That, notes author Orson Scott Card, may be a big part of their appeal. Writing for Time Magazine, Card notes: "In an era when much of the romance genre has been given over to soft porn, and dark fantasy is peopled with one-dimensional characters bent on grim violence, many readers have become hungry for pure romantic fantasy — lots of sexual tension, but as decorous as Jane Austen. ... She writes with luminous clarity, never standing between the reader and the dream they share. She's the real thing. Still, who'd have thought it? Today Mr. Darcy is a vampire."

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If you go . . .

What: Stephenie Meyer will read from her new book, The Host, and sign multiple copies of this book and her three previous ones afterward.

Where: Thanksgiving Point Show Barn (Friday, 7 p.m.); Highland High School (Saturday, 1 p.m.)

How much: Both venues sold out, but call The King's English, 484-9100, to get on a wait list for Highland High. No wait list available for Thanksgiving Point, sponsored by Border's Books.

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E-mail: carma@desnews.com