News

Rowling opens door to digital Harry Potter books

31.05.10 | Benedicte Page

J K Rowling looks set allow Harry Potter fans to read her novels as e-books at last.

Neil Blair, partner at the Christopher Little Agency (CLA) which represents Rowling, said the agency was “currently considering all the options and opportunities that this evolving space provides”. The agency was “actively” looking, whereas previously it had just been “monitoring the developing area”, he said.

Richard Charkin, executive director of Rowling’s print publisher Bloomsbury, declined to comment on whether Bloomsbury was in discussions with the author on e-book plans, saying: “That’s between us and CLA.”

Waterstone’s e-books buyer Alex Ingram said: “Our customers have been asking for Harry Potter on e-book since we launched digital books on Waterstones.com in September 2008. So have we, and it’s great that we may be about to get our wish come true.” He added: “I’ve no doubt [Rowling’s]  about to change our perceptions of what level of sales e-books can achieve.”

Peter Collingridge of Enhanced Editions said the question for any agent was who the best partner was in each new media territory. “Is it the print publisher, an app developer, a computer games company?” he said.

The Florida-based theme park, “The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter”, built in collaboration with Rowling, will open on 18th June. Meanwhile, the first film in the two-part adaptation of the final Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be released in November, when Bloomsbury will publish the Harry Potter novels with new jacket designs.

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By Ray Eibel

Is there anything being done to convince the author and or the publisher to allow the Harry Potter books to be electronic? I travel quite a bit and one of the reasons I bought the kindle was to read in airports, planes and hotels without carry a library of books with me. Is there anyoone we can contact to persuade their decision?????

Sat, 15/01/2011 - 17:46
By N. DeLong

She is worried about pirating when she is already a billionaire!!!? Surely she realizes that the majority of e-readers will purchase these ebooks legally when they are available, & she will become even yet richer! It almost makes me angry enough to not buy the damn books when they ARE available.

Sun, 23/01/2011 - 01:51
By Janet Nelson

So it's going on a year and still no Harry Potter ebooks.....

Thu, 17/02/2011 - 01:03
By Janet Nelson

So it's going on a year and still no Harry Potter ebooks.....

Thu, 17/02/2011 - 01:03
By Joe

I too hope that they will be released soon for Kindle. It is a great device and I would surely buy the complete series if it were available for the Kindle.

Sat, 19/03/2011 - 01:03
By Megan

I have a Kindle and just tried to look for the HP series in the Amazon Kindle store and couldn't find them. I couldn't figure out why, so i googled it and found this article. Honestly, I want to the electronic version of the books because the hardbacks of every single one of my books (except the sixth book, which I bought in Canada as opposed to the US) has fallen apart. The books are so long and heavy that the binding just can't take the strain. I was hoping to replace these rather battered copies with electronic versions, which would theoretically last much longer. I think it is silly that JK has not embraced this new technology yet. I am sure that there are many people in their 20s who grew up reading the books that would like to have electronic copies of them so that they do not have to lug the paper versions around with them now that they are graduating from college and moving away from home. Plus, my brother and I shared copies of the books. If I had an electronic version, he would be free to take the paper versions with him.

Mon, 28/03/2011 - 05:36
By amanda

Does anyone hve any news on harry potter being available inthe nook. I love reading the biiks over and over again but they are huge and to difficult to travel with. I wited on buying an ereader because my favorites were not sold on ebook format but now orson scott cards enders game is here and I love having them all at my finger tips. I hope that harry potter comes soon I miss being abke to read them whenever i want

Mon, 03/01/2011 - 22:40
By Oliver

I just got the kindle to work out you cant buy harry potter books :( HP was one of the main reasons i wanted a kindle

Mon, 03/01/2011 - 22:46
By Hunter D

Yes! Harry Potter on my Kindle! I hope it goes through(I'm sure it will.)!

Tue, 04/01/2011 - 04:24
By Frank Lee

Anyone else getting the feeling that Bloomsbury's ill-guided marketing staff are spending too much time writing comments on this thread? Woo-hoo, yip-yip, HP on a Kindle... whaaat a blaaast darling... give it up. It'll sell anyway, the mindless drones who re-read this drivel will buy it anyway without your constant tubthumping.

