The Oprah Winfrey Show devoted its full hour today to Oprah’s interview with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. I confess, no matter how many times I hear Rowling’s backstory, I’m still drawn in, partly because the details are just so extraordinary. How does an average person who came from humble beginnings — single mother on the dole, writing in cafés — go on to create something so huge? The big news — or almost news — from the interview is that Rowling is definitely open to writing “an eighth, ninth, tenth” Potter novel, though she quickly followed up by saying, “I feel I’m done, but you never know.” A slight quote to hang your hat on, but it’s a measure of the influence she commands that even the barest hope of future Potter novels could set the publishing and movie worlds a-tizzy.
The rest of the interview covered familiar ground with an Oprah spin. Rowling discussed her battle with clinical depression, her short-lived first marriage, and the death of her mother and how heavily that influenced the Potter series. And she and Oprah had some good-old-fashioned bonding time over how fantastically loaded they both are. (It went something like: “You’re a billionaire! Me too!”)
Did you watch? Do you think Rowling will change her mind one day and write another Potter book?
hmmm… I don’t know. On one hand, I sort of wouldn’t want her to become one of those “novel a year” type of authors, because it might just sort of dillute her whole amazing body of work, and over saturize the industry. But on the other hand, it wouldn’t be fair to the world for her to just sit on her talent either… I think she should at least wait another five years or so before publishing anything.
Agreed. I would like to see OTHER stories of the Potterverse. There are SO many colorful characters in those books, it would be nice to see stories of Dumbledore’s youth. Stories of the initial war with Voldemort. Or even side stories about Neville’s parents or adventures from some of the other schools, even. She has such a wealth of information to build on, it would be a pity to see it go to rest.
THIS. I agree. Completely.
I wholeheartedsly agree!
I think another idea would be to write about Harry’s parents at Hogwarts. I would definitely read that!
YESSS definitely! I want to read a collection of short stories from the First Wizarding War… crucial battles, for example.
I agree with others in as much as I would love to hear about all the other characters ie, Harry’s parents, the Youth of Dumbldore and his siblings, and the beginning of Hogwarts, and many, many more. She is such a gifted writer, she could write the rest of her life just the back stories of her original books.
I could not agree more! With all the caracter’s in her novels, she could be writing for ever.
That’s a brilliant idea.
yes! i’ve always wanted books about the first war with voldemort perhaps centered around james and lily.
You are so right. I AGREE
Excellent idea. Our generation’s version of the OZ books…
I believe that right after Deathly Hallows came out, she said in an interview that she plans to write an Encyclopeidia of Harry’s world including back stories on the other characters (esp Dean Thomas, sha apparently has a great story about him she couldn’t fit into her other books). She made it clear it wouldn’t be right away, but she pretty much said she will put it out sometime.
I’d love some short stories on the hijinks of George and Fred in the school. They were by far my favorite characters in the series. I actually just read the series completely through this past week, and they were far better than I initially expected. I’m in my late 20′s and always thought they were for younger readers, i’ve never been so glad to have been wrong. Definatly recommending them, and any follow ups, to my daughter.
Yeah, I would be happy for her to write anything. Though, maybe not a memoir, I’m getting way past tired of those.
Frankly I’d feel sorry for the three main actors of Harry Potter franchise, they thought it was all over whereas if J.K. wrote the eighth novel, they’d have to star in the eighth movie too. They could say NO,but is it possible to say NO when you’re highly paid?
In all honesty, I think we got all the prequel we needed from the seven books she already wrote. As much as I love the characters that were already dead when the series started, I don’t want to know what they were doing through their school years. If she writes another Harry Potter related book, I think she will ruin the series. It’s like we already got all the information we need. Now, if she writes the Potter encyclopedia like she said she might, several years ago, I would buy that. As for the Potter Universe, I think it is done, but we have seven books we can go and re-read anytime we want to go back to our characters.
I have to agree with you. Although I really don’t want to!
