BBC "Red Nose Day" Online Chat Transcript - March 2001

How do you choose the names for your books?
With difficulty... I've changed my mind a few times, that was a problem with Goblet of Fire which was originally called 'The Doomspell Tournament'.

How old is Prof. Dumbledore and Prof. Snape?
Dumbledore's about 150 years old... Wizards have a longer life expectancy than us Muggles. Snape's 35 or 36.

What's the favourite Harry Potter Book that you've written so far?
Probably Goblet of Fire, though it's very hard to choose. It's usually the book you've done most recently.

Will the Weasley twins open their joke shop, where and when?
Come on... do you really really think I'm going to tell you that?!

When will book 5 be released?
Don't know, sorry! It's not finished yet.

What do you think about Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings"?
I read it when I was about twenty I think and I liked it a lot, though I've never re-read it, which is revealing (usually with my favourite books I re-read them endlessly). But he created a whole mythology, an incredible achievement.

How do you choose the names for the creatures in your stories?
I make up most of them, but some of them are obscure old English words I like and merrily abuse by applying them to some horrible creature. I also get a lot of names from maps. I don't imagine I'm very popular in Dursley.

Do you need a Wand to do Magic?
You can do unfocused and uncontrolled magic without a wand (for instance when Harry blows up Aunt Marge), but to do really good spells, yes, you need a wand.

What do you think about the mass marketing of Harry Potter merchandise to tie in with the movie? Do you like any of it, and do you think it is a good idea to have a 'universal Harry' image rather than keeping that which has become specific in different countries?
Well, we always knew there would be merchandising along with the movie, and Warner Bros. have given me a lot of input on it. As for a general view of Harry, I think most people's idea of him comes from the different book covers around the world at the moment and they're not changing. We'll have to see what happens once people have seen Dan Radcliffe, I suppose!

Does it bother you that in America they changed the names of your books?
They changed the first title, but with my consent. To be honest, I wish I hadn't agreed now, but it was my first book, and I was so grateful that anyone was publishing me I wanted to keep them happy...

Has Harry got a middle name and if so what is it?
Yes, he has, it's James, of course!

How do you cope with the aggravation from strongly religious people against witchcraft?
Well, mostly I laugh about it. I ignore it... and very occasionally I get annoyed, because they have missed the point so spectacularly. I think the Harry books are very moral, but some people just object to witchcraft being mentioned in a children's book. Unfortunately, that means we'll have to lose a lot of classic children's fiction.

How carefully do you plan your books?
So carefully I sometimes feel as though my brain is going to explode.

Do you feel that the Harry Potter film will take away the imagination and magic from the book?
Well, obviously I hope not! I'm excited about seeing the film, but then no film could ever ruin my favourite books for me.

What is your favourite book ever (not including Harry Potter)?
Let's see... there are loads... probably 'Emma' by Jane Austen... or 'The Van' by Roddy Doyle... there are so many.

Why were there no pictures in your books?
Actually, I drew some pictures for book one, and the publishers didn't want them. They felt that putting in pictures implied the books were for younger children, but I drew the pics for Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts, so that was fun.

What is the approximate value of a galleon?
About five pounds, though the exchange rate varies!

If you could travel to Hogwarts for an hour, what would you do there?
Go straight into a certain room, mentioned in book four, which has certain magical properties Harry hasn't discovered yet!

How many rough copies do you have to do before you get it right?
Loads and loads and loads. The worst ever was thirteen different versions of one chapter (chapter nine in Goblet of Fire). I hated that chapter so much; at one point, I thought of missing it out altogether and just putting in a page saying 'Chapter Nine was too difficult' and going straight to Chapter Ten.

You have mentioned that there are wizard schools all over the world. Is there any possibility that you may write about some of them?
Well, as you'll know if you've read Goblet, I've already written about a couple of them, but a whole series, no... I'm loyal to Hogwarts!

Are you looking forward to the film premiere?
I'm looking forward to seeing the film, very much indeed, but I never look forward to anything that involves loads of cameras pointed in my direction. I think I'll go in disguise. Look out for the person in the purple turban, that'll be me.

