Alphabet Author and A Book Challenge – R

Alphabet Author and A Book Challenge

Day: 18

Letter: R

Author: Rowling, J.K.

Chosen book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Read or To Be Read: Read

Thoughts: The final book in the phenomenal bestselling series! All the ends tied up, the villain vanquished, several sad moments, several joyous moments, and the glimpse into the future!

Book Quote of the Day

“Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.”
― Albus Dumbledore , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling

Book Quote of the Day

“‘It doesn’t mean defeating death in the way the Death Eaters mean it, Harry,’ said Hermione, her voice gentle. “It means… you know… living beyond death. Living after death.”

But they were not living, Harry thought: they were gone. The empty words could not disguise the fact that his parents’ mouldering remains lay beneath snow and stone, indifferent, unknowing. And tears came before he could stop them, boiling hot and then instantly freezing on his face, and what was the point in wiping them off, or pretending? He let them fall, his lips pressed hard together, looking down at the thick snow hiding from his eyes the place where the last of Lily and James lay, bones now, surely, or dust, not knowing or caring that their living son stood so near, his heart still beating, alive because of their sacrifice and close to wishing, at this moment, that he was sleeping under the snow with them.”

- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling

15 Years of Harry Potter!

Today marks the 15th anniversary of  the publishing of the first Harry Potter!

Harry Potter 1-7 boxset (via Bloomsbury.com)

I remember the first time i came across Harry Potter: I was in Year 5 and about 10 years old. Our teacher had bought the first book and started reading it to us during Reading Time at the end of each school day. We were all magically silent and fascinated by the story, and i personally was impatient to read it by myself!

Funnily enough, i didn’t buy the first book for good few years: I ended up with Book 2 when i was off sick, and then started buying the rest as soon as they came out! I eventually bought Book 1 just before Book 4 came out! When my mum ordered Book 4 for me and my brother, i was so excited when it finally arrived that i couldn’t put it down all day, which wasn’t good when i was visiting my grandad and was completely distracted from what was going on around me!

The books just got better and better, and i was so sad when i went to buy my copy of the final book (a few days after it was released when the initial rush was over!).

The Harry Potter series is by far my favourite set of books, and i don’t care that my mum says i should have moved on from them by now (i’m in my 20′s!), i will always love them and never plan to get rid of my lovingly battered books! (Mum never read them, but plenty of adults have so i don’t know why i’d ever grow out of them!)

So, i will share some of my favourite things from the book series:

1. I loved: Ron and Hermione finally get together, after all the fighting and bickering!
2. I was pretty much in tears when: Dumbledore died and during his funeral. And when they killed off Fred!
3. I was very moved when: Harry finally got to visit his parents’ graves. And when Dudley showed how much he appreciated Harry saving his life.
4. Funny moment: When Dumbledore described finding the Room of Requirement full of toilets when he had “an exceptionally full bladder”. (A bit of toilet humour never goes amiss!)
5. My highlights: Hermione slapping Malfoy!
6. I never expected: To feel sorry for Aunt Petunia when she got rejected from Hogwarts for being a Muggle.
7. Biggest surprise: Snape turning out to be the hero.
8. I hated: Bellatrix Lestrange, particularly when she killed Sirius Black.

I’d like to send a big thankyou out there to J.K. Rowling for creating such a gem all those years ago!

J.K. Rowling ( via Bloomsbury.com)

What are your favourite things about the Harry Potter series?

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Related News:

Bloomsbury is running a competition to celebrate 15 years of Harry Potter by finding the biggest HP fan! See the link below for more information!

http://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/hptrade

The London Book Fair 2012

I have just spent 2 days at the London Book Fair, having been for the first time last year and really enjoyed the experience, and decided to make it an annual trip!

Unfortunately i was only able to go for the Monday and Tuesday, as i couldn’t really afford to stay 3 nights in a hotel in London! Since i was travelling and staying in London alone, i decided that staying in a national chain of hotels was a better option than in some grotty dive like last year! Plus i wanted to actually get at least one decent meal during my trip!

Woke up on the Monday morning to glorious sunshine making London look a lot more attractive! After a big breakfast i hopped on the Tube to Earls Court Exhibition Centre:

The London Book Fair 2012 at Earls Court Exhibition Centre

Seminars etc which i attended:

Literary Translation Centre

• Publishers resources for National Literatures
• Back to Basics: Getting started in translation Q&A
• Gatekeepers
• Independent Foreign Fiction Prize
• World Literature: How much does it mean to us?

