party that voted for more than a trillion in unfunded tax cuts but cannot bring itself to pay for health-care reform. He was not of the party that fears the next election more than the next failure to help America;s needy. Rather, he belonged to the party of Medicare and Medicaid, the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Civil Rights Act and immigration reform. He belonged to the party that sought to advance the conditions and opportunities of the least among us.”
– Ezra Klein, Washington Post
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“I don’t have much to say, except a personal thought. I remember the days, several decades ago, when Ted Kennedy was treated — mainly, but not only, on the right — as a figure of derision. He was mocked for his appearance, his personal life, his unabashed liberalism.
And now he’s remembered as a great man. The thing is, he didn’t change — he always was.”
– Paul Krugman, New York Times
“Ted Kennedy seemed to know that when it came to personal style he would never be the whole package JFK was. Over the years, Kennedy would adopt a single element that would become his style signature: a bold collar on dress shirts that served as the perfect counterpoint to his wide smile. Sometimes a medium spread, sometimes a straight point, the collar always seemed prominent but in a non-Lagerfeldian way. “
– Adam Tschorn, LA Times
“And unlike many important people in my 38 years I’ve had the privilege of knowing, the unique thing about Teddy was it was never about him. It was always about you. It was never about him. It was people I admire, great women and men, at the end of the day gets down to being about them. With Teddy it was never about him.”
– Jonathan Capehart, Washington Post
Edward M. Kennedy, one of the most powerful and influential senators in American history and one of three brothers whose political triumphs and personal tragedies captivated the nation for decades, died late Tuesday at his home in Hyannis Port, Mass., at age 77.
Get a Google Android Cell Phone, FREE
(with completion of program requirements).
“This is the cause of my life,” Ted Kennedy wrote. “For four decades I have carried this cause — from the floor of the United States Senate to every part of this country. It has never been merely a question of policy; it goes to the heart of my belief in a just society.”
–Ted Kennedy
Here’s what some had to say about him:
“But Ted Kennedy didn’t belong to all of us. He didn’t even belong to all Democrats. He was not of the party that voted for more than a trillion in unfunded tax cuts but cannot bring itself to pay for health-care reform. He was not of the party that fears the next election more than the next failure to help America;s needy. Rather, he belonged to the party of Medicare and Medicaid, the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Civil Rights Act and immigration reform. He belonged to the party that sought to advance the conditions and opportunities of the least among us.”
– Ezra Klein, Washington Post
Get a Google Android Cell Phone, FREE
“I don’t have much to say, except a personal thought. I remember the days, several decades ago, when Ted Kennedy was treated — mainly, but not only, on the right — as a figure of derision. He was mocked for his appearance, his personal life, his unabashed liberalism.
And now he’s remembered as a great man. The thing is, he didn’t change — he always was.”
– Paul Krugman, New York Times
“Ted Kennedy seemed to know that when it came to personal style he would never be the whole package JFK was. Over the years, Kennedy would adopt a single element that would become his style signature: a bold collar on dress shirts that served as the perfect counterpoint to his wide smile. Sometimes a medium spread, sometimes a straight point, the collar always seemed prominent but in a non-Lagerfeldian way. “
– Adam Tschorn, LA Times
“And unlike many important people in my 38 years I’ve had the privilege of knowing, the unique thing about Teddy was it was never about him. It was always about you. It was never about him. It was people I admire, great women and men, at the end of the day gets down to being about them. With Teddy it was never about him.”
– Jonathan Capehart, Washington Post
How to Officially Start a T-shirt Collection
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T-Shirt Magazine asked:
So you wanna start a t-shirt collection? Oh,it’s no easy task. It’s just like collecting art, minus the square frames and hard to pronounce names. If you wanna be a real tee maniac, it’s about time you officially start a t-shirt collection. Read T-Shirt Magazine’s guide to collecting t-shirts first.
A good collection has both breadth and depth. Breadth: a variety of t-shirt styles, colors, and brands. Depth: a focus on a certain style, color or brand. Maybe you try collecting 10 red t-shirts as your focus but 2 of every color to have a variety.
Get as many limited edition t-shirts as possible. It’s always good to have a few rare pieces in your collection. Plus, it ***** going out with some crazy shirt on thinking you’re all cool and original and then seeing someone wearing the exact same one.
