Is Book 5 Done?

An original editorial by Russ Ullman

I have no proof, no smoking gun. I have only the multitude of news stories and interviews to pose my opinion that J.K. has finished book 5 and is sitting on the manuscript. She is waiting for the auction to conclude to see what the final tally is before she releases book 5 to Bloomsbury.

Let's start with the fact she admits all seven books were outlined. This gives her the basis to complete each edition in relatively timely order.

J.K. is already nearly two years behind from her initial date she told Bloomsbury it would get the manuscript. The first four books were published in years 1997, 1999, 1999, 2000. That would have made book 5 a 2001, possibly 2002, publish date. If this is the case, then book 5, which is now supposed to be a hair longer than Goblet of Fire could have been done this past summer. We are now looking at 2003 for book 5.

Now getting married can throw things in turmoil. But a good husband would have kept her focused to finish it. Newlyweds or not.

It has been intimated that the lawsuits she was embroiled in caused her to delay book 5. Someone of her stature should have lawyers and other staff people to shield her from that and involve her only when it became necessary.

J.K. says book 5 is done, but she is fine-tuning it. Unless she is doing complete rewrites of several chapters, isn't fine-tuning what her publishers are supposed to do?

Lastly, this auction with Sotheby is the most compelling argument that the book is actually done. Why now? Why only 93 random words? This card with signature could have been put up any time while she wrote the book.

I love the Harry Potter series. They are a wonderful, moral-based, good versus evil group of books, but it is my opinion that J.K. is trying to prove how much she controls Harry Potter by delaying giving Bloomsbury the manuscript.

Now I am going to predict that book 6 will be really late. New babies tend to occupy your time a lot. My best guess is 2005 for book 6.

12/6/02