“I wanted to give something back to the fans that have followed Harry so devotedly over the years, and to bring the stories to a new digital generation.”
This October, best-selling children’s author J.K. Rowling is keeping her promise to bring Harry Potter closer to the digital generation with the launching of all seven books as e-books.
Keeping pace with the digital world, the e-book versions of the best-selling series will only be available on the website Pottermore. But don’t raise an eyebrow yet. What’s more to love about it is it’s free from digital rights management, so it’s compatible with different devices like Amazon’s Kindle, Apple’s iPad and Sony’s Reader.
Surely, Harry Potter bugs will be more jittery when they find out that the website will also serve as an online portal where they can all interact.
In fact, Rowling herself explained, “Everyone will be able to join in by submitting their own comments, drawings and other content in a safe and friendly environment. Pottermore has been designed as a place to share the stories with your friends as you journey through the site.”
Visitors will surely be happy to know that the site will feature illustrations that they can navigate. Rowling’s personal comments on the characters, places and even trivial elements of the story will be read, too.
During its start up weeks, only the first book’s (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) version will be available. However, the story lines of all books will be added gradually over time.
The novels will be have audiobook and e-book versions and will be in multiple languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese.
According to Hitwise Research Director Robin Goad, “Looking at the most popular search terms containing the word ‘e-book’ over the last 12 weeks, I’ve managed to compile our very own top-10 e-books list.” In the said ranking, Harry Potter nestles on the top spot. Prices are yet to be announced, but knowing how mad the world has been over James Potter’s child, Rowling will surely pull this thing off.
In awe and support to Rowling’s digital leap, The Bookseller chief editor Phil Jones said, “I don’t think any other author could launch their own site and get fans to buy e-books through it. And I think she will succeed. I think she will get hordes of fans on the site and sell hundreds of thousands of e-books.”
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