Barnes ＆ Noble Chat
On Friday, October 20th, Barnes & Noble.com and Yahoo! welcomed J. K. Rowling, the bestselling author behind the Harry Potter phenomenon, to chat about Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Welcome, J. K. Rowling! We're delighted you could join us this afternoon for an online chat.
Great to be here.
What are your plans after you have finished the Harry Potter series? Are you considering writing a sequel series with Harry's own children or other characters we have met?
Harry's own children? Are you sure he's going to survive to have children?!
Which of the Harry Potter books is your favorite so far, and why?
My favorite two books are Goblet of Fire and Chamber of Secrets. They were the hardest to write, maybe that's why they mean most to me.
What did your daughter, Jessica, think of the fourth book? Was it too much for her to take?
My daughter loved the fourth book. She wasn't scared at all. As long as Harry was okay, she didn't seem to care.
Greetings from California! How did you feel the first time you saw your book on sale? How have things changed with your success?
The first time I saw my book on sale was better than receiving any literary award! I wanted to sneak it off the shelf and sign it, but I was worried I'd be told off for ruining the books, so I didn't.
What would you see in the Mirror of Erised?
I would probably see my mother, who died in 1990. So, the same as Harry!
Does Hagrid get a wife?
Does Hagrid get a wife? You think anyone would want to live with a man who breeds Blast-Ended Skrewts?
Is it true that you had nine rejection letters for your first Harry Potter novel? What advice would you offer to new novelists working to get their first manuscripts published?
I'm not sure there were nine rejection letters, but there were a few. I would say, "Persevere." If everyone's turned you down, then it's time to try writing something else...and if that doesn't succeed it might be time to think about a different career. But some great writers had lots of books rejected before they got published, so don't lose heart.
We really enjoy the humor in the books, especially with the Dursleys. Are the Dursleys based on anyone you personally know?
Hee hee hee...I wouldn't tell you if they were...I don't want to be sued!
I meant to watch Today this morning, but I heard from a friend that you revealed a bit of information. Could you share it with us?
I can share it with you. A very cute eight-year-old boy asked me for the title of book five, and I couldn't resist those big brown eyes. The title is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. So now you know!
How much input did you have on the marketing of Goblet of Fire? The marketing campaign has drawn at least as much media attention as the book itself. Thanks, love the series.
Well, I didn't really have any input. I just asked my publishers not to give too much away, because book four was the culmination of ten years' work for me. If the ending had been given away, it would have ruined a lot of people's pleasure.
You've hinted a little that you might kill Harry! Please say something to put my mind at ease.
Hmmmm.... Well, I think I'll leave you in suspense. Sorry!
Is it true that you've already finished the end chapter for all your future books?
I've written the final chapter of book seven, which was really an act of faith -- I was saying to myself, "You will get here!" It will probably need rewriting when I reach it, though.
I've heard about the two charity books that will be released in March 2001. Are these the types of schoolbooks that are referenced in the normal series books?
Yes, I've written two of the titles Harry reads in the first novel: Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. All proceeds will go to Comic Relief U.K., which is a great charity that mainly supports projects in Africa (famine relief and so on).
Is Hogwarts ever going to get a "Defense Against the Dark Arts" teacher who lasts for more than one book?
Erm...maybe. Don't want to give too much away there!
Hey Jo! I love your books! Ever since I encouraged people to read Harry Potter, people have been calling me Hermione! :-) Well, what inspired you to become a writer, and what sort of advice would you give to someone that wants to follow in your footsteps?
Thank you very much! I've wanted to be a writer as far back as I can remember. I couldn't think of anything I'd like to do more, and still can't. I think aspiring writers should firstly read a lot and resign themselves to the fact that they will waste a lot of trees before they produce anything they're happy with!
Hello, Ms. Rowling. I am a big fan of the Harry Potter books. My name is Katherine Emily Rose, and I am 11. Is it true that Harry and Draco will have to get together and fight evil?
Don't believe everything you read on the Net! I saw that rumor too, but it is just a rumor.
Is Hogwarts a complete fictional creation, or is it based upon a place you've experienced?
It's completely fictional, but I feel like I live there a lot of the time.
The fourth book was very different from the other three, in format and action. What prompted the change?
I'm not sure that it was so different. There was no conscious change. The plot is becoming more complex, certainly, but that was always the plan.
There is a girl named Susan Bones who was sorted in the first book, and there was a family called the Bones that Voldemort tried to destroy. Is this a coincidence, or will Harry meet her in future books?
Susan Bones's grandparents were killed by Voldemort!
Who is your favorite character in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone?
Harry himself, of course, but also Ron, Hermione and Hagrid...then there's Dumbledore.... I love all of them, to be honest, even Dudley.
