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Rowling speaks out against unofficial lexicon

29.02.08

J K Rowling would feel "exploited" if a fan's unofficial encyclopaedic companion to her Harry Potter series of books was published, she said in court papers made public yesterday (28th February), reports Reuters.

Steve Vander Ark has written The Harry Potter Lexicon, a 400-page reference book based on his popular fan Web site (www.hp-lexicon.org). Rowling and Warner Bros are suing RDR Books, which planned to publish the book last November.

"I am very frustrated that a former fan has tried to co-opt my work for financial gain," Rowling said in a declaration filed in the US District Court this week.

"I believe that RDR's book constitutes a Harry Potter 'rip off' of the type I have spent years trying to prevent, and that both I, as the creator of this world, and fans of Harry Potter, would be exploited by its publication," she said.

According to Reuters, the lawsuit filed in October names RDR Books, an independent publisher based in Michigan, and unidentified persons as defendants. It seeks to stop publication and requests damages for copyright and federal trademark infringement and any profits to be gained.

RDR Books has said Vander Ark, a librarian, had spoken at Harry Potter academic conferences in Britain, Canada and the United States and that a timeline he created was used by Warner Bros in DVD releases of the Harry Potter films.

In the UK, independent publisher Methuen is planning to publish the lexicon, pending the outcome of the lawsuit. Methuen m.d. Peter Tummons previously said he was "fairly confident" that courts will rule in RDR's favour.

Reuters

harry potter J K Rowling Methuen RDR Books legal

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