J.K. Rowling Challenges Airport Security

LONDON - British author J.K. Rowling says she won an argument with airport security officials in New York to carry the manuscript of the final "Harry Potter" book as carryon baggage.

Had security agents not relented, she said on her Web site, she might not have flown, she said in a posting dated Wednesday.

"I don't know what I would have done if they hadn't — sailed home probably," she wrote.

The author had participated in a book reading for charity on Aug. 1 with fellow writers Stephen King and John Irving. Security was drastically tightened after Aug. 10 when British police said they had intercepted a plot to blow up U.S.-bound airliners.

"The heightened security restrictions on the airlines made the journey back from New York interesting, as I refused to be parted from the manuscript of book seven.

"A large part of it is handwritten and there was no copy of anything I had done while in the U.S."

Eventually, she added, "They let me take it on, thankfully, bound up in elastic bands."

Rowling said she was still considering two possible titles for the last of the boy wizard's adventures.

"I was quite happy with one of them until the other one struck me while I was taking a shower in New York," she wrote.

"They would both be appropriate, so I think I'll have to wait until I'm further into the book to decide which one works best."

(SOURCE: YAHOO! NEWS)

Digital Repository in Scotland to Include JK's Online Work

The National Library of Scotland has secured a £1.8 million grant to create a "digital repository" archive of blogs, journals and e-mails written by leading Scots, which include JK Rowling, Ian Rankin and Alasdair Gray.

Simon Bains, the digital library manager of The National Library of Scotland said:

We won't be preserving everything - we'll select what appears to be of cultural significance from online journals, websites, blogs and e-mails.

We'll be harvesting the work of prominent cultural figures, but also other interesting social history documents.

The exhibit should be launched in 2008.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Rowling Squashes Book 7 Status

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has updated her site to squash part of a recent article that appeared in the press a few days ago. A tabloid paper in the UK quoted Ms. Rowling as saying that "I’m up to about 750 pages now."

JKR posted on her site earlier today:

JKR has written 750 pages of book 7, and told a journalist this at the tea party for 'Driving Lessons'.

Oh pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease. I haven't written 750 pages of book seven, and if I had, I'd be very worried, as I'm not close to finishing it yet.

I was at the tea party for Driving Lessons, though, so this isn't pure fiction. The journalist reports that I said that Rupert is 'absolutely terrific' in the film. He is, so that bit shouldn't be in the rubbish bin at all.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Snippet of Dan's Appearance from 'Extras'

A brief snippet from Extras featuring Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe was shown on the Jonathon Ross show last night in the UK. The clip also shows Ricky Gervais and Jonathon Ross discussing the episode in which Dan appears.

You can watch the video here in Quicktime and here in Windows Media (please remember to click and save target as…).

The episode featuring Dan will air on BBC2 on Thursday, September 28th at 9:00 pm. No air date for the U.S. has been announced yet.

Please be advised that the show's material does contain mature subject matter and may not suitable for younger audiences. Please use caution when viewing the clip.

Thanks to HP4U for letting us know that Julie Walters also appeared on last nights show. Julie confirmed that she has finished filming her role for Order of the Phoenix and mentions how level headed all the kids have remained despite all the success of Harry Potter, thanks to their parents. Thanks Ty.

UPDATE: Thanks to HPSorcery you can now view a clip of Julie Walters appearance on the Jonathon Ross show last night here.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

New Report from King's Cross Filming of 'Phoenix'

A new report from the filming of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix which took place at King's Cross last weekend has appeared online. The report describes the three scenes that were filmed with several of the actors as well as who else was there.

You can read the full report here (includes spoilers):

It was quite amusing to see fans (including me) scrambling around with cameras and positions to get pictures of favorite stars, only to realize they were 'doubles' when the real actor walked by and it was too late! Such is the likeness of some of these talented extras and make up artists. It was also so wonderful to see all the various 'live animals and birds being brought through the station with their trainers. We didn't see Hedwig or a white Owl but did see quite a few gorgeous Owls in cages being carried to the train. Scabbers and his many 'doubles' were also to be seen, with Sirius as his Animagus arriving later in the day.

You can view pictures from the day of filming here.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Voldemort Reigns Supreme

Well at least in the BigBadRead poll. JK Rowling's creation, Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter novels, was voted as the favorite literary villain of all time by British schoolchildren.

The BigBadRead poll was conducted by Bloomsbury, had more than 16,000 votes and JK had this to say of the honor:

I am thrilled and honoured beyond words that Lord Voldemort has been voted best villain in the BigBadRead poll.

I am not sure how he would react ot knowing that he had won a Muggles' unpopularity poll. A mixture of pleasure that you recognised his power and menace, coupled with fury at your nerve at mentioning his real name, I think. His author, however, is absolutely delighted.

The top five baddies included:
2. Sauron The Lord of the Rings Trilogy JRR Tolkien
3. Mrs Coulter His Dark Materials Sequence Philip Pullman
4. Lex Luthor Superman Graphic novels DC Comics
5. The Joker Batman Graphic novels DC Comics

UPDATE: You can read JK's comments in full here courtsey of MuggleNet.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Rickman BBC Interview Available for Online Listening

We told you that actor Alan Rickman was due to be interviewed today on the BBC 4 radio show "The Film Programme." You can now listen to that interview online, here (click on the "Listen Again" link on the right-hand side of the page). The interview with Mr. Rickman begins at 19:57 into the program, and covers many of his film roles, especially that of Alex in his new film, "Snow Cake." There IS a Snape question, of course, at about 26:27 into the interview:

Q: Do you find yourself eagerly reqading each new J.K. Rowling book in order to see how big your part's going to be?

A: Well . . . I read it, yeah . . . I've got to stay ahead of the game on that one. But actually, young people usually talk to me about "Dogma."

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)