Sixth Harry Potter Book Due Out in July

[SouthernHockeyChick]

By THOMAS WAGNER, Associated Press Writer

LONDON - The sixth novel in J.K. Rowling (news - web sites)'s blockbuster Harry Potter (news - web sites) series, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," will go on sale in Britain and the United States on July 16, publishers said Tuesday.

"We are delighted to announce the publication date," which also will take place in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, said the joint announcement by Nigel Newton, chief executive of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc in England, and Barbara Marcus, president of Scholastic Children's Books in the United States.

"J.K. Rowling has written a brilliant story that will dazzle her fans in a marvelous book that takes the series to yet greater heights. `Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' delivers all the excitement and wonder of her best-selling Harry Potter novels," they said.

In an earlier message on her Web site, the British author wrote: "I know you all expected this to happen on Christmas Day, but I was sure that those of you who celebrate Christmas have better things to do on the day itself than fight your way into my study, whereas those of you who DON'T celebrate Christmas would definitely prefer not to wait until the 25th."

Rowling, 39, noted that while she is pregnant with her third child, she has had the time "needed to tinker with the manuscript to my satisfaction and I am as happy as I have ever been with the end result. I only hope you feel it was worth the wait when you finally read it."

The news should be celebrated by Rowling's millions of fans and by the struggling publishing industry. Competition for sales began almost immediately, with the U.S. superstore chains Barnes & Noble Inc. and Borders Group Inc. announcing 40 percent discounts on the book's $29.99 suggested retail price.

"Sales from the last Harry Potter book grossed as much as a major Hollywood movie in its first week of release," Steve Riggio, chief executive officer of Barnes & Noble,' said in a statement Tuesday.

"We expect this next book in the series to make publishing history once again. We've already collected 500,000 e-mail requests from our customers waiting to be notified of the date of the next book so this announcement is very welcome news for readers everywhere."

The 2005 publishing date means that fans will be spared the seemingly interminable three-year wait between Potter IV, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," and Potter V, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," which came out in the summer of 2003.

The retail price is the same as for Potter V, even though Rowling has strongly hinted she will not approach the industrial-sized 870 pages of "Order of the Phoenix." In an earlier message on her Web site, she said that "According to the plan for book six, it will be quite a bit shorter than 'Order of the Phoenix'. I am not going to swear on my children's lives that that is going to be the case, but I am 99 percent certain of it."

More than 100 million copies of the fantasy series, which debuted in 1997, are in print, and "Order of the Phoenix" sold an astonishing 5 million copies within 24 hours of publication. According to Scholastic, the book has been published in 62 languages.

Sales have remained phenomenal even as Rowling's books have grown longer and darker, reflecting the boy wizard's maturation into adolescence. The first three Potter books have been made into hit movies. The books also have inspired countless Potter paraphernalia, including candy, cakes, capes and toys.

Rowling has said that one of her characters will not survive her sixth book, but she refused to identify that character.

Potter himself is safe, at least for now. Rowling has said her teenage hero will survive until the seventh and final book in the series, but has refused to say whether he will reach adulthood.

Only recently, the book's completion seemed far away.

In a message posted Dec. 10, Rowling said she had nothing "noteworthy to report, because I have been spending nearly all my time sitting in front of my computer writing, rewriting and taking the occasional break to bang my head off the desk in frustration or else rub my hands together in fiendish glee (I think the latter has happened once)."

WOO HOO!!! :nanner:

I find it hard to believe she can continue to make them as good as the first five have been but I can't wait to find out!!

[SouthernHockeyChick]

By THOMAS WAGNER, Associated Press Writer

LONDON - The sixth novel in J.K. Rowling (news - web sites)'s blockbuster Harry Potter (news - web sites) series, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," will go on sale in Britain and the United States on July 16, publishers said Tuesday.

"We are delighted to announce the publication date," which also will take place in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, said the joint announcement by Nigel Newton, chief executive of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc in England, and Barbara Marcus, president of Scholastic Children's Books in the United States.

"J.K. Rowling has written a brilliant story that will dazzle her fans in a marvelous book that takes the series to yet greater heights. `Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' delivers all the excitement and wonder of her best-selling Harry Potter novels," they said.

In an earlier message on her Web site, the British author wrote: "I know you all expected this to happen on Christmas Day, but I was sure that those of you who celebrate Christmas have better things to do on the day itself than fight your way into my study, whereas those of you who DON'T celebrate Christmas would definitely prefer not to wait until the 25th."

