View Full Version : Rowling pens Potter prequel to benefit charity
Reuters is reporting (http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKL2831831420080528) this evening that Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has written an 800-word outline of a prequel to the series that will be auctioned off for charity on June 10 in London by Waterstones. This is the charity we told you about a few weeks ago.
The article goes to say that:
"The outline, which ends with the line 'From the prequel I am not working on -- but that was fun!' is one of 13 story outlines written for the auction by famed authors including new Bond writer Sebastian Faulks and Nobel laureate Doris Lessing."
The money raised will go to charities English PEN and Dyslexia Action.
:( I want to read
At least money is for Chairty :D
Yesterday we told you about the 800-word Harry Potter prequel that JK Rowing was writing for charity. Today, new details have emerged!
First, Jo updated her official site (http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/news_view.cfm?id=106) this morning with news that the plot takes place 3 years before Harry is born. She also revealed her intentions in writing it:
Although I did feel a bit like a relapsing addict as I sat down to write - the words poured from my pen with frightening ease - I am NOT working on a prequel. Indeed, I've written that clearly at the bottom of the card itself. I just thought that this was the best way to make money for two extremely worthwhile charities.
Second, an an article by The Guardian (http://books.guardian.co.uk/harrypotter/story/0,,2282533,00.html) reveals that the story will include a plot around the Marauders - specifically James and Sirius.
A post to follow this one will include information we've received from Waterstone's, including a high res pic of the final line.
We have spoken with Waterstones this morning about JK Rowling's recently announced 800-word Potter prequel, and we hope to have answered more of your burning questions!
- As of today, Waterstones is now accepting preorders (http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=6285395) for the book. The books will be a one off print run and limited to two per customer because of expected demand. They hope the book will be available in early August.
- Jo's story will be available for viewing online on June 11th. You'll also be able to view it in their store windows the same day (Waterstones is a UK bookstore chain).
- A representative tells us that the prequel was a "complete surprise". They simply asked authors to tell a story and awaited their response. Their official press release, with a quote from Waterstones can be viewed here.
- Lastly, Waterstones has provided us with the final line on JK Rowling's story card. View it here! (http://mugglenet.com/viewer/?image_location=/jkrprequellastline.jpg) It reads: "From the prequel I am not working on – but that was fun!"
Please remember that, while all very exciting, the stories from all 13 authors are to benefit the English PEN and Dyslexia Action charities. Take a minute to look at each charity's purpose and how you can help!
The Waterstones press release won't load.
Right so we can buy this? :confused:
We can buy the book with all the short stories in. It's £5 on Waterstones. This is the front cover
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/2807/stonesvi4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
oooo Right, very interesting :p
J.K. Rowling's handwritten prequel to the ``Harry Potter'' novels fetched 25,000 pounds ($48,855) at a charity auction in London tonight.
The signed, 800-word tale was one of 13 ``storycards'' written on sheets of A5 paper being offered by Waterstone's, a U.K. bookseller. The signed piece concludes with the teasing words ``from the prequel I am not working on -- but that was fun!''
The buyer was an absentee bidder. More than 100 guests attended the invitation-only event, called ``What's Your Story?'' and run by Sotheby's auctioneer Edward Rising at the Waterstone's branch in Piccadilly.
Rowling, 42, has ruled out a full prequel to the novels about the boy wizard, which have sold about 400 million copies. Other works were being sold by authors including Sebastian Faulks, Richard Ford, Doris Lessing, Nick Hornby and Tom Stoppard. Proceeds go to English PEN and Dyslexia Action, said Waterstone's, which is owned by HMV Group Plc.
In December 2007 at a Sotheby's London charity sale, Amazon.com Inc. paid a record auction price of 1.95 million pounds ($3.98 million) for Rowling's handwritten volume of fairy tales, ``The Tales of Beedle the Bard.''