Well said Rosalie. The beauty of reading a book is that all those backstory and minor characters are fleshed out to only a certain point and are imaginations are left to do the rest. The imagination is the beauty part of it. If she writes a bunch of books on his parents or prequels on Voldemort and Dumbledore’s youth. It just ruins the magic; gets everything watered down; and then the question because were do you stop writing and how do you decide which of these characters get fleshed out, popularity? No, no. Leave a job well done alone. Start another universe or follow one of Harry’s kids, but leave things as they are.
Agreed. I think its better for readers to fill in any perceived gaps in the characters’ stories with their own imagination. Rowling has shared enough about the magical world. If she writes more in the realm of “Potter,” it will just be too much. She should take a break and write something completely different. Coming out with another novel or series unrelated to the “Potter” universe will truly show her talent more than just continuing to write about characters she is already comfortable with.
Well based on this theory she should have just published a list of characters then let our “imagination” write the rest of the story for her.
Bill, what I meant with this, is that at this point writting about the Marueders would be a mute point. We already know they were trouble makers who bullied Snape during their Hogwarts years. I don’t think we need to go into detail of how it all happened since we know that when its all said and done, they all end up dead. The mystery is all gone, we know what lead to those events. But to re-emphasize my point, I can tell you that I don’t know anyone who owns a copy of the other three Harry Potter related books that J.K. Rowling wrote, I am talking about: The Tale of Bettles, Quiditch Through the Centuries, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. It is done, we got all the backstory we needed in the seven books. I know J.K. Rowling would never do anything just for the money, My biggest fear is that it can ruin the magic. Think of what some sequels do to some movies, and wether we like it or not, they become part of the story and thereofre, the whole story no longer feels the same. I LOVED the first Matrix, and look at the way it revolutionized the film industry back in ’99. Now think of what the sequels did to such a phenomenal piece of work. It completely diminished the original concept.
Although I see your point and completely understand and somewhat agree with you, the other three books that you mentioned aren’t really a fair comparison. They weren’t directly about the characters in the books and therefore people weren’t interested. I think that just developing the characters a little more would just help potter fans who feel that there is more to tell. I agree with you that the magic could be lost but I really don’t think it will. In saying all this, I actually don’t think that J.K. Rowling is actually going to write anymore books at least about Harry Potter.
Actually, Rosalie, I know quite a lot of people who own “Tales of Beedle the Bard”, “Quidditch Through the Ages” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”. I don’t think she’ll necessarily write any more HP NOVELS though she might write some more companion books like these especially to help raise funds and awareness for charities in which she is invested. I think she will write other novels that are completely non-Potter.
I’d love for her to continue writing….I think it would be neat for her to continue with the next generation (the kids of Harry, Hermione and Ron)
Luckily noone is forcing you to read any further books she writes. I will thought and so will millions of other people. and actually my kids and I have read all three of the extra books. They were cool but not really as substantial as the series.
over saturize???
I love the idea of her continuing her “other” stories of the Potter world. Like the Quidditch info or the fairytale book. I remember Ms Rowling mentioning once that she’d love to do a massive encyclopedia on the wizarding world.
I think a series of short stories on the adventures of the first Order of the Phoenix would be incredibly awesome.
Although there were so many things that COULD have been explained in all seven of her books, I’m sure that using our own IMAGINATIONS allowed us to individualize the Majikal experience of filling in the blanks in our own way. As much as we would love to experience MORE of this wonderful series, I believe that Ms. Rowling would be doing the world a favor in leaving these books as is. I also think that a totally DIFFERENT series … with totally different young actors which grow up year-by-year in the new series, would be just as awesome as the Harry Potter series has been for us. I know she has all the talent needed to start from the beginning of a totally new and majikal series for us to climb into and experience. Her writing is so very awesome. She lets us SEE, HEAR, FEEL, & even SMELL, TASTE & IMAGINE our way through everything she expresses in her books. That is why we got so involved in the Harry Potter series. Her writing is so completely expressive. I know it would be difficult to start a totally new beginning, but, I know she can do it. Her talent would truly be wasted if she never used her gift of writing to bring more pleasure to the masses that loved all she has written so far.
she looks great in that pic tho.
