Long before Edward Cullen, I fell in love with Gilbert Blythe – one of Stephenie’s inspirations for EC.

My Internet connection – a.k.a. my lifeline to TwiCrack – has been out since this weekend. Consequently, my only access to TwiCrack lately has been to sneak-surf for New Moon gossip while sitting here at work – something I’m definitely NOT supposed to be doing!

So, what’s a TwiCrack addict like me gonna do to stave off TwiCrack withdrawal? Instead of revamping the Twilight Saga for the gazillionth time, I turned to my first true literary love, Gilbert Blythe, one of Stephenie Meyer’s three inspirations for Edward Cullen, and re-watched the magical Anne of Green Gables mini-series.

Long before Twilight, Anne of Green Gables was one of my favorite book series, and Anne Shirley is one of my most beloved literary heroines. Pre-Edward Cullen, Anne’s constant and devoted admirer, Gilbert Blythe, was exactly my brand of fictional boy-heroin.

I love watching Gilbert’s unconditional love for Anne unfold from a puppy-dog crush to unswerving devotion over the years, in spite of Anne’s rebuffs of Gilbert’s affection. While patient and respectful of Anne’s wishes, Gilbert quietly suffers through his yearning and timeless longing for Anne – perhaps similar to the way that Edward suffers when he realizes that he’s in love with Bella and longs to be with her in spite of himself in Midnight Sun. *Sigh* Soooo romantic!If I ever have a chance to ask Stephenie Meyer a question, it’s not gonna be about Vampire canon and what Edward does when Bella has her period, etc. Instead, I would love to swoon over Gilbert Blythe with Stephenie, and learn more about how Gilbert inspired her Edward.

P.S. If you haven’t yet seen Anne of Green Gables, it’s one of the best book-to-movie adaptations I’ve ever seen, and a good way to pass the time during this lull until the Twilight DVD comes out. I cry every time.

P.P.S. As much as I love you Bella Swan, the indomitable Anne Shirley could kick your (sometimes) whiny boo-tay.

P.P.P.S. If my Internet doesn’t get fixed by today, I’m going to slip further into TwiCrack withdrawal, or you’re gonna get another lame-ass review of Edward Rochester from Jane Eyre, Stephenie’s other inspiration for Edward. Srsly.