Why such a point of characters' birthdays?

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 110968



>She's taking pity on all those devoted fans who check her website
>everyday looking for new information.  Alternately, she's giving 
them
>crumbs to whet their appetites for more info.  
>
>Magda (who can never find the stupid bloody #@*%^ door anyway)
>

So, basically, you and James think that she's just picking birthdays 
at random  to satisfy and/or manipulate her fans?

Caspen 

JKR has said she's filled notebooks with details about the lives of
her characters. Remember, she wrote out Dean Thomas' whole life
story. It's common for authors to imagine backstories for their
characters, and I imagine in JKR's case that included birthdays. 
Now she's simply sharing a few of those details, not to manipulate
her fans, but probably as a gesture of good will and gratitude. 

After all, while she deserves every bit of credit for the fascinating
world she created, it's the readers who have made it--and her--so
successful. I think she appreciates that, and gives back a little
by sharing bits and pieces with us. (And I think she genuinely
enjoys doing it too!)

That's my opinion anyway,

Julie 


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