I would be so thrilled if the Harry Potter series picked up with the story of Harry’s children. Perhaps a series written about his daughter? Something a little bit lighter, a little less life, death, and war time? I would be ok with that. I love Harry Potter and will gladly read anything written in the series.
PS I love her necklace in this picture.
I LOVE THE NECKLACE J.K. ROWLINGS WORE
ON THE OPRAH INTERVIEW. IS IT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE?
or something a little darker and angsty.
I’ve already shed a few million tears over the HP series, I have cried during every single book. I wouldn’t complain if it was still dark and angsty but I would like to read something that doesn’t totally rip my heart out. I don’t know how I would handle reading a continuation about Harry himself, I couldn’t handle George without Fred it’s too devastating, the loss of a twin.
@Penny: I agree with you, but I’m also torn about where she could go with the time right after Voldemort. The stories she could tell, the adjustments that everyone has to make especially all the Weasley’s. Those are the stories that I’m interested in learning about. And if it means more crying on my part that is a sacrifice I’m willing to make for more great story telling.
It could work if you fast forward way past the epilogue, make the kids from the first Potter series into the peripheral adult characters in the second series of stories, and focus on a new bunch of students at Hogwarts. You know, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna et all only show up sparingly like Dumbledore, Snape. But I do think they’d need some sort of dark nemesis to keep it interesting.
I liked the interview. But yeah, talking about how they don’t have to worry about money anymore and how they can buy whatever they want started to be a bit much.
which could lead one to speculate that book 8 would come out when said money starts to run low
With the amount of money she has, she would be hard pressed to make it run low.
I didn’t think that was too much. They are both self-made billionaires that established themselves after grim low points in the their lives. I thought it was interesting to get a unique and honest pespective on how money can change lives and not the cliche money is the root of all evil and I don’t care about it spin.
She’s such a smart, awesome, classy lady.
I do hope, though, that she leaves Harry’s story as it is. If she wants to do prequels or side stories within that universe, I’d be open to that. But as for Harry, Ron and Hermione (and by extension their close friends and families), I think their story has sufficiently been told.
I’d also like her to write something that isn’t Harry-related. She could do some excellent adult mystery writing (which is what many of the HP novels are at heart: mysteries).
Agreed.
I’d love to see an adult mystery from her.
Rowling’s imagination combined with her depth, intensity, but not excluding that sharp sense of humor would be a wonderful match for the genre.
I’m not sure what else could be done with the HP trio and the next generation either, but if she came up with something she felt the urge the share, I’d have nothing against it.
And yes, a prequel would certainly be welcome.
I love that Ms. Rowling isn’t ruling out continuing the HP series and that she continues to wrie profusely for her “sanity”.
The bonding between Rowling and Winfrey was enjoyable, even if it had plenty to do with their net worth. But, I like the fact that they were both intent in not falling victim to the plight of Michael Jackson, which was basically never being satisfied with what he’d accomplished with the Thriller phenomenon.
Both women have reached their pinnacle and not only understand that, but are satisfied with it.
I’m not a fan of seeing billionaires gush about their billions, but I’m definitely a fan of wealthy people who are grateful for their wealth and aren’t eager to outdo themselves and aren’t desperate for more and more if what they already have.
I like people who are passionate about something and continue to pursue it simply because it is their passion and aren’t worried about whether it is successful or not.
This is what made the bond between the women and the interview that much more fascinating.
And I couldn’t get over just how fabulous J.K. Rowling looked. She always looks stunning, but she looked especially beautiful, luminous, and peaceful.
She said that she is very close to the complete ideal of happiness expressed
in the HP series where she would see herself exactly how she is in the Mirror of Erised and it shows.
i cdnt hv put it better myself. She looks positively stunning, i realized later that i was staring more at her necklace than her face. Who made that?
