Hogwarts Herald

The documentary of “A Year in the Life of J.K. Rowling” will be shown on American television for the first time on ABC this summer. It will show on ABC at 8pm Eastern Time (I assume it will also be at 8pm Pacific and 7pm Central and Mountain times, as the first prime time show of the evening) on July 16, 2009. This release is to coincide with the release of the latest Harry Potter movie based on the sixth book (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince). The documentary may be new to the American television channels, but it is old and has been shown in the UK and other countries already. The documentary was filmed over the course of a year while J.K. Rowling was writing the seventh and final book in the series.

The Harry Potter series author, J.K. Rowling, is to have her handprints become the latest tourist attraction in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. Her handprints are set in stone and will be put on display outside the City Chambers. The preserving of her handprints is part of her honor of receiving the Edinburgh Award, which she was awarded last year. Of the honor of having her handprints preserved, J.K. Rowling said, “I am deeply honour to have my keyboard-chipped fingernails, not to mention my pen-induced friction callous, commemorated in the place where I produced Harry Potter.” The handprints have already been set in stone at a stonemason’s workshop in Morningside, but it sounds like they are not yet on display outside the City Chambers. At least the article I read just implied they were soon to be displayed or perhaps it meant they just went on display.

Remember to comment this month and get an entry in the Hogwarts Herald February 2009 Contest to win a copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

J.K. Rowling has now received the highest civilian award in France. The honor is becoming a knight of the Legion of Honour. This honorary title was given to J.K. Rowling by the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, in Paris. As part of the speech of accepting the awarded, which she delivered in fluent French, Rowling apologized for using a French word to name the main villain of the Harry Potter series. I thought was interesting to learn that Voldemort means either theft or flight of death in French. She said that despite the name he is 100% British. The name was chosen as “a name that evokes both power and exoticism” and she thanked the French for not holding a grudge because of her use of the word.

The President of France praised Rowling for getting kids to read again, which is something she has helped encourage throughout the world. Interestingly Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was a bestseller in France before it was even sold in a French language version, which made it the first English language book to top the book sales chart in France.

J.K. Rowling is not the first Rowling to become a French knight. Her great-grandfather was made a knight of the Legion of Honour for his actions during the first World War. He was made a true knight of the legion, as he was French. J.K. Rowling is only an honorary knight of the legion, as she is not French and a foreigner can only be an honorary knight of the order.

Remember to comment this month and get an entry in the Hogwarts Herald February 2009 Contest to win a copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

For those who do not know the Nicholson Cafe is famous for being the place that J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philospher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone. Do not worry if you did not remember the name of the cafe because even I think of myself as a big fan and I do not remember ever knowing the cafe’s actual name until reading about it now being up for sale. I would not say I am less of a fan for not knowing, but rather a fan that has not exhausted the amount of things I can learn about the books, their author, etc. What would be the fun of it if I already knew everything?

Anyways on to what this post is supposed to be really about. The Nicholson Cafe ceased to exist away ago, as the current restaurant that occupies the space is a Chinese restaurant called Buffet King. The owner of the restaurant is hoping to sell it to someone that will turn it into a literary museum dedicated to Rowling and Harry Potter. He first offered it to J.K. Rowling for £1 million, but she declined to purchase it.

I am really not much into the followings of celebrities and even less into following politics, but this article caught my eye because it mentioned J.K. Rowling. Apparently, J.K. Rowling is for sure on the guest list to the upcoming Presidential Inauguration Gala, which is the official celebration after Barack Obama is sworn in as the President of the United States on January 20, 2009. The article mentioned that she makes the list because Obama has read the Harry Potter books to his daughteres, Sasha (currently age 7) and Malia (currently age 10). Whether or not J.K. Rowling actually attends the event it is nice to see that there is actually an author on the celebrity list. It seems most celebrities that get invited to these type of things are television and/or movie actors.

Ok, so that title may be a bit misleading. No, I am not doing an interview with the world renowned author that we all love so much. Nor do I even hope to have something like that on the horizon. She’s just too big for that. However, I was thinking to myself today, what if I could interview JK Rowling? What if I had the chance to ask only 5 questions? What would those questions be?