Tue, 04/01/2011 - 11:03
By Pam Wade

Just want to know if there is as estimated time for the release of the Harry Potter series in ebook form?

Thu, 06/01/2011 - 20:30
By Paige

I'M SO HAPPY. I just got my Kindle 3 for my 16th birthday and I've been reading the HP series over and over again since I was 10. It's difficult to lug the physical HP book around because they are large, I hope the ebooks are released asap.

Tue, 11/01/2011 - 01:50
By teacherfan

Does anyone else think the delay is in the development of the additional content for the ebook versions? What better way to remarket your product to a new audience---add bells and whistles and people will purchase it in droves.

I, too, wished simply for the ebook version without any additional content. Let's hope that both will be offered to meet the needs of different readers and perpetuate the life of this great and epic story. And for heaven's sake, may the plain ebook version be affordable!

For what it's worth, I agree with the other poster who said it's about the story, not the format.

Tue, 11/01/2011 - 18:57
By Catherine V.

I am waiting to buy my Kindle until Jo Rowling releases HP on ebooks. Harry and Friends are my metaphorical comfort food, and I turn to them the way some people do to any other comforting vice. I would like to have them with me, in my bag, for a dose of peace and relaxation at any given moment, and at the moment I can't have that. I'm an avid reader, but when I need a fix of Harry Potter, nothing else will do. Come on, Ms. Rowling! Hurry it up, please!

Fri, 14/01/2011 - 08:55
By Catherine V.

I am waiting to buy my Kindle until Jo Rowling releases HP on ebooks. Harry and Friends are my metaphorical comfort food, and I turn to them the way some people do to any other comforting vice. I would like to have them with me, in my bag, for a dose of peace and relaxation at any given moment, and at the moment I can't have that. I'm an avid reader, but when I need a fix of Harry Potter, nothing else will do. Come on, Ms. Rowling! Hurry it up, please!

Fri, 14/01/2011 - 08:55
By Luke's Mom

WHEN???? I have the books, book on CD and would love the ebooks too!

Fri, 14/01/2011 - 21:25
By Ray Eibel

I travel quite a bit and one of the reasons I bought the kindle was to read in airports, planes and hotels without carry a library of books with me. Is there anyoone we can contact to persuade their decision?????

Sat, 15/01/2011 - 17:44
By Ray Eibel

Is there anything being done to convince the author and or the publisher to allow the Harry Potter books to be electronic? I travel quite a bit and one of the reasons I bought the kindle was to read in airports, planes and hotels without carry a library of books with me. Is there anyoone we can contact to persuade their decision?????

Sat, 15/01/2011 - 17:46
By N. DeLong

She is worried about pirating when she is already a billionaire!!!? Surely she realizes that the majority of e-readers will purchase these ebooks legally when they are available, & she will become even yet richer! It almost makes me angry enough to not buy the damn books when they ARE available.

Sun, 23/01/2011 - 01:51
By Janet Nelson

So it's going on a year and still no Harry Potter ebooks.....

Thu, 17/02/2011 - 01:03
By Janet Nelson

So it's going on a year and still no Harry Potter ebooks.....

Thu, 17/02/2011 - 01:03
By Megan

I have a Kindle and just tried to look for the HP series in the Amazon Kindle store and couldn't find them. I couldn't figure out why, so i googled it and found this article. Honestly, I want to the electronic version of the books because the hardbacks of every single one of my books (except the sixth book, which I bought in Canada as opposed to the US) has fallen apart. The books are so long and heavy that the binding just can't take the strain. I was hoping to replace these rather battered copies with electronic versions, which would theoretically last much longer. I think it is silly that JK has not embraced this new technology yet. I am sure that there are many people in their 20s who grew up reading the books that would like to have electronic copies of them so that they do not have to lug the paper versions around with them now that they are graduating from college and moving away from home. Plus, my brother and I shared copies of the books. If I had an electronic version, he would be free to take the paper versions with him.

Mon, 28/03/2011 - 05:36

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