Ikr ! im not gonna say its ugly or pretty but its definitly interesting…haha
I loathe Oprah but I loved this interview with JK!! Also, I found their “billionaire” discussion hilarious – its not something you hear everyday but I appreciated the honesty of it
As much as I’d love more Potter, I feel that I need to learn that my life can’t always have Harry in it and that in the future, I will have to move on and accept that his story, both movie and book-wise is over and done. I want to see what else she can do. She is a fantastic writer and I want to see what else she can do. She is a glorious woman and role model. You are my childhood, Jo.
Great comment. As much as I selfishly want to read more about Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna and everyone else, she ended the series perfectly and it probably shouldn’t be messed with. Plus, we have to let go of Dan, Emma and Rupert as well. They gave US their childhoods as well. I will always be grateful to everyone involved with HP, from JK on down, for making the last 12 years full of imagination and wonder for all of us.
A story is never “done” to fans.
I know that i’ll still continue to reread the books and watch the movies, whether or not Jo continues the Potter Universe or not.
Yes. I will be reading my Potters again once my nephew turns 11, he and I will be reading them together. If JKR decided to write another book I’ll read it. If she writes a prequel I’ll read it, I would personally like to read more about Neville Longbottom. Perhaps Neville’s final year at Hogwarts?
right you are I too will always revisit Harry when some magic is needed in my life
If there’s any future Potter books, they should involve Ginny’s untimely (but little-mourned) death, Hermione’s divorce from Ron and the logical coupling of herself and Harry. Rowling’s not exactly Charles Dickens, or L. Frank Baum, or J.R.R.Tolkein, or C.S. Lewis, or James Barrie, or Mary Shelley…well, let’s cut to the chase, she’s a fairly dreadful writer (but an extraordinarily lucky one), but her biggest blunder was hooking Harry up with a bland underdeveloped character and Hermione up with a boy who’s been her nemesis since day One (and all the bickering wasn’t the sort of “cute” bickering that foretells an eventual romance – it was just bickering). If Rowling has the insight and guts to do that, I’d be willing to suffer through yet another one of her dry dull gloomy books.
Sorry, incomplete thought expressed above. I meant, if Rowling was willing to undo her greatest blunder and pair Harry with Hermione, I might be willing to slog through another one of her books. As it is, I can’t even re-read any of her current books with any enjoyment. Yes, they’re that bad.
Yeah, let’s put Harry with the girl he sees as his sister and with whom he shares no romantic chemistry whatsoever. “Greatest blunder”? Oh silly, silly Harmonians.
Yeah, Harry’s got great chemistry with a character who barely appeared throughout all 7 books. That’s why his hookup with her was a blunder. You silly Rowling sheep.
There clues that Harry and Ginny would together all over the place, as early as the second book. Just because Rowling didn’t beat you upside the head with it doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. People who take the “lead male goes with the lead female” tack of Harry and Hermione, despite there being NO romantic interest there of any kind, demonstrate all the subtlety of a brick.
I love in the movies how they randomly stick Ginny in scenes/shots even though she has no dialogue, so they can show that she really really IS a relevant romantic figure for Harry.
Ginny’s 2nd novel love for Harry, if anything, should make her a sister. Harry should have married a muggle IMHO.
I agree that Harry and Ginny lack chemistry. But I think that Ron and Hermione were well-matched. Mike offered a good suggestion: pair Harry with a muggle. I guess I mostly wanted Harry to stay out of romantic entanglements until the war was over. Though, I suppose Rowling decided to pair them together for the epilogue–which I loathed. I did not like being told exactly what happened and who paired with whom. Plus, it lacked a real Harry-Draco reconciliation, which was unfortunate.
Wow, that’s a troll is unimagined proportion. Not to mention unbridled audacity (if this is a serious post): daring to tell an author how they should have written their own book edges on insane.
Ron was Hermione’s “nemesis”? I’m sorry but did you even read the books? They nag and bicker to relieve tension, that’s it. They challenge each other — Ron challenges Hermione to lighten up and stop nagging, and Hermione challenges Ron to grow up and take things seriously. It’s complementary.
But yeah, all those times Ron defended Hermione from mountain trolls, Snape and Malfoy — totally something a nemesis would do.
