(by 2 people)
Muggles create their own magic on the web. The Harry Potter phenomenon would be much smaller without the internet; the rise of the web coincided with the release of the first Harry books. Fans gather news, wonder about book releases, and post ther own stories and essays all online. The flourishing fan community that exists online was joined by Jo Rowling herself in 2004 with the re-launch of her wonderful website.
Come July 21...
Unless you happen to live in a cave (or, of all un-hallowed things, aren't a Harry Potter fan!), your count-down to July 21, 2007 has begun. Because, of course, that's when the (gasp!) last of J.K. Rowling's wizarding novels, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," releases. One last chance for good wizards to triumph over evil, one last chance for Hermione and Ron to kiss, one last chance for having a really good time waiting in a line until midnight...And places to stand in line will be multiple, which brings me to the point of this module. You'll notice that I have Amazon links at the bottom of this lens, and though I could make royalties off linking to the Deathly Hallows page there as well, I have not.
Because I strongly support independent bookstores, I encourage Harry Potter fans to buy the last installment of the series at their local, independent bookstore. No, an independent cannot afford to slash the retail price in the same manner chains can - chains buy more copies than independents, and so, get a higher discount on them, and ultimately pay less for the books. The chains pay less for each copy of Harry Potter than independents do - that's the way the publishing industry works.
Independents have to pay more money to sell Harry on its release date, so they don't discount it as deeply when selling it to customers, so they sell fewer copies, which is why they order fewer, which is why they get a lesser discount from Scholastic to begin with. This is especially unfair when you consider independent booksellers were the first to read and buzz about "Sorcerer's Stone." If not for the people with a passion for reading - not making money off of books - Harry may not have gotten the groundswell it initially did.
You may pay a few more dollars on Deathly Hallows at an independent, but you'll also begin a relationship so that there's someone to recommend a book when Harry's over. Plus, local businesses give more money back to the local economy than chains do. So, you can have a great time, feel good about supporting choice and the local community, and get your copy of Deathly Hallows with everyone else. In July, when you've got to choose between what's right and what's easy, buy your book at an independent bookstore.
Rita Skeeter Writes...
What's your opinion?
Common Room
Did I miss your favorite Harry Potter website? Let me know here!
|
boredofeducation
Am I allowed to shamelessly mention my own sites? If so, two of them are Harry Potter Music and Harry Potter Fan Art. You can probably figure out what they are about. Posted August 08, 2006 |
Magical Decrees
Official Harry Potter Sites
- J.K. Rowling's Website
- Nothing beats Jo's own site! Visit it to be among the first to know when the 7th book is titled and ready for release. For those able to view Flash sites, you can solve puzzles she creates and gather rare content. Occassionally there are OWL-type trivia tests posted as well. Watch closely for the special door to open; when it does, millioins of fans scurry to solve the clues and get new information.
- Bloomsbury
- Bloomsbury, Jo's UK publisher, started it all! Of the publishers, they have one of the best sites. Along with her American publishers, they will be the first to let the world know the 7th book is ready.
- Scholastic
- Scholastic is Jo's US publisher (as if you didn't already know that, right?). For a corporation, they have a fun site! Visit it to play games, win competitions, and wait to hear about Book 7.
- Jo's Agent
- Christopher Little Agency represents J.K. Rowling and her books. If you just can't get enough information about her, are hoping she will do a reading for your organization, or want your similar book to be agented, then visit this site.
- Warner Brothers
- For the latest movie news or to play Flash games, visit the Warner Brothers site.
Hogwarts, a History
Encyclopedias
- Harry Potter Lexicon
- Literally an encyclopedia of Harry Potter information, Jo wrote once that she occassionally checks with the Lexicon when she needs to maintain continuity on the go.
- Quick Quote Quill
- The largest archive of Jo's interviews.
- Madam Scoop
- Jo's quotes organized by topic.
Daily Prophet, the Online Edition
Harry Potter News Sites
- The Leaky Cauldron
- My, how The Leaky Cauldron has grown! Until just recently, Leaky was a collection of news stories about Harry Potter. Now it is much more, sponsoring weekly podcasts, essays, a forum, and much more. Editor-in-Chief Melissa Anelli was one of the 2 webmasters invited to interview Jo Rowling for the HBP release in July 2005.
- Muggles
- Muggles who love Harry Potter (and there's millions of us) gather on Mugglenet to get their daily news and discuss it. Mugglenet's fan-theory essays are the best - Jo said so herself when awarding the site her personal award. Emerson Spartz, the site's founder, was the other webmaster who interviewed Jo in person when the 6th book was released.
- Harry Potter Automatic News Aggregator
- True to its name, HPANA gathers news about the Harry Potter books and movies onto one page. The site is a more nuts-and-bolts way to get all the most recent magical news.
- Harry Potter Fan Zone
- Again, like its name implies, a place for Harry Potter fans to gather. The news and forums here are the best features.
The Three Broomsticks
Got Theories?
- New Clues to Harry Potter Book 6
- My personal favorite place to discuss Harry Potter, this forum is run by the editors at Wizarding World Press, publisher of the "Ultimate Unofficial Guides." They are currently dissecting Half-Blood Prince chapter-by-chapter. I favor them for their strict adherence to canon, which makes them child-friendly.
- Chamber of Secrets Forums
- One of the hughest discussion forums existing, you'll likely find someone else to debate with on Mugglenet's official boards.
- Leaky Lounge
- The Leaky Cauldron also hosts very popular and active forums.
The Burrow
Theories, Stories, & Art
(Warning: Fanfiction is ripe with content inappropriate for children. Adults should monitor minors' viewing of these sites.)
- Fiction Alley
- Probably the most well-known collection of Harry Potter fanfiction and fanart is at Fictionalley. Their editorial standards make this site one of the more acceptable ones for younger visitors to frequent; however, the warning above still applies.
- Harry Potter Fanfiction
- For those new to fanfiction, this collection can be a good place to start. Check out the featured stories section for some of the best works in a genre where readability varies wildly.
- Ayne's Fanart
- Not many sites are devoted entirely to Harry Potter fanart, but this excellent one is. If you like what you see, check out other more generalized sites because they often have fanart sections.
Flourish & Blotts
Where It All Starts
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
Flourish&Blotts, Part 2
Where It Continues
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
Harry Potter Schoolbooks Box Set: From the Library of Hogwarts: Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Quidditch Through The Ages
Not everyone considers the schoolbooks to be strictly canon, but they are essential for all fans.
Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 10/12/2008)
Harry Potter Years 1-4 (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone / Chamber of S / Prisoner of Azkaban / Goblet of Fire) (Widescreen Edition)
Four movies are out so far and they vary wildly in quality and adherence to canon, but once again, are a must for anyone with any familarity with Harry Potter.
Amazon Price: (as of 10/12/2008)
Muggles of the World Unite
What Muggles are saying right now!
These are the latest posts on the Chamber of Secrets, Mugglenet's official forums.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byPreview the 5th Movie
A Fan-Made Movie
The Sims 2 - Harry Potter OotP - Chapter 1
Dudley Demented - This chapter is about 7 minutes. It is when Harry is attacked by dementors. Enjoy. -----------RELEASE DATES-------------- The next chapters, 13 and on.. WILL be released in the summer. I am currently making the chapters now and will release it by then.. There are NEW voice actors, so no more of the audio book dude. Thank you for all the support.. I will be releasing clips, trailers, and other stuff between now and the release date so. So just come back weekly for more updates.. Also, don't forget to join the Order of the Phoenix Series "Groups" for the latest updates instantly. http://www.youtube.com/group/ootpseries
