Live from the AOL chatroom (long)

[Joywitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 4104

Well, here I am in an AOL chat for the first time, and boy does it 
suck!  They divide you into ROWS, which as far as I can see doesnt 
mean anything except you get to listen to the insipid chatter of the 
other people in your row.  They are only taking questions which were 
submitted in advance.  Unfortunately, I was too busy to attempt that 
until a few hours ago, and I got an error message when I tried to 
send a question.  I guess they stopped taking questions at some 
point.  So far, the questions have been the same old same old, or 
just plain dumb.  Here is the transcript so far, more later:

JesseKNews:	Good evening.
JesseKNews:	This is a real treat --- the most popular writer in 
the world.
JesseKNews:	Welcome, J.K. Rowling.
JKRowlingLive:	Thank you!
JesseKNews:	Tonight, because we have SO MANY questions,
JesseKNews:	we asked you to send them in advance.
JesseKNews:	I've gone through them --- will I use YOURS?
JesseKNews:	we also have two of Ms. Rowling's EXPERT young fans,
JesseKNews:	a boy who calls himself Firebolt
JesseKNews:	and a girl who is called Nimbus.
JesseKNews:	They will also be asking questions.
JesseKNews:	Nimbus, let's start with you....
Nimbus2000Live:	Ms. Rowling, do you think that making a Harry Potter 
movie will help people
Nimbus2000Live:	understand the books better or will it ruin the 
imagination for the books?
JKRowlingLive:	I don't think people need help understanding the 
books...
JKRowlingLive:	I hope the film will be really good and not 
disappoint the fans
JKRowlingLive:	personally I can't wait to watch Quidditch
JesseKNews:	And now from Firebolt...
FireboltLive:	Ms. Rowling, why did you write about witchcraft and 
wizardry?
JKRowlingLive:	I had the idea of a boy who was a wizard and didn't 
yet know what he was...
JKRowlingLive:	I never sat down and wondered 'what shall I write 
about next?'
JKRowlingLive:	it just came, fully formed
JesseKNews:	Here's one from Emily...
JesseKNews:	When people trade in Muggle money for Wizard money,
JesseKNews:	whoes does Griggotts do with the Muggle monrey?
JKRowlingLive:	those goblins are sneaky people
JKRowlingLive:	they manage to put the Muggle money back into 
circulation
JKRowlingLive:	they are like 'fences' - British slang, do you 
understand it?
JesseKNews:	Here's one from Tiger Lily....
JesseKNews:	What did James and Lily Potter do when they were 
alive?
JKRowlingLive:	well, I can't go into too much detail, because you're 
going to find out in future books
JKRowlingLive:	but James inherited plenty of money, so didn't need a 
well-paid profession
JKRowlingLive:	you'll find out more about both Harry's parents later
JesseKNews:	Someone who's called Wizard asks...
JesseKNews:	If YOU went to Hogwarts, which house would they put 
you in?
JKRowlingLive:	good name, Wizard
JKRowlingLive:	well, I'd hope for Gryffindor
JKRowlingLive:	obviously
JKRowlingLive:	but I suspect they might want to put me in Ravenclaw
JesseKNews:	Nimbus?
Nimbus2000Live:	Ms. Rowling, where do you come up with those names of 
the characters, like Quidditch
JKRowlingLive:	Quidditch is a name I invented
JKRowlingLive:	I just wanted a word which began with the letter 'Q'
JKRowlingLive:	(I don't know why, it was just a whim)
JKRowlingLive:	many of the names are taken from maps
JKRowlingLive:	for instance, Snape, which is an English village
FireboltLive:	Ms. Rowling, have you ever made a map or blueprint of 
the school?
JKRowlingLive:	no... because all those staircases keep shifting 
around
JKRowlingLive:	and rooms pop out of nowhere...
JKRowlingLive:	and stuff just moves too much...
JKRowlingLive:	but I have got a notebook that reminds me what floor 
everything is on
JKRowlingLive:	just to keep track
JKRowlingLive:	of course, if anything moves, I can blame it on 
magic, not my mistakes
JesseKNews:	J&L asks: What do you think of the people who want to 
ban your books?
JKRowlingLive:	I think they are......
JKRowlingLive:	erm.....
JKRowlingLive:	what's a good word?
JKRowlingLive:	misguided
JKRowlingLive:	I think these are very moral books
JKRowlingLive:	everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but not to 
impose their views on others!