Read the story as it is written http://www.waterstoneswys.com/
The Story:
The speeding motorcycle took the sharp corner so fast in the darkness that both policemen in the pursuing car shouted,"Whoa!" Sergeant Fisher slammed his large foot on the brake, thinking that the boy who was riding pillion was sure to be flung under his wheels; however, the motorbike made the turn without unseating either of its riders, and with a wink of its red tail lights, vanished up the narrow side street.
"We've got 'em now!" cried PC Anderson excitedly. "That's a dead end!"
Leaning hard on the steering wheel and crashing his gears, Fisher scraped half the paint off the flank of the car as he forced it up the alleyway in pursuit.
There in the headlights sat their quarry, stationary at last after a quarter of an hour's chase. The two riders were trapped between a towering brickwall and the police car, which was now crawling towards them like some growling luminous-eyes predator.
There was so little space between the car doors and the walls of the alley that Fisher and Anderson had difficulty extricating themselves from the vehicle. It injured their dignity to have to inch, crab-like, towards the miscreants. Fisher dragged his generous belly along the wall, tearing buttons off his shirt as he went, and finally snapping off the wing mirror with his backside.
"Get off the bike!" he bellowed at the smirking youths, who sat basking in the flashing blue light as though enjoying it.
They did as they were told, finally pulling free from the broken wing mirror, Fisher glared at them. They seemed to be in their late teens. The one who had been driving had long black hair, his insolent good looks reminded Fisher unpleasantly of his daughter's guitar-playing, layabout boyfriend. The second boy also had black hair, though his was short and stuck up in all directions; he wore glasses and a broad grin. Both were dressed in t-shirts emblazoned with a large golden bird; the emblem, no doubt, of some deafening, timeless rock band.
"No helmet!" Fisher yelled, pointing from one uncovered head to the other. "Exceeding the speed limit by-by a considerable amount!" (In fact, the speed registered had been greater than Fisher was prepared to accept that any motorcycle could travel.) "Failure to stop for the police!"
"We'd have loved to stop for a chat," said the boy in glasses,"only we were trying--"
"Don't get smart-you two are in a heap of trouble!" snarled Anderson. "Names!"
"Names?" repeated the long-haired driver."Er-Well, let's see. There's Wilberforce...Bathsheba...Elvendork..."
"And what's nice about that one is, you can use it for a boy OR a girl," said the boy in glasses.
"Oh, our names, did you mean?" asked the first, as Anderson spluttered with rage."You should've said! This here is James Potter, and I'm Sirius Black!"
"Things'll be seriously black for you in a minute, you cheeky little-"
But neither James nor Sirius was paying attention. They were suddenly as alert as gundogs, staring past Fisher and Anderson, over the roof of the police car, at the dark mouth of the alley. Then, with identical, fluid movements, they reached into their back pockets.
For the space of a heartbeat both policemen imagined guns gleaming at them, but a second later they saw that the motorcyclists had drawn nothing more than-
"Drumsticks?" jeered Anderson. "Right pair of jokers, aren't you? Right, we're arresting you on a charge of--"
But Anderson never got to name the charge. James and Sirius had shouted something incomprehensible, and the beams from the headlights had moved.
The policemen wheeled around, then staggered backwards. Three men were flying-actually flying- up the alley on broomsticks-and at the same moment,the police car was rearing up on its back wheels.
Fisher's knee bucked; as he sat down hard; Anderson tripped over Fisher's legs and fell on top of him, as flump-bang-crunch- they heard the mean on brooms slam into the suspended car and fall, apparently insensible, to the ground, while broken bits of broomstick clattered down around them.
The motorbike had roared into life again. His mouth hanging open, Fisher mustered the strength to look back at the two teenagers.
"Thanks very much!" called Sirius over the throb of the engine."We owe you one!"
"Yeah, nice meeting you!" said James. "And don't forget: Elvendork! It's unisex!"
There was an earth-shaking crash, and Fisher and Anderson threw their arms around each other in fright; their car had just fallen back to the ground. Now it was the motorcycle's turn to rear. Before the policemen's disbelieving eyes, it took off into thin air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.
