July 22, 2007

J.K. Rowling

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From AFP: Potter fans spellbound by Rowling at book signing.

Hundreds of eager fans braved darkness, exhaustion and chilly air to listen to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling autograph and read passages from her latest book.

"Probably slim to none, but hey, one's always got hope, right?" said Jess Ciroi, a 20-year-old, who cites Rowling as her inspiration for becoming a writer.

Inside the Natural History Museum, Rowling was staging a reading of "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows" for 500 lucky fans before signing books for a further 1,200.

But this still left dozens of fans queuing up outside in the vague hope of catching a glimpse of the author as she launched the seventh and final novel in the best-selling series.

Minutes after its release at 2301 GMT, Ciroi and her mother Wilma, visiting from Canada, raced from a nearby bookstore to the museum in the hope that they might get in, and were prepared to wait through the night, if necessary.

See video of the reading here

From AP: J.K. Rowling reflects on fame, fans and Harry Potter.

On criticism of the books from Christians in Britain and the United States:

"I had one letter from a vicar in England -- this is the difference -- saying would I please not put Christmas trees at Hogwarts as it was clearly a pagan society. Meanwhile, I'm having death threats when I'm on tour in America."

And here's a 2003 cartoon we did on the subject: Wizard Hunt.

To see more of John's caricatures, see his new blog John Cox Art.

Posted by Forkum at July 22, 2007 05:13 PM
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