The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide
Encyclopedia
The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide (previouly titled The Official Guide) is a spin-off encyclopedic reference book for the The Twilight Saga
book series, written by Stephenie Meyer
and was released on April 12, 2011. The Guide includes exclusive new material about the world Meyer created in Twilight
, New Moon
, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn
and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
, and nearly a hundred full-color illustrations by illustrator Young Kim, who previously illustrated Meyer's #1 New York Times Best Seller Twilight: The Graphic Novel
, and several other artists.
In the press release of The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
, Meyer said that she started writing about Bree when editing Eclipse and intended to be publish her story in The Guide. However it turned out to be 192 pages in print which was too long to fit into The Guide, so her publisher suggested to publish it as a stand-alone book, a novella.
The Guide includes character profiles, outtakes, a conversation with Meyer, genealogical charts, maps, extensive cross-references and nearly 100 illustrations and photographs by several artists including Young Kim.
Finally, Little, Brown settled the matter in the The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
press release by confirming that the they would announce the release date of The Guide later in 2010.
announced that it will host a special International Fan Event, featuring The Twilight Saga fans from around the world where ten fans would be chosen, by sweepstakes, to have an intimate meeting with Meyer and would receive an advanced copy of The Guide. It also announced that the details about the event's location and photos from the event would be distributed upon the event's conclusion.
Promoting The Guide, on March 31, 2011, USA Today
released a teaser of an article about Meyer's upcoming projects and her work as a producer on The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn
that would be released the next day. On April 1, USA Today released the whole article with an interview that covered the international fan event that took place in Vancouver
where Meyer was attending the sets of Breaking Dawn as a producer. The article quoted Meyer saying that her favorite part in The Guide "is the vampire histories. There's a lot there that's new. Alice's (Cullen) back story is one no one has known until now. And I think fans will be surprised at how much fun (Cullen nemesis) Victoria's story is."
On April 7, Entertainment Weekly
magazine released a sneak peak including two pictures from The Guide, one of them featuring Bella Swan
as a vampire with golden eyes, and the other featuring her in her wedding dress. The following day, Little, Brown released another scan of James' character profile.
Twilight series
Twilight is a series of four vampire-themed fantasy romance novels by American author Stephenie Meyer. It charts a period in the life of Isabella "Bella" Swan, a teenage girl who moves to Forks, Washington, and falls in love with a 104-year-old vampire named Edward Cullen...
book series, written by Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer is an American author known for her vampire romance series Twilight. The Twilight novels have gained worldwide recognition and sold over 100 million copies globally, with translations into 37 different languages...
and was released on April 12, 2011. The Guide includes exclusive new material about the world Meyer created in Twilight
Twilight (novel)
Twilight is a young-adult vampire-romance novel by author Stephenie Meyer. It is the first book of the Twilight series, and introduces seventeen-year-old Isabella "Bella" Swan, who moves from Phoenix, Arizona to Forks, Washington and finds her life in danger when she falls in love with a vampire,...
, New Moon
New Moon (novel)
New Moon is a romantic fantasy novel by author Stephenie Meyer, and is the second novel in the Twilight series. The novel continues the story of Bella Swan and vampire Edward Cullen's relationship. When Edward leaves Bella after his brother attacks her, she is left heartbroken and depressed for...
, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn
Breaking Dawn
Breaking Dawn is the fourth and final novel in the The Twilight Saga by American author Stephenie Meyer. Divided into three parts, the first and third sections are written from Bella Swan's perspective and the second is written from the perspective of Jacob Black...
and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is a companion novella to the Twilight series by author Stephenie Meyer. It tells the story of a newborn vampire, Bree Tanner, who is featured in the third book of the series, Eclipse. The book is written from the viewpoint of Bree, as opposed to the rest of the...
, and nearly a hundred full-color illustrations by illustrator Young Kim, who previously illustrated Meyer's #1 New York Times Best Seller Twilight: The Graphic Novel
Twilight: The Graphic Novel
Twilight: The Graphic Novel is a graphic novel by Young Kim, an adaptation of the first thirteen chapters of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer...
, and several other artists.
Development
On September 11, 2010, Meyer announced in a fan junket with the fansite Twifans.com that she was still working on the Guide since 2008, and that it keeps evolving. She spoke of it saying that it was interesting because there were many unauthourized guides getting published containing a lot of pieces of wrong information, and saw it as her mission to correct those wrong ideas therefore writing the guide.In the press release of The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is a companion novella to the Twilight series by author Stephenie Meyer. It tells the story of a newborn vampire, Bree Tanner, who is featured in the third book of the series, Eclipse. The book is written from the viewpoint of Bree, as opposed to the rest of the...
, Meyer said that she started writing about Bree when editing Eclipse and intended to be publish her story in The Guide. However it turned out to be 192 pages in print which was too long to fit into The Guide, so her publisher suggested to publish it as a stand-alone book, a novella.
The Guide includes character profiles, outtakes, a conversation with Meyer, genealogical charts, maps, extensive cross-references and nearly 100 illustrations and photographs by several artists including Young Kim.
Publication date delays
Originally set for release on December 30, 2008, The Guides release date was indefinitely postponed in 2008 due to Meyer not having enough time to write because she was immeresed in the production of The Twilight Saga films. In 2009, some rumors circulated that The Guide would be released on December 30 that year, while others said that it would be released on December 30, 2010, but, however, those rumors turned out to be false.Finally, Little, Brown settled the matter in the The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is a companion novella to the Twilight series by author Stephenie Meyer. It tells the story of a newborn vampire, Bree Tanner, who is featured in the third book of the series, Eclipse. The book is written from the viewpoint of Bree, as opposed to the rest of the...
press release by confirming that the they would announce the release date of The Guide later in 2010.
Promotion
On January 12, 2011, Little, Brown Books for Young ReadersLittle, Brown and Company
Little, Brown and Company is a publishing house established by Charles Coffin Little and his partner, James Brown. Since 2006 it has been a constituent unit of Hachette Book Group USA.-19th century:...
announced that it will host a special International Fan Event, featuring The Twilight Saga fans from around the world where ten fans would be chosen, by sweepstakes, to have an intimate meeting with Meyer and would receive an advanced copy of The Guide. It also announced that the details about the event's location and photos from the event would be distributed upon the event's conclusion.
Promoting The Guide, on March 31, 2011, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
released a teaser of an article about Meyer's upcoming projects and her work as a producer on The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, commonly referred to as Breaking Dawn, is a 2011/2012 two-part romantic fantasy film directed by Bill Condon and based on the novel Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. The two parts form the fourth and final installment in the The Twilight Saga series...
that would be released the next day. On April 1, USA Today released the whole article with an interview that covered the international fan event that took place in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
where Meyer was attending the sets of Breaking Dawn as a producer. The article quoted Meyer saying that her favorite part in The Guide "is the vampire histories. There's a lot there that's new. Alice's (Cullen) back story is one no one has known until now. And I think fans will be surprised at how much fun (Cullen nemesis) Victoria's story is."
On April 7, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
magazine released a sneak peak including two pictures from The Guide, one of them featuring Bella Swan
Bella Swan
Isabella Marie "Bella" Swan is the fictional protagonist of the Twilight series, written by Stephenie Meyer. The Twilight series, consisting of the novels Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn, is primarily narrated from Bella's point of view...
as a vampire with golden eyes, and the other featuring her in her wedding dress. The following day, Little, Brown released another scan of James' character profile.