From the prequel I am not working on-but that was fun! J.K. Rowling.2008
Bloomberg has spoken with (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aqizqD2FEX5w&refer=home) the winning bidder of JK Rowling's Harry Potter prequel. Having purchased it for nearly $50,000 at the charity auction, the winning bidder was Hira Digpal, president of a Tokyo-based investment-banking consulting company. Digpal had this to say about the win:
I told them, if it gets past my limit, call me -- wake me up,'' said Digpal, 36, a Briton who received the news that he'd won at 5:27 a.m. ``I was thinking of buying stocks, but the market's been very volatile. It's a good investment for when I kick the bucket in 30, 40, 50 years' time.
Bad Wolf
31-07-2008, 18:19
Potter fairytales to be published
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44879000/jpg/_44879637_bardap.jpg A special collector's edition will resemble the handwritten original
A collection of fairytales penned by Harry Potter author JK Rowling is to be published to raise money for a children's charity.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which Rowling first mentioned in The Deathly Hallows, will go on sale on 4 December.
A handwritten copy of the book was sold at auction for £1.95m last year.
Rowling wrote and illustrated seven copies of the book, but offered only one for sale. It was thought the book would never be published.
Collector's edition
British charity the Children's High Level Group (CHLG), which was founded by Rowling and Baroness Emma Nicholson to help vulnerable children across Europe, will publish three editions of the book.
Bloomsbury and Scholastic will publish a £6.99 edition, featuring additional commentary on each fairytale from Professor Dumbledore, and an introduction by Rowling.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44293000/jpg/_44293136_rowling_pa203b.jpg All seven copies of the book are mounted with semi-precious stones
Amazon, who bought the handwritten copy at auction last year, will produce a maximum of 100,000 Collector's Edition copies aimed at replicating the look and feel of the original tales.
"There was understandable disappointment among Harry Potter fans when only one copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard was offered to the public last December," said Rowling.
"I am therefore delighted to announce that, thanks to the generous support of Bloomsbury, Scholastic and Amazon - and with the blessing of the wonderful people who own the other six original books - The Tales of Beedle the Bard will now be widely available to all Harry Potter fans." In the seventh and final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hermione Grainger is given a copy of the book – a collection of fairytales – by Albus Dumbledore to help in the quest to defeat Lord Voldemort.
I'm just pre-ordering the collector's edition now :D:D
Collector's edition (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0956010903/ref=ms_sbrspot_0/102-4913620-7880158?pf_rd_p=421436201&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=507846&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1Q4QT6E61BQW1575NJPW) and Standard edition (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DB0HG2/ref=ms_sbrspot_3/102-4913620-7880158?pf_rd_p=421436201&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=507846&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1Q4QT6E61BQW1575NJPW). Comparing the two, there's no competition over which one I'm buying, even when there is £46 price difference.
.:SpIcYsPy:.
31-07-2008, 21:45
I think I get the standard book.. However, can anyone tell me what the book is about (seeing as I haven't read the last book yet..)
Thanks! :)
In DH, Dumbledore left The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a book of fairy tales, to Hermione in his will. Without spoiling the book too much, Beedle's book came in very useful in realising and completing the Quest (finding the Deathly Hallows). The tale of the Three Brothers was the story that gave Hermione the starting point.
Why haven't you read the book??!
.:SpIcYsPy:.
31-07-2008, 21:59
In DH, Dumbledore left The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a book of fairy tales, to Hermione in his will. Without spoiling the book too much, Beedle's book came in very useful in realising and completing the Quest (finding the Deathly Hallows). The tale of the Three Brothers was the story that gave Hermione the starting point.
Why haven't you read the book??!
No no, feel free to spoil! :p :D
I know the main sort of bits about DH.. But I haven't read it because there isn't going to be another one after that :( Sad I know.. :lol:
I am going to re-read HBP however because it's not that clear in my head and I want to read it before the movie comes out..