Which character do you most enjoy writing for?
Good question... Gilderoy Lockhart was loads of fun, but he was a bit of a one-joke character, and I think I did as much as I could with him. I love writing Hagrid and the Dursleys, too. Oh, and Fred and George... all of them, now I come to think of it.

I love the idea of Harry getting older, do you think you might be tempted to write books about Harry when he is working and has a family of his own?
Hmmmmmm... yet another person who is convinced I'm not going to kill him off! Where you people get the idea I'm soft-hearted I don't know. I'm joking. Or am I?

Did you read the Narnia books when you were a child?
Yes I did and I liked them, though all the Christian symbolism utterly escaped me. It was only when I re-read them later in life that it struck me forcibly.

Is J.K. Rowling your real name or is it your 'writers' name?
My real name is Joanne Rowling. My publishers wanted another initial, so I gave myself my favourite grandmother's name as a middle name 'Kathleen'.

When is Ron's Birthday?
First of March, in case you're thinking of sending him a card, and Hermione is the nineteenth of September.

What was Professor Trelawney's first genuine prediction?
You'll find out! The best questions - the ones from really attentive and thoughtful readers-- are always the ones I can't answer-- they give too much away!

Have any of the Hogwarts professors had spouses?
Good question-- yes, a few of them, but that information is sort of restricted-- you'll find out why.

Will Harry ever notice the long-suffering Ginny Weasley?
You'll see... poor Ginny, eh?

What's your most hated book of all time?
That I've ever read? It's probably a Jeffrey Archer. I made myself read one to find out whether it was as bad as I thought, and it was.

Does Hermione like Ron as more than a friend?
The answer to that is in Goblet of Fire!

Do we find out more about James Potter's family history in the next books?
Yes, you do...

Where did you get your idea for the house elves?
House-elves exist in folklore. I didn't invent the tradition that if you present them with clothes they will leave. I thought it would be funny if they thought clothes were a disgrace. Except, of course, for Dobby.

What happened to Neville's Toad?
He's still lurking.

Don't you think Stephen Fry has the best voice for your books?
Yes I definitely do, he's perfect. The moment they said he might be available I said 'GET HIM!!!'

What or who would you send into Room 101?
Cats - I don't like them, and certain journalists.

What would you say to those people who think that Harry Potter is too scary for children?
Well, I think it's foolish to try and 'protect' children from Harry. I can't think of any surer way to make them desperate to read the books! And as I've already said, I think of them as very moral.

If you could pick your own wand core what would it be?
Phoenix feather and... let's see... possibly walnut. I love walnut wood.

Thanks to HP Galleries for the transcript!

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Housten Chronicle interview - March 2001

Q: What is the meaning behind Harry's lightning bolt scar?
A: There are some things I can tell you about it and some things I can't. I wanted him to be physically marked by what he has been through. It was an outward expression of what he has been through inside.

I gave him a scar and in a prominent place so other people would recognize him. It is almost like being the chosen one, or the cursed one, in a sense. Someone tried to kill him; that's how he got it.

I chose the lightning bolt because it was the most plausible shape for a distinctive scar. As you know, the scar has certain powers, and it gives Harry warnings. I can't say more than that, but there is more to say.

Q: From what we've read in interviews, you thought of Harry Potter while riding on the train. Did something happen that made you think of the story?
A: It was the weirdest feeling. I was on the train, and it seemed liked the idea was just floating in my head. It was like the idea had been floating around waiting for someone to write it, and it chose me.

It was like an explosion in my head. It was like magic, I know that sounds corny, but it was like pure inspiration.

You can always tell when you have had a good idea when you are writing because you get this physical response to it, a surge of excitement. You can normally tell the good ideas from the bad because of that gut feeling and you get physically excited.

I never felt such excitement. I've been writing for years, and I just felt that this one would be so much fun to write.

Q: What is your favorite part of the (Harry Potter) story?
A: I was really proud of the ending in the Goblet of Fire, because that was the culmination of 10 years' work, and that was very important to the overall story. I spent a lot of time getting that right, and I was pleased with that.

I am fond of Chapter 12 in the first book. I would also say that books two and four are my favorites, and the weird thing is they were the most difficult to write.

