If you are still curled up in a ball and crying because Harry Potter has officially come to end, and you need a fix ASAP, you’re in luck! J.K. Rowling has announced that she is going to release a new book entitled The Casual Vacancy. Now, it’s not Harry Potter related at all which is devastating for all of us I know , but at least we have some J.K. back in our lives. We have to look on the bright side, Potterheads.

She seems to be going in a different direction with this new novel which seems to written more towards adult readers. For the most part, J.K.’s fan base is twenty-somethings who grew up with the Potter series and now look back with nostalgia and joy at the wonderful world of Harry Potter. For a lot of us, she was our childhood. It seems that this new novel is definitely is not for kids. According to her publisher’s website, The Casual Vacancy tells the story of a man named Barry Fairweather who “dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock.”

I think it’s cool that J.K. is taking a different route with this book and exploring other areas. She couldn’t write about wizards forever (even though we wish she would).

What do you guys think about her new book? Will you read it?

J.K. Rowling is one fierce lady. She’s gorgeous, funny, smart, and is a wicked writer. She graced us with the most magical story ever with the Harry Potter series, which catapulted her to a level of fame that most writers can only dream about. Not only did Harry Potter spark a wildfire of reading for an entire generation, but it also created a place for kids to go in their heads and escape their own worlds. I know Harry Potter did a lot for me as a youngster, and it still does today. Because of her success, J.K. Rowling became one of the richest women in the United Kingdom and landed a spot on the Forbes billionaire list last year. However, now she’s been bumped back down to the millionaire’s list.

Don’t worry though, it’s not because she’s spending her unimaginable fortune. Rowling’s moved down because she’s donated so much of her money to charity. According to Forbes, ”New information about Rowlings’ estimated $160 million in charitable giving combined with Britain’s high tax rates bumped the ‘Harry Potter’ scribe from our list this year.” Rowling has always been a charitable lady. She started the Volant Charitable Trust to prevent social inequality and poverty in 2000 and is the president of One Parent Families, a charity for single-parent families. She also has donated millions to multiple sclerosis research. She also wrote several books for charity including Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Quidditch Through The Ages, and The Tales of Beetle the Bard. Read More »

As you probably already know, J.K. Rowling has plans to write a new book for adults. She says, “Although I’ve enjoyed writing it every bit as much, my next book will be very different to the Harry Potter series.” This begs the question, “What will the new book be about?” The Harry Potter series was a huge part of her life for such a long time that it’s hard to imagine Rowling writing about anything but wizardry. While I’m sure many people have their opinions about what the topic of J.K. Rowling’s next book will be, I have a few ideas of my own. I’m (unfortunately) not as creative as her, however, so there’s no way my ideas will be as great as hers. But, here are a few general ideas about what she might write about… Read More »

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Obviously I love Harry Potter, that’s not a secret. This summer I was in Orlando for a lacrosse tournament and went to the original Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which is the most magical place I’ve been. I’m talking exact replica of Hogsmeade, full on Hogwarts Castle, and Butterbeer. Although it was insanely crowded, it was so cool that we went twice. In the same day. Seriously, if I could move there and be a character, I definitely would.

People were lined up for hours waiting to get into Ollivander’s Wand Shop and The Three Broomsticks. That was actually a good thing because it freed up the lines for the rides. The former Dueling Dragons roller coaster is now based off of Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. Yeah, they have the Tri-Wizard cup there. There’s also a kid’s ride called Flight of the Hippogriff, but the real kicker is in Hogwarts. You travel with Harry, Ron, and Hermione through all of their wild adventures in one of the coolest rides I’ve ever been on. Trust me, you have to go. Even if you don’t like Harry Potter, it’s awesome. Read More »

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Breaking Dawn came out on Thursday night and in it’s four-day span in the box office, it’s already earned $140 million. Now, I know Twilight is really awesome to Twilight fans, and I used to be one. But I simply can’t bear seeing Kristen Stewart be awkward anymore, and it still bums me out that Robert Pattinson has forgotten his Harry Potter roots. I’m not judging anyone for  seeing Breaking Dawn because I did it for all of the Harry Potter movies, and I’ve spent a lot of money on that franchise. I started to wonder what I could do with all of that cash if I hadn’t spent it on seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 like six times. In 3D. With popcorn.

Here are some things that we could do with the money from Breaking Dawn Ticket Sales:

initiating the gallery...

On Sunday, I was a part of something truly magical: Quidditch on the Quad. Yes, you read that correctly. My university and place of employment put on the second annual Quidditch on the Quad tournament. I am fortunate to work for Creative Campus, an organization so innovative and awesome that it turns our campus into Hogwarts. Last year’s Quidditch tournament was great with over 400 students registered to play, but this year we more than doubled in team registration. Thousands of people surrounded the fields and Diagon Alley to watch Muggle Quidditch, which was been adapted from the Harry Potter books in 2005 by students at Middlebury College.

Quidditch has become an international sensation with over 400 teams in the United alone. Many schools have intramural Quidditch leagues and compete against other teams in the area. There are reports of the International Quidditch Association petitioning to make Quidditch an official NCAA sport. The Quidditch World Cup has been going on since 2007, and this year’s was held this past weekend in New York City. Quidditch isn’t just about bringing this magical sport to life; part of the mission is community outreach. Since Harry Potter was and is such an influential part of our generation, communities that play Quidditch make a point to raise money and awareness for literacy. All of the money we at Creative Campus earned for Quidditch on the Quad went to benefit Alabama literacy.

I’m constantly amazed by the community here in Tuscaloosa. I never thought when I came to school here that I would hear Denny Chimes play the Harry Potter theme song or be around so many people that would share a love for something that means so much to me. As I watched kids run around the Quad on Sunday, it brought me back to those days when I was reading Harry Potter as an escape for what was going on in my life and feeling comforted by the story. All was well. While Quidditch may seem ridiculous to some, what it stands for isn’t. If one kid left this campus on Sunday wanting to go home and read a book, I am a happy camper.

Check out the awesome photos here: