The 800 word Sirius-and-James Adventure (should we call it, “A Night on the Town” (NOT)? As in “the prequel I’m NOT writing”?) has me thinking. Travis is exploring the meaning of the names mentioned in NOT over at Hog’s Head and I think he’s drilled this one, especially the Wilberforce mention and Bethsheba “oppressed woman and ancestor of Christ” reference. My interest, perhaps less interesting, certainly less substantial than cryptonyms, is in the value of this story-material for speculation about Ms. Rowling’s future. Is Ms. Rowling writing or at least toying with writing more Potter-verse stories?

If she is, I think the three most likely directions that could take are:

(1) The sequel pointed to in the Epilogue of Deathly Hallows, namely, the adventures of the ASP, the Rose, and the Scorpius (ouch);

(2) The prequel suggested by the 800 word NOT story of James and Sirius Ms. Rowling recently penned for charity; and

(3) A sequel of novels featuring the Terrific Trio and Ginny in the post-bellum Shacklebolt era.

I think of these possibilities #2 is the most promising for Ms. Rowling, personally and professionally, and for her readers. Here’s why: [Read more…]

The Handwritten story card Ms. Rowling did for charity is now posted at “What’s Your Story.” She closes the story with the explanation: “From the prequel I am not working on — but that was fun!”

I have two thoughts. [Read more…]

Harvard has posted the transcript to Ms. Rowling’s Commencement Address. I give it five stars, not because it had any JFK or Churchill moments, but because it avoided the disaster it might have been and did all that a graduation speech can do.

The pitfalls she avoided? [Read more…]

This is the Big Week! Joanne Rowling comes to America’s big-name University campus Thursday to deliver the Commencement Address. Not quite the big deal we enjoyed last summer, but something to anticipate, nonetheless. What will she say?

Here are my three guesses: [Read more…]

For those of you thinking about whether to come to Ottawa next month to attend the ‘Harry Potter for Grown-Ups’ Conference (Convention Alley 2008) and who needed just one more reason to sign up and make a room reservation, here are two or three reasons! [Read more…]