Full coverage: JKR on Richard & Judy
JK Rowling's live interview on the UK afternoon talk show Richard & Judy has just concluded. Although the presenters lacked any in-depth knowledge of the series, if you're anything like me, you'll love Jo even more after watching it. You can find full coverage of the interview below:
Video: here, thanks to Nick.
Transcript: here.
Screencaps: here, thanks to Natalie.
Here are some of the key points mentioned:
- She is well into writing Book 7 now.
- Although she still has the final chapter of Book 7 stored away in a safe, it has been altered slightly: Two more people have kicked the can while another has gotten a reprieve.
- Jo originally wrote this chapter in 1990. By doing so, she says some people have found her to be arrogant as she didn't have a publisher at the time.
- It was suggested to her that she would have good reason to kill Harry off in Book 7 so that no one could write sequels to the book when she's finished.
- She concedes having "boxed herself in" by writing certain minor plot details in earlier books, which now means she has to spend a great deal of time explaining or tying up.
- For the first three books, she says she was in denial about her success and fame "like a rabbit caught in headlights." Although she found them "cool," she says it was also peculiar to see casual references to Harry Potter in the press.
- Her daughter Jessica has dealt magnificently with the effects her mother's fame has had on her, such as kids at school pestering her for the title of upcoming books.
- Richard suggested dating was tricky because some people might only show an interest in her because of her wealth, but she said it was being a single mother that made it hard.
- If she saw a Boggart, she would see what Mrs. Weasley saw in Book 5: her children deceased.
- She is well into writing Book 7 now.
- Although she still has the final chapter of Book 7 stored away in a safe, it has been altered slightly: Two more people have kicked the can while another has gotten a reprieve.
- Jo originally wrote this chapter in 1990. By doing so, she says some people have found her to be arrogant as she didn't have a publisher at the time.
- It was suggested to her that she would have good reason to kill Harry off in Book 7 so that no one could write sequels to the book when she's finished.
- She concedes having "boxed herself in" by writing certain minor plot details in earlier books, which now means she has to spend a great deal of time explaining or tying up.
- For the first three books, she says she was in denial about her success and fame "like a rabbit caught in headlights." Although she found them "cool," she says it was also peculiar to see casual references to Harry Potter in the press.
- Her daughter Jessica has dealt magnificently with the effects her mother's fame has had on her, such as kids at school pestering her for the title of upcoming books.
- Richard suggested dating was tricky because some people might only show an interest in her because of her wealth, but she said it was being a single mother that made it hard.
- If she saw a Boggart, she would see what Mrs. Weasley saw in Book 5: her children deceased.
Posted by Ciaran on Jun 26th |
292 Comments
Visitor Comments
Ooh, I love Jo. She's so funny and she has such a great spirit... I hope to meet her some day. She's definately my role model. Very funny interview. I can't wait for book seven. Talk to you all later :)
So we lose 2 and gain 1 well i hope the 1 gained is a good one!!
I think Neville is going to die trying to prove himself once and for all. and Ginny because harry warned her in Half blood prince about being with him and she didn't heed his warning.
its always great to hear from Jo...w however we didnt learn anything new hardly. :( @Ginger2448- hmm i dunno but i interpreted(sp) that Jo chose to not kill off a character for the time being, although later on she might. or something of the sort...
I think It's safe to say that Harry dies...and of course two main characters....Meh, I wish Harry would live though. Why can't there be a happy end?
AWSOME!!!!! I love JK, she is my heroine and nothing can change that
Greta_Prewett I'm sure there will be a happy ending as many young kids read the books
@Greta_Prewett- i agree w/ englandrox, although just because harry dies who says Jo cant make the end suitable for 'happy'? but then i myself know i wont be happy at the end of the series. God, i dont know what im going to do...:/
JK's answer to the boggart question is so true for a parent.
I am REALLY ecstatic about this . . . I especially love hearing about her seventh novel! Well, so do millions of other Potter-lovers. . . .
very cool, i cant upload it onto youtube cos its too long, can u split it into 2 parts, thanx
That was great, quite a lot we've heard before tho, it does make me love JK more :D But is it just coz they annoy me or did Jo seem a bit annoyed by Ritchard n Judy? :-P
what odes hse mean "two more people die?" and just in that chapter!! i think i might have to take anti-depressant pills after reading book 7
saw the video great wish they let us see the show here in america
JKR! You got it wrong! It's for every person that dies, TWO PEOPLE LIVE! NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!!
I really hope Ron or Hermione isn't one of the two deaths! They have to get married!
kill anybody outside the trio,please. not harry, hermione or ron, please.