Buy t-shirts from underground brands. You’ll be one of the only people to own a shirt if it’s from a brand that’s not out there yet. On top of that, when the brand does blow up you can say you started wearing it way before everyone else did.
Keep all your t-shirts in good condition. You don’t have to be a neat freak about it but don’t stain them permanently or tear holes through them regularly. Who wants to walk around in beat up t-shirts anyway?
Buy t-shirts that are considered collector’s items. Shirts based on significant events, iconic figures, or pop culture are good additions to your collection. T-shirts of your favorite bands, shows or movies are great additions.
Have a story for every t-shirt. When buying a shirt for your collection, remember where you got it from, what made you buy it or some notable thing that happened that day. Makes for a good conversation when someone compliments your t-shirt or sees your closet.
When starting off, think quality over quantity. It’s better to have a few really cool t-shirts than a bunch of t-shirts that ****. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for quality, but once in a while you should blow $100 on a single t-shirt if you can afford it.
Pick a few brands whose t-shirts you like and get all the latest releases. Having a truckload of random shirts is cool, too, but having t-shirts from a select few brands shows you’ve developed a taste.
Now you’re ready to officially start a t-shirt collection.
WHAT T-SHIRTS ARE MAKING IT TO YOUR COLLECTION?
So you wanna start a t-shirt collection? Oh,it’s no easy task. It’s just like collecting art, minus the square frames and hard to pronounce names. If you wanna be a real tee maniac, it’s about time you officially start a t-shirt collection. Read T-Shirt Magazine’s guide to collecting t-shirts first.
A good collection has both breadth and depth. Breadth: a variety of t-shirt styles, colors, and brands. Depth: a focus on a certain style, color or brand. Maybe you try collecting 10 red t-shirts as your focus but 2 of every color to have a variety.
Get as many limited edition t-shirts as possible. It’s always good to have a few rare pieces in your collection. Plus, it ***** going out with some crazy shirt on thinking you’re all cool and original and then seeing someone wearing the exact same one.
Buy t-shirts from underground brands. You’ll be one of the only people to own a shirt if it’s from a brand that’s not out there yet. On top of that, when the brand does blow up you can say you started wearing it way before everyone else did.
Keep all your t-shirts in good condition. You don’t have to be a neat freak about it but don’t stain them permanently or tear holes through them regularly. Who wants to walk around in beat up t-shirts anyway?
Buy t-shirts that are considered collector’s items. Shirts based on significant events, iconic figures, or pop culture are good additions to your collection. T-shirts of your favorite bands, shows or movies are great additions.
Have a story for every t-shirt. When buying a shirt for your collection, remember where you got it from, what made you buy it or some notable thing that happened that day. Makes for a good conversation when someone compliments your t-shirt or sees your closet.
When starting off, think quality over quantity. It’s better to have a few really cool t-shirts than a bunch of t-shirts that ****. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for quality, but once in a while you should blow $100 on a single t-shirt if you can afford it.
Pick a few brands whose t-shirts you like and get all the latest releases. Having a truckload of random shirts is cool, too, but having t-shirts from a select few brands shows you’ve developed a taste.
Now you’re ready to officially start a t-shirt collection.
WHAT T-SHIRTS ARE MAKING IT TO YOUR COLLECTION?
Finding Music Videos On An Online Lyrics Database
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Vikram kuamr asked:
Whether you are looking for music videos or lyrics to songs, you can find both at an online lyrics database. An online lyrics database is where you want to be for the music that you like. You can look up music videos by the artists as well as songs. You can listen to the music videos right on the site and enjoy watching them over and over again.
In addition to finding music videos, you can also find lyrics at an online lyrics database. If you have ever wanted to find lyrics to a hit song, you can look up the lyrics by the name of the artist or the song. You can perform various searches on the online lyrics database and even add your own lyrics to a song.
Even lyrics for older songs can be found at the online lyrics database. You can find all of the song lyrics you can imagine by using this database. In many cases, if the songs are relatively recent, you can watch the music videos as well as sing along with the lyrics when you go to the lyrics database.
