NPR Interview & HP Merchandise Stuff

[smitster]

No: HPFGUIDX 4746

Hi all!

NPR:

This morning NPR aired an interview recorded with JKR last Friday 
(after the Today show thing).  An extended version is on NPR's web 
site (http://www.npr.org/programs/morning or 
http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/001027.potter.html).

JKR mentioned her two chairty books.  They will both be about 10,000 
words.  We pretty much know the content subjects--I'm looking forward 
to finally reading it!  JKR also responded to her thoughts on the 
film, merchandise crud (no REAL response, though), and other 
infrequently talked about things.  Good interview--about 20 minutes.  
I recommend if you can stand the poor performance of "streamed" Real 
Player audio.  (Also note that there is a 6 minute version of this 
interview that actually aired, you probably won't want to listen to 
that.)

I learned from this report that the New York Times had HP related 
article on 1 January 2000.  It was in their what-will-life-be-like-in-
2020 (or some such date) fictional version of the front page.  I'm 
going to head to the library tomorrow to see if I can get this, but 
it sounded rather funny.  The headline was something like Quidditch 
World Cup Won By Woman.  Serves me right for being on holiday at that 
time of year!  If I find it, I'll transcribe it.

Merchandise:

I took time to see if my Hallmark received their ornaments.  
Finally!!  I won't bore you with this except to say it took they were 
about a month late.

In addition to everything else that people have given links to, my 
store also had different bookends from the WB store.  (Heidi gave a 
link regarding this--the "through the Fat Lady" bookends.)  The link 
Heidi provided shows well enough what they are, but I should warn you 
that the Fat Lady is a paper cutout glewed on.  Very tacky, IMO!  But 
one would need to pick up the bookend to notice this. :)

But the best part of my adventure to the Hallmark store was the 
puzzle--450 pieces, I think.  It is a puzzle of the Great Hall.  
Different (and smaller) than I pictured it, but I thought it showed 
that the artest had read the books.  The ceiling was of the stary, 
black night sky (correct), Hagrid was at the main table (correct in 
later books), Neville was chaising his toad, etc.  I didn't count the 
number of professors, but I was distracted by the coolness of the 
toad!  (I've tried to find a picture on the Web, but nothing--poo!)

That's it.  (And I don't work for Hallmark or WB, either.)

Paul