Urgent email opinions request from journalist in Chile (about Potter adult fans)

[marcelocordova2004]

Hi:

My name is Marcelo Cordova and Im a journalist from La Tercera
newspaper in Chile, South America (www.tercera.cl). I work in the
Trends section and I send this message because Im writing an article
for this friday (march 5th) about the phenomenon of adult fans of
the Harry Potter saga. This because the last book was just released
here and is already sold out!. Many people who bought it were grownups
and we would like to get some comments about this trend around the
globe.

If any of you have some time could answer these questions? You can
post your opinions directly here or send them to
marcelocordova2004 at yahoo.com. Please put your name (or a nick if you
want), age, occupation and country. Many thanks in advance:

1. In an article published by The Orlando Sentinel about Nimbus
2003, it says that individuals on that event were "college professors
and college students, advertising copywriters and unemployed computer
consultants, substitute teachers and wanna-be teachers. They've come
from California and New York, Australia and England. Above all else,
they are Harry Potter fans. And they are adults". First of all:
Could you tell me how did you get fascinated by the saga of this small
kid? And how could you explain that many adults feel fascinated by a
book with a kid as a protagonist? From that point of view: Do you
agree with miss Rowling when she says that "it is my sense of humour
in the books, not what I think children will find funny, and I suppose
that would explain some of the appeal to adults"?

2. From that point of view: Which are the elements of the books that
you feel as most appealing to you? Stories, characters? Do you think
that this is a good read for any adult? You think no one should feel
ashamed of reading these "child" books?

3. Bloomsbury spokeswoman Lucy Chapman said in an article from BBC
that she "thinks that adults can find another level in the Potter
books". She said that people can read "into the mythology that runs
through the novels, they pick up on more, such as the Latin school
mottos." Do you think that is a key for success between adults? From
that same point of view: It is possible to think, like mister Joel
Rickett - news editor of the Bookseller website- says, that the "Harry
Potter phenomenon also coincided with a time when it became
fashionable for adults to indulge in children's activities, such as
computer games"?.

4. Mister Rickett also says that the aura surrounding the author as
a factor in Harry Potter's appeal to an adult audience. "The books are
the product of one person which gives them an air of authenticity.
The romantic image of a single mother writing stories in a café is
appealing.", he says. What do you think about that?

5. "Families were going into bookshops and buying up multiple copies
on the first day of sale. Adults could not wait for the paperback
grown-up version to come out," said a Bloomsbury spokesperson. Have
you gone to midnight sales and waited for the books like hundreds of
kids? Do you remember any story or anecdote about those events or
about being an adult fan of Potter? Have you gone with your family
to buy the books?

6. In the Order of Phoenix Harry is much more mature than in the
first one. How do you react on this progressive growing process? You
think this could make him loose some appeal?

Thank you very much for your cooperation and sorry if I used some of
your time with these questions.

Marcelo Cordova
La Tercera (www.tercera.cl)
Phone: 56-2-5507664
Fax: 56-2-5507999