My class is here with me, and they want to know if you would answer letters if they write to you?
If you write to my publishers you'll get a response!
Hello, I would like to know if you ever read any Harry Potter fan fiction on the Web.
I have read some, and I've been very flattered to see how absorbed people are in the world.
Everything that happens has a meaning, sometimes in a later book. Do you have everything planned out in your head, or do you tie things in as you go?
Yes, it's all planned out, but I still give myself room to have some fun if a good idea arrives while I'm writing.
I am a 30-year-old woman who fell in love with your books this summer. I believe they contain some real-life lessons for adults as well as children. What do you say to the critics who think that the books deal with the "dark side"?
Thank you very much for the kind words! To the critics I say, "Get out more!" Either they haven't read the books properly or they can't read at all.
Being close to 30 years old, I have found that the Harry Potter series has progressed from an originally labeled "children's series." Was this purposeful or the way it just happened?
It was always planned that way. I think most readers understood that things would get darker. They knew Voldemort was always out there and wasn't going to go quietly!
How are you, Ms. Rowling? I've really been enjoying your books, even as a high school student! At what age did you begin dreaming of having a writing career, and what were the steps you took? I'm learning English as a second language; however, I am hoping that I would be a writer someday and am also striving for the goal. Congratulations for your success! (How's the 5th book going?) :)
The fifth book's going well, though I haven't done very much yet. Book four was a mammoth job and left me a bit tired! Good luck with your ambition. I have wanted to be a writer since age six when I wrote my first "book" -- a story about a rabbit called "Rabbit."
Is there going to be a Harry Potter when he is in his five, six, seven years at Hogwarts?
Yes, those years will be covered by the final three books.
Mrs. Roberts's class from Hopkinton, New Hampshire, would like to say we love your books. Keep writing, and we'll keep reading.
Thank you very much, Mrs. Roberts's class!
In Chamber of Secrets, Hagrid is supposed to have raised werewolf cubs under his bed. Are these the same kind of werewolves as Professor Lupin?
No. Riddle was telling lies about Hagrid, just slandering him.
Is it just me, or was something going on between Ron and Hermione during the last half of Goblet of Fire? I love your books, by the way, and two of them I've read straight through cover to cover in under 24 hours.
Well done on the reading speed! Yes, something's "going on," but Ron doesn't realize it yet. Typical boy.
Do you have any news that you can tell us about the next books? Why did you postpone the publishing of the fifth book, and is the sixth going to be published on time?
Nothing has been postponed. The publication of book five was never planned for July. There is no deadline for the book. It will be ready when it's ready!
As part of an ongoing project we're conducting at Barnes & Noble.com, I'd like to ask what are your favorite books, and why.
Anything written by Jane Austen or Roddy Doyle. I love Nabokov and Colette, too. Children's books -- E. Nesbit, Paul Gallico.
I picture Padfoot as a cross between a Scottish deerhound and a Newfoundland, did you have a particular breed of dog pictured when you created him?
Not really. I see him more as a large, bear-like mongrel.
Hello, Ms Rowling. Just a little question: What's to become of poor old Percy? Will he side with Fudge or with his family?
Good question! You'll find out in book five!
Are you considering starting a series about any of the other characters at Hogwarts?
No, I think when I've finished the seven Harry Potter books I will be finished with the world. It will make me very sad to say goodbye, but it must be done!
Do you ever have other ideas about books but cannot put them into practice because you are writing about Harry Potter?
Yes, but as you rightly deduce, Harry is taking all my time and energy at the moment!
Does Harry know that he is protected as long as he lives with his family?
He sort of knows now, but he won't know the whole truth about that for a little while.
Are there going to be anymore new characters?
Yes, there are going to be new characters in book five.
I'm a big fan of yours, and I hope you can answer this question: Why would you use most of the names in the book written in Latin?
I like to think that the wizards use this dead language as a living language, and it also gives readers a chance to work out clues along the way!
Why does Professor Dumbledore allow Professor Snape to be so nasty to the students (especially to Harry, Hermione, and Neville)?
Dumbledore believes there are all sorts of lessons in life; horrible teachers like Snape are one of them!
Why does Harry Potter meet Voldemort in all of the books except for the third one?
Just the way it worked out in the plot!
Ms. Rowling, did you have to do any research with real witches, or is all of your material from your imagination?
No, the material is almost all from my imagination. Occasionally I will use a nice, picturesque piece of folklore, which interests me. But real witches...I don't know any!
I noticed each book gets a little more graphic than the last. Where do you draw the line on how graphic or scary to make each book?
When the plot demands scary, I make it scary! I am led by the story, not by artificial considerations about how graphic each book should or shouldn't be.
We came in late and don't know if this question has been asked yet. Is your daughter now old enough for you to read the books to her? If yes, is she enjoying them?