Ok, I'll put it in spoilers in case others haven't read the book and don't want to know. This could be a long one...
In HBP, Dumbledore told Harry about the horcruxes. Dumbledore had already destroyed Marvolo's ring with Gryffindor's sword (only the sword, Basilisk fangs and FyndFyre can destroy Horcruxes). Dumbledore then put the ring on. The ring contained a curse which caused his hand to wither (as observed by Harry when Dumbledore picked him up from the Dursley's).
The diary had also been destroyed (CoS). At the end of HBP, once Slytherin's locket had been found in the cave, Harry opened the locket to find that it was a fake and somebody had stolen the real one.
The snake (Nagini), Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's Diadem (crown like thing) and the last piece of Voldy's soul (inside him) were to be found.
DH: In his will, Dumbledore left the sword of Godric Gryffindor and the snitch that he caught in his first game to Harry, the Deluminator to Ron and The Tales of Beedle the Bard to Hermione, written in Runes.
Snitches have flesh memories - they remember the person who first touched them. When Harry pressed the snitch to his mouth a message appeared: I open at the close.
In the book, there was a story about The Three Brothers. They met Death on a bridge. Death granted them one wish each. The first brother wished to bring back his wife. So Death gave him a Resurrection stone; the brother brought back his wife and they lived together for many years. It's worth noting that she was neither ghost or flesh. In the end he went crazy and died to be with her fully.
The second brother wished for a cloak of invisibility. Death granted this wish.
The third brother wanted a wand that would beat any other and be the most powerful in the world. Again, Death gave him his wish. This was called the Elder Wand, Wand of Destiny or Deathstick.
These three objects, the stone, cloak and the wand were collectively known as the Deathly Hallows. The possessor of all three is the master of death.
Anyway, Hermione had a book of Runes with her and she was translating the stories. She came across as sign that wasn't a rune; it was the symbol of the DH. A triangle (cloak) with an eye (stone) and a vertical line through the middle (wand). As Bill and Fleur's wedding, Xeno Lovegood, Luna's father wore a robe with the DH symbol on. HHR went to visit Xeno and he told them the story about Death and the Peverell's (three brothers).
The fairy story of the three brothers was actually true. Harry is the last living descendant of the second brother and his invisibility cloak is that which belonged to the brother.
Harry realised that master of death meant he could kill Voldy without having to find and destroy the horcruxes. He was torn between hallows and horcruxes.
To cut a very long story short, Dumbledore possessed the Elder wand. Marvolo's ring contained the resurrection stone. Marvolo and Voldy never realised what the ring actually was. Voldy never knew about the Hallows.
Voldy killed Snape, Harry was hidden in the room at the time. Whilst Snape was dying (and Voldy had gone), Snape gave Harry some memories which Harry put into the Pensieve and watched. The most important thing is that Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him if Draco failed in HBP. Also, Voldy made a seventh horcrux without realising it: Harry. When Harry was on his way to meet Voldy to die, he pressed the snitch to his lips and said "I am about to die." The snitch opened, revealing the resurrection stone. He turned it three times in his hand and brought back James, Lily, Sirius, Lupin and Tonks (both of whom had died).
Back to HBP: Up on the tower, Draco disarmed Dumbledore. When a wand is taken by force it forms a new allegiance, in this case Draco became the master of the Elder wand. Dumbledore's plan for Snape to kill him without disarming him failed; the wand had recognised a new master. The Elder wand's power dies when the owner dies without being conquered. Snape was supposed to kill Dumbledore, causing the wand's power to die with Dumbledore.
Earlier in DH, Harry had disarmed Draco (who didn't have the Elder wand, it was buried with Dumbledore).
So Harry now had two Hallows. Voldy killed Harry, believing that Harry was truly dead. Actually, only the horcrux had been killed and Harry was still alive.
Skip forward a few chapters. All the horcruxes had been destroyed, apart from Voldy himself. Voldy had broken into Dumbledore's tomb and taken the Elder wand, thinking that it would form his allegiance.
