J.K. Rowling - GalleyCat http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat The First Word On the Book Publishing Industry Copyright 2013 Tue, 21 May 2013 22:37:04 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 John Green Delivers Commencement Address at Butler University

The Fault in Our Stars author John Green delivered the commencement speech at the graduation ceremony for Butler University’s class of 2013. To read the entire speech, head to Green’s Tumblr page.

Watch the entire speech in the video embedded above (his talk begins at the 1:01:08 mark). Here’s an excerpt:

I would just note that the default assumption is that the point of human life is to be as successful as possible, to acquire lots of fame or glory or money as defined by quantifiable metrics: number of twitter followers, or facebook friends, or dollars in one’s 401k.

This is the hero’s journey, right? The hero starts out with no money and ends up with a lot of it, or starts out an ugly duckling and becomes a beautiful swan, or starts out an awkward girl and becomes a vampire mother, or grows up an orphan living under the staircase and then becomes the wizard who saves the world. We are taught that the hero’s journey is the journey from weakness to strength. But I am here today to tell you that those stories are wrong. The real hero’s journey is the journey from strength to weakness.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Maryann Yin http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/john-green-delivers-commencement-address-at-butler-university_b70551#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/john-green-delivers-commencement-address-at-butler-university_b70551 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=70551 Thu, 16 May 2013 12:23:30 +0000 Universal Studios Florida To Add Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley

Universal Studios Florida will add a new section inspired by J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter book series.

Opening in 2014, Diagon Alley is named after the magical shopping district in the fantasy series. The new cover for Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone (created by artist Kazu Kibuishi) shows Harry exploring the magical shopping district.

Perhaps the architects will use this illustration as inspiration for designing the new section?

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Maryann Yin http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/universal-to-build-diagon-alley-theme-park_b70152#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/universal-to-build-diagon-alley-theme-park_b70152 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=70152 Thu, 09 May 2013 03:42:35 +0000 Scholastic Unveils New Cover for Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone
Scholastic has unveiled the first of seven new covers for a set of U.S. trade paperback editions of J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter series. The new editions will come out in September.

Amulet graphic novel artist Kazu Kibuishi created the covers. What do you think? Kibuishi explained his process in the release:

When I was asked to submit samples, I initially hesitated because I didn’t want to see them reinterpreted!  However, I felt that if I were to handle the project, I could bring something to it that many other designers and illustrators probably couldn’t, and that was that I was also a writer of my own series of middle grade fiction. As an author myself, I tried to answer the question, ‘If I were the author of the books – and they were like my own children – how would I want them to be seen years from now?’

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Maryann Yin http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/scholastic-unveils-new-cover-for-harry-potter-the-sorcerers-stone_b65314#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/scholastic-unveils-new-cover-for-harry-potter-the-sorcerers-stone_b65314 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=65314 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 06:42:47 +0000 Dr. Who Short Stories Coming from Children’s Authors Eleven famous children’s authors will write short stories set in the Dr. Who universe, honoring the British television series’ 50th anniversary.

The stories will be released first as digital “eshorts.” Penguin UK’s Puffin imprint will release a comprehensive paperback collection in November 2013.

Here’s more from BBC: “The first children’s author will be revealed on the BBC Worldwide Doctor Who Facebook page on Monday 7 January, followed by the first story on Wednesday 23 January. A promotional video of each author will also be available each month on the BBC Worldwide YouTube channel starting on Friday 11 January.”

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Maryann Yin http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/dr-who-short-stories-coming-from-famous-childrens-authors_b63280#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/dr-who-short-stories-coming-from-famous-childrens-authors_b63280 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=63280 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 08:23:35 +0000 Suzanne Collins Rules Most Read Books List on Facebook

Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games dominated Facebook this year, her trilogy taking the first, second and third spots on Facebook’s Most Read Books of 2012 list.