In Chamber of Secrets, I liked that final scene where there is that rescue. In Azkaban, Professor Remus Lupin was one of my favorite characters. There are bits in all of them that I am fond of.

Q: Do you ever worry you will run out of ideas?
A: No. I know that sounds very arrogant, but I never worry I will run out of ideas. Having said that, after Harry, who knows?

Q: Will the fifth book be based on a major event or will it get back to Quidditch games and magic lessons?
A: Normal life is kind of reviewed. Magic lessons will be back, but as usual there is a lot more going on than that.

Thanks to HP Galleries for the transcript!

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September 2001 Interview

The Harry Potter author speaks! Sep 24, 2001 GMT. HarryPotter.co.uk is pleased to present the transcript of an exclusive live chat recently held with "Harry Potter" creator J.K. Rowling. Her magical book series is a worldwide phenomenon. This live transcript is courtesy of AOL.

Moderator: Good evening. This is a real treat -- the most popular writer in the world. Welcome, J.K. Rowling.

J.K. Rowling: Thank you!

Moderator: Tonight, because we have so many questions, we asked you to send them in advance. I've gone through them -- will I use YOURS? We also have two of Ms. Rowling's expert young fans, a boy who calls himself Firebolt and a girl who is called Nimbus. They will also be asking questions. Nimbus, let's start with you...

Nimbus: Ms. Rowling, do you think that making a Harry Potter movie will help people understand the books better or will it ruin the imagination for the books?

J.K. Rowling: I don't think people need help understanding the books. I hope the film will be really good and not disappoint the fans. Personally, I can't wait to watch Quidditch.

Moderator: And now from Firebolt...

Firebolt: Ms. Rowling, why did you write about witchcraft and wizardry?

J.K. Rowling: I had the idea of a boy who was a wizard and didn't yet know what he was. I never sat down and wondered, ?What shall I write about next?? It just came, fully formed.

Moderator: Here's one from Emily: When people trade in Muggle money for Wizard money, what does Gringotts do with the Muggle money?

J.K. Rowling: Those goblins are sneaky people. They manage to put the Muggle money back into circulation. They are like ?fences? -- British slang, do you understand it?

Moderator: Here's one from Tiger Lily: What did James and Lily Potter do when they were alive?

J.K. Rowling: Well, I can't go into too much detail, because you're going to find out in future books. But James inherited plenty of money, so he didn't need a well-paid profession. You'll find out more about both Harry's parents later.

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Larry King Live Interview (19 October 2001)

Larry King: Was "Potter" the first thing you wrote?

J.K. Rowling: No, I've been writing since I was six years old, so it's.

King: Really.

Rowling: Yes, probably the 23rd thing I wrote, really.

King: Children's books?

Rowling: No, never children's books. That's the weird thing, I thought I was going to be a writer for adults, but "Harry" was the first I tried to get published.

King: You never submitted anything before?

Rowling: No.

King: Why?

Rowling: Because I was acute enough to know they weren't worth much. I think, you know, one of my strengths as a writer is normally I know when I haven't come up to scratch and I just knew I wasn't ready.

King: So if people come over and say let's publish some of those works...

Rowling: No one has, but that's because I've made it very clear that they're due for the shredder. I wouldn't want them published.

King: Is "Potter" all you're ever going to write?

Rowling: No, I'll be writing until I can't write anymore. It's a compulsion with me. I love writing.

King: Do you remember how, it's impossible to say how an idea came about. Do you remember, though, the creation of this concept?

Rowling: Yes, it came to me on a train going from Manchester to London in England and it came very suddenly. I just...

King: What came?

Rowling: The idea for this boy who didn't know what he was until he was 11 and then got this invitation to go off to wizard school and I had this very physical response to this idea. I felt so excited. I just thought it would be so fun to write.

King: So you went right away and started writing.

Rowling: Literally, got off the train, went home and started writing.

King: Do you know, J.K., where you're going?

Rowling: Yes.

King: You do? You plot it out?

Rowling: Yes, I spent five years -missing words- it was five years before -missing words- between having that idea and finishing the first book and during those five years I was planning the whole seven book series, so it's already written in stone. That's how it's going to happen.

