We owe quite a few updates tonight, and there is an important announcement following (since the information in this post is vital to that announcement, so make sure to read the whole thing):
Firstly, the April 14 trial in the JKR/WB vs. RDR Books case will be a bench trial, meaning that there will be no jury. A witness list is due by April 4.
Secondly, Steve Vander Ark of the Harry Potter Lexicon gave an interview recently to BlogHogwarts, which Alejandro of BlogHogwarts kindly sent to us in the original English (it was translated to Spanish for the site):
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“Do you think that, if Lexicon wins the case, the Harry Potter fansites are going to be affected in any way(Lexicon Online included)?
A victory for RDR Books will protect the rights of fans to create based on someone else’s work. If RDR Books loses, copyright holders will be given broad new control over fan activity, control which will allow them to shut down sites, stop authors from writing about their works, etc. So a win for RDR Books is definitely in the best interest of fans who create websites, write fanfiction, make wands, compose wizard rock, and so on. I am surprised how many fans have missed this point. Their freedom to create is on the line here.
How many pages does the Lexicon book have?
The Lexicon book will have around 400 pages. It’s 160,000 words. The book has four authors. I am the main author, but three of my Lexicon editors worked on the book as well.
If the Lexicon is published, once the Scottish Book gets out, will you still update Lexicon Online and Book?
I’m as excited to buy Rowling’s Scottish book as anyone! It will be very different from the Lexicon book, with a lot of new and exciting information which only Rowling can provide. I will continue to update the Lexicon website. I love working on the Lexicon and will do so even if I have no staff and even when people don’t read Harry Potter much anymore. Beyond that, I have written another book, called In Search of Harry Potter, which will be published in July. I’m starting on another one as well. I intend this series of books to comprise a complete independent reference library to Harry Potter. The second and third books will not generate the kind of legal concern that the Lexicon book has, thankfully.
Do you consider that your fanatism or admiration to J.K. Rowling is less now after all that have happened?
My admiration for the Harry Potter books is as great as ever. I’m still a huge fan. I’m also still a fan of Rowling, although I think her current actions are unfortunate and badly advised. I still admire her as a writer and a person and I don’t expect that to change just because she and I have a disagreement over a legal issue. Friends can disagree and still be friends.”
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And finally, we have a very important and related announcement regarding the status of the Floo Network.
The following is an announcement that contains commentary.
The interview quoted above contains a number of assessments about J.K. Rowling’s intentions and what the Lexicon case means for fandom as a whole. The comments sat uneasily with many of us as soon as we learned about them, and prompted a discussion among our entire staff about Leaky’s association with the Harry Potter Lexicon, in which it became overwhelmingly clear that Steve’s thoughts on this matter and ours differ so greatly as to be polar opposites; we do not think a win for J.K. Rowling means tighter controls on fan creativity at all, and are concerned for the opposite, as well as the attempt to misportray the issues of the case as stated in sworn affadavits. So, after a few days of careful and many-sided discussion, we, as a full staff, decided that people who have such a fundamental disconnect in beliefs cannot and should not be partners in name or spirit, and two days ago informed the Lexicon that we are severing our association.
There were many who called for this since the day the lawsuit was filed, and on many occasions since, but we decided to wait to make the final decision until we were able to shake out more about the case and the beliefs of the parties involved. Now that it has been made clear to us that the Lexicon’s leader and we disconnect on such a fundamental level regarding fandom, it would be disingenuous to continue calling ourselves partners.
We had intended not to make this decision until the case was completed, so as to not sway public opinion. The comments in question, however, combined with the suit’s history and revelations therein, make us too uneasy to continue affiliation for a moment longer. We had also wanted to refrain from offering commentary on the case, but we all agree that if it meant the continued propagation of comments against our beliefs by someone so visibly associated with us, silence could not be maintained.
That it was a fully supported decision doesn’t mean it wasn’t very hard for this staff, who have for so long considered the Lexicon an ally in all things. The staff was sobered and saddened to find itself walking so uniformly toward this decision, even knowing it was the right one. We have enjoyed an excellent five years as a member of the Floo Network, and don’t regret that time for a moment. We wish everyone associated with the Lexicon health and happiness in the future.