A lyrics database has everything that you need to enjoy music. Whether you want to listen to music, sing along with the lyrics or watch the music videos, you can do so on the online lyrics database.
Music videos are one of the most relaxing ways to enjoy the internet. While some sites are clogged with irrelevant videos, making it difficult to find music videos, the music lyrics database has the music videos all cataloged making it easy to search for them. You can search by artists, featured videos and songs. If you are looking for the top videos of the day, or older music videos, you can find them by going online.
Song lyrics are easier to find than ever with the internet. When you are looking for song lyrics, you will want to use a site where you can find the lyrics easily by using a search system that is simple to understand. Using such a system will make it easy for you to find what you are looking for by way of lyrics.
Once you use the online lyrics database, you will want to use it all of the time to look up music videos and song lyrics for your own entertainment. Whether you are looking for the songs of yesterday or the hottest new songs of today by the latest artists, you can find them when you look for lyrics and videos online. Instead of searching for one place for videos and other places for lyrics, you can get everything you want to know regarding songs by your favorite artists in one convenient online site. You can bookmark the lyrics database and use it whenever you want to look up lyrics or videos. You can watch and listen to videos and enjoy not only the lyrics to your favorite songs, but the songs themselves, right at your fingertips. Find a site that not only has it all, but also makes it easy for you to find.
Whether you are looking for music videos or lyrics to songs, you can find both at an online lyrics database. An online lyrics database is where you want to be for the music that you like. You can look up music videos by the artists as well as songs. You can listen to the music videos right on the site and enjoy watching them over and over again.
In addition to finding music videos, you can also find lyrics at an online lyrics database. If you have ever wanted to find lyrics to a hit song, you can look up the lyrics by the name of the artist or the song. You can perform various searches on the online lyrics database and even add your own lyrics to a song.
Even lyrics for older songs can be found at the online lyrics database. You can find all of the song lyrics you can imagine by using this database. In many cases, if the songs are relatively recent, you can watch the music videos as well as sing along with the lyrics when you go to the lyrics database.
A lyrics database has everything that you need to enjoy music. Whether you want to listen to music, sing along with the lyrics or watch the music videos, you can do so on the online lyrics database.
Music videos are one of the most relaxing ways to enjoy the internet. While some sites are clogged with irrelevant videos, making it difficult to find music videos, the music lyrics database has the music videos all cataloged making it easy to search for them. You can search by artists, featured videos and songs. If you are looking for the top videos of the day, or older music videos, you can find them by going online.
Song lyrics are easier to find than ever with the internet. When you are looking for song lyrics, you will want to use a site where you can find the lyrics easily by using a search system that is simple to understand. Using such a system will make it easy for you to find what you are looking for by way of lyrics.
Once you use the online lyrics database, you will want to use it all of the time to look up music videos and song lyrics for your own entertainment. Whether you are looking for the songs of yesterday or the hottest new songs of today by the latest artists, you can find them when you look for lyrics and videos online. Instead of searching for one place for videos and other places for lyrics, you can get everything you want to know regarding songs by your favorite artists in one convenient online site. You can bookmark the lyrics database and use it whenever you want to look up lyrics or videos. You can watch and listen to videos and enjoy not only the lyrics to your favorite songs, but the songs themselves, right at your fingertips. Find a site that not only has it all, but also makes it easy for you to find.
Finding the Perfect Musician to Bring Your Lyrics to Life
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Merryl Lentz asked:
Elton John and Bernie Taupin. John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. What future songwriting team will you become part of? If you write lyrics, it’s entirely possible that a musician out there needs your skills. In the same way that many people can express themselves better through speech than writing, many musicians express themselves better through melodies than lyrics. These musicians need your lyrics!
Why team up with someone else? Because music publishers rarely accept submissions consisting only of lyrics. They want to hear an entire song. That song can then be made into a demo whose music and lyrics can spark the attention of producers, publishers, record labels, or other artists who will pay for use of the song.
Teaming up with a musician also makes sense because you need to conform your lyrics to a melody. Remember, poetry and lyrics aren’t the same thing. Although poetry and lyrics do share some characteristics, many good poems usually make very bad lyrics, because they’re designed to stand on their own and don’t need to smoothly flow with musical patterns. Here are a few qualities poetry and lyrics share:
• Poems and lyrics both use strong imagery.