Agh! My prediction: Molly Weasley will die. I don't know why; I don't want it to be true. But that's what I think will happen. It's fitting with her fear and with her character. :-( My hope (though a feeble one): The reprieve is Severus Snape. I love to hate Snape. :-) Everytime I think about July of '07 I get so happy and excited! Is anyone else chewing their nails to find out if anything happened between Snape and Lily? I doubt it was something 'romantic,' but there just had to be more than meets the eye. A kid like Snape wouldn't view his lone defender with such disregard.
i wanna see it!!!!! and 2 more people bit the dust..... i cant wait for it to come out... im getting sooo impatient!!!
i don't understand how a kid that was asking questions didn't read all of the books...i mean...that's really unfair
stupid kids with their stupid questions .... When will people understand that these books aren't for 8 year olds. They always invite kids to ask jo questions and they always ask the same basic questions. What about the horcruxes, fidelius charm, snape, dumbledore etc etc etc etc
haha the bit about head girl and borstal made me laugh haha
Let the betting pool begin....just kidding. Though I would bet 5 bucks on Lupin and Percy being the two to die. I think it is either Ron or Hermione who were supposed to die but didn't.
hmmmm ..... maybe dumbledore was supposed to die but he didn't ;)
Oh boy, the wait for the seventh one is going tobe REEEEALLY long. Gotta love Jo even more after that interview :P. I thought the interview went well, even if the desirable questions weren't asked. It was funny. Go Jo!!
That interview was awesome! I really really really do wish though that the kids and Richard and Judy asked her more probing questions about the plot of book 7, not just who would you be? and what would a boggart become for you? Nevertheless, it was really cool to see. I felt so sorry for the last kid, who they didn't have enough time to hear a question from. You could tell the Jo felt badly about it though. Eek! She's so awesome! I could tell that Richard and Judy had only seen the movies, and not read the books because they didn't go any further in their questions than the Goblet of Fire. And that one kid, who hadn't even read the all the books? Umm...okay... And the whole thing about the 2 characters dying, and one getting a reprieve...interesting, ver interesting. There must have been a major change in her plans for something that big to happen. And since her husband was sad to see ONE of them go, it must be a very well loved character, like Hagrid, or even Ron or Hermione. The other one, on the other hand...maybe even go so far as a disliked character? Snape? Malfoy? Or maybe a new character that no one knows anything about. Hmm...
Someone just stopped by my office to tell me the news "two people die, one lives". He thinks it's Harry and Voldemort that die. Jo has been so ruthless in her killing off of beloved characters...but the absolute tremendous let-down of Harry dying is too much to comprehend. It's my belief these books are about an ultimate battle between good and evil and although rough spots lie in the road, eventually good wins out. I can understand the philosophic poetry of killing of Harry, but NO THANKS...I don't want it. Can't handle the thought. Killing off Harry would make the backlash of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's killing off Sherlock Holmes look like a tea party. I can't bear the though that anyone else in Harry's life would be killed off either. He's had so many taken from him. Personally, I think it's Voldemort and Bellatrix LeStrange - or perhaps even Snape - that dies. And/or either Snape or Draco get the "reprieve".
I think it is interesting that she uses the term “Reprieve”. It has connotations of pardoning a crime and saving someone from punishment. That leads me to think that she has not chosen to save one of the heros (for what crime are they being punished?), but someone more like Peter Pettigrew. Of course, with a live interview, she has not spent hours choosing each word. She may mean “save” more than “reprieve”. I don’t think that she has impulsively killed off two more characters. It is more likely that two more needed to die to make the book ring true. Voldemort is evil, intelligent and powerful. He killed many top wizards and witches in his last reign (including the Potters and the Longbottoms). It might feel too fake, too forced, if he is defeated without our heros taking loses. I want a happy ending, but one I can believe! As for specific guesses, I think that Hagrid is toast. I hate to say it, but I think he will not survive. However, I feel he may be in addition to the two new losses, as I feel she probably always planned that he would die. If she takes one of the trio, I think it will be Harry. He has two purposes: defeating Voldemort and having/protecting his family. Once Voldemort is gone, and his surrogate family (the Weasleys) are safe, perhaps his next step is to join his parents, Sirius and Dumbledore... (I say this despite great hope that he will grow old with Ginny and make a big family of his own).
I like interviews with Jo. She's so cool. She seems so...human. Some authors just seem to sit in their house all day and when they have an interview, they just answer with the shortest answers possible and keep this stony look on their face. Also, the boy who likes Hermione is so adorable! Lol. Jo was like "Did you like her BEFORE Emma Watson started playing her?"
Richard and Judy aren't known for their great interview technique its usually Judy struggling to get a question out and Richard interupting every second! And they didn't change - same old questions - stuff we already know - and we all know how much JKR hates being asked the same question over and over ! The only revelation about the deaths came from her own admission. LETS GET HER ON PARKINSON ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Oh, and for the record, if Jo is reading this (very slim, but not impossible): If Harry, Ron, or Hermione dies, I'll cry like a baby. Especially if Hermione dies...she's my favorite character. I admire her the most because she's the most like me. Please don't kill them unless you want to make a girl casted away by her peers cry and look like more of a freak. Is the guilt trip working? I didn't think so.