Rowling, 39, noted that while she is pregnant with her third child, she has had the time "needed to tinker with the manuscript to my satisfaction and I am as happy as I have ever been with the end result. I only hope you feel it was worth the wait when you finally read it."

The news should be celebrated by Rowling's millions of fans and by the struggling publishing industry. Competition for sales began almost immediately, with the U.S. superstore chains Barnes & Noble Inc. and Borders Group Inc. announcing 40 percent discounts on the book's $29.99 suggested retail price.

"Sales from the last Harry Potter book grossed as much as a major Hollywood movie in its first week of release," Steve Riggio, chief executive officer of Barnes & Noble,' said in a statement Tuesday.

"We expect this next book in the series to make publishing history once again. We've already collected 500,000 e-mail requests from our customers waiting to be notified of the date of the next book so this announcement is very welcome news for readers everywhere."

The 2005 publishing date means that fans will be spared the seemingly interminable three-year wait between Potter IV, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," and Potter V, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," which came out in the summer of 2003.

The retail price is the same as for Potter V, even though Rowling has strongly hinted she will not approach the industrial-sized 870 pages of "Order of the Phoenix." In an earlier message on her Web site, she said that "According to the plan for book six, it will be quite a bit shorter than 'Order of the Phoenix'. I am not going to swear on my children's lives that that is going to be the case, but I am 99 percent certain of it."

More than 100 million copies of the fantasy series, which debuted in 1997, are in print, and "Order of the Phoenix" sold an astonishing 5 million copies within 24 hours of publication. According to Scholastic, the book has been published in 62 languages.

Sales have remained phenomenal even as Rowling's books have grown longer and darker, reflecting the boy wizard's maturation into adolescence. The first three Potter books have been made into hit movies. The books also have inspired countless Potter paraphernalia, including candy, cakes, capes and toys.

Rowling has said that one of her characters will not survive her sixth book, but she refused to identify that character.

Potter himself is safe, at least for now. Rowling has said her teenage hero will survive until the seventh and final book in the series, but has refused to say whether he will reach adulthood.

Only recently, the book's completion seemed far away.

In a message posted Dec. 10, Rowling said she had nothing "noteworthy to report, because I have been spending nearly all my time sitting in front of my computer writing, rewriting and taking the occasional break to bang my head off the desk in frustration or else rub my hands together in fiendish glee (I think the latter has happened once)."

WOO HOO!!! :nanner:

I find it hard to believe she can continue to make them as good as the first five have been but I can't wait to find out!!

[Canesluver]

Man! I'd better hurry up and read the last two.... they've both been sitting on my desk FOREVER!! :beatup: I do love the series-- don't really know why I haven't opened those, yet.....

[Canesluver]

Man! I'd better hurry up and read the last two.... they've both been sitting on my desk FOREVER!! :beatup: I do love the series-- don't really know why I haven't opened those, yet.....

[tommy]

I've read the first 4, I just haven't gotten around to #5 - last summer was really busy, so I didn't have much time to sit down and read it. But now I'm (Finally) on break, so I may just read it now!

[tommy]

I've read the first 4, I just haven't gotten around to #5 - last summer was really busy, so I didn't have much time to sit down and read it. But now I'm (Finally) on break, so I may just read it now!

[ONeillsNo1Fan]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! I'm gonna try to read all five before it comes out. We'll see how far I get.... :roll:

[ONeillsNo1Fan]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! I'm gonna try to read all five before it comes out. We'll see how far I get.... :roll:

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! I'm gonna try to read all five before it comes out. We'll see how far I get.... :roll:

I had the plan to re-read the first five this past summer and now over my break but it wasn't happening. I finally resigned myself last night to only reading the 4th and 5th again.....maybe I'll get that done before July. ;) I got through over 100 pages just last night so I should be able to get them done before break is over....maybe. :crazy:

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! I'm gonna try to read all five before it comes out. We'll see how far I get.... :roll:

I had the plan to re-read the first five this past summer and now over my break but it wasn't happening. I finally resigned myself last night to only reading the 4th and 5th again.....maybe I'll get that done before July. ;) I got through over 100 pages just last night so I should be able to get them done before break is over....maybe. :crazy:

[Turbulence]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

[Turbulence]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

[puck_it]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

i read the first 4 then quit.

and yes not seeing Star Wars (the real ones) makes you extra weird.