• Poems and lyrics both use literary elements, including rhymes, plays on words and metaphors.
• Poems and lyrics both emotionally engage their audiences.
That’s where the similarities between poems and lyrics ends. Lyrics usually have only three or four minutes to grab a listener’s attention. Lyrics need to immediately connect with listeners, and they need to do it clearly and concisely. Although there are exceptions to every rule, lyrics typically can’t be bogged down with long phrases and obscure words that could confuse the audience and tangle themselves around the singer’s tongue. Read your lyrics aloud to test whether or not they flow smoothly. Lyrics should make a point, instead of being open to interpretation. Lyrics can repeated, especially in the chorus, which is the song’s hook—the part of a song listeners can’t get out of their minds.
Learn by example. Listen to your favorite songs to detect the patterns of the lyrics: the verses, choruses, refrains and bridges. Try to initially write similarly patterned lyrics until you find the structure you’re most comfortable with. You might also want to take a class to learn about writing lyrics, or read several “how-to” books about lyrics.
Now you’re ready to collaborate. Where do you find musicians to team up with? You might want to initially offer to write lyrics for local bands or garage bands. The pay may be minimal—or nonexistent—but you’ll get comfortable writing lyrics for other people’s melodies, and you’ll get the experience necessary to seek collaboration on a more professional level.
To move up to that level, you can search for your songwriting soulmate on the internet. There are many websites that are great resources for finding a musician who can work compatibly with your lyrics. Check out record stores to see if anyone there is a musician—or knows one—who might be interested in your skill with lyrics. You can also scour the music departments of local colleges for a collaborator.
Once you find someone, keep in mind that this is a relationship, and like any relationship, it may take a little time to feel at ease with each other. But once you’re comfortable, the music and lyrics will flow, and a demo—or more—could be on the horizon!
Elton John and Bernie Taupin. John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. What future songwriting team will you become part of? If you write lyrics, it’s entirely possible that a musician out there needs your skills. In the same way that many people can express themselves better through speech than writing, many musicians express themselves better through melodies than lyrics. These musicians need your lyrics!
Why team up with someone else? Because music publishers rarely accept submissions consisting only of lyrics. They want to hear an entire song. That song can then be made into a demo whose music and lyrics can spark the attention of producers, publishers, record labels, or other artists who will pay for use of the song.
Teaming up with a musician also makes sense because you need to conform your lyrics to a melody. Remember, poetry and lyrics aren’t the same thing. Although poetry and lyrics do share some characteristics, many good poems usually make very bad lyrics, because they’re designed to stand on their own and don’t need to smoothly flow with musical patterns. Here are a few qualities poetry and lyrics share:
• Poems and lyrics both use strong imagery.
• Poems and lyrics both use literary elements, including rhymes, plays on words and metaphors.
• Poems and lyrics both emotionally engage their audiences.
That’s where the similarities between poems and lyrics ends. Lyrics usually have only three or four minutes to grab a listener’s attention. Lyrics need to immediately connect with listeners, and they need to do it clearly and concisely. Although there are exceptions to every rule, lyrics typically can’t be bogged down with long phrases and obscure words that could confuse the audience and tangle themselves around the singer’s tongue. Read your lyrics aloud to test whether or not they flow smoothly. Lyrics should make a point, instead of being open to interpretation. Lyrics can repeated, especially in the chorus, which is the song’s hook—the part of a song listeners can’t get out of their minds.
Learn by example. Listen to your favorite songs to detect the patterns of the lyrics: the verses, choruses, refrains and bridges. Try to initially write similarly patterned lyrics until you find the structure you’re most comfortable with. You might also want to take a class to learn about writing lyrics, or read several “how-to” books about lyrics.
Now you’re ready to collaborate. Where do you find musicians to team up with? You might want to initially offer to write lyrics for local bands or garage bands. The pay may be minimal—or nonexistent—but you’ll get comfortable writing lyrics for other people’s melodies, and you’ll get the experience necessary to seek collaboration on a more professional level.
To move up to that level, you can search for your songwriting soulmate on the internet. There are many websites that are great resources for finding a musician who can work compatibly with your lyrics. Check out record stores to see if anyone there is a musician—or knows one—who might be interested in your skill with lyrics. You can also scour the music departments of local colleges for a collaborator.