OMG?!??!?!?! WHAT WAS UP WITH THOSE QUESTIONS!!??!?!?!!? THAT KID AHDNT EVEN READ ALL OF THE BOOKS!!!!!! HOW COME they GOT TO GO ON THE SHOW, WHEN ALOT OF THEM HADNT EVEN READ ALL THE BOOKS?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????!!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU MUGGLENET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was an amazing interview. *Off to watch it again and again* I'm going to see her LIVE in August!! So excited!!
i didn't think the referring to neil (her hubbie) being shocked was about the seventh book deaths, but maybe i misinterpreted......also, i particularly find an interest in the part where she was talking about going back to write the books much later and said that would be her "midlife crisis", but had to be reminded, "IF harry lives through the series"......hmm....could this be good for harry???
Hmmm, Jacaranda that last bit about going on to "join his parents, sirius, and dumbledore" i think is one of the biggest things that bothers me about the -Harry dying- scenario. No young person no matter how horrible the circumstances (in my opinion) should think its best to just go on and join dead parents etc. The idea of a 17 year old saying "ive served my purpose in the world now i can die and be with my parents"? to me thats pretty horrible
every word that comes out of her mouth is smart and makes me respect her even more
Great to hear some hings about the new book. Though I don't know what to think about 2 more charaters dying. I hope it is not anyone too major. Also I understand if Harry dies, then no one can carry on the series, but come on....he's the hero. Also good is always to triumph over evil. It was bad enough will Dumbledore....I still cant read #6 again yet. Still cannot wait for book #7 or Movie #5
Crap, Snape's going to die, I just know it! Life sucks.
that was great! it gives me a lot to think about...i bet a lot of theories will come just out of the interview!
killing off Harry would be the sadest thing that would ever happen to the world.
TWO MORE PEOPLE TO DIE!!! No, JK, why do you do this?!
OMG!!!!!!! i totally have 2 c dat! however, i totally aggree w/ xnataliedx she says- "I think it's unfair that they had little kids on the show, it's obvious that the last few books aren't aimed at 10 years old more like 15 yrs + so in my opinion they should have had older "fans" so we could find out some valuable info!" I cant believe there will b 2 more deaths! im happy that 1 person wont die, but 2 in itz place!!!!?????? ok thatz just mean of JK. i also wonder HOW any one could love her n e more! dont we all ready luve her 210%???????? a little support here would be nice! god, people these days. also, wutz up with kids doin the interview? seriously, they hardly got n e thing new 4 us! really! i think they shood have had older people do it, as xnataliedx stated. kk, now that i've said that, i will go off on a long winded remenicent of hu i think will and will not die. first, i think JK's first idea was 2 have both harry and voldemort die, but the 1 person that isnt gonna die will b 1 of them. of course, i wish it is harry, but if she did that she would have to change the whole plot so i think harry will die and voldy wont. now, the 2 people hu will die....i think draco will snuff it, but i think that wuz already planned......snape......i think he will die, because dumbles never told the order he was good and told them why, (i tink hez good) and now that hez run off w/ the death eaters the order could turn on him and kill him, so i think he will die. also.....R.A.B......for those of u hu havent read all the editorials, i think that is regulus black, and we all no heez already dead, but wut if he iznt? (just like dumbles. (c the editorials)) then maybe he really will die.....but just in case he really iz dead, i think ron will die trying 2 save hermione.....i mean......they're totally in love w/ each other.....every1 w/ a brain can c dat! well yeah! also JK iz so not snotty 4 riting the last chap. uv bk 7 even tho she didnt have a publisher! ...
Jo is amazing. I love her. I found the interview slightly informing. Personally, on the two characters that she just killed off, they probably won't be one of the trio. I mean, I think she'll kill off one or two of the trio (One at least has to live) but that would be a decision made long ago. They're too vital to the series to keep changing their fate. Ugh. I just wish she'd release the title of the book! I mean....we get a book title... we're that much closer to getting a book! This interview has really made me impatient. I just want to know how it all turns out.... Personally I'm betting on a Ron sacrifices himself to save Hermione thing... Of course Voldemort will die... Lupin and Pettigrew will die... cause I'm bettin on the significance of the order of the names on the Maruader's Map. Ahhh. Jo just can't finish it soon enough!
i reckon snapes gonna kill voldy cos he's power hungry... and harrys (with hermy and ron) gonna kill snape....
I love Jo. So much.
wow, that poor kid who didnt get to ask his question... id be sooo mad.
Don't you think it's possible that she'd kill characters who we care about *because* they're well-liked? Not to say that she's sadistic, but I don't think she kills people off randomly and for no reason. If Hermione, Harry or Ron die, it will be for a reason. I hope. Please baby jesus. *trails off*
2 = twins? o_O
cool cool...
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