As readers will recall, author J.K. Rowling has stated several times recently that she is at work on two new projects, one for adults and one for children. The Telegraph has more today on Jo’s efforts with the new book for children, with a brief interview where Jo says she is returning again to write in cafes, just as she did writing the Harry Potter series. Quotage:
“I will continue writing for children because that’s what I enjoy,” reveals Jo, who greatly misses the child wizard. “It’s left me with the biggest emptiness in my life.” She will, however, leave behind the magical world of Hogwarts. “I believe that it’s good for me and good for my readers that I bring myself to work on something different,” she declares.
In a search for inspiration, Jo discloses that she has returned to the Edinburgh cafes where she completed her first novel while unemployed and living on benefits: “I am very good at finding a suitable cafe. I blend into the crowd and, of course, I don’t sit in the middle of the bar staring all around me. In 90 per cent of cases, it’s the cafe’s staff who allow me to work without being bothered.”
On a related note, the worst sort of Muggles or Death Eaters have been out and about recently, as vandals have apparently made off with one of two plaques at the cafe in Edinburgh, Scotland where she wrote much of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s (Philosopher’s) Stone. The Scotsman reports:
Staff at the Buffet King restaurant on Nicolson Street, which used to be Nicolson’s Cafe, said a small brass plaque dedicated to the city author had been taken from the front entrance…One restaurant worker said:”It is only a small plaque and we didn’t even know it had been stolen until someone pointed it out to us.We haven’t contacted the police about it. It’s probably a waste of time for them to even try and find out who stole it.”The city’s culture leader, Deidre Brock, said: “I am hopeful that it is found and put back soon.” The plaque was one of two set up on the street in honour of the writer. The other – which was unveiled by the Edinburgh City of Literature Trust in 2006 – is still in place, fixed to the outside of the building.
Chris’s idea of “critical thinking” is to namecall anyone who disagrees with him/her. Chris is in favor of “criticism” and “dissent” as long as it’s not directed at him/her.
I;m actually really glad you posted that comment (random much? :) ). After all this bickering back and forth, I’ve been getting pretty hot and was just about to post something back to Chris, but your comment grounded me and reminded me that the reason we’re here IS to celebrate the HP world, part of which includes obsessing about what’s going on with the movies, NOT to state our opinions until we’re blue in the face to someone who’s mind we can’t change anyway.
ummm…Shoshana…This was my first time commenting on anything in over 3 months. Just because you only notice when I post about stuff I don’t like, dosen’t mean I don’t post about the stuff I do like. I just didn’t like the 7th book, so I am kind of mad at Rowling, and the rose color glasses came. I can see that I lot of people still have them on. On a sidenote, I don’t want to anger anyone at the leaky cauldron site, so this will be my last post about this topic. Have a nice day!
I do have to say, I think it’s very odd that someone who was supposedly so affected by her mother’s death would refer to the end of the book series she was writing as “the biggest emptiness in my life”. A big emptiness, I can understand, but the biggest emptiness?
Chris, while I get where you’re coming from, I disagree with you. I just don’t see how that comment means JKR doesn’t care about family and is a thoughtless hag. If her family mysteriously disappeared for some reason than I’m sure that would leave a huge emptiness. But they haven’t disappeared so it’s really a moot point. She never said Harry Potter was any more important as family.
Lynn- I think “One trick pony” is an unfair label for JKR (as of this moment, at least). Of her work we have only been exposed to Harry Potter so we can’t say that any subsequent books will be better or worse that Harry Potter. A better label might be a puppy that has only learned the trick sit so far. It’s still got speak, roll over, shake hands etc. to learn. The puppy might learn those tricks and be really good at them, or maybe it could only handle sit. You’ve got a good point though. They thing she’s writing now could turn out to be awful. Or it could be awesome.
And come on. Just because someone didn’t like DH all that much (And there are perfectly good reasons to dislike it, while still being a fan) or has a problem with one thing JKR says doesn’t mean we should proclaim them as heretics and hunt them down with pitchforks. People aren’t just coming here and mindlessly insulting JKR and all things associated with her. They (And by they, I mean Lynn and Secunda in their original posts in particular) seem to be having some doubts about whether she will be able to write more good books. And there’s really no problem with that.
And about the actual news itself, I think it’s nice news.
“Chris, while I get where you’re coming from, I disagree with you. I just don’t see how that comment means JKR doesn’t care about family and is a thoughtless hag. If her family mysteriously disappeared for some reason than I’m sure that would leave a huge emptiness. But they haven’t disappeared so it’s really a moot point.”
what an excellent excellent point!