Once you find someone, keep in mind that this is a relationship, and like any relationship, it may take a little time to feel at ease with each other. But once you’re comfortable, the music and lyrics will flow, and a demo—or more—could be on the horizon!
Twilight And The Urban Fantasy Phenomenon
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Andrew Hawnt asked:
success of the Twilight books, written by Stephanie Meyer, and the subsequent feature film adaptation starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, has brought the Urban fantasy genre to the forefront of genre publishing. SF and fantasy purists may disapprove, but we must all appreciate the fact that Twilight, and things like Buffy before it, have been good for genre publishing as a whole. Why? Because series such as Twilight, Harry Potter and similar franchises are bringing more readers to the genres that spawned them. While these books may not be the best written or best plotted things on the market, they are opening up the minds of young readers to the realms of fantastic fiction in all its forms. Look at it this way: The Twilight books are finite, and once young readers have finished reading the series, they will look for similar titles to read until the next Twilight book comes along. These could be the dark fairy-tales of Neil Gaiman, the vampire hunter books of Laurel K Hamiltion, the varied urban fantasy of Kelley Armstrong, or the excellent vampire novels of S. Roit (aka Sherry Roit), such as the impeccable Paris Immortal. Many bookshops now contain a dedicated Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance section, and while SF and fantasy purists such as myself may have our issues with their contents, these books are bringing a new audience into an industry that desperately needs new readers. Some argue that this is not the case, with Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy readers sticking to similar titles once their favourite series comes to an end, but many of these people will move on to other titles as they mature and their tastes change. The paranormal and fantasy genres have always gained from the addition of popular movie tie-ins and movies themselves, and rather than being empty, vapid pieces of trash fiction, they are the doorway to a universe of wonder for new readers to discover. The same goes for movie and TV tie-in merchandise and tie-in novels from franchises such as Star Wars, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Buffy and so on- they help strengthen the publishing industry by offering brand familiarity to people who may not usually read. Twilight has brought a number of young teenaged readers new icons in Edward and Bella, but there are so many other characters and stories for them to discover. See Twilight as a stepping stone to greater things, and welcome the new fans that stick around into the genres of fantasy, science fiction and horror with open arms.
success of the Twilight books, written by Stephanie Meyer, and the subsequent feature film adaptation starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, has brought the Urban fantasy genre to the forefront of genre publishing. SF and fantasy purists may disapprove, but we must all appreciate the fact that Twilight, and things like Buffy before it, have been good for genre publishing as a whole. Why? Because series such as Twilight, Harry Potter and similar franchises are bringing more readers to the genres that spawned them. While these books may not be the best written or best plotted things on the market, they are opening up the minds of young readers to the realms of fantastic fiction in all its forms. Look at it this way: The Twilight books are finite, and once young readers have finished reading the series, they will look for similar titles to read until the next Twilight book comes along. These could be the dark fairy-tales of Neil Gaiman, the vampire hunter books of Laurel K Hamiltion, the varied urban fantasy of Kelley Armstrong, or the excellent vampire novels of S. Roit (aka Sherry Roit), such as the impeccable Paris Immortal. Many bookshops now contain a dedicated Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance section, and while SF and fantasy purists such as myself may have our issues with their contents, these books are bringing a new audience into an industry that desperately needs new readers. Some argue that this is not the case, with Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy readers sticking to similar titles once their favourite series comes to an end, but many of these people will move on to other titles as they mature and their tastes change. The paranormal and fantasy genres have always gained from the addition of popular movie tie-ins and movies themselves, and rather than being empty, vapid pieces of trash fiction, they are the doorway to a universe of wonder for new readers to discover. The same goes for movie and TV tie-in merchandise and tie-in novels from franchises such as Star Wars, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Buffy and so on- they help strengthen the publishing industry by offering brand familiarity to people who may not usually read. Twilight has brought a number of young teenaged readers new icons in Edward and Bella, but there are so many other characters and stories for them to discover. See Twilight as a stepping stone to greater things, and welcome the new fans that stick around into the genres of fantasy, science fiction and horror with open arms.
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