We plan to retain strong affiliations with Accio Quote, though how it would manifest depends on some future decisionmaking, as things are slightly upended right now. This decision in no way affects the regard and admiration we continue to have for Lisa Bunker and her staff, or for Belinda Hobbs and the work she has done on the main Floo page; we hope to remain closely associated with them and their sites. In addition we strenuously discourage anyone from taking frustration for this decision out on any associated staff members, of the Lexicon or any other site. This was not a decision based on hate and hurt, it was rooted in the sad realization that we are much too different now to remain partners.
As for what this means, more functionally: This essentially means the Floo Network has been dismantled, as the network would be, then, Leaky projects and Accio Quote, and that’s more a partnership than a network. (We will sort out what to do with the main Floo page, and its content, as well.) There have been many asking, since November, whether Steve would return to PotterCast: That answer is now no. And while Leaky has always owned the hp-lexicon.org domain and paid for the site’s hosting, we’ve promised to transfer the domain to Steve as soon as litigation is complete (a stipulation that would not have been made had ownership not been mentioned in court documents). We will continue to pay for hosting and provide free support until that day.
This has been very emotional and trying for the staff here so we hope you’ll forgive our little foray into the commentary area. Since people are by nature opinionated, and we are all human, we wanted to keep the personal opinions we all have separate from the pages here, which is why after the first few weeks of figuring out what was going on with this case, we began to stick to linking to and summarizing court documents and other publicly available pieces, and trying to ask further questions to clear up misconceptions when they occurred. The rationale there is that if it’s publicly available there’s an easy check on its accuracy, and goodness knows our users are nothing if not close readers. We have been mentioned time and again in these proceedings, which makes us involved to a certain, small extent; therefore the coverage will continue to be simple linking-to and explaining-in-layman’s-terms legal documents, so you can easily read them yourself if there’s ever any doubt what we say is true. That said, we don’t expect any significant public documents until reports start surfacing of the April 14 trial; there might be a few article updates and more interviews, but mostly we are waiting for the courtroom proceedings to occur. As usual, we’ll keep you updated to the best of our ability.
Thank you for understanding, and as always, we thank you in advance for your civility and respect to each other in the comments.
Thanks again, Melissa. I know this decision was probably very difficult for all TLC staff; but it’s easy to see that Steve’s latest comments created a tipping point.
To those who are (like Steve) afraid of the wesites etc. closing down: Somehow this makes me feel a bit uneasy. Actually Jo allows a lot more that most other authors and publishers. She and her publishers actually have the right to close down a site like the Lexicon already (as far as I know), or rather to limit the contents. You won’t find that much information about other series anywhere. E.g. for Eragon the sites have very restricted possibilities to write about the content. The same goes for several other books. I always was amazed how much Jo allowed the Lexicon to publish online. Including copies of texts on her website and large quotes out of her books. It just shows to me that some people can’t handle it if they get too much freedom. And it is somehow unfair to use this freedom as an argument to go even further. And if you look at the copies of the pages of the book that are online due to the case, then it shows that it is just some means of making money and has nothing to do with the website.
Thank you Leaky!
Steve was really getting under my skin, and Leaky was keeping their opinion to themselves. Professional and respectful, of course. But i still didn’t know what to think or feel when it came to regards of the leaky team. It was because of your association with the Lexicon, and even though you’s had nothing to do with it, i was still a bit ‘are they on Jo’s side or Steve’s side?’
So im happy for you guys! I’m happy that you’s made the decision now and not after the case was closed. And because of that im happy knowing that Leaky wont be sucked down along with whatever ship Steve is sailing.
Also, not too fussed that Steve wont be returning to PotterCast. Can we keep Frak instead though?
I have 2 things. Good for you Leaky for taking action about how you feel instead of ignoring at hoping it will go away. Too many people go along today believing or saying things that are not quite right because other people either don’t challange their ideas at all, or over react and make no point at all. Your way of dealing with the situation has effectively shown your point while not demeaning the other party concerned.
Second thing, I love how polite people are on this page. I have read comments about articles on different news web sites, and it seems like most of the comments are people just ranting about anything. Good for you commenters for reading the article and speaking to the point politely.
