J.K. Rowling’s books has sold 325 million worldwide. Stories have been translated into 65 different languages. The much anticipated release of the very last Harry Potter book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling — -is almost here. Can you feel the excitement in the air? As with many local area bookstores across the country, there will be midnight release sales with plenty of celebration and sadness that this is the final Harry Potter Book. As an aside, I’m told that Rowling plans to kill off two main characters — not just the one character that I’d been hearing around on the Internet. I’m even more curious now to know who they are because speculation has been that Harry Potter will be offed in the last book? Who would be your guess?
J.K. Rowling has certainly inspired the masses to read. She is a publishing phenomenon and Hollywood has two more films to make of her books (nothing confirmed as yet for the last book). Rowling’s estimated fortune makes her the first author to become a billionaire from writing. She still retains the rights to all of her Harry Potter novels. From what I’ve read of Ms. Rowling, she sounds like a very astute business woman which surprises as to her stance about ebooks.  It has been confirmed that Ms. Rowling still will not release any of her books in ebook format. How disappointing. She cites one reason for that is to discourage piracy which is rather ironic considering that it’s been established that her work is already being pirated. Her reasons are her own and I respect them but I’m sure bookstores across the country are happy that she will not allow any of her work in any type of digital media other than audio books. Despite the fact that ebooks make up a tiny portion of the bookselling market. I can’t follow her reasoning. Alas, I’ll have to accept it.
What next for Ms. Rowling and her fans? What other memorable character can she come up with to replace Harry Potter? My wish is that she would write an adult fantasy novel. Alas, when it comes down to it, I’ll read whatever she writes as long as it is not overly illustrated. Her next novel is described as more of an “political fairy story.”  If that’s true,  that already sounds good to me. Also, Ms. Rowling has hinted at a possible 8th novel maybe in the form of an Harry Potter Companion book. That sounds nice.
What next for bookstores and fans who will come to mourn the loss of Harry Potter and his evil nemesis Lord Voldemort? What YA author will captivate our young audience now? How about Stephenie Meyer? Ms. Meyer has the potential with the huge following from her YA vampire series. My bookstore is doing a Eclipse Release Day Party for fans on August 7, 2007. My local  Barnes and Noble bookstore still promotes her books quite heavily. For those who don’t know, Eclipse is the much anticipated book and the third novel in the Edward and Bella vampire saga. Burning question for fans is: Will Bella become a vampire? She better not or I’ll be a very disappointed reader.
Technorati Tags: J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter Novels, Stephanie Meyer, Eclipse
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Um….MMcA are you serious????
And about Bella becoming a vampire….I agree with Avid Reader. I mean; there has to be a story and well…where would all the ecstacy be us (with Edward) if it weren’t for Bella???
So…and about the Harry Potter books…I really don’t know what my opinion is on this…it seems like J.K. will still be making money off of all her books (i mean, sheesh, she’s richer than the queen of England herself — or so the rumor goes)….I just think she needs to take a break or something….
Hmmm, never thought about Neville. You might be right :-)
Harry lives, Neville’s toast.
(and after seeing HP5. today, I’m adding at least one Creevy to the ‘doomed’ list.)
Must stay away from the computer when HP#7 comes out. As for Bella being a vampire, I don’t mind it if it’s at the end of the series and not the middle of it. I think Meyer’s is writing a fourth book in this series. I think.
Oh I totally think Meyer is going to turn Bella into a vampire. I don’t know if it’ll happen in Eclipse (thought if it does happen, I bet you it’ll be at the very end of the book, as a cliffhanger—Meyer seems to like cliffhanger-type endings) or in the next one, Breaking Down, but I think it will happen eventually. There’s just no other way to give Bella and Edward their HEA without turning her.
As for HP, I’m interested in seeing what will happen next. I have no speculation as to who’s going to die, I’m just going to wait and see. What Rowling does next, after HP, well, I’ll buy whatever she turns out. She won’t be able to top HP, of course, but I’m sure she’ll be able to write other interesting stories. That political fairy story always sounds intriguing.