Foreword Previews, Pub Date and Facebook
The lovely Sam has made a Facebook page for the book; go "become a fan" and you'll get alerts there!
There are currently two previews of the foreword to my book online: one at The Telegraph and one on the Amazon page listing. The telegraph article contains what was, for me, the most flattering thing I could have ever heard from Jo about the book:
"It is as though I have, at last, achieved the ambition I held for years: To go along to a bookshop at midnight on Harry Potter publication night, in disguise, and simply watch and listen."She actually said something similar once in a letter before the foreword, and I remember first being thrilled at the sentiment and then hoping very selfishly it would end up in the foreword. This is exactly what I hope for everyone with the book: That it allows them not only to enjoy the narrative, learn things they didn't know, remind themselves of that which they already did, and have the core of the story of these past 10 years in the real world wrapped up in one book, but that, most importantly, they can re-experience their time, their life inside the phenomenon. If they weren't a part of it, I hope they can pretend to be through the book. The hardest person to insert into the phenomenon is J.K. Rowling: She is the one person in the world who was, by necessity, not a part of the day-to-day living of it. To hear from her that she not only enjoyed the book, but achieved that immersion, was immensely fulfilling.
I've gotten a few emails asking how the foreword came about: Well, I interviewed Jo back in the fall and we discussed it very briefly but left it there; I, for one, didn't want her to commit to anything without reading the book, because that would mean the foreword wasn't based on the merits of the book. So, when I had a draft I was comfortable with, I had it bound at Staples and sent it to her, and said if she felt it was a book she liked and one to which she would like to lend words, I'd be honored. She responded very quickly in the positive, and the rest is, well, Harry, A History. Hah! Pun! Those never get old! Ehm.
It's strange seeing a lot of the foreword spilling onto the Web, but also a bit of a relief, so that I can share these things. I hope you feel, when you read the book, the same way Jo did. And if you don't, that it makes a nice paperweight. Oh, I'm just full of the (un)funny today...
Another question I've been asked: Does the movie release date change alter the publication date for this book? Nope. November 4, 2008, it shall remain.
I am so excited about this book!!! I always find a hard time explaining the fandom and its impact to people who have never read Harry Potter. I think this book will help me when I have to justify myself to people who ask how the hell I can find the time to listen to a Harry Potter podcast, every single week. Or people who ask me why I have about 30 friends on facebook who I have never met in person but who are constantly sending me Harry Potter bumper stickers. Not to mention the people who look at me like I should immediately be rushed to a mental institution when I tell them that not only do I listen to songs about Harry Potter but I also sometimes write my own Wizard Rock.
Aside from all that I am also really excited about hearing what Jo had to say about the book. so far it seems like she has a very positive view of it. Congratulations!!!
I joined the fandom very late ( I became aware of it about December 2006). As I result feel like I have missed out on a lot. I so happy that this book will give me the chance to experience the things I missed and relive those amzing times that I was lucky enough to be around for!
Thank You so much Melissa!!
Hello Melissa,
I must to thank you for this book!! I read Harry Potter since August 9th 2000... so I am a great, really great fan of Harry for 8 years now. But only in 2005 that I knew the Fandom in the web and all the wonderful things that the fans do for Harry... fanfics, fanarts, fanvideos in youtube, editorials and so many other things!! I knew so the exactly feeling that Harry felt when he went in the Diaogon Alley for the very first time!!
So I knew the wonderful world of the Harry Potter events and I met brilliant people whom are my friends today!!
I am Brazilian and Harry is very, very famous here as the rest of the world... and that is a great proof how Jo broke borders and how the precdition of Prof McGonagall in Philosopher's Stone completed!!
You made me cry, Melissa, because I love Harry Potter so much and I live in his Phenomenon!!
And I will buy your book on Amazon... (I am not very sure if it will come to Brazil, so...) and I am sure that I will love it!!
Thank you so much... you are a very lucky girl and you deserved success!!
Congratulations!! I can´t wait for your book!!
My best wishes,
Praty
Melissa,
Just let me say as a loyal follower of TLC and Pottercast who listens more then participates. I just need to say how proud I am of you. I haven't even read the book yet!
I know you get the "i feel like I know you" lines from every Pottercast fan out there...but it's true as I have been listening from the beginning. ...you have done amazing things and this is just your next one that you have accomplished. Your potential is endless....congratulations!
Tom
Lumberton, NJ
*grins* This was funny (although it may seem that it shouldn't) : "... well, Harry, A History. Hah! Pun! Those never get old! Ehm." Especially the "Ehm" :D
Also, I just preordered the book on amazon.co.uk :) Can't wait :)
I reread the Forword on the Telegraph and I suddenly realised that I'm pratically jumping up and down on my seat (doing that at work in my lunchhour isn't good!).
Also, it confirms two things. A. JK Rowling is a nice person and it isn't an "act", as one of my friends had once said after they saw the ITV doc. And b. am now more excited about this book than I did half an hour ago!
And reading everyone's notes about relistening to old PotterCast episode makes me want to backtrack (I discover PC after book 7 was released... MUST FIND YOUR REACTIONS TO COVER OF DH!!!)
Melissa, this is so exciting! I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for this book. I'm waaaay more excited about it that I was for Breaking Dawn (which turned out to be pretty bad anyway) though, I hope you'll excuse me for not having a Harry, A History party because I don't think my friends would quite get that level of obsession...
Thank you Melissa. I'm so excited for you. Can't wait to read the book.
And for those of us unfortunate enough to have come to the fandom too late for any of the midnight releases - its our chance to experience that as well! Once I became a fan last summer, I have spent the last year or so wondering what kind of book about the series I would like the best - there's just so many - but most of them were all put out before the 7th book and are no longer available in person at the store - would require ordering it - and all the ones I've seen at the library were quite boring. But the instance I first heard about your book on PotterCast, I knew this was going to be the book I had to have...
". . . and have the core of the story of these past 10 years in the real world wrapped up in one book, but that, most importantly, they can re-experience their time, their life inside the phenomenon." That is the part that I'm looking forward to most! The new stuff from Jo will be great, but re-living what all this has been like will be wonderful!
I sometimes go back and listen to the PotterCast shows that came out when the title/release date/cover art for Deathly Hallows were released. Every time I do it brings back the feelings of excitement/anticipation/fear/sadness (and even more excitement) that I felt at the time!
Every time I think about this book I get chills.
". . . and have the core of the story of these past 10 years in the real world wrapped up in one book, but that, most importantly, they can re-experience their time, their life inside the phenomenon." truely just reading that made me want to cry a little. I can not wait until I get the chance to read it so that I can let you know how much I enjoyed and wht it ment to me, because I know it can be nothing but amazing coming from you.
Just wanted to pop in to say I am very eagerly awaiting the release of your book, and am excited to relive as well as learn more about the Harry Potter fandom and events that took place. I can only imagine what it must feel like to have Jo praise the work you spent so much effort on. Congratulations!
I'm so excited to read the book! :D
Do you know if it's going to be published in other countries, in the original version (in english)?
Thank you, Melissa, for so graciously sharing your experiences with us. Every time I see an update (either here or on Leaky) my stomach gets a little jolt of excitement.