As we have previously posted, early tomorrow we will post the first-ever podcast interview with J.K. Rowling on PotterCast, our Harry Potter podcast. It’s a rare, informal, discussion which slides between detailed canon, larger statements about the series and writing, and casual banter.
The interview occurred just after the sale of her handwritten book, “The Tale of Beedle the Bard,” for $3.98 million (it was not yet known that the buyer was Amazon.com). We speak of Beedle and the morals in those tales, and Jo reveals that she originally thought there would be thirty or so, but revised that estimate when she conceived the idea of writing them all out by hand.
”’Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump,’ is the stupidest title ever written by man or beast,” she says, laughing. “When I wrote it I had not, at the point when I gave Ron that title, I didn’t imagine for a second that I was actually going to write the story….I really liked the idea of keeping those titles and then finding out what the stories were.”
She also addresses long-held fan questions about pieces of minute canon, such as the “missing 24 hours” in her timeline, certain characters’ lineage, and the workings of Horcruxes and how they are made. Of course, we also talk about larger issues, such as the recent announcement that popular Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore was gay.
“In the wizarding world…I think you could be gay, pureblood, and totally without any kind of criticism from the Lucius Malfoys of the world. I don’t think that’s something that would interest him at all. But I can’t speak for all witches and wizards,” she said. “To me it was only relevant in as much as Dumbledore, who was a great defender of love and who sincerely believed that love was the greatest, most powerful force in the universe, was himself made a fool of by love.”
We also learn more about wands, which parts of the backstory made her editor want to vomit, the main trio of characters’ post-book-seven plans, and her intentions to “absolutely” write and publish an Harry Potter encyclopedia (jokingly referred to as “The Scottish Book”), but not until she can make sure it’s “done right” and “gives everything.” She also speaks to what she terms her heavy involvement in the the creation of the new Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, Florida, assuring it will have quite a lot of “the Jo touch,” as suggested by John.
It’s a very relaxed and fun talk, more so than would be a “formal” interview, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Stay tuned to this page or pottercast.com/jkrowling for more. To make sure you get the file as soon as it’s released, subscribe via iTunes:
lol, the news was posted just before 8.30 pm yesterday on leaky, almost exactly 24 hours ago…. we’re all used to cyber time, and forget that sometimes, things move slower
i’m simply saying there is at this time no evidence of any problem, so why look for one?
the real acievement of Leaky, Mugglenet, AccioQuote etc etc has been the cooepration….I don’t recall anything like this ever existing before, especially when you throw in contact with the author, publishers, major news media, the actors, and even WB. The closest parallel would have been the Trekkies, and only in recent years have they been as sophisticated, and the influence that the key figures involved in bringing us the HP fan sites have asserted has been interesting and important as well
Melissa, you do need to spend more time writing you know!
I want to add my name to the list of people who want an exact time for when you’re posting it. Or at least tell us - do you mean tomorrow, like when we wake up and it gets light (it’s night now, Dudley, that’s what they call it when it gets all dark like this) or do you mean tomorrow as in when it turns Tuesday’s date at midnight in NY where Melissa lives? Should we stay awake waiting or go to bed early and get our sleep so we’re ready in the morning? :)
It must be thrilling to you guys to be involved in creating something everyone’s so looking forward to that we’re willing to stay up all night waiting . . .
I have to say, I’m 45, I don’t really listen to Mugglecast anymore, but I think those kids have done a very professional job on both their website and their podcast. They have a great future ahead of them, they’re all very talented. I don’t prefer their show because they’re kids and I am not. I don’t know why Jo chose Pottercast but I think it’s part relationship and part real professionalism. I mean, the Mugglecast kids are not professional journalists, no matter what other great credentials they may have. Pottercast (and Leaky) are the best, it’s just really a fact, so if she only had to choose one podcast, it’s really a no brainer. I’m sure if she chose a 2nd one, it would be Mugglecast. Just my opinion, speaking from the point of view of someone who is a lot closer to Jo’s age than any of the Mugglecast listeners.
I have a confession, I do not live in NZ, I was trying to point out that I was anxious for this pottercast by the fact that is was already afternoon in NZ.
But I love NZ!!! The south island is incredible! The north Island was also great. I spent a month there a few years ago. I wish I was there now as it is summer.
Maybe JKR does plan to grant interviews to podcasts for other fansites, but the way they’re acting, it likely won’t happen. This deafening silence is exactly the sort of thing that would likely make JKR stay away. I wish these other sites would post this worthy news so that JKR will see that it’s all good and then be more likely to grant more interviews. I mean, c’mon, if she sees that it’s causing friction, maybe she’ll think it’s better if she doesn’t grant any interviews at all. (I shudder to even type those words).
My guess about the missing 24 hours—it was a maths error on Jo’s part, she didn’t stop to think it out. It obviously wasn’t some big clue to something or we’d have learned about it in Book 7.
Oh, yay! I can’t wait. Ah. Just thought of something…I wonder if we’re going to hear anything about NoeLvr44 or whatever the famed Pottercast “screenname” is. XD
lol, the news was posted just before 8.30 pm yesterday on leaky, almost exactly 24 hours ago…. we’re all used to cyber time, and forget that sometimes, things move slower
i’m simply saying there is at this time no evidence of any problem, so why look for one?
the real acievement of Leaky, Mugglenet, AccioQuote etc etc has been the cooepration….I don’t recall anything like this ever existing before, especially when you throw in contact with the author, publishers, major news media, the actors, and even WB. The closest parallel would have been the Trekkies, and only in recent years have they been as sophisticated, and the influence that the key figures involved in bringing us the HP fan sites have asserted has been interesting and important as well
Melissa, you do need to spend more time writing you know!