MuggleNet

Caption Contest: The Trio's Last Stand

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:58:51 -0400

What if the trio had decided to train a little bit more for their role in The Final Battle against Voldemort? What if they enlisted the help of someone like, say... Arnold Schwarzenegger? What would Arnie have to say about our Wizarding friends' plight? Well, you tell us! YOU write the caption!

As with last week's contest, this month we are mashing up Harry Potter with other popular media in our caption contest images, and will continue to do so through the duration of Maniacal May. This monthly feature is not a new thing - in fact, there are 14 entire "maniacal" months archived in our caption contest archive! This week, we have placed the trio into the latest Schwarzenegger flick, 'The Last Stand.'

Head on over to the Caption Contest Main Page and click on "Entry Form" to submit your entry for this week's contest. Alternately you can view FAQ's, read last week's winners, and check out past winners (of all time) through the archive. Happy captioning!

Alohomora! Episode 31: 'The Many Motivations of Severus Snape' - Now Available!

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:58:51 -0400

Alohomora! continues its global re-read of the Harry Potter series led by fans and MuggleNet staff. Last week we held our first live audience show at MISTI-Con 2013, and now we're back on the airwaves! Listen in as hosts Noah, Caleb, Laura, and Eric break down Chapter 19 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - "The Servant of Lord Voldemort."

On Episode 31 you can expect...

→ Episode 29 Recap: James from 'beyond,' Peter crying by the windowsill, the Marauders save their skins, Crookshanks the protector
→ Special Feature Recap: The Beast Inquisition, Animagi
→ PQOTW Responses
→ Battle Snape commences
→ Lily? Eh, 5 or 6
→ The chords are not alive
→ What if the rat was just a rat? Awkward..
→ Flaws in the 'Secret Keeper' plans
→ Sirius goes ALL CAPS on us
→ Question of the Week
→ Check out the Alohomora! Store

To listen to the show, merely click the player above. You can also subscribe to us on iTunes. For more information about the podcast and to find out how to be on the show, check out our Podcast page.

Don't forget to leave us a voicemail at our phone number: 1-206-GO-ALBUS (462-5287)! Skype users can also send us a message to username AlohomoraMN.

Emma Watson graces the cover of 'W' magazine

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:58:51 -0400

The June/July 2013 issue of W magazine has just been released with a stunning photograph of Emma Watson on the cover. More images from the W shoot can be found inside, and you can view them in the magazine's online gallery. The magazine also features an interview with Emma, where she discusses her new film The Bling Ring, her recent move to American, and the trials of growing up in the spotlight.

Among other topics Emma discusses her stubborn denial of fame and her surprising celebrity crush:

When did you realize you were famous?

I lived in denial for as long as I possibly could. Until the age of 18, I would take the Oxford Tube, which is a public bus. Then it got to the point where the fact that I was on the bus would spread from one end to the other. I’d think, Why am I doing this to myself? Ignoring fame was my rebellion, in a funny way. I was insistent on being normal and doing normal things. It probably wasn’t advisable to go to college in America and room with a complete stranger. And it probably wasn’t wise to share a bathroom with eight other people in a coed dorm. Looking back, that was crazy.

Do you have a Hollywood crush?

My cinematic crush has been pretty much the same since I was 12: Kevin Costner. I met him in an elevator the other day, and I couldn’t even speak. He said hello, because he is lovely like that, and I couldn’t say anything back.

Be sure and read the full interview with Emma here!

Pottermore is ‘blazing their own trail’ in eBook sales strategies

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:58:51 -0400

Pottermore may not exactly be under constant praise from the Harry Potter fan community, but according to The Bookseller Industry awards, the website came out on top, taking the win for Digital Strategy of the Year Award in the UK. Goodereader.com reports that Pottermore triumphed over industry bigwigs Kobo, Random House, Penguin, Bloomsbury, and Harlequin.

The article commends Pottermore for certain aspects of their unique approach to selling eBooks, including J.K. Rowling’s high level of control and involvement on the website, the company’s ability to have complete say over prices, and the fact that eBooks are compatible with all of the major e-readers and tablets.

One of the chief reasons Pottermore has been as successful as it has in terms of sales is because of the nature of the website and that:

“They made an online world to live out the Harry Potter adventures. Every few months, new content is implemented and young folk can join in picking their House, engaging in wizard duels, making potions, visiting Diagon Alley, and getting up to all sorts of other hijinx.”

We congratulate the Pottermore team on this award and look forward to new installments! Have you bought any eBooks from the Pottermore shop? What has been your favourite moment so far on Pottermore?

Review: 'The Hothouse' starring Harry Melling

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:58:51 -0400

Arriving second in Jamie Lloyd's highly anticipated Trafalgar Transformed season at the Trafalgar Studios, The Hothouse doesn't relax the intensity set by its predecessor, the apocalyptic Macbeth starring James McAvoy. Shocking and at times, offensive, The Hothouse depicts the sinister workings inside an undefined mental institution. Yet despite the outrageously immoral practices and some utterly unforgiving characters, this revival of one of Pinter’s early plays is unrelenting in its comic intentions.

In shedding the pauses and other habits of Pinter plays, Lloyd’s production breathes new life into a script that can often encroach into the realms of the too sinister. Absent of any actual patients, the stage time is entirely dominated by a team of staff who have little interest of those in their care.