Anyway, about this one trick pony comment:
Jo’s very first published work happened to earn her enormous success and her very first work just happened also to comprise a set of seven books. That doesn’t make her a one trick pony, it just means she had a lot on her plate. Many writers do loads of average stuff before they even get noticed, and when a book becomes successful fans go back and read their earlier stuff; in other words their earlier stuff makes money on the back of their one successful later novel, and not because the earlier stuff is any good (take the rubbish Philip Pullman has churned out; it probably only gets read because of HDM).
A major reason, in my opinion, that HP has been so successful is BECAUSE Jo lavished 17 years writing, planning and researching a very exquisitely detailed world in which to place her beautifully observed characters. If she hadn’t devoted so much time to the research to make her world as authentic as possible then the books wouldn’t be nearly so good. Some writers churn out too much stuff with too little attention to detail. I think it is refreshing to see someone who prefers to pay so much attention to creating the best possible world she can for people to enjoy. Why should quantity equal quality?
I can fully understand Jo´s feeling about the emptiness. It´s hard to be parted from people, things, work… you love. I have felt emotions like this myself in some circunstances and yes the emptiness that stays behind hurt
Peolpe who are critizising her maybe have not had sustencial losses in their lives, and have therefore a lack of emphathy.
It does not mean that Jo doesn´t love her family or friends. Everyone and everything has it´s space and it´s importance and thats good so.
I am amazed that Jo is busy writing and I can´t wait to put my hand on the new book which surely will be great.
Nice that the staff in the coffees help her to keep privacy.
I wounder who many copies she will be printing ? 500.000 ?
I am soooooo excited!!!!!!! I hope it is fantasy based, and a series!!!!! THANK YOU, JO!!!
Posted by Excited fan!!!!!!! on March 03, 2008, 10:28 PM
report to moderator
Chris, et.c. does have a point. It’s good that she’s writing again, but there are some “news” items here that are about as worth reading as “JKR breaks wind.” “JKR enjoys breakfast cereal.” And some of you would do well to be less obsessive & look at things with more realistic, less rose-colored glasses.
This IS a Harry Potter site, and Jo is a huge part of the HP world, so any news about Jo will most likely be reported about on Leaky. I have found their posts to be both interesting and informative, such as the recent news of Jo and her organization (Children’s High Voice?). There are a lot of people who like to keep up with the major things in Jo’s life, none of which have anything with her breaking wind.
I’m not trying to sound snappish, but I think the fandom deserves more credit than you’ve given them.
I don’t think that every news item is worth consideration, personally I don’t get all the awards show nomination things(although nice I’m sure but in the grand scheme of life who cares if so and so won a solid gold grapefruit) The reality is that I don’t think any one of us walks around living our lives like we are at Hogwarts but most of us just enjoy the books and commend the author in the creation of them. Everyone is most certainly entitled to their opinion but in no way does that give anyone the right to call down others who don’t share that opinion. Being crass and demeaning of others surely shouldn’t be a part of a fan website. I’m sure there are other sites devoted to being overtly critical and would welcome your opinion but I don’t think it belongs to a fan site devoted to supporting the author, books, actors and movies.
On a side note, it amazes me what people would type online and not have the balls to say to someone to their face….
Chris, et.c. does have a point. It’s good that she’s writing again, but there are some “news” items here that are about as worth reading as “JKR breaks wind.” “JKR enjoys breakfast cereal.” And some of you would do well to be less obsessive & look at things with more realistic, less rose-colored glasses.
Posted by SPF on March 03, 2008 @ 05:34 PM
Allow me to translate this for you from a mundane, polite requite, to what it really is, a nasty message designed to infuriate and irritate. translation is as follows… ” Chris is right JKR sucks, what a @#%$# HP means more to her than her dead mother and kids. You are all just a bunch of patethic HP fanatics. GET A LIFE”...As Shakespeare said “A rose by any other name, would smell as sweet” in other words posts like yours(SPF) and your friends are stinky no matter how civil they are. If this post is deleted by Leaky because of my translation, I would implore you to delete the offending post also. I do not like being called a FANBOY, especially in a nice civil forum like this.
"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now," Malfoy went on. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger --"
Perhaps I should haunt the cafes for a year or so in Edinburgh in an attempt to randomly catch her. As though that would be successful!
Keep up the good work, Jo. I look forward to reading whatever you will publish in the future.