I really love you guys. I am finally done plowing through all the emails (so-far) I've gotten about your HP experiences. Some of these stories blew my mind. Seriously. I only hope some of them pan out. I've sent a bijillion emails to people requesting phone interviews - if I didn't send one to you that doesn't mean I won't in the future. It means I am completely out of energy in my fingers.
I'm in a Starbucks, having to get out of my wrecked apartment (packing=hell) to get some work done. A deaf family came in earlier. They were different than other deaf people I've seen. Their signing was not the graceful, fluid movement we generally assign deaf people. I, regrettably, tend to think of them as just as quiet as their hearing - as if not having volume makes you somewhat milder. I don't know where I got this perception, this skewed stereotype. This family, however, made sure I knew I was wrong. They were active and angry and some of their signs reminded me of what happens when Sicilians have road rage (that would be a stereotype if I hadn't seen and lived it so often). The father would bang on the chair to get the daughter's attention if she was looking away; the daughter communicated just as well through her eyes as she did her hands. All the movements were abrupt and viciously fast. It was like watching a professional boxing match without the violence. I loved it. I wish I knew what they were saying. It seemed to have some importance, but I can't help but wonder if it really only had to do with the travel mug she was pointing out as a potential purchase.
All right, well, it's been a lovely, productive day. Now to be completely mindless for the rest of the night - such is my reward.
-m
(I realize I just signed my post as if it were a letter. I'm leaving it there because I find it rather funny. HAH!)
PS: Your words of love and encouragement and support on the previous post moved me more than I can say. I can't wait to share this book with you all. I can't wait to celebrate our fandom together. Thank you.
Duh! I've been meaning to send you something! Argh! Is it too late? I think the story of what brought me to the fandom is pretty cool. Anyway, let me know.
You are moving?! I can't imagine attempting to move when living in NYC. When my friend moved from Manhattan to Hoboken, I went to help. I lasted 16 hours. After that, I relocated to a hotel and told her to call me when she was ready to UNPACK. I guess that just shows I'm a little more "small town" than I like to admit.
Try a little something different;
-RUSH Limelight, Tom Sayer
-YES It can happen, Owner of a lonely heart
-Natalie Merchant, Wonder, These are days
-Crosby, Stills & Nash, Southern Cross, our house
A little upbeat, and a little different...
Love,
The 4 of Us.....
Hope your move goes well.
I also hope it's not too late for stories. I'm a Christian and former Harry Potter hater, of sources. I've since embraced the books for what I consider strong Christian themes. I'm black, almost 40 (May 5!), and my coming-to-Harry-Potter story is somewhat unique.
I run two blogs. The one dealing with HP is Fantasy Fiction for Christians. I'd love to talk to you about my story and the Christian HP fandom, Melissa. There's some fantastic stuff out there, including a well-done podcast by a Christian who'll be presenting three papers at an upcoming conference. Click on my initials to visit my blog, and don't hestitate to e-mail.
I always sign my blog posts off like a letter. No idea why. Welcome to the club! (Don't worry there isn't actually a club :P )
Andy
:)
well, you don't know who i am, i don't even live in the same country you do, but for some reason i find myself reading everything related to you. i take blogs as something personal where someone writes what's going on in their lifes to share with friends and family, so i hope i'm not invading yor privacy..i just like you :)
i think it's quite brave for you to run a hp site for so long, i can only imagine most people your age may like to make fun of you..i mean, i'm only 22 and people allready find it weird, kinda nerdy, that i'm so much into this books! but any way..i just hope you read this, from girl to girl: you rock! you are one very very cool and special person who's gonna do SOMETHING! and that's the important right? to do something with your life, and something important, to say something, something important, and let people HEAR IT!
so there you go...your doing much more than you can imagine, you've reached a 22 year old college stundent from a 3rd world country who's not so sure about WHAT TO DOOO!!!
Hi Melissa,
Its Bonnie (the RENT line Bonnie who met you at the London podcast). I know you are getting about a million messages and emails saying the same things, but I just wanted to say (as a fellow writer) that I'm so happy and excited for you, seeing those pictures of you signing your contract and reading about the outpouring of support and stories you are getting from fans for your book. I'm actually considering changing my work life to devote more time to writing and beginning to do more freelance work soon (and its scary!). I'm a bit in awe of the kind of engagement and passion that writers take on to devote to their craft. Reading about what you are doing with this book is completely inspiring. Rock on.
-Bonnie
That sounds neat!!
and I cannot wait to read your book! I'm going to save up money so I can buy it! =] And that PotterCast post with the poem...you sneaky people!!! I wanna give you a hug so you better come near me. Or I'll drive somewhere...even though I can't drive. haha.
I should e-mail you about HP...it's not that interesting but it might help. *shrug*
HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm so late for the story thing, but here you go:
I was 9. Fourth grade. You know how some people play extreme sports? My best friend was an extreme reader and came across Harry Potter first. I, on the other hand, was virtually illiterate. She offered to allow me to borrow her novels (at the time, only the first 3 were out). I declined. And I declined again and again, until there was a load of people fighting each other tooth and nail to borrow her books because there was a six months waiting list at the library and the local bookstores were awaiting another shipment. She put their names on small slips of paper and offered to put mine in as well, even though I had showed no interest whatsoever the first 87 million times. I finally agreed. Guess who's name she randomly plucked from the pile?
