New Moon Galley Copies

With all the hype surrounding the release of New Moon, many of the fans here at the lexicon have learned about the existence of galley copies.  I’ve also seen a few questions about how a person actually gets their hands on one of these copies.  Well, there are several ways.  If your are a book buyer or you work for a book company or a library or something along these lines, you may be fortunate to receive a copy for you to examine and determine if you would like to order the book for your store or library.  The other way to get a copy is to know someone from the publishing company, or the author, and be in good enough standing with them that they will want to give you copy as a gift. 

When we created the lexicon, we did it out of pure necessity to keep the facts straight.  We did it because we love this book and we wanted to create a place for fans to gather to have easy access to information.  We did it because we wanted to, not because someone asked us to, and we had no intention of getting a “reward” for our efforts.  However, Stephenie Meyer thought other wise, and as a gift for organizing her notes, so to speak, she was kind enough to give both Imogen and I gallies of New Moon.

Yes, you read that correctly, we have read New Moon.

We’ve had the book for about a week now, which gave us plenty of time to read it and think about it and even talk to Stephenie about it.  I’ve actually read the book twice, as there was SO much new information I simply didn’t get it all in the first read through. 

I don’t want to spoil the book for any of the fans here, but I will tell you that the book is just amazing.  First of all, it’s HUGE!  That’s always a plus, in my opinion.  Second of all, it’s very similar to Twilight in the way that it has a great deal of character development and exploration and growth at the beginning and through the middle, followed by a knock out, drag them through the mud action/adventure sequence at the end that is bound to send chills down your spine.  It’s got enough of the romance to satisfy those cravings most of us have, while at the same time it will most likely cause you to feel every emotion possible: from love to hate to friendship to loss to confusion to bewilderment to disbelief to terror and all over again.  New Moon is a wild ride that sets up the possibilities and hopes of the third book just beautifully. 

Let me assure you, fans will not be disappointed.  I can’t say that this is the book everyone thought it would be.  However, I personally think it’s better than the speculations.  There is SO much we learn about Bella and the other characters surrounding her in life that she really comes alive for me as the heroine of the story.  More than just the girl who falls in love with the vampire, but as a young woman taking some control over her destiny.  Bella learns and grows so much in the book that I found myself becoming even more attached to her. 

So whatever your doubts and fears are for the book, don’t jump to conclusions until you have read it.  And on a more personal note, please don’t swamp my e-mails with question about the plot above and beyond what I have posted here.  I simply will not give anything away.  I was thrilled to have the chance to read it early, and I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth by spilling the beans here in the lexicon and ruin the good, friendly relationship I have with Stephenie. 

Lastly, I need to comment on the status of my fan fiction The Lion and the Lamb.  Having read New Moon, there are one or two bits of information I have learned that could potentially change the way I would have written a few up coming scenes.  However, I promised Stephenie that I could continue writing my fic without incorporating the “spoilers” so long as my readers understood that point as well.  What this means is that I will continue to write my story so long as everyone understands I am keeping to my original course and NOTHING I write will be a spoiler.  NOTHING.  I will not be including any new information that any fan should consider true to fact.  The Lion and the Lamb has been and will continue to be MY personal take on the events of Twilight separate and apart from anything I have learned while reading New Moon.  If I start getting reviews that make me think otherwise, or if too many people have a problem with that, then I will be forced to abandon the fic.  I don’t want to have to give it up, but I will if there is too great an interest in spoilers.  I hope everyone can understand where I am coming from, both as a fan who doesn’t want to spoil the fun and as an author who wants to finish her plot. 

Again, allow me to reiterate that I loved New Moon.  Imogen loved New Moon.  I have no doubt that all the fans who visit the lexicon will love New Moon.  And because of this, I am on the edge of my seat for Eclipse!