Today, I’m doing just that. I’m writing out my 5 questions to Rowling, and the reasons behind them. And maybe even what I would answer if I were her. I’d like to know, also, what you would ask. Please leave a question or two in the comments, and the reasons behind that particular question…

OK, lets begin…

1) Something I’ve wondered since reading Deathly Hallows, and then re-reading Sorcerer’s (Philosopher’s)Stone… There were several tidbits left throughout Chapter One of SS. The Deluminator, Sirius Black etc… Was that intentional foreshadowing or did the ideas come later?

Mostly, readers, my interest in the question lies in particular with the deluminator. It becomes such an important tool in Deathly Hallows, but before that it’s entirely inconsequential. It’s just another bit of magic. Just another tool that the wizards have that we do not. So I wonder, pretty regularly, was this meant to become so important when she wrote the first words about it so long ago?

2) We find out in Order of the Phoenix that James was kind of a jerk. At least when it came to Severus. Since we all saw James through Harry’s eyes and he thought James was a saint, was it a difficult decision to burst his, and our, bubble like that?

Now I realize that James being a jerk to Severus was a necessary plot device. It’s explains everything. Why was Snape so mean to Harry? Payback. Why did Snape still do everything to keep Harry alive? True love. It just makes sense. Still, I was crushed when I found out that James Potter was one of “those” guys…

3) What age do you think is appropriate to begin, and finish, reading the Harry Potter series?

The first couple books are very much for children, in my opinion, but when it comes to the final books it kind of disturbs me to see 6 & 7 year olds reading them. I don’t know when I will let my son start them, but he will be at least 8, and I may very well be a mean mommy and start him at 11 with a new one each year on his birthday…

4) If you were to give any one of the characters that died in the series a free pass, who would it have been?

This is such a hard question for me to ask, as I’m sure it would be a very difficult question for her to answer. Especially since we know she did give one character a second chance at life. When Arthur Weasley was bitten by Nagini in Order of the Phoenix, he was supposed to die. Rowling changed her mind at the last minute, saying that it would have affected Ron too deeply for the remainder of the series. Still of the one’s that did die, if I were her, I would choose Dobby. I think his death was just so unnecessary. And not in the way that she shouldn’t have written it, but like so many deaths in wars are unnecessary. He was an innocent, not a warrior. His death affected me more deeply than any other in the books.

5) What is one interview question that you always wish would be asked, but never has been?

Of course the reasoning behind this is clear, what do you want to say that you never get the chance to?

I have so many more questions, but that is the point, if I could only ask her 5 things, what would they be. These are mine readers, what are yours?

Over on Tiny Treasury’s War of Words Wednesday, Kelly’s posted a question as to what JK Rowling should do in the future - Should she abandon the 7 book “promise” and continue to write about Harry Potter? or should she move on to another project?

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling

you miserable boy.

According to J.K. Rowling’s website, today, June 5th, is Draco Malfoy’s birthday.

Draco has been Harry’s mini-nemisis since his first day at Hogwarts. He, Draco, embodies nearly every vile trait a wizard can possess; he is vain, arrogant, cowardly, bigoted, greedy and plain old mean. He compensates for his lack of wizardly talent with tricks and bullying (a little like you know who, I’d say).

It should be interesting to see what role he plays in the final book. Presently he does not have any redeeming qualities, except that he is still young -

Draco Malfoy, J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

The BBC reports that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the second most “unread” book in the UK. Meaning…it’s a book often not finished in whole by those who bought it.

According to this study 32% of people who bought Goblet of Fire admitted to not finishing it. Really, though, if you stop to think about it, this is just a matter of numbers. It has large “unread” numbers because it has astronomical sales numbers in the first place. Anytime you have a book as popular and hyped as the Harry Potter books are, you’re going to have people that buy them just to buy them. They see them in the book shop and say, “Oh, there’s the new Harry Potter…I should buy it.” But if they haven’t yet finished the second or third book…or are new to the Potter series, they may not get around to reading it.

