JK Rowling Announcement

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by Daithi

Will anything short of the announcment of a new book be a flop of an announcement?

I heard speculation that the announcement could be the release of HP as ebooks, some kind of online game, a HP dictionary, some kind of social networking thing, etc. However, I can't say that any of these would really interest me. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see HP as ebooks, but I've already read the books so its not a huge deal for me personally if she sticks to not releasing them as ebooks. On the other hand, if she announces a new series with new characters in the HP world then THAT would be huge news. I'm afraid anything short of that is going to be "meh".

i have to agree, Daithi. I'd love to see her come out with a new series. Even if it's not in the HP world.

[AnemicOak]

I think some kind of MMO is most likely what it is.

[Hellmark]

I doubt it is a game, because they've made plenty of Harry Potter games before, and she's not been a part of any of them. Why would she suddenly want to be involved in games, when she's been able to before but hasn't done so?

[Daithi]

At the risk of showing my ignorance, what's an MMO AnemicOak?

Phenomshel, I too would be happy with a new book even if it wasn't in the HP world. Although, I think whatever she is going to announce will be HP related because her pre-announcement mentions something called "pottermore".

[Ditchleyportrait]

i was happy to have inhabited her harry potter world for a time. i read the first four as they came out.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Daithi

At the risk of showing my ignorance, what's an MMO AnemicOak?

I'm not AnemicOak, but as it pertains to gaming, it probably refers to a Massively Multiplayer Online game.

[Daithi]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

I doubt it is a game, because they've made plenty of Harry Potter games before, and she's not been a part of any of them. Why would she suddenly want to be involved in games, when she's been able to before but hasn't done so?

The reason some people believe it is a game or some kind of social networking thing is because Warner Bros registered the Pottermore trademark two years ago, and they described it as "providing multiple-user access to a global computer information network".

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by wodin

The slow refresh rate of the eInk screen won't support magic pictures.

well...

[Daithi]

Oh, no!

According to MTV ---

Scholastic says that the announcement does not involve a new book.

So you can probably just count me underwhelmed. Somebody poke me when she writes something new. (Same with Stephanie Meyers. Apparently once you have earned massive amounts of cash your desire to write isn't as strong as it once was.)

[Nahgem]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

I doubt it is a game, because they've made plenty of Harry Potter games before, and she's not been a part of any of them. Why would she suddenly want to be involved in games, when she's been able to before but hasn't done so?

All the current games are based on the movies, which makes them pretty much the WB's jurisdiction (though through her involvement with the films she is indirectly involved in those games as well). If this is an rpg of some sort, and if it contains elements from a timeline not covered by the books/films or extraneous information from any of her notes or her in-progress encyclopedia, or her editors' "bibles", Jo probably has to be on board somehow if they want to use that info. Also, because the Potter world is Jo's baby, I'm skeptical that she would allow any expansion to it without her direct involvement, and WB have been amazing about keeping her involved in things, even when they probably don't have to. The amount of involvement she had in the film script approval and in the development of the Park (down to taste-testing the Butterbeer recipes) is nearly unprecedented.

Not saying I think for sure it IS an RPG, but if it is, it makes a ton of sense to me that she'd be at the forefront of development.

[Nahgem]

Originally Posted by Daithi

Somebody poke me when she writes something new. (Same with Stephanie Meyers. Apparently once you have earned massive amounts of cash your desire to write isn't as strong as it once was.)

She has said she's working on non-Potter stuff as well. It took her more than five years to plot HP and write the first book. I'm more than happy to give her those five years again, and then some, if the next thing is as intricately plotted and developed as HP.

</JKR apologist mode>

[Daithi]

Then poke me in five years.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Nahgem

She has said she's working on non-Potter stuff as well. It took her more than five years to plot HP and write the first book. I'm more than happy to give her those five years again, and then some, if the next thing is as intricately plotted and developed as HP.

</JKR apologist mode>

Whenever I think of JKR's writing and publishing timeline, I'm reminded of what Don McLean said when asked what 'American Pie' meant.

He said "It means I only work when I want to."

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Daithi

So you can probably just count me underwhelmed. Somebody poke me when she writes something new. (Same with Stephanie Meyers. Apparently once you have earned massive amounts of cash your desire to write isn't as strong as it once was.)

I dunno. I think once you've created something as successful as Harry Potter, the daunting thing is coming up with something that's even better.

Stephanie Meyers, well, don't really understand the appeal (and I tend to love vampire fiction). I think I just read the first two pages of Twilight and promptly abandoned it.

[carld]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I think some kind of MMO is most likely what it is.

I'd actually be interested in that. I'm an MMO geek dating back to Meridian 59 and text MUDS even before that.