Release Date for OOP: Speculation

[Penny & Bryce]

No: HPFGUIDX 35422

Hi all --

I think I should point out a few matters regarding the potential release 
of OOP this year.

1.  The release date of July 8th for GoF was confirmed in a Scholastic 
press release on March 26th (roughly 3.5 mths beforehand in other 
words).  Rumors regarding the impending summer release of GoF had been 
circulating prior to March 26th.

2.  From all accounts, the publishers were forced to rush their printing 
deadlines to meet the confirmed release date of July 8th, causing a fair 
bit of havoc.  This suggests that they will in all likelihood give 
themselves more than 3.5 mths cushion room to see it through final 
edits, printing & distribution.  Also, I know nothing about marketing in 
any formal sense, but it strikes me that they'd want to have a 
reasonably long marketing time-frame to really drum up even more 
interest than there already is.  It's all about money, yes?  :--)

3.  IMO, there have been no trustworthy press reports that JKR has even 
completed OOP or that release is in any way imminent.  We've heard 
everything ranging from Feb 2002 (obviously not happening) to Spring 
2003.  It does not appear to me that there is any reliable basis for 
speculating at this point.  I think this is a sufficiently big enough 
deal that we will have reasonably solid press confirmation when the 
final editing is going on and when an announcement of a solid release 
date is imminent.

Penny