Yes, she has now read all four books. She loves them, which makes my job loads easier. She is nagging me for book five already, you will be pleased to hear: "Get in your office and write!"
Does Harry play a musical instrument, and if he does, which one?
No, poor Harry never got access to a musical instrument at the Dursleys', and he's been too busy at Hogwarts to learn the piano!
I think the New York Times made a mistake in splitting their bestseller list into children's and adults'. Congrats for not buying into the "short attention span" myth.
I'm glad to see people weren't daunted by the length of Goblet, too! Well, the New York Times had their reasons, I suppose, but I can't say I was delighted!
What house was Hagrid in?
Hagrid was in Gryffindor, naturally!
Where do you come up with the words that you use, the names of the classes and spells and games, etc.? For example, the Patronus Expectumous, was it?
Expecto Patronum -- you were close! That's Latin. Go and look it up -- a little investigation is good for a person! Mostly I invent spells, but some of them have particular meanings. Like "avada kedavra" -- I bet someone out there knows what that means.
Does Arabella Figg have an important role in the later books?
You'll be seeing Mrs. Figg in book five, and you'll find out all about her.
It's not fair! I know of a school that has Harry Potter as a literature book! We get stuck with Anne of Green Gables!!!
[laughs] What's wrong with Anne of Green Gables?! I suppose she is a bit perky. Well, at least you don't have to read the Harry books, they can just be for fun. Probably the best way to enjoy a book.
Who is the head of Ravenclaw? Professor Sinistra perhaps?
No, the head of Ravenclaw is good old Professor Flitwick!
Is there really a new character named Icicle in your next book?
Where are you people getting this stuff?! No, nobody called icicle, I promise.
At the back of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets you have letters from people. How do you decide whose letters to put in?
My U.K. publisher selected those letters. Friends of mine asked whether I wrote them all left-handed, but I promise I didn't.
Is Sirius Black ever going to be cleared?
Can't tell you, that's too important a bit of information!
Does your hand hurt after writing all those pages?
My hand never hurts after writing the novels. But signing thousands of books at a time can make your hand ache because you keep thumping it down on the page!
What do you think would be your favorite candy from Honeydukes? I think mine would be the sherbet balls that Ron likes.
If you buy Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them you will find out an ingredient of those sherbert balls, and you might not want to eat them quite so much! I'd definitely want chocolate frogs. I'd like to collect the cards.
What does the K stand for?
It stands for Kathleen.
Do you like to type your books or write freehand and have someone transcribe later?
I write the books longhand, and then I type them onto my laptop myself. That's how I do my first edit. Nobody else is allowed to type my books -- because I'm a very secretive writer!
Once the Harry Potters are finished, what will be your next project?
I'm not too sure. I will definitely continue to write, because I always have written.
Why is book five gonna be called Order of the Phoenix? P.S. I love your books.
You people don't stop, do you?! I'm not telling!!
The first four books have been getting longer, but number four was huge! Is number five likely to be shorter than number four?
Yes, five is going to be shorter than four. I always knew four would be the longest, but even I didn't expect it to be that long.
Since Gryffindor seems to be the favorite house, does that mean you value bravery over wit and kindheartedness and cunning (the signatures of the other three houses)?
I value wit and kindheartedness a lot, but yes, I think bravery would get my vote in a contest.
Are you going to get more mature themes as your books age, or are you going to keep it geared toward younger kids?
I think an eight- or nine-year-old will be able to read all seven books. That's my intention. However, Harry is growing up, so obviously he will face certain issues an eight-year-old won't. I don't think, however, that that will be uninteresting for an eight-year-old.
I was wondering about Dumbledore's facial expression in Goblet when he found out that Voldemort had touched Harry. The narrative says that Dumbledore reacted with a look of triumph. Aside from the problem of interpreting triumph on someone's face, I was wondering if that is an attempt to throw question on Dumbledore's character, or is he triumphant, perhaps, that Harry can be touched by Lord Voldemort without being destroyed (or something like that)?
I frequently look triumphant, I'll have you know. Well, I'm sure you won't be surprised that I'm not going to explain why Dumbledore looked that way. Well-spotted though.
Why do you think that people are so entranced by Harry?
Erm...you would have to ask them! I never analyse the books in that way. I think it would be dangerous to think about other people's reactions too much. I prefer to keep writing for myself.
Will Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them be available in the U.S.?
Yes, they will be available in the U.S. for a limited time only. You will be saving lives if you buy them, so order now!
Will you be in the movie, like as an extra or something?
Noooo...I hate looking at myself onscreen. Maybe I could be a Dementor and hide under a cloak, but I'm not tall enough.