Above, you can see Facebook’s infographic about the top books of 2012. Below, we’ve listed the top five books on that list…

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. Mockingjay by  Suzanne Collins
4. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Jason Boog http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/suzanne-collins-rules-most-read-books-list-on-facebook_b62599#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/suzanne-collins-rules-most-read-books-list-on-facebook_b62599 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=62599 Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:20:02 +0000 Goodreads Choice Award Winners Revealed With 11,525 votes, The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling has won the Best Fiction award at the Goodreads Choice Awards. Earning 20,328 votes, Veronica Roth was named Best Goodreads Author for Insurgent.

We’ve linked to samples of all the winners below.

All these authors were nominated and picked by Goodreads users. Did your favorite writer make the list?

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Jason Boog http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/goodreads-choice-award-winners-revealed_b61867#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/goodreads-choice-award-winners-revealed_b61867 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=61867 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 15:07:59 +0000 J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy Coming as BBC TV Show BBC One and BBC Drama have teamed up to create a television adaptation of The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling. The series should be released in 2014.

The author had this comment in the release: “I’m thrilled that the BBC has commissioned The Casual Vacancy. I always felt that, if it were to be adapted, this novel was best suited to television and I think the BBC is the perfect home.”

Neil Blair negotiated the deal with BBC One Controller Danny Cohen. Blair will produce through his production company and Rick Senat will be the executive producer on the series. Rowling will “collaborate closely” with the show. The number of episodes and length of each show will be decided.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Jason Boog http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-the-casual-vacancy-coming-as-bbc-tv-show_b61803#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-the-casual-vacancy-coming-as-bbc-tv-show_b61803 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=61803 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:07:16 +0000 How To Create an Anti-Hero: NaNoWriMo Tip #26

Is your National Novel Writing Month plot stuck? Maybe you need to add an anti-hero.

V from V for Vendetta, Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series, Guy Montag from  Fahrenheit 451 and The Punisher. What do all these characters have in common? They aren’t villains; they’re anti-heroes.

Above, we’ve embedded a TED-Ed video about anti-heroes, narrated by educator Tim Adams. Below, we’ve rounded up tips for creating an anti-hero.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Maryann Yin http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/how-to-create-an-anti-hero_b61165#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/how-to-create-an-anti-hero_b61165 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=61165 Mon, 26 Nov 2012 20:23:34 +0000 FEMA Administrator Recommends Parents Read to Their Children as Storm Approaches

With all news about Hurricane #Sandy , it may be scary for children, good time to get out the books & read to them.Read.gov

— Craig Fugate (@CraigatFEMA) October 29, 2012

As Hurricane Sandy nears the East Coast, FEMA administrator Craig Fugate urged parents to read with their children.

If you want to know how Hurricane Sandy will affect your state, visit the State-by-State  Guide to Hurricane Sandy at The New York Times.

Readers have been using the #StormReads hashtag to talk about the books they are reading during this difficult time. We’ve embedded some of these tweets below.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Maryann Yin http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/fema-administrator-recommends-parents-read-to-their-children-as-storm-approaches_b59781#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/fema-administrator-recommends-parents-read-to-their-children-as-storm-approaches_b59781 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=59781 Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:23:30 +0000 Jonathan Maberry: ‘Get your butt in a chair & write.’ Have you ever written a scary story? In honor of the Halloween season, we are interviewing horror writers to learn about the craft of scaring readers. Recently, we spoke with author Jonathan Maberry.

Throughout Maberry’s career, he has won multiple Stoker Awards for his horror work. Last month, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers released the third installment of the Rot & Ruin series, Flesh & Bone.

He has written for Marvel Comics and published multiple novels for both adults and young-adults. As a nonfiction writer, Maberry has examined topics ranging from martial arts to zombie pop culture. Check out the highlights from our interview below…

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Maryann Yin http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/jonathan-maberry-get-your-butt-in-a-chair-and-write_b58813#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/jonathan-maberry-get-your-butt-in-a-chair-and-write_b58813 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=58813 Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:42:37 +0000 J.K. Rowling’s Next Book Probably a Book for Children Author J.K. Rowling revealed that her next book would likely be for young readers, chatting with fans in a webcast hosted by Scholastic.

