J.K.Rowling was today interviewed on the
Richard and Judy show. Amongst other things she talked about book 7 - stating that it is
NOT yet finished but she has added
two more deaths she didn't originally plan.
J.K.Rowling interview highlights:
- Book 7 is NOT finished but she is well into it - The final chapter for book 7 has changed slightly – 2 more people have died than she originally planned and 1 other person has got a reprieve
- Jo first wrote the final chapter in 1990
- Says she loved teaching teens and draws on memories of them and her own experiences for Harry and his friends
- Judy is a Hr/R and H/G shipper – she wants them to wed!
- She’s never been tempted to kill Harry off before book 7 – however she can understand the mentality behind killing a main character so no-one else can write sequels
- She won’t say whether Harry lives or dies
- The essential premise for Potter was a boy wizard who didn’t know he was a wizard
- She has regretted writing some parts where she may have boxed herself in, earlier in the series
- For the first 3 books she was in total denial about her and the series’ fame – “like a rabbit caught in headlights” – the freakiest thing is seeing casual references to HP in press – she was shocked when bludgers were referenced in a Wimbeldon write-up featuring Venus Williams
- Says she is wealthy but many figures are falsely reported
- Sudden fame did make her clam up
- Jessica, her daughter, has adapted well – kids have tried getting book titles out of her before
- Dating wasn't tricky because of fame but because she was a single mother
- Death became such a big theme in the books after her own mother died
- Jo admires the authors who go out on top while people still want more
- She’s written half of another children’s book for younger kids – it’s a much smaller book
- Jo says Ron is generally more popular than Harry -- remembers seeing an unofficial poll on a fansite reflecting this
- If she came across a boggart it'd be similar to Mrs Weasley's where she saw her children dead
- She thinks the person who she based Lockhart on probably doesn't realise she wasn't being nice in basing a character on him
- She made up the rules for Quidditch in about half an hour -- after having an argument with an ex-boyfriend -- this is where she thinks she got bludgers from
UPDATE: An audio of the interview can be downloaded from
here courtesy of
The Leaky Cauldron. A video and screencaps can be viewed
here (right click, save as target..) and
here courtesy of
Mugglenet.
J.K.Rowling talks book 7: 2 unintended deaths & 1 reprieve (updated) 