Whereas Harry and Hermione, as others have said, have at best a sibling-like relationship. It’s not logical to pair them together at all, because there’s no chemistry or romantic feelings there. It’s about as platonic a friendship as it gets.
Hermione insulted Ron on a regular basis, and he seemed to see her as a bookish pest. And Harry and Ginny barely spoke throughout the entire freaking series. There was zip chemistry between either couple. But Hermione risked her neck for Harry countless times, wept over him a lot, defended him tirelessly…but that doesn’t spell romantic feeling for you Rowling sheep, I guess. Nagging and insults do it for you. I shudder to think what YOUR romantic relationships (if you have them) are like. Face it, Rowling pulled the Ron/Hermione Ginny/Harry hookups out of her butt. They make no sense. What makes it worse is the palpable chemistry Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson have onscreen. I notice that in the new trailer, there’s a scene shown where Hermione puts her head on Harry shoulder and the Ginny/Harry kiss (eccch) is completely left out (unlike in the first two trailers). Heh, at least the film-makers have the right idea. The truth is, Rowling writes romance like she writes humor – badly. Oh, and she has a bad habit of killing off all of her interesting characters, like Snape.
you`re an idiot LOL
Wow, that was certainly a clever rebuttal. Now run along and play with your BRATZ dolls.
If you feel like Harry Potter books are “dreadful” then why do you waste your time reading!!!!
Go away, bitter HarMOANian.
Oh, you Harmonians from are so v. v. funny. The anvils dropping on your heads had no effect. You just keep bringing the LuLz even years later. Don’t ever change.
I’m not going to beat around the bush: you’re bonkers, stark raving barking, I am really not joking when I say you may need professional help.
And if Harry had been paired with Hermione, I’m sure you’d claim Rowling was the greatest author since Shakespeare.
Gosh. It’s awesome that you took a break from Charles Dickens, L. Frank Baum, J.R.R.Tolkein (or did you mean Tolkien?), C.S. Lewis, James Barrie, and Mary Shelley discussion groups to come wish for the death of ANOTHER of Harry’s loved ones!
This is hands down one of the best interviews of Oprah’s career; possibly the most personal in that it was unique for her to interview a woman who is her equal in power. I loved every minute of it because it humanized Oprah and showed once again how amazing Rowling is as a human being.
YES! oprah finally met her equal.
I wouldn’t mind more about other characters, but I don’t want her to write another Harry book just to write it and undermind the wonderful story (like when a movie makes too may sequels ie the fourth shrek movie)
As much as I love the Harry Potter books and movies, I’m very content and satisfied with them and don’t see it as a necessity for the stories to be continued. What I would like, however, is for Rowling to try her hand at an entirely new series of book. Another fantasy series would be great, but something non-fantasy would be good too.
The idea that the series ended with The Deathly Hallows (the worst book in the series, imo) is almost too much to bear.
I can’t take anyone seriously who thought Deathly Hallows was the “worst book in the series.” In fact the phrase: worst book in the harry potter series just sounds like a paradox to me. Each book was brilliant in its own right and served the purpose that JKR intended it to serve. One of the things I loved most about Deathly Hallows was that it didn’t answer every single question. JKR left a lot things open so you could use your imagination to fill in the blanks.
With that said, I think it would be amazing if she wrote a couple of books that explained what happened during that 19 year gap. Or even a prequel about James and Sirius’ time at Hogwarts.
I would LOVE to read “The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore” from the 7th book. I think it would be a really cool companion piece.
Good idea! That’d be fascinating. I’d love it if she wrote actual books that were mentioned in the series, like what she did with the Tales of Beedle and the Bard.
Loved Tales of the Beddle and the Bard!
Not to mention Fantastic Beasts and Quidditch Through The Ages! Both of the were imaginative andhilariously, yet couldbe read in fiften minutes…perfect for a break between classes!
Oh my…back to Mavis Beacon for typing lessons. Sorry about that!
Hannah – Check the net, there is a book published telling the Tales of Beedle the Bard.
Nevermind.. I just misread what you typed.
Ooh, its on Oprah today? It starts in 20 minutes in my time zone. I think I’ll watch today.