King: Now they're doing a movie, now. I ran into Mr. Rickman, who is going to be one of the stars of the movie.

Rowling: Yes, he's playing Snape. Good choice.

King: Have you approved the script?

Rowling: I have script approval and the writer Steve Clovis (ph) has been incredibly generous in allowing me to answer questions. You know, it's actually been a lot fun for me because I've seen other -missing words- writing is a very solitary business and to work collaboratively on something although, I mean, it's Steve's script, as I say, he's allowed me some input. Yes, it's been a really interesting experience.

King: But it is apples and oranges, movies and books?

Rowling: Very much so.

King: You can't film a thought.

Rowling: Absolutely. Absolutely true, and my true media is definitely the novel. I work best alone, probably. I love writing novels. I have no desire to do anything else.

King: Do you like the young man they've selected to play him?

Rowling: Dan is great. It was a very difficult process. Finding Harry was very hard. It was like trying to find Scarlett O'Hara, this one. And I think everyone was getting slightly desperate. And I was walking down the streets of Edinburgh and London and looking at boys who passed me in a very suspicious looking way. You know, I was thinking could it be him. And then the producer and director walked into the theater one night and they found Dan. And Dan is an actor. And he's just perfect. And I saw his tests, and I really had everything crossed that Dan would be the one, and he is.

King: The pressure is going to be enormous on that movie with this millions of readers, you've got 48 million books in print.

Rowling: Uh-huh.

King: This movie is a guaranteed opening night hit. It almost has to be good.

Rowling: I hope so.

King: I mean, it better...

Rowling: Obviously I hope so because I'm going to be sitting there like everybody else, really wanting to watch Quidditch. That's the thing I want to see most. I've been watching Quidditch which, for people who don't know, is a game played on broomsticks, quite a complicated game. And I've been watching this inside my head for 10 years so to be able to physically watch it, I feel like a kid when I think about that.

King: Anything in the selection of the name, Harry Potter?

Rowling: Harry, Harry was always my favorite boy's name or has been fro a long time. And if my daughter had been a son, I was already writing "Harry Potter" when she was born, she probably would have been Harry and then Harry would have been called something else because it's too cruel to name...

King: Is it more common in Great Britain? It's the name of one of the princes, right?

Rowling: Yes, but don't ask me did I name him after Prince Harry. It's not that common a name. It's one of those names that's always slightly unusual. It's quite an old-fashioned name. I like it.

King: It was once very popular in America. We have a song "I'm Just Wild About Harry."

Rowling: Sure, yes.

King: How has all the success affected you? It has to affect you.

Rowling: It has. Obviously, it's had a massive impact. Day to day not much. People might be surprised to hear that, but my day is really very -missing words- what it always was, which is trying to get time to write, which used to be difficult because I'm a single parent and I was doing a day job. And now it's difficult because the phone never stops ringing so I still walk out of the house to write. Occasionally, obviously, you know, I'm on the LARRY KING show. This was not a feature of my life.

King: You also don't have economic pressure anymore.

Rowling: I don't have economic pressure anymore. And every day people constantly say to me what's the best thing about that, and without a doubt the best thing is I don't have to worry. I mean, every day, you know, there will be single mother out there who I think will really understand nothing means more to me than the fact I don't have to worry about that anymore because it's a difficult way to live.

Viewer question: I'd like to know if any of your characters of the "Harry Potter" series are like any real-life characters you've ever met.

Rowling: Right. Yes, a few people were inspired by living people. I have to be careful what I say here because some of my characters aren't too pleasant, but Hermione, who is one of Harry's best friends, she was most consciously based on a real person, and that person was me. She's a caricature of me when I was younger. Ron, who is Harry's other best friend, he's a lot like my oldest friend, who is a man called Sean. I was at school with him and the second book is dedicated to Sean.

King: Did you think it would do as well with adults?

Rowling: No. In all honesty, I didn't think it would do this well with anyone. I thought I was writing quite an obscure book that if it ever got published would maybe have a handful of devotees because I thought it is kind of a book for obsessives. I thought, well, maybe a few people will like it a lot. I never expected it to have broad appeal.

King: You might have thought it would be a cult following, a small intense group?