Holding the fort of this unpleasant institute is Roote, the self-obsessed ex-colonel who is both grappling to retain control of this establishment and struggling to retain his last vestiages of sanity as his mind is slowly failing him. Fresh from this BAFTA win the night before, Simon Russell Beale is brilliantly funny and an utter joy to watch as he fumbles around oblivious to his manipulation by his colleagues, John Simm’s manic, power hungry Gibbs and the deranged nurse, Miss Cutts played by Indira Varma. These powerhouse performances are perfectly pitched alongside the suspiciously affable Lush (John Heffernan) and Harry Melling’s endearingly naive Lamb. The latter’s performance was often among the hardest to watch as the well-meaning Lamb falls fowl of some Gibb’s more alarming experiments; indeed these moments certainly confirmed Melling’s status as among some of Britain’s most exciting new stage talent.

Both entertaining and alarming, The Hothouse is certainly an experience to behold.

The Hothouse runs until 3rd August at the Trafalgar Studios, London. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website.

Throwback: J.K. Rowling’s website reveals handwritten spreadsheet for ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:58:51 -0400

What goes on inside the mind of J.K. Rowling? It is a question that plagues every Harry Potter fan on a regular basis but is very seldom answered. In an article from Flavorwire, nine widely known authors share bits of their early work on what would become literary classics. One author, of course, is J.K. Rowling, whose original website featured this some years ago.

On this particular selection of Potter gold, Rowling has created a handwritten spreatsheet for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenx, outlining certain plot points, dates they occur, preliminary chapter titles, as well as the developments of the many backstories and when they take place in relation to each other and main events.

If you are able to decipher J.K. Rowling’s handwriting, you may find the chapter titles for January 20^th and February 22^ndquite surprising, as a couple of details have since changed for the final published book.

Other authors whose rough work was featured in this article include Silvia Plath (The Bell Jar), Joseph Heller (Catch-22), and James Salter (Light Years).

For which Potter book would you most like to see a full spreadsheet? Were there any points on this spreadsheet that you noticed have changed? Also, check out MuggleNet’s J.K. Rowling section for more information and past interview transcripts.

Charity proceeds for purchases of a beautiful fan made pin on Etsy

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:58:51 -0400

Meg and Jill created this beautiful pin design and turned it into a plan of action to help their favorite charity, This Star Won't Go Out Foundation (TSWGO). All of the proceeds from these 1.5 inch pins will be donated to this foundation, which was established by the parents of the beloved and amazing nerdfighter, Esther Earl, and from there, the monies will help families whose children are living with cancer.

To learn more about TSWGO and its mission and/or to make a direct donation to this charity, please visit the following website:

http://tswgo.org

When you purchase this pin in the month of May, they will provide you with a special coupon code to save 15% off of a future order from their shop through the end of June.

So head on over to the Etsy Shop right here and order your pin today!

Rupert Grint's Comedy Pilot 'Super Clyde' not Picked up by CBS

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:58:51 -0400

Fans have been disappointed to learn that CBS has passed on Super Clyde in favor of four other new comedies and two new dramas. The pilot, which also starred Stephen Fry, was about a fast food employee who decides to use inherited millions to become a superhero. Many of Rupert's co-stars reacted to the news on twitter earlier this week:

From Justine Lupe, who was set to play Rupert's older sister:

Sad to say CBS SUPER CLYDE isn't going on... Grateful to have gotten to have some fun with @TyLabine, @stephenfry &the rest! :)

From Tyler Labine, who was going to be Rupert's older brother:

@iamjustinelupe @stephenfry it was indeed great to get the opportunity to work with you both. Grint too. Everybody was awesome. Truly.

And finally from Laura Oritz, Rupert's love interest from the pilot:

Thank you guys for all the support! it was an amazing project to have been a part of!! #superclyde :(

Thanks to The Ice Cream Man and The Leaky Cauldron for the tip.

CBS better have something stellar in their new schedule to make up for passing over this! Are you disappointed about Super Clyde not getting picked up?

UPDATE: It looks like there is a twitter campaign spearheaded by a number of Rupert Grint fansites to try and get CBS to reconsider their decision. Be sure and #savesuperclyde if you want to see Rupert on CBS' schedule next Fall!

Grint Attends Local Gig to Support Sister's Band

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:58:51 -0400

Rupert Grint brought the party to Stroud when he attended his sister's gig this weekend.

Performing with her band The Ghost of Samantha, Samantha Grint was part of the line-up for Kick Start the Summer, a fundraising event in aid of local youth project The Door.

Rupert arrived in time to watch his younger sister but, as usual, went the extra mile for his fans and hung around, signing things and taking photographs. One of the event's staff commented that although "it was all very last minute [...] he was really down to earth".

It's nice to see Rupert enjoying some family time after the disappointing news about Super Clyde, don't you agree.

Source

MuggleNet Fan Fiction’s Audiofictions: Episode 169 – ‘Spectator Sport’

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:58:51 -0400

This week, Audiofictions takes you to the Quidditch pitch, where thrills and spills are going down at yet another match, but this time, the main action’s in the stands, not in the air. Meanwhile, MerMuggle readers theGreatOm and Jessie Lights are spinning tales about enemies turned friends and lost love.

This week’s episode features:

‘Uncommon Friends’ by Gmariam, read by theGreatOm
‘As the Ink Dries’ by SimplyMe, read by Jessie Lights

Subscribe to Audiofictions on iTunes where you can leave your reviews and feedback, as well as explore our archive of over 160 episodes. You can also download the latest episode of Audiofictions at Libsyn. Visit The Black Lake Section of the MuggleNet Fan Fiction Beta Boards to nominate your favorite fan fictions for the MerMuggles to read. And, finally, don’t forget to stay connected with us on Facebook.