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I’m sorry about the fonts in my previous post! I was trying to make dotted lines. Here it is again in normal size (I hope):

Exciting news! And there I was, imagining her putting her feet up and enjoying a well deserved break. I’m really impressed with her drive to create.

On another note: She made an unfortunate mistake in that BBC video interview, when she said she had never previously been asked whether Dumbledore ever fell in love, and then said that, if she had been asked earlier, she would have said then that she always took him to be gay. This is from the Blue Peter interview she did shortly before the release of Book 7:

ROSE: My question is did Albus Dumbledore ever fall in love?

JKR: Ummmm… Well, in the course of a long life, I think nearly everyone falls in love, but you probably shouldn’t read too much into that answer.

http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2007/0720-bluepeter.html

That said, I think it makes PERFECT sense that she would not make an announcement about homosexuality in front of an audience of young children (and pets in capes! so cute!), on a children’s TV show. Basically, she WAS asked the question previously, but it was under very unusual circumstances that precluded a full, adult answer. Still, I hope someone points this tidbit out to her so that she doesn’t repeat her misstatement too much more. (The same misstatement was made on this week’s Pottercast, btw. But hey, if Jo can’t remember all her own words, we surely can’t blame our intrepid Pottercasters either!)

How on earth would you expect anyone to bid for the book if the fact that it’s being auctioned is not publicised. She needs to announce that the auction is taking place so that as many people bid as possible so that it gets sold for the highest possible price so that the charity gets loads of money. Good grief, it’s not Rocket Science.

No more Wizards of the Month? Why? I was really looking forward to seeing the new WOTM this morning, and, indeed, for however long her website is up. Please, Jo! This has been one of the few, if any, updates your fans could look forward to!

It had to be – my first thought when Hermione received ‘The Tales of Beedle the Bard’ was Has Jo written them yet? Now she has – and a chosen few will read them in her own hand.

I can’t believe that they will not at some future date be printed for general sale for her charity, once the first seven owners have had them for a while.

@ Arithmancer

If she was indifferent to reactions of kids in Carnegie Hall regarding “the adult stuff”, then she shouldn’t see any problems in “Blue Peter” show, IMO. It only comes to the fact, that “Blue Peter” was transmited a day before DH publication.

It was the Pardoner’s Tale, I believe.

It was the Pardoner’s Tale, I believe.

What a snob…she is closing out on her fans AGAIN! Why not make it a full release?

Apologies for cross-posting, but there are now two overlapping threads going on this topic.

I went back and re-listened to the BBC interview, several times. At the 3.46 mark (out of 3.55 minutes), the announcer indicates that none of the 7 copies can be published or reproduced, because JKR owns the copyright.

In legal terms, this statement means that those she gave the books to as gifts, plus the yet-unknown purchaser of copy 7, cannot sell their copy to a publisher. I would assume all 7 involved were required (will be required) to sign a legal contract to that effect as well.

It also means—or for you who prefer precision in language, “strongly implies”—that JKR does intend to make the Tales available for publication at some future date. Since she has made the news of the Tales public, and knowing this announcement would generate fan interest, I would venture the guess that she will do so during 2008. I would also guess that any proceeds will go to charity, similar to Quidditch through the Ages and Fantastic beasts.

And I can only add: Patience, mes amis, patience!

I think this a wonderful thing Jo is doing. As a fan of course I want to read the book, but I think the needs of abused children in eastern Europe are more important. Plus, the tales aren’t important to the harry potter series, except of the tale of the three brothers and we already know that one.

@ aillinne

I agree that timing (i.e., being one day before the release of DH) may have had something, or even everything, to do with it. In other words, I’m a skeptic too.

Still, Blue Peter is a nationally broadcast TV show explicitly designed for small children, and the level of the conversation was therefore a bit different from that of a conversation with a mixed, live audience of children and adults at Carnegie Hall. So, there’s a point to be made on the non-skeptic’s side as well.

In spite of what she says in the BBC interview, though, I’m really not sure what she would have done had she been asked that question in front of a mixed audience right before the release of Book 7. It would have generated quite the media fiasco, I’m sure.

@ Arithmancer

I totally agree with you.

It’s really nice what she’s doing for her special 6 friends and the 7th one for Charity and one lucky fan. But why does she have to make such a big deal about it? It’s like she’s throwing it in our faces, “Hahaha, you can’t read them. Hahahaha!” I don’t know, it’s mean. She didn’t have to say anything. Just make the books for your friends, give them to them, tell them to say nothing, and the end. None of your MILLIONS of fans have to know, and none of them have to get angry or sad that you’re not writing these stories for them, and they’re just as big fans as your friends. I hope that makes sense. I say this because as a fan, I’m sad that I’ll never be able to read these fables from the HP series. It’s funny because while reading the 7th book, I actually thought how cool it would be if Jo wrote that fables book as an official companion book, like Quidditch Through the Ages and the other one. And PLEASE, she could have easily chosen a 7th person to give the last book to. I dunno, just, she seems to be throwing this in her fans faces. Not to mention that most of her fans are children, and many are not RICH, who the hell BUT a RICH person will be able to buy that special 7th book? sad sigh

Unless I misunderstood, is it me or is this a great oppurtunity for Leaky to start a drive to bid for it? Like the first Get A Clue drive?

I am happy that she is able to do this! Of course I would love to beable to read the book and perhaps one day she will publish it. I think she is an amazing person! Not only has she written 7 wonderful books but she has created this whole world around them. Perhaps we should all learn from her and give to those less privilaged then us if not with money than time. way to go JO!

I really, I mean REALLY, REALLY, want to read the fairytales!!! And imagine if you got one! I mean think how rare they are! OMG that is my NEW dream! To read the Tales of Beetle and Bard! My old one was to meet Jk and get my book signed but that already happened in New York! :D

That’d be a really cool read. I wish she’d publish THAT to the general public!

What a wonderful thing Jo is doing for charity!

OMG! I would give anything to have that book!!!

I cannot believe the way some of the people here are talking: “JKR is cruel.” “I don’t recognize her from July to now.” How utterly ridiculous you all sound. She’s amazing.

She’s doing this for CHARITY… for little kids that have been locked away in cages and treated with disdain… and you think you are the victim. Puuuuuuuuhleaaaaaaase.

Go Jo!