Dear friend Linda McCabe wrote me weeks ago to invite me to a Writers Promotion project called a ‘Blog-Hop Interview.’ Linda has publicly and privately defended me against unfair criticism within Potter fandom for a decade, confronted me with more errors than I want to recall (usually before publication!), errors large and small, all of which would have been very embarrassing, and she has been a more than genial reading companion. Whatever Linda wants me to do, in brief, I make time to do, with gratitude, even enthusiasm. She writes a good novel, too; check out her re-telling of Orlando Furioso.

But I was clueless about what a Blog Hop Interview involved. Pretty simple it turns out. Authors answer ten questions on their weBlogs about their current project, either the new book, manuscript, or work in progress. They provide a link to the next writer-in-the-chain’s weBlog where that author answers the same ten questions and provides a link to the next fellow. The hope is that readers will ‘Blog Hop’ and learn about a variety of writers’ work that would otherwise be unknown to them.

The writer who linked to me last week is Rob Loughran, aka ‘The Foul Mouthed Bard.’ You can read his answers to the ten questions about what he is writing here. The writer who follows me in the chain will be K. B. Hoyle, author of the six volume Gateway Chronicles; the weBlog link for K. B.’s responses — not until next Wednesday! — is On Alitheia and you can learn more about the Gateway Chronicles and its author on the series FaceBook page. I asked K. B. to follow me for the perfect opportunity it offered me to urge Hogwarts Professor readers to download a sample chapter of Six, the first of the Gateway books. You’ll see why.

My answers to the questions about the writing project I’m neck deep in (and posting so rarely, alas) are after the jump. [Read more…]

Listen Up, Potter-philiacs! Important Announcement for those with Important Thoughts to Share on the Hogwarts Saga: UNC Charlotte’s Harry Potter club is sponsoring the second annual Potter watch this April and you need to send in your talk descriptions now… Here is the letter I received from Michael Burson, the head of the club:

Hi, Mr. Granger, and Happy New Year!

My name is Michael Burson and I would like to announce the second annual Potter Watch Conference, Potter Watch 2013, taking place at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on April 6, 2013! The conference is being put together by the members of Potter Watch, the Official Harry Potter Club of UNC Charlotte, and we are so happy to be able to hold our conference for the second year
running!

Potter Watch was founded in 2008 and is dedicated to bringing Harry Potter fans at UNC Charlotte together to celebrate the books and films, discuss theories, share news, and hold great events like our annual Deathday Party, Yule Ball, Triwizard Tournament, and End of Year Feast.

At our conference last year, we had participants come from 4 states and over 11 universities and we hope to increase that number this year. We were also fortunate to have Dr. Amy H Sturgis, noted Harry Potter scholar, as our Key Note Speaker. We are currently contacting individuals to be key note this year.

We are already in the process of accepting papers to be read by their authors at Potter Watch 2013. The main focus of the conference will be on ways the fandom has changed over the years and where we think it is moving in the future. However, we will accept papers from any area of discussion, from literary to sociological to religious.

The information about the conference, our Call for Papers, how to submit, and how to get to UNC Charlotte can all be found on our website: http://www.potterwatchconference.com/

[Read more…]

I gave the Convocation Lecture last fall at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pennsylvania. While there, I spoke in a public forum about the meaning of popular literature, to a group of English honors students, and to two Religious Studies classes taught by Dr. Anthony Dragani (largely about How Harry Cast His Spell). It was a full speaking agenda but the hospitality and the conversations there were first rate. I have nothing but happy memories of beautiful Mount Aloysius!

I promised Dr. Dragani that, when I got home, I’d gladly answer questions for a website run by fans and writers of fantasy literature that he enjoys, ‘Mythic Scribes.’ He sent those questions over the course of several weeks and let me know yesterday that the interview had been posted: Secrets of Fantasy Literature – Interview with Harry Potter Scholar John Granger.

If you’re looking for the short course on literary alchemy, ring composition, soul triptychs, and what I think makes a story work, this is the shortest possible treatment of those subjects. Let me know what you think!

To all of you who celebrate the feasts of the Christian faith according to the calendar of the Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Councils, I wish you a merry first day of Christmas! The Grangers are just home from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church there , where we celebrated the Feast of the Nativity, and now we can begin our end of year review in preparation for civil New Year’s resolutions come January (fyi, the liturgical New Year is 1 September and the traditional New Year for the UK and her former colonies is Lady Day or Annunciation).

Our Christmas tree is up and lit, which mystifies the neighbors I’m sure, and I have scrolled through all the posts that the staff here and guest lecturers have put up in the last twelve months to find the real ‘keepers.’ Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Casual Vacancy, Divergent, Twilight, you name it — it’s quite the wide ranging collection. After the jump, you’ll find this Greatest Hits list organized by category and author. Please let me know your favorites, especially if it’s not listed, and what you’d like to discuss in 2013!

[Read more…]