Thanks.
ps – I take issue with the person who referred to the TLC community as fawning parasites (sycophants). That is a broad, sweeping statement about thousands of people that you don’t personally know at all.
I think what draws us all to this community are the spirits of hope, friendship and tolerance that are engendered by the Harry Potter novels. There is little enough of those things in the world, and bravo to TLC for providing a haven for us all!
Don’t kid yourself, Jeff. Steve’s got no one but himself to blame. Attempting to make Rowling or TLC the bad guys here rather then Steve is disingenuous and extremely puerile.
As for copyright laws, they exist for a reason. You’re entire argument is fallacy. We’re not talking about ‘if only the laws were different’. They are NOT different and you may not like it but that does not change the fact that this is how the law currently stands – which means that Steve should have conformed to the law. He didn’t. Others who’ve written HP fan books have managed to conform to the law. Why should Steve expect the law to be any different for him?
It’s not a matter of JK being greedy or giving money to charity. It’s JK’s work, she’s entitled to earn monies from it and do with that money whatever she wants. She does NOT have to allow someone to steal from her no matter how big a fan he proclaims himself to be!
I applaud TLC’s efforts to remain nuetral and ache for the loss of the Floo Network. But I fully support this decision.
Can’t fandom just be fun anymore. The problem with HP fandom is everybody already knew what to do. Meaning Star Trek and Star Wars taught people how to react, so in HP we get the super fan. Fill a niche get out the website if this whole HP thing hits we get famous. JKR has embraced this fully and so has WB after some early missteps.
To me HP fandom is starting to get really lame and political. People that read the books seemingly for their own means after it became a phenomenon are flooding message boards with irreverent dialouge and theories about motivation behind certain phrases and characters. I have never been a fan of cannon conundrums because it propagates the idea of mistakes and bad writing in HP. I read the open letter Steve and Emerson put up after GOF? and found it to be pompous and arrogant, I don’t know Steve personally but I never liked his comments in that letter.
For a matter of fact, I just saw Steve on the OOTP dvd! Great your’e an expert I get it. So am I, when DH came out I answered a lot of questions about the series for weary fans from behind my Hagrid beard. You don’t see me writing a book using text lifted from HP.
The only fan site I visit now is Leaky, I stopped going to mugglenet after the prediction book. How stupid was that? I got all of the same predicitions from my own theories and Leaky’s free predictions on the web. Of which I think Steve contributed to. Thanks Steve those were great.
Is HP fandom going to stay like this? Is it destined to be filled with people who want to make a buck and feel they are entitled to do so. Books that don’t compliment HP but regurgitate it like teen dream books about 90210, Hanna Montana or any other hot thing aimed at kids who beg their parents to buy it. Is it destined to be ruled by people who think DH was badly written and others need to stop drinking the JKR kool-aid and take off the rose colored glasses. Because if so, this lawsuit means nothing win or lose because one fan will just go back to reading the books and writing opinions in journals. Please spare us the noble fair use argument Steve this means cashing in while you got the chance. Yours would be the only new HP book on the market for at least ten years, that could be multiple printings, one now and one when the scottish book comes out. CHA CHING,little kid at christmas ten years later ‘Thanks Grandma,(in a whisper) Mom she got the wrong one, this one is written by Steve Vander Ark?” Mom “Shhhh! I’ll buy you the other one tommorow”
In closing, Heres to you www.the-leaky-cauldron.org from your noble charitable roots to your modern incarnation as a place of true HP fandom. One that provides a means fans to post comments on your articles and on your message boards. From your HP video galleries, to the fan art pages; From the Cauldron Shop to the Harry Potter crafts page. You have seeked out and explored every facet of the heart of HP fandom and your site has something for everyone or just one fan with eclectic tastes. You have always done it right the first time, and never had to correct it later. To all staff at leaky now and then, My you never falter in your mission, and never taint your purpose.
To the Staff of the Leaky Cauldron and affiliated sites,
First of all…BRAVO!!!
