Event: Potter Panel Podcast at Anderson’s Bookshop, Naperville.
Who was there: Melissa Anelli (Webmistress of The Leaky Cauldron fan site); Emerson Spartz (founder of the MuggleNet fan site); Cheryl Klein, editor at Arthur A. Levine Books (author J.K. Rowling’s American publisher).
Cool factor: All three know Rowling. Melissa and Emerson have been to her house. Cheryl will learn how Harry’s story ends before any of the rest of us.
What it was like: Best book club discussion ever. Panelists joined in with more than 200 serious readers of all ages who knew their stuff. Plenty of questions and theories about the book plots and how Rowling will knit together all the loose ends. Packed room, fun — and you can download a recorded version next week from PotterCast. com and MuggleCast. com
Best quip about Harry: “Whenever you’re a Chosen One, you basically have no life.” (Cheryl)
Best gleeful nod to resourceful fans:
“We’re not supposed