Also working against Goblet of Fire is it’s length. Let’s face it…there are a lot of people who think they can make their way through a 700+ page book, but they end up just not having the stamina or attention span for it. Even though the pages may turn at lightning speed for fans of the series, if you’re not invested in the series 700 pages can be a little daunting.

Although Goblet of Fire ends up on this list of “unread” books, it’s hardly a strike against the book itself.

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An article on AssociatedContent.com reveals a few little known facts about J.K. Rowling. Knowing how smart and well-informed most Harry Potter fans are, you’ll probably know many/most of this already…but there may be a good nugget or two you have yet to come across.

Here’s a little taste to get you started:

Although J. K. Rowling will not be adding any more books to the Harry Potter series, she does intend to continue writing. In 2006, she revealed plans for another children’s book about a monster, aimed at a younger audience than those that enjoy Harry Potter’s adventures.

Thanks for passing along this story, Shelley!

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On her Web site J.K. Rowling has written a diary message about just how difficult it has been dealing with the completion of Harry Potter’s story.

…I always knew that Harry’s story would end with the seventh book, but saying goodbye has been just as hard as I always knew it would be. Even while I’m mourning, though, I feel an incredible sense of achievement. I can hardly believe that I’ve finally written the ending I’ve been planning for so many years. I’ve never felt such a mixture of extreme emotions in my life, never dreamed I could feel simultaneously heartbroken and euphoric.

Some of you have expressed a (much more muted!) mixture of happiness and sadness at the prospect of the last book being published, and that has meant more than I can tell you. If it comes as any consolation, I think that there will be plenty to continue arguing and speculating about, even after ‘Deathly Hallows’ comes out. So if you’re not yet reatdy to quit the message boards, do not dispair…

I’m almost scared to admit this, but one thin g has stopped me collapsing in a puddle of misery on the floor. While each of the previous Potter books has strong claims on my affections, ‘Deathly Hallows’ is my favourite, and that is the most wonderful way to finish the series.

Thank you, Jo.

We don’t want the series to end…but we can’t wait for the book. Bittersweet, indeed.

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As expected, J.K. Rowling will not allow Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to become an e-book.

Rowling has cited two reasons over the years: concern about online piracy (which has never been a major problem for the Potter books), and the desire for readers to experience the books on paper. E-books, hyped as the future of publishing during the dot-com craze of the late 1990s, remain a tiny portion of the multibillion dollar industry.

File this under “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” None of the other Potter books have been released as e-books, and piracy of have been a problem, so why invite trouble? With some people, if you give them an inch, will take a foot. So don’t give them an inch. Besides, if you really wanted to read Harry Potter for free, there are these wonderful places called “Libraries.” (Just be sure to put it on reserve early…the reserve lists can get really long in a hurry.)

Plus, who wants to curl up with a laptop and read it for read it for hours and hours on end…constantly scrolling?

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According to an article in The Sun J.K. Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in Balmoral Hotel, a 5-star hotel in Edinburgh.

How do we know this?

Apparently J.K. Rowling signed the back of a marble bust in her room, Room 652, with the words:

“J.K. Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (652) on 11th Jan 2007.”

It will be interesting to see where this bust ends up. It’s a fascinating piece of literary history now. I love it when stuff like this surfaces…turning a (somewhat) ordinary object into something unique and truly special.

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J.K. Rowling has released the date for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on her web site…and it’s July 21st!!

Her statement reads as follows:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be published on Saturday 21st July 2007 at 00:01 BST in the UK and at 00:01 in the USA. It will also be released at 00:01 BST on Saturday 21st July in other English speaking countries around the world.

Yay!! It’s official!!

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According to the BBC 3000 HP books written by J.K. Rowling for charity have been stolen.

Fantastic Beasts and Quidditch Through the Ages were written by JK Rowling to raise funds for the BBC Red Nose Day charity appeal.

They were contained in red-coloured plastic satchels which police believe may now be offered for sale.

Thieves forced open shutters to gain access to the premises over the weekend.