Voldy and Harry came to meet the second time. Voldy doesn't understand deep magic and is ignorant of it. He didn't realise that the wand had recognised a new master when it's previous had been disarmed. Harry overpowered Draco at his home (long story) and took his Hawthorn wand. Therefore, Harry was the master of Death.
Voldy wasn't aware of this. Once Harry had explained this to him, Voldy still didn't realise the impact the spell he was about to cast would have.
Voldy: Avada Kedavra
Harry: Expelliarmus
Even though Harry cast his spell after Voldy, the wand recognised it's master and in effect, it was Harry who cast the killing curse. And that was the end of Voldy. Killed by his own spell.
You don't even have to read the book now :rotfl:
.:SpIcYsPy:.
01-08-2008, 18:12
Ok, I'll put it in spoilers in case others haven't read the book and don't want to know. This could be a long one...
You don't even have to read the book now :rotfl:
Thank-you soooo much Abigail! :D x :bow:
As we told you yesterday, the book that was previously only given to six people, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, will be published on December 4th with all royalties being donated to Children's High Level Group charity. Scholastic has provided some new information on what the book contains, some of which can be seen below:
"[Dumbledore] reveals not just his vast knowledge of Wizarding lore, but also more of his personal qualities: his sense of humor, his courage, his pride in his abilities, and his hard-won wisdom. Names familiar from the Harry Potter novels sprinkle the pages, including Aberforth Dumbledore, Lucius Malfoy and his forebears, and Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington (or 'Nearly Headless Nick'), as well as other professors at Hogwarts and the past owners of the Elder Wand."
As much as I really would like a copy of my own, I think this book should just have been for the six people that had an original copy and not published for on a big scale.
Bad Wolf
01-08-2008, 21:02
once again its all about DUMBLEDORE!!!!
why cant we have the secret diaries of severus snape aged 14 and 3/4???????? think about it, he was madly in love with lily, THAT would be a good book!
Never thought about Snape. I would love to read about him. We learnt a lot about Dumbledore and his youth in DH, not sure how much more we can learn about him.
I would also be interested to read more about Sirius. He's my favourite character and I hated it when he died.
Bad Wolf
01-08-2008, 21:11
sirius is my fave too, she could put little diarys out for comic relief, hagrids (before the aragog incident) would be amusing
di marco
02-08-2008, 14:48
I'm just pre-ordering the collector's edition now :D:D
Collector's edition (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0956010903/ref=ms_sbrspot_0/102-4913620-7880158?pf_rd_p=421436201&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=507846&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1Q4QT6E61BQW1575NJPW) and Standard edition (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DB0HG2/ref=ms_sbrspot_3/102-4913620-7880158?pf_rd_p=421436201&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=507846&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1Q4QT6E61BQW1575NJPW). Comparing the two, there's no competition over which one I'm buying, even when there is £46 price difference.
i dunno if ill get the book yet or not. i definitely wont be getting the collectors edition, thats way too expensive!
Seeing as it will be released in December I might suggest to my mum that she buys me the book for Christmas.
di marco
02-08-2008, 20:42
Seeing as it will be released in December I might suggest to my mum that she buys me the book for Christmas.
thats a good idea. ill probably flick through it in the shop first to see what its like before i decide whether to buy it or not
Seeing as it will be released in December I might suggest to my mum that she buys me the book for Christmas.
thats a good idea. ill probably flick through it in the shop first to see what its like before i decide whether to buy it or not
The collector's edition is only available from Amazon and has a print run of 100,000 copies.
di marco
02-08-2008, 21:44
Seeing as it will be released in December I might suggest to my mum that she buys me the book for Christmas.
thats a good idea. ill probably flick through it in the shop first to see what its like before i decide whether to buy it or not
The collector's edition is only available from Amazon and has a print run of 100,000 copies.
i meant for the standard copy. theres no way im getting the collectors edition!
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