How DOES She Do it?!

- July 21, 2007

- Forbes 100 Richest Celebrities on E! Channel

- What I spent my Sunday evening doing

How are the three things above connected?

Well... the picture on the left is a dead give away. They all have to do with the boy wizard who has taken the world (Muggle and non-Muggle worlds alike) by storm!

More importantly, they have to do with the creator of Harry Potter. Madame Rowling. First off, regardless of whatever theory I postulate below, I think she is a real witch. And a powerful one to boot! And who has bewitched us all into buying into a story that is in all likelihood true!

Is it very obvious I am a fan of Harry Potter?

On July 21, 2007 the seventh and final book in the series will be released world-wide and I hear it's already broken all kinds of records already. It will be the culmination of a journey (at least for readers) that started some 10-odd years ago.

Yesterday, I watched the run down of the 100 richest celebrities on the E! Entertainment channel. More than Madonna; more than Martha Stewart; more than Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Anniston AND Angelina Joline put together and surpassed only by God (otherwise known as Oprah) J.K Rowling is worth US$1 billion, give or take a few million. That is not a lot of money...

...THAT IS AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY!

And all from writing six books? But much more than the money here... how and why have her books captured the imagination so much? According to wikipedia, the books themselves have sold about 325 million copies. Five of the seven books have been turned into blockbuster movies and the attendant merchandising doesnt hurt in the slightest.

I spent my Sunday evening watching the lastest installment of the movie franchise. Like the previous 4 films before it, it only gets a 4/10 from me. Not because it wasnt good but because they left so many cool parts out. A bit harsh but there you go!

Again moving away from the financial aspect of things (its not easy) what would make a children's book so special and compelling as to have adults and children scrambling to get their hands on it? Now this is a fundamental question for me as I hope to someday create a story that will someday be on the shelves of Borders Bookshops. (A million copies is all I ask for)

I think Ms Rowling has taken a highly implausible world and made it shockingly simple to relate to. A world residing behind the normal world we know and employing fantastic means (Magic!!!) to everyday stuff. We know magic doesnt really exist but Oh. My. God. If it did, it would probably be exactly as Jo has described it.

Stupefy, Expecto Patronus, Experlliamus, spells to make you fall in love, transform yourself into some kind of animal, wash the dishes, clean your room, magical creatures at your beck and call, other ones that would sooner swat you aside... and you need to go to this centuries old castle to learn how to control all that magic. Amazing!

I was a (serious) fan of only one other fantasy book series. The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan. He also employs similar tricks used by J.K Rowling. Leaving clues in book 2, the significance of which you wouldnt realize until Book 6. Crafting together scenes and narrative action that make you actually see yourself performing these feats. The main characters have developed a life of their own that makes it impossible for you NOT to care what happens to them!

Fair warning though if you want to look for Robert Jordan... the Wheel of Time stretches across 11 novels and 1 pre-quel and it is STILL NOT done! If you ask me, Jordan has lost the plot! But the first 3... 4... 5 books were so damned good that Jordan decided to make as much money off of us and extend the run until he tied himself into knots. And contracted a rare life-threatening disease on the way! He has promised to complete the story in Book 12 even if it means 2000 pages!

I have also fallen for another series now. The Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher. It is very similar to the Wheel of Time, employing characters that wield enormous magical power through the elements and characters imbued with so much life and reality, they move the story along all by themselves. Jim Butcher goes a step further by constantly making you re-evaluate the intentions and leanings of each character viz-a-viz "which side are you on?'. Someone you would have labelled 'evil' turns out to be good or a 'good' character turns out to have an ugly side to him. Fascinating stuff.

He also promised a trilogy at the beginning but now we are waiting for Book 4!

Anyway... I have pre-ordered my copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and like Pierre, I will also be unavailable right after I pick up my copy. I should be done by Saturday evening. And if you are a fan... dont read the next line... Hermione dies in the seventh book.

Go on then... hate me!