Rowling Twitter Themes: Women in Iran, Trans Violence, and Government Idiocy

March 25, 2023 by 1 Comment

When a feminist in New Zealand is attacked by trans activists, what is the headline in The Daily Mail the next day?

JK Rowling blasts ‘repellent’ New Zealand ‘mob’ after British trans critic Kellie-Jay Keen is doused in tomato sauce and evacuated by police before she can speak at rally

  • ‘Transphobe’ Kellie-Jay Keen hit with tomato juice and may not continue her tour 
  • JK Rowling has since hit out at trans rights protesters in New Zealand and the UK

By BRIDIE PEARSON-JONES and MAILONLINE REPORTER

PUBLISHED:| UPDATED:

As disturbing as the attack of Gender Theory Extremists was, I’m skeptical that the story would have merited a mention by Fleet Street if the world’s most famous author hadn’t flagged it with a series of tweets on her twitter platform to her 14 million followers. Many of those followers are journalists who recognize that Rowling’s name in a headline is click-bait gold.

Rowling-Murray clearly understands this as well and uses her unique second-job as online-influencer to highlight transgender violence and attacks on freedom of speech (not to say ‘reason’), to keep the world’s attention on the plight of women in Iran, and to call out government officials for their efforts to reduce women’s rights in the UK.

Join me after the jump for examples of all three themes on Rowling’s twitter feed. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes, Twitter

Is There New Hope for Fantastic Beasts? Ezra Miller Proves Me Wrong, Again

March 20, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I’ve predicted that Ezra Miller was down for the count (and with him, The Flash film franchise) in almost every report in the last several years of his arrests, confinements, apologies, and theatrics. You can search the site for those statements of surety that this troubled young man could not possibly climb out of the hole he had dug for himself this time.

The Flash premieres in theaters nationwide on 16 June. Except for my weather predictions for the opening of Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince, I think this means that my batting average for pre-event speculations is an almost perfect .000. My hat is tipped to the Warner Brothers wizards, their lawyers, media masseurs, and psychologists, for pulling off what I thought was impossible: the redemption of Ezra.

Does this mean that the Fantastic Beasts franchise might be saved — and Aurelius Dumbledore survive to see Beasts5 and the battle between Albus and Gellert? I’d tell you what I think is going to happen, but then you’d know what was really in the cards by playing the percentages.

Filed Under: Fantastic Beasts, Hog Pro Notes

A Series of Talks in April for Christian Writers: Psychomachia, Alchemy, Rings

March 13, 2023 by 6 Comments

I am in conversation with a local group of Christian Fiction writers about my giving a series of talks about Rowling’s tool-kit and what they can take-away from it for their own stories.  No contract yet, but I’m very hopeful (I’ve spoken to the group before and they are a speaker’s dream audience). The leader of the group wrote to me with this charge:

The theme for the year for my group is how Christians write the best fiction, because we have direct access to the Greatest Story that is written on the hearts of all people.
 
I will begin the year discussing Campbell’s Hero’s Journey – bringing it back as an echo of the Gospel. I hope to have your talk as a deep dive into how one of the most successful modern authors did so through the Harry Potter series.  I will have speakers later in the year discuss the works of Tolkien and Lewis, and how they imbedded Christianity into their works.  I hope this context can aid you in formulating your talk.

It has! I have the whole day, a Saturday, to deliver eight hours of lectures. For our sanity, I will break up the eight hours into four talks. If you’re interested in learning more about them, join me after the jump! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes

Ten Post Projects: Vote Your Preference

March 12, 2023 by 9 Comments

I have been working on thesis tasks the last six months but that effort is finally at the stage of awaiting judgment from the external and internal readers. My  unforced sabbatical from posting at HogwartsProfessor did not mean that I wasn’t thinking about articles I would be working on except for the need to review and revise work I had already written.

Today I sketched out the ideas that have most been haunting me and tried to figure out where to begin; my preference is with the Troubled Blood subjects but a writer is obliged to think of his audience. Hence the question of this post: What do you want to read?

Let me know by email, contact page, or in the comment boxes below which posts from the following list or about which topics of your own interest you would most be interested in reading. I’ll consider your votes, believe me, as I try to catch up from half a year of neglected posting. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes

BBC Strike MoNoMama Montage and a Burke ‘Troubled Blood’ Interview

March 11, 2023 by Leave a Comment

And something extra for the Tom Burke fans out there:

Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes