FORKS – This old logging town hopes to entice vampires – the fictional variety.
Forks city leaders are putting on a birthday bash for the main character of Twilight, a highly successful novel about a mortal girl and her vampire boyfriend set in the rainiest place in the nation.
They also plan a blood drive in honor of the blood-sucking characters in Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling saga of adventure and romance.
It’s all in honor of the book – and the fame it has brought the West End town – as well as in hopes that Forks will be chosen as the location for the filming of the movie based on the book.
Mayor Nedra Reed has proclaimed Sept. 13 “Stephenie Meyer Day” – but the day will be all about Bella.
The date is the birthday of main character Isabella Swan, whose boyfriend is the vampire Edward.
The town will have a birthday cake, sandwiches and celebrations in honor of her.
Twilight was Meyer’s first novel. Sequels are New Moon and Eclipse, to be followed in fall 2008 with Breaking Dawn.
The books have prompted teenagers to make pilgrimages to Forks to see locations mentioned in the books.
Some of the locations sought out are Forks Outfitters, the Forks Police Department, the Forks Community Hospital and Forks High School.
An interactive map of some of the key book locations is available on the Forks Chamber of Commerce Web site at www.forkswa.com/65.html.