Ms. Rowling, I have a daughter who is resisting reading your books because they are so popular. She doesn't want to appear to be going along with the crowd. How do you feel about the explosive popularity of your books personally, and why should she read them?
I really identify with your daughter! A couple of years ago everyone was telling me to read Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and I didn't want to. Then I cracked and read it and loved it -- I wanted to talk about it to everyone. And, of course, they'd moved on by then and thought I was very boring.
Were the Weasley twins inspired by anyone you know?
Yes, they were. But I don't want to say who because they'll be persecuted.
Will Ron ever get a girlfriend?
I'm laughing again.... Why wouldn't he?! Though he's not doing too well at the moment, is he? But then, Fleur Delacour was really aiming a bit high.
The character of Professor Snape fascinates me. Will you reveal his back story further in the next Harry Potter book?
You will find out more about Snape in future books. Keep an eye on him!
Is the real Moody ever going to be in the books? And is he as cool as the impostor Moody?
The real Moody is even cooler! Yes, Harry will see him again.
Do you plan to give Voldemort his victory or somehow break his immortality to kill him?
Dhanya, do you really really think I'll answer that?! I don't blame you for asking though....
Hello. I was just wondering how the artist who draws the book covers in the series gets the image of Harry Potter? Did you design him yourself?
No, I didn't have any input on that. Mary Grandpre simply read the books and interpreted them herself.
Hi, J. K. What other things do you do instead of write your books? Do you play sports? Or garden?
[laughs] If you could see my garden! And if you watched me playing sports you'd know I couldn't practice much. Mostly I read, draw, and sleep (though the third one doesn't happen much).
Did Harry ever use magic on Dudley in the real world?
Not so far (hint).
I am a 57-year-old clergyman and loved the series. How do you answer fundamentalist clergy objections?
I am sending you a hug across cyberspace. I think you understand that these books are fundamentally moral (that is how I see them, in any case). I'm afraid there are some people who object to seeing magic in a book, per se. And therefore a debate isn't really viable.
I read your introduction in the Artists' & Writers' yearbook, and I was wondering -- who is your literary agent?
His name is Christopher Little.
How do you feel about Stephen King saying that your books helped him during the darkest times after his accident?
I was very, very flattered.
Where do all your ideas come from? I'm amazed by the way these books have enlightened my imagination even as an adult. I can actually picture Quidditch matches!
Thank you very much! That is what I am most looking forward to in the film -- watching scenes I've been seeing in my head for ten years!
Do you enjoy writing the books?
I have more enjoyment in writing them than anyone could have reading them.
Are you planing a visit in Israel?
Not so far, but it could happen one day! I'm trying to concentrate on writing once I get home from this tour.
In Prisoner of Azkaban, a character by the name of Colonel Fubster was mentioned. Is he a wizard?
No, he's a Muggle neighbour of Aunt Marge's. (Poor man!)
Ms. Rowling, are you aware that more adults read the books than children? If so, might there not be a place for a series on an adult Harry Potter following the seventh book?
I'm not sure whether it's true that more adults read the books than children. But in any case, I think I should stop before we get to Harry Potter and the Mid-Life Crisis!
Has having your books banned in some places changed your style of writing? By the way, I loved them.
No, it would take much more than that to stop me! As I said before, I really write these books for me before anyone else.
I'm taking a class at the U of I now, called the Literature of Fantasy, and we are going to read your first book. I have not read it, but I'm an avid fantasy fan. How do you feel about what has been stirred up by your novels? I personally feel it's probably hogwash, but I want to know how you feel.
Define "stirred up." Are we talking about the religious right again? If so, I'd say "hogwash" was a pretty good description!
How long did it take you to write Harry Potter.
Between having the idea for Harry and the first book being published was five years. But during that time I was also doing day jobs and planning the whole series. So I'm not as lazy as that might make me sound!
Ms. Rowling: First, I am a huge fan of the series (I am 25, but I feel like an 11-year-old waiting for my letter). There are many rumors about the Harry Potter series, and I was wondering if you keep track of any of the rumors. If so, does it ever affect your writing? Thanks and keep writing.
No, as I said, nothing external really affects the writing. I have heard and seen some of the rumors -- and very odd some of them are, too!
I've never read any Harry Potter books. I'm thinking now (after stumbling into this session) that I need to! I had no idea that they were so popular with the adults as well. Thanks!
Go for it, yellowsunstar. There's always room for another Harry fan!
Have you written any books that were published before this series?
No, nothing was published, but I did write a lot. Harry was the first thing I tried to get published. The others really weren't very good --nobody's missed anything!
We love you, J. K.!
I love you too, rockfish99. xxx. Thanks for joining us, J. K. Rowling! It's been our pleasure having you. Any parting thoughts for the online audience?
I've enjoyed it. Thanks!
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