I'll be 17 in a few weeks and I'm going to start applying to college in mere months. This is almost half my life we're talking about. I know it's sappy, but Harry and I truly grew up together.
I believe I remember finishing the first book and waltzing straight over to the the computer to Ask Jeeves about "JK Rowling and Harry Potter," so I've been here since the dawning of time. Eliza Diawna Snape was one of the first big fics I read (as awful and Mary-Sueish as it was). So from the UHPFC and the early days of Leaky and Mugglenet, to the Leaky comments boards and the Quill, finding 87 (woohoo Masters!), joining LJ and beyond, Harry Potter has probably been one of the best things to happen to me. I've met some truly amazing people online, and my life would not be what it is today without them. And to think, if I hadn't been lucky and won my friend's "lottery" and felt obligated to attempt to read the book, none of these people would've bounded their way into my life.
P.S. Michelle aka Delleve needs to be interviewed, I think. She's tremendously awesome. And incredibly lucky. ;)
Correction up top:
I meant to write, "Harry Potter hater, of sorts," not sources. (What does that mean, anyway?)
I don't know you, Melissa, and you don't know me, but I have to say I was more excited for you writing a book then I have been for other people's accomplishments in a long time. That may sound terrible, but it's true. I remember when I first heard the news on PotterCast, my jaw dropped and a huge grin went across my face even though I was on bus alone and I hate smiling in public places by myself. I've been meaning to tell you how ecstatic I am about this. I KNOW you will do justice to our fandom. People just don’t understand how much Harry Potter means to some people. It’s not just a book to us. If anyone can represent our fandom in a book, it’s you. I just feel, for lack of a better word, inspired. I’m so proud of you, and I can’t exactly say why. I know, I’m kind of late on the congratulations, but here it is. I know you will do a great job and have a successful career. Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GOING ON TOUR! It is going to be SO awesome to finally meet you, John and Sue. This is turning out to be an amazing Summer, and I totally have to thank Harry Potter for that. Congrats and rock on.
~Michele
Hey there Melissa! Just found your site here. Good stuff, as always. Congrats on signing the contract. Looking at the pics, was that a Parker pen you signed with? Good luck with the writing, normal work, PotterCasting, touring. I understand your dilemma on what to pack for the road. I am constantly on the road for work, and pack 2 suitcases, one for work clothes, and one for my "personal" clothes.
What will y'all be driving? Your car? A rental? If I had time, I'd chauffeur you guys around.
Good luck and have fun :)
Matt
Melissa,
I am so excited for the book and so happy for you! You should so put the story of the parking garage in there. It was the day of the second book reading and I was in the car, we were pulling in to the parking garage. The guy is just standing there. A car pulls in behind us and someone starts yelling. Hours of listening to podcasts has taugh me to recognize your voice instantly. I turn around in the car and yell "that's Melissa!". I see John in the car, too. We get out and say hi and stuff. We walk over to barnes&noble with you and John. Coolest thing ever.
Awww! We love you, too!
Congratulations on all of this, it's really incredible.
By the way, you were totally quoted on Yahoo today :-D
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070514/ap_en_ot/books_rowling
Aaaand we're back.
Melissa, I can't believe I didn't tell you in person at PR how excited I am about this book you're writing, so I guess I'll tell you now.
Even so, you don't need me to tell you that we're all behind you. We couldn't have asked for a better spokesperson.
You're one of my personal heroes, and I'm honored to have met you and talked with you.
Congrats on the book! TLC rocks. Can't imagine how insanely busy it's gonna get in the next six weeks. Here's hoping you get some SLEEP sometime between now and August! :-)
Little quibble: In yer TLC bio, there's a typo in the spelling of your REALLY COOL tentative book title:
"Harry, a History: The ficiton, fans and phenomenon of Harry Potter"
Like I said, a reeeally small quibble. It's just the editor in me. The title itself is superb. Hopefully your editors will keep it. Your interview with JKR when HBP came out was AWESOME.
My little introduction to HP came in 1997 from a friend who had just gotten back from studying in Oxford. He told me about this book that was taking the UK by storm. I said, "hmmph."
The following year, I saw the paperback edition of Sorcerer's Stone in a bookstore during a lunch break. I opened it up, and read a little over a third of it just standing there. When I looked at my watch, I realized I'd been away from the office for three hours. I raced back, and by some miracle (given the fact that I work in a newsroom-style office layout), nobody noticed how long I was gone.
At the end of the workday, I went back to the store and bought the doggone book.
Congrats again!
Juan-John
Fellow GU alum (SLL '91)
Hey Melissa!
I sent you an email recently regarding some charity work I'd like to do. I was wondering if you'd got it. If the event is to be successful (I think), it probably should happen around the time of Book 7's release. If you could get back to me, I'd be sooooooo appreciative.
Thanks so much,
Frank :-)