During the virtual event, which drew more than a million Harry Potter fans, Rowling discussed her next writing project. She said, “The next thing I publish is likely to be a book for children. The reason, I’m not committing myself wholeheartedly, is because after fifteen years of being a writer for Harry Potter, where you would say something and someone would seize on it and say, ‘You are definitely doing that now.’ And you kind of thought you weren’t allowed to change your mind. And it got a little intense, so I try not to commit myself with my plan. So I’m not 100 percent sure about doing it, but I think it will be a book slightly more for children.” continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Dianna Dilworth http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowlings-next-book-will-likely-be-for-young-readers_b59019#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowlings-next-book-will-likely-be-for-young-readers_b59019 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=59019 Fri, 12 Oct 2012 13:23:10 +0000 J.K. Rowling Sells 375,000 Copies of The Casual Vacancy in 6 Days In just six days, J.K. Rowling has sold 375,000 copies in all formats of her new novel for adults.

Little, Brown and Company publisher Michael Pietsch explained in a statement: “The Casual Vacancy has exceeded our expectations in its first six days in stores, selling 375,000 copies in all formats.  We believe it is on track to become the year’s bestselling novel in hardcover.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Jason Boog http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-sells-375000-copies-of-the-casual-vacancy-in-6-days_b58481#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-sells-375000-copies-of-the-casual-vacancy-in-6-days_b58481 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=58481 Wed, 03 Oct 2012 13:23:52 +0000 J.K. Rowling Breaks Goodreads Record

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling set a Goodreads record for the all-time biggest “started reading” day. Currently, more than 40,000 people have marked the book “to-read.”

The book unseated Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins as the book with the strongest “started reading” day. Insurgent by Veronica Roth holds third place. As of this writing, The Casual Vacancy has 38 percent five-star ratings on Goodreads.

Goodreads CEO Otis Chandler had this statement: “The Casual Vacancy is one of those stand-out books where people not only pre-order it, they start reading it as soon as they get their hands on it. On Goodreads, it beat the record for our previous all-time ‘started reading’ day which was set by Mockingjay.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Jason Boog http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-breaks-goodreads-record_b58323#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-breaks-goodreads-record_b58323 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=58323 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:28:06 +0000 J.K. Rowling May Write a ‘Director’s Cut’ Version of Two Harry Potter Books While promoting A Causal Vacancy, J.K. Rowling revealed a few juicy Harry Potter tidbits.

Deadline reported that Rowling may write another story set in the Harry Potter wizarding world that does not star The Boy Who Lived. She is also pondering a “director’s cut” version of two installments from the Harry Potter series, writing them them with more “finesse.”

Would you read the director’s cut of Harry Potter?

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Maryann Yin http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-may-write-a-directors-cut-version-of-2-harry-potter-books_b58183#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-may-write-a-directors-cut-version-of-2-harry-potter-books_b58183 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=58183 Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:44:12 +0000 How to Get a New eBook Copy of J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy

I am delighted that my new novel for adults is published today.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 27, 2012

 

Did you buy a $17.99 eBook copy of J.K. Rowling‘s A Casual Vacancy before 3 p.m. ET on September 27? You are entitled to a new digital copy of the book. Hachette has published an official statement about the formatting problems with the eBook edition:

Yesterday the eBook file for The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling was released to all U.S. eBook retailers. There were issues with that file, including the adjustability of font color and size and adjustability of margins. As soon as Hachette was made aware of these issues, a replacement file was uploaded to all eBook retailers. Hachette has requested that each retailer contact their customers directly about reloading their eBook. Any consumer who purchased the eBook on Thursday, September 27, before approximately 3:00pm ET, who has not heard from their retailer, should contact them and request that their eBook be reloaded. No consumer should have to repurchase the eBook.

The novel for adults has earned some divided early reviews on Amazon For A Casual Vacancy. As of this 5:30 p.m. ET writing, the book had 19 five-star reviews and 15 one-star reviews. The majority of these early reviewers have not read the book.
continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

]]> Jason Boog http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-earns-polarized-amazon-reviews_b58146#disqus_thread http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/j-k-rowling-earns-polarized-amazon-reviews_b58146 http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/?p=58146 Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:35:35 +0000