Rowling: Yes, I think if you'd sort of given me a multiple choice one and one of them had been mass acclaim and one had been cult I'd have picked cult, yes.

Viewer comment: I'd like to know how you come up with the spells and if you have to research those, if that's something that you come up entirely on your own out of your imagination or whether it's something that you researched and had to find out about magical spells and potions?

Rowling: I'd say at least 95 percent of it is made up by me just out of nowhere. And then I meet people at book signings who whisper to me, "We are trying the spells." And I think: Well, don't bother, because I know I just made them up. They don't work.
But there's a small percentage of the stuff in books that is my modification of what people used to believe was true. For example, there is an object in the second book, which is the Hand of Glory. This is very macabre, but people used to believe in Europe that, if you cut off the hand of a hanged man, it would make a perpetual torch that gave light only to the holder, which is a creepy, you know but a wonderful idea. So I used that. That's a very ancient idea. I didn't invent the Hand of Glory.

King: How do you for think for an 11-year-old when you're not 11?

Rowling: Because I find it phenomenally easy to think myself back to that age.

King: You can put yourself back to 11?
Rowling: Very easily. This is where it all comes from. I often get asked: Do you get ideas from children? Do you ask children what they're interested in? No. This is entirely about my memories of childhood.

King: Why not then a heroin? Why isn't this Helene Potter?

Rowling: Very good question. I was -missing words- this is weird -missing words- writing the books for six months, before I stopped and thought: Well, he's a boy. How did that happen? Why is he a boy? Why isn't it Harriet? And number one, it was too late. Harry was too real by then for me to try to put him in a dress. That wasn't going to work. And then there was Hermione, and Hermione is an indispensable part of the books and how the adventures happen.
And she so much me that I felt no guilt about keeping the hero who had walked into my head. You know, it was uncontrived. It wasn't conscious. That's how he happened. So I kept him that way.

King: Our remaining moments with J.K. Rowling. The newest, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." The movie, what's the title of the movie?

Rowling: They're doing a really great thing, which is, it will be "Sorcerer's Stone" here and "Philosopher's Stone" in Britain.

King: "Sorcerer's Stone" everywhere. We'll be back with our remaining moment -- couple more questions from outside as well. Don't go away.

Viewer comment: I want to know why you or where you got the names for certain things like the literary references behind them, like why is Hogwarts called Hogwarts?

Rowling: I love names, as anyone who has read the book is going to see only too clearly.

King: You are a name freak.

Rowling: I am a bit of a name freak. A lot of the names that I didn't invent come from maps. Snape is a place name in Britain. Dumbledore is an old English dialect word for bumblebee, because he is a musical person. And I imagine him humming to himself all the time. Hagrid is also an old English word. Hedwig was a saint, a Medieval saint.
I collect them. You know, if I hear a good name, I have got to write it down. And it will probably crop up somewhere.

King: What do you make of the critique in some elements of the United States, especially in the Christian right, who have said that this book is, well, it deals with demons and things?

Rowling: What it deals with is good and evil. And like a lot of classic children's literature, it deals with good and evil. So my feeling is that their objection is utterly unfounded. I mean, occasionally, I wonder: Have they read the books? I think they're very moral books.
If we are going to object to depicting magic in books, then we are going to have to reject C.S. Lewis. We're going to have to get rid of the "Wizard of Oz." There is going be lot of classic children's literature is not going to be allowed to survive that, so -missing words- and I'm very opposed to censorship.
So, no, I can't agree with what they're doing at all.

King: In how many languages are you printed?

Rowling: I think it's definitely over 30. I know it's 29 countries. But obviously, there are different dialects.

King: How much mail do you get?

Rowling: Avalanches of mail. This is why I'm here you know, it's people...

King: Yes, why are you here? There's no -

(CROSSTALK)

Rowling: Exactly. They say - some people: Why are you still doing this? You don't need the money. No, I'm not trying to sell a book. What I'm trying to do is reach people, because I have millions of readers, and they ask me questions. And so to do this and to be able to answer questions in this way, because if I ... you know, if I visited every school that wants me to visit them, if I gave every reading a library would like me to give, I would never eat, sleep, write. I'd never see my daughter, you know.
So this is a way of reaching people without physically having to go everywhere.

