Well, I'm back.
I thought I'd neglected this blog for far too long. SO today is the first of a new start in posting. Today I will blog. Tomorrow I'll probably blog. Next week I'll probably forget to blog, but that's beside the point. Because next week I intend to blog, and that's whats important.
Anyway...
Yesterday I went to see the wonderful JK Rowling at the Southbank Centre, London, England, UK, Europe, The World. She was ace.
You see, you might not have noticed, it being a relatively minor event, npot publicised anywhere or anything, but she has a new book out. Yeah, I know! Shocking, eh? Well, turns out that to go with the book, Ms. Rowling decided to do a Q & A session in fornt of 900 or so people. Answering questions about the book, her treatment of mortality, moving on from Potter and the like, she entertained the crowd for an hour while being grilled by the excellent Mark Lawson. It was "a celebration" to publish the book, JK has a "fascination" with mortality, she upset her children with some of the comments about having children in the book. It was really good. In fact I recommend you watch it here.
Then the cameras stopped rolling and a Q & A session started. I missed out on asking my question ("With all the pressure you must have been under with regards the novel, how tempting was it to publish under a pseudonym"), but some interesting questions were asked, alongside the usual "what advice would you give aspiring writers" (Answer: Get an agent). we learnt that JK likes e-books, but it took so long for Potter to be published in them as she "is a bit of luddite" and "didn't understnad them... until last year on holiday", that Sirius' mirror was a mistake, as was the Maurauder's Map's powerfulness and that her characterisation of Luna Lovegood was the only part of Harry Potter to have been affected by the movie's casting (of the rather wonderful Evanna Lynch). These were cool facts to know, especially as a massive Harry Potter fan.
It turns out the JK Rowling is very engaging, very interesting, and very humble. Unlike GRRM, she was engaged with her audience, having time to chat with a girl who'd once asked her on Blue Peter whether Dunbledore had fallen in love (pre "he was gay" revelation!), and accepting a present from a massively over excited Spaniard who had travelled all the way from his home country to watch her speak. Further, while I was mssively starstruck as she signed my book (an hour and half of queuing!!!), and she was probably more bored than a snail encased in amber, she still had enough time to smile and thank me for queuing, seemingly genuinely thankful for each and every one of her fans.
Now I've yet to read the book, but when I do a review will be popped up here. I'm about 10 chapters in, and I'm pleasantly surprised - I was expecting it to be shit for some reason... Its really not.
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That doesn't seem to work... If anyone knows how to embed correctly, please help...
In the meantime, find the interview here
God I'm excited to read it :D