[puck_it]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

i read the first 4 then quit.

and yes not seeing Star Wars (the real ones) makes you extra weird.

[ONeillsNo1Fan]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

I can understand the Harry Potter, but not seeing at least the first three Star Wars is just not acceptable. The new ones suck. I didn't think such a person existed! ;)

[ONeillsNo1Fan]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

I can understand the Harry Potter, but not seeing at least the first three Star Wars is just not acceptable. The new ones suck. I didn't think such a person existed! ;)

[tommy]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

Wow. I really don't know what to say.

hahah yeah thats crazy weird

[tommy]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

Wow. I really don't know what to say.

hahah yeah thats crazy weird

[Stormbringer]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

Nope...there are at least two of us. *pats Turby on the shoulder*

It's funny that this thread was created just after I discovered the following... :crazy: :D

http://www.potterpuppetpals.com/

[Stormbringer]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

Nope...there are at least two of us. *pats Turby on the shoulder*

It's funny that this thread was created just after I discovered the following... :crazy: :D

http://www.potterpuppetpals.com/

[oneillfan92]

Make that 3 of us.

[oneillfan92]

Make that 3 of us.

[Turbulence]

Excellent!
Y'all are the only others that I've ever met. :D

[Turbulence]

Excellent!
Y'all are the only others that I've ever met. :D

[Alicia]

I haven't read them either but I did go see the last movie with my son. :beatup:

[Alicia]

I haven't read them either but I did go see the last movie with my son. :beatup:

[Fernando da Silva]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

Make that 4 of us

I sincerelly hate Harry Potter ( :sick: )

[Fernando da Silva]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

Make that 4 of us

I sincerelly hate Harry Potter ( :sick: )

[Shell]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

Make that 4 of us

I sincerelly hate Harry Potter ( :sick: )

how can you sincerely hate books you never read?

[Shell]

I think I may be the only human being alive that hasn't read Harry Potter.

In addition, I haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies. Does that make me weird?

Make that 4 of us

I sincerelly hate Harry Potter ( :sick: )

how can you sincerely hate books you never read?

[tommy]

ahahahahaha

its like kids who've never had spinach who somehow hate it already...

[tommy]

ahahahahaha

its like kids who've never had spinach who somehow hate it already...

[puck_it]

ahahahahaha

its like kids who've never had spinach who somehow hate it already...

yeah or like reporters who never have been to a hockey game, but feel that they are very qualified to write an article about it ;)

[puck_it]

ahahahahaha

its like kids who've never had spinach who somehow hate it already...

yeah or like reporters who never have been to a hockey game, but feel that they are very qualified to write an article about it ;)

[tommy]

ahahahahaha

its like kids who've never had spinach who somehow hate it already...

yeah or like reporters who never have been to a hockey game, but feel that they are very qualified to write an article about it ;)

excellent analogy, my friend

[tommy]

ahahahahaha

its like kids who've never had spinach who somehow hate it already...

yeah or like reporters who never have been to a hockey game, but feel that they are very qualified to write an article about it ;)

excellent analogy, my friend

[goalie33]

I've read the first two Potter books, but then I started reading Lemony Snicket, and they are more my style (plus they're shorter). I enjoy the movies, though.

[goalie33]

I've read the first two Potter books, but then I started reading Lemony Snicket, and they are more my style (plus they're shorter). I enjoy the movies, though.

[Fernando da Silva]

how can you sincerely hate books you never read?

I already read Harry Potter. But in my style. Starting to read the book at a random point...

[Fernando da Silva]

how can you sincerely hate books you never read?

I already read Harry Potter. But in my style. Starting to read the book at a random point...

[Turbulence]

how can you sincerely hate books you never read?

I wouldn't say hate...but my feelings are similar. I know I haven't read the books or seen the movie, but I know what it's about and I know how obsessed people have become over it (and what they have become, if that makes any sense...raving lunatics about Harry Potter) and that sort of turns me off of it...not that I'm some kind of non-conformist, but it just looks like something that isn't for me. It's just something about that sci-fi plot that I can't get. Things need to be at least halfway realistic for me to really get in to...even Bond is a stretch for me (though I love it so! :cool:)

Though I guarantee you that if I read the book I'd be hooked, instantly, like everybody else.