King: Do you think, Jo ... Jo, is your name, right?

Rowling: Yes.

King: Do you think, Jo, that the pressure is going to be enormous when the "Potter" series is done and we get your first book after that?

Rowling: I'm never going write anything this popular again. And I...

King: That would be impossible.

Rowling: It would. I've been reconciled to that since "Philosopher's Stone" came out. The whole thing knocked me off my feet. I didn't expect it at all. And, in way, that will be OK, because I will then probably be the writer I always thought I would be. I would be the writer I aspired to be: someone who was just getting on quietly with writing.
So although this has been a fabulous experience, I don't think I'm going cry when the journalists pack up and go home and don't want to speak to me so often. That's truly not what it's about for me.

King: But you will not again write just for yourself?

Rowling: I will always write just for myself. And that -- the next book might be for adults. It might still be for children. If I'm always known as a children's...

King: But, I mean, ones that you won't bring forward?

Rowling: Oh, yes, right. OK.

King: They will come forward?

Rowling: You mean...

King: You're not going to write a book and put it away anymore?

Rowling: Well, I might do. I don't know. That could definitely happen.

King: That's right. You don't have to, Jo.

Rowling: No, I don't have to publish. We all know that. The only reason to keep writing now is if I really enjoy the writing.

King: A great pleasure meeting you.

Rowling: And you too. Thank you very much.

King: Continued success.

Rowling: Thank you.

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September 2002 Interview

How do you feel now that the court case is over?
I'm so relieved. This court case has dragged on for a few years. I'm a really happy woman today!

How do you feel about the fact that she made up so many things to try and win the case?
You can imagine the relief that finally the truth is actually out there. While it was going on there's nothing you can say, you feel powerless. The judge found for us very quickly - I'm really happy.

There have been quite a few rumours about when book five will be out - when do you think it'll be ready?
There's a lot of book done - that's all I want to say because if I give a date and then I pass it everyone will be upset. I will say that I have a beginning, a middle and an end - you could read it all the way through and I know a lot of Harry Potter fans will say just give it to us but I'm perfectionist and I want a bit more time to tweak. I really am getting there and I have to laugh when I read the bits about writer's block because I don't think I've ever been blocked in my life! I'm loving the writing and now the revising and I'm getting on really well.

You can't tell us whether that will be weeks or months?
I'd rather not say just in case I have a bus accident and things get knocked off track! It won't be too long - that's all I'll say!

Is there anything that you can tell us about book five? Any new characters?
Well, we've obviously got a new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher because Professor Moody wouldn't want the job again having been locked in a trunk for a year! It's a woman this time. You may see a little more of Mundungus and there's a new sorting hat song.

Is the book going to be as long as book four was?
Yes, it is looking that way - it's already passed Azkaban, so I think yes, we are looking at Goblet of Fire length.

Do you keep an eye on the internet and all the rumours about when the new book will be out?
For my own mental health it's best not to go onto the internet and type in Harry Potter too often because it's scary! I will say that while the court case was going on someone told me to go and have a look at a couple of the fan sites and I did and they were very very supportive of me. It meant a lot to me at a time when I was wondering whether anyone would ever believe that I hadn't stolen from someone else - I'd like to say thank you to those people.

Is this book is definitely called The Order Of The Phoenix?
Yes.

We've had loads of kids e-mailing in saying how glad they are the court case is over - they've followed it for two years - what is your message to them?
Thank you. Thank you for believing that I was telling the truth. It did mean a lot to me. People often think that when you're successful things like this don't hurt you and they couldn't be more wrong. It was really hard for a while and I couldn't be more grateful to those people for saying that - it means a lot to me.

The other thing is that we've had so many e-mails from children saying 'let's not hassle JK about the book, when it's ready we'll be really eager to read it.' What's your message to them?
I like them even more! They're very unusual children because even my own daughter has no problem asking me about the book!

Finally, what's your message to children who've been waiting for the next book for a two and a half years?
It's coming and it's a lot nearer than you'd think if you read some newspapers - just trust me.

Courtesy CBBC Newsround