It’s about time yall made this decision. Since this whole case started, my respect for Steve Van Ark has gone from great to nil. The fact that he is trying to sell his rehash of the books and world that Jo has spent many years creating, showed me and apparently the majority of the fandom that I’m sorry to say, your love for Ms. Rowling and the fandom are a tad false. Otherwise you wouldn’t be taking the steps you have. Also trying to scare the fandom with your recent statements was reprehensible and unforgivable. Until and after this case started, Jo has been completely accommodating to her fandom as a whole (including fansites, wizard rock, etc.) with only a few exception, which is her right as the copyright holder and creator of the work. I join the rest of the fandom in saying shame on you Van Ark, and know I am one who will never buy any book that you right, regardless of whether it is about Harry Potter or not. You have completely lost my respect.
To those that side with Steve/RDR Books,
I want you all to think about if you were a writer. You’ve spent years creating a world in which your novels will take place. You’ve suffered, scrimped and scraped for your art, and after all that hard work it is finally paying off. During all this time, you have taken pains to be as open and accommodating to your fandom as much as possible. You’ve also given to charities and stood up for causes, whether asked or not. Then one day you find out that someone is trying to publish, which basically boils down to a rehash of the same information that comes from the novels that you’ve created and cultivating…nothing is really different. Knowing that basically this person is reselling almost word for word something that you put your blood, sweat and tears into for many years. Honestly…regardless of how much money you’ve made from YOUR CREATION, how would you feel about it?
Now there are some that say she’s doing it for money. She plans to release the Scottish Book, which has ten times more information about Harry and his world then Steve’s rehash of HER CREATION could ever have, so to say she just wants to get her book out first, as if the two books can be compared is laughable. Being a budding writer myself, I know from experience how hard it is to create anything that’s worthwhile. It comes from your head, and becomes apart of your soul, so to say that it is just about money is ridiculous. It’s about what’s right and wrong, and what Steve is doing is all kinds of wrong, and would hurt all fandoms present and future, if he and RDR Books win.
I know I’m posting on this a lot, but I want to respond to Amanda’s points.
The idea that Leaky had to “choose sides” on the lawsuit is arguable, but when reporting the news, it’s best to present a view of neutrality, so that we can choose.
The idea that Leaky had to chose the person, that if you like JKR you must reject SVA as a person, is ridiculous. Neither SVA or JKR have made it personal (at least in their public comments), they have a disagreement. I love JKR, I think she’s both a wonderful author and from the way she’s interacted with her fans and other things she’s done show she’s just a very nice person. But I believe she is wrong in the lawsuit.
Meanwhile, SVA has been an active fan, put his industry and his logic at the service of fandom for years, based on his appearances on Pottercast he’s shown more than a little wit. From everything I’ve heard before this lawsuit, he was well-liked and people thought highly of him. Even if you think he’s made a terrible mistake with this book and pushing forward in the face of the lawsuit, that doesn’t negate what he’s done before.
Good people sometimes do things that they shouldn’t. They rely on bad advice, they don’t see the whole picture, and there are times in everyone’s lives where we add one and one and one and come up with five. The way I’ve seen both SVA and JKR behave during the lawsuit does nothing to make me think badly of either of them. It’s rough on both of them, and the best part of when this is resolved is that it will be resolved. The worst part of this is that people feel a need to choose sides, to say “I like you so I can’t like you”.
Well, that was definitely the right choice. Sad, certainly, but necessary. To confirm what I understood, this means that the Floo Network no longer exists, and that The Leaky Cauldron now encompasses the shop, podcast, news, and search engine, while continuing a partnership with Accio Quote? I just want to confirm what I understood. I suppose I have two more questions. Will Leaky form a new online resource, and would the Floo Network be reformed if another website rose to a similar prominence in the fandom?
Otherwise, I thank you for the amazing work you’ve done covering this case.
Diffinetly the correct choice,sad as it is .As great as Steve was on PotterCast,CC especially,he will be missed but this cannot be helped,it is TLC’s very correct choice and they have my support in this.i do not agree with his assessment either .And i agree with Rose,i am surprised this hasn’t happened sooner.
[Harry was] staring at the small window set into the double doors that marked the start of a corridor signposted SPELL DAMAGE. A man was peering out at them all with his nose pressed against the glass. He had wavy blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a broad
Thanks again, Melissa. I know this decision was probably very difficult for all TLC staff; but it’s easy to see that Steve’s latest comments created a tipping point.