General:

• The Great Debate
• Your job in publishing: Recruitment and retention in the digital age

Author events:

• Caitlin Moran interviewed by Sophie Heawood

The seminars were all very interesting, and quite useful in some respects, especially the translation ones as i’m still interested in translated fiction since doing my MA dissertation on the topic. I also talked to a few foreign arts councils and organisations about their books being published into English and got a few lists of books to have a look at. Hopefully i’ll find some good books to read and review!

What i learned:

• That someone is FINALLY conducting some data research to find out what the status of translated fiction is in the UK market, after the supposed 3% figure which has been bouncing around the industry for years with no clue when or where it came from.
• That to get a job in publishing, i need to get more office work experience AND prove that my social networking skills are actually being put to good use (i.e. that i’m promoting my blog properly and in what capacity).

Books i will now read after hearing about them:

• After going to the discussion on the Monday about the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize shortlist, i decided to read all 6 books, and to finally get around to reading the one which i already have (“New Finnish Grammar” on my Kindle).
• “How to be a Woman” by Caitlin Moran – I saw the interview with her on the Tuesday and thought she was really funny, so i went out and bought the book when i left the Fair!

Caitlin Moran interview

My Highlights

• The discussion with my fellow MA Publishing Alumni about J.K. Rowling’s new book due out later this year – We felt that the title (“The Casual Vacancy”) doesn’t sound brilliant and the plot sounds a little bit boring. But none of this matters because i suspect we will all buy and read it regardless, as will everyone else, meaning it will be a bestseller!
• The Great Debate: “In the fight for survival, outsiders and startups are taking on today’s heavyweights and will ultimately deliver a knock-out punch”. – Allen Lau (CEO, Wattpad) described how traditional publishers are going the way of dinosaurs and will be “driven into near-extinction”, and also how publishers are like the appendix because it exists but is useless. A little harsh, maybe?! The pre-debate poll revealed 88 for, 37 against, and 82 undecided (including me!), and closed with 41 for, 147 against, and 37 undecided. I admit i did vote for the resolution in the end, but now i’m not so sure!
• I loved the roof above the China Market Focus Pavilion, and wanted to take it home!

China Market Focus Pavilion roof

Slightly odd or amusing sights:

• The LBF Lobster!
• The weird girl sat in the English PEN Literary Cafe who gave me and a friend the evil eye as we walked past. No idea why!
• I spotted a publisher called Meyer and Meyer Sports, which is my surname!

Meyer and Meyer Sports at the LBF12

Things that bugged me:

• Constantly being asked if i wanted a massage from the red-shirted or white-shirted rival massagers dotted around the Fair.
• The photo of J.K. Rowling looked a little smug as she watched over us ( i do like her and Harry Potter but this poster just shows how much the publisher idolizes her).
• People aimlessly wandering into your path as you try to get somewhere.
• The food available at the exhibition centre is too expensive for what it is – cost me almost £5 for a bottle of water and a chocolate muffin! I walked up the road to Tesco because it was cheaper for lunch!

JK Rowling looking a bit smug

I quite enjoyed my 2 days and learnt a lot, even though i didn’t do so well at the networking – i just find it so daunting! Will definitely being going next year if i can, and hopefully i might actually have a proper job within  the industry by then!

What I Learned From Harry Potter

The Harry Potter series is great because of the following reasons:

• It shows you what real friends are like – Ron and Hermione could have just stayed at home but they put everything  into helping Harry destroy Voldemort and his cronies.
• Even the most seemingly perfect genius has flaws and a past they are ashamed of – Dumbledore isn’t as black and white by Book 7 as you thought back in Book 1.
• Voldemort is a perfect example of what a lack of trust, love, friendship and understanding can turn a person into.
• Even those people who cause you harm deserve your compassion sometimes – Draco Malfoy was used by Voldemort to hurt people but Harry still saved his life (twice) in Book 7.
• The person who no-one thought would amount to anything eventually becomes a hero in their own right – Neville Longbottom starts in Book 1 as a forgetful boy who keeps losing his toad and struggles with magic, but by Book 7 he has fought Death Eaters, mastered his magical skills, and kills Voldemort’s pet snake Nagini. And then becomes a Professor at Hogwarts in later life!
• The love of your life can be right under your nose the whole time – Hermione and Ron: one of the greatest romance stories of all time?
• Sometimes the most unpleasant character can be the hero of the story – Professor Snape: Not so evil and cowardly as we first thought!

• It’s really not worth avoiding death by making Horcruxes, stealing the Philosopher’s Stone or drinking Unicorn blood!

• “To the well-organised mind, Death is but the next great adventure” as Albus Dumbledore says.

February Book Challenge – DAY 27

Favourite fiction book

I’m sure I’ve answered this already! It’s hard to pin down just one book, but I still love the Harry Potter books!

February Book Challenge – DAY 16

Longest book you’ve read

I think it is probably Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!