Twilight prequel book coming, written from vampire Edward Cullen's perspective

LOS ANGELES - American author Stephenie Meyer thrilled fans of her best-selling Twilight novels on Monday (May 4) by announcing she will release a prequel that explores the characters' love story from the perspective of vampire Edward Cullen.

Called Midnight Sun, the new book will chronicle Cullen's past and the time he first meets Bella Swan, a human high school classmate who later becomes his wife. Earlier instalments have been told from Bella's point of view.

The story "takes on a new and decidedly dark twist" in the upcoming book, publisher Little, Brown and Company said in a description on its website.

Meyer's original four Twilight books sold more than 100 million copies. They were adapted into a blockbuster film series released by Lions Gate Entertainment starting in 2008 that starred Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.

On ABC's Good Morning America show, Meyer said she hoped the book would be a welcome distraction from the global Covid-19 pandemic.

"It's a crazy time right now, and I wasn't sure if this was the right time to put this book out, but some of you have been waiting for just so, so long. It didn't seem fair to make you wait anymore," she said.

Twilight became a trending topic on Twitter on Monday.

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"I'm ready for the hard-hitting teenage heartbreak all over again ... I think," wrote Twitter user @theartsyreader1. "What am I saying, I'm FREAKIN' EXCITED."