[Turbulence]

how can you sincerely hate books you never read?

I wouldn't say hate...but my feelings are similar. I know I haven't read the books or seen the movie, but I know what it's about and I know how obsessed people have become over it (and what they have become, if that makes any sense...raving lunatics about Harry Potter) and that sort of turns me off of it...not that I'm some kind of non-conformist, but it just looks like something that isn't for me. It's just something about that sci-fi plot that I can't get. Things need to be at least halfway realistic for me to really get in to...even Bond is a stretch for me (though I love it so! :cool:)

Though I guarantee you that if I read the book I'd be hooked, instantly, like everybody else.

[ONeillsNo1Fan]

I said the same thing, Turby. I wanted nothing to do with the books cause I couldn't stand all the hype. My friends made me read the first few chapters and I got hooked. I totally understand where you're coming from, though.

[ONeillsNo1Fan]

I said the same thing, Turby. I wanted nothing to do with the books cause I couldn't stand all the hype. My friends made me read the first few chapters and I got hooked. I totally understand where you're coming from, though.

[puck_it]

how can you sincerely hate books you never read?

I already read Harry Potter. But in my style. Starting to read the book at a random point...

rigggggght i do that with picture books but not ones with words

[puck_it]

how can you sincerely hate books you never read?

I already read Harry Potter. But in my style. Starting to read the book at a random point...

rigggggght i do that with picture books but not ones with words

[Fernando da Silva]

I wouldn't say hate...but my feelings are similar. I know I haven't read the books or seen the movie, but I know what it's about and I know how obsessed people have become over it (and what they have become, if that makes any sense...raving lunatics about Harry Potter) and that sort of turns me off of it...not that I'm some kind of non-conformist, but it just looks like something that isn't for me. It's just something about that sci-fi plot that I can't get. Things need to be at least halfway realistic for me to really get in to...even Bond is a stretch for me (though I love it so! )

I agree with Turby this time.

[Fernando da Silva]

I wouldn't say hate...but my feelings are similar. I know I haven't read the books or seen the movie, but I know what it's about and I know how obsessed people have become over it (and what they have become, if that makes any sense...raving lunatics about Harry Potter) and that sort of turns me off of it...not that I'm some kind of non-conformist, but it just looks like something that isn't for me. It's just something about that sci-fi plot that I can't get. Things need to be at least halfway realistic for me to really get in to...even Bond is a stretch for me (though I love it so! )

I agree with Turby this time.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I guess I'm a raving Harry Potter lunatic. :evil: I just need to run out and get that Harry Potter bedspread and curtains for my room, huh? ;)

I get what you're saying, Turby. I was really resistent to the hype at first. I didn't want to read them just because everyone loves them so much. But, then, a friend bought me book 1 about the time book 3 came out and I loved it so much I bought books 2 and 3 and read them immediately.

Outside of whatever you feel about the subject matter, the writing and story-craft is just amazing to me. She mentiones tiny details in book 1 that come up and are extremely important in book 3. It all ties together and every new book builds so much off the old books. I just think she's an absolutely phenomenal writer. If she were writing about house plants I'd probably read that too!

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I guess I'm a raving Harry Potter lunatic. :evil: I just need to run out and get that Harry Potter bedspread and curtains for my room, huh? ;)

I get what you're saying, Turby. I was really resistent to the hype at first. I didn't want to read them just because everyone loves them so much. But, then, a friend bought me book 1 about the time book 3 came out and I loved it so much I bought books 2 and 3 and read them immediately.

Outside of whatever you feel about the subject matter, the writing and story-craft is just amazing to me. She mentiones tiny details in book 1 that come up and are extremely important in book 3. It all ties together and every new book builds so much off the old books. I just think she's an absolutely phenomenal writer. If she were writing about house plants I'd probably read that too!

[Fernando da Silva]

I must admit that the only thing that made me hate Harry Potter books was the AWFUL translation to Brazilian Portuguese. Where in the world names can be translated?

(If somebody tells "i know a place where names are translated", please call me "Fernando of the Silva")

[Fernando da Silva]

I must admit that the only thing that made me hate Harry Potter books was the AWFUL translation to Brazilian Portuguese. Where in the world names can be translated?

(If somebody tells "i know a place where names are translated", please call me "Fernando of the Silva")