Surprise Hits: Tweens, teens, even grownups get sucked into Twilight

Of all the people who have been surprised by the success of the Twilight series of books, about a romance between a young heroine named Isabella "Bella" Swan, and a young vampire named Edward Cullen, no one is more surprised than the author.

In a statement on her website, Twilight creator Stephanie Meyer says she can pinpoint the exact moment of inspiration for creating the hugely popular series that has legions of fans among young adults (including my three nieces) and adults as well. The day in question was June 2, 2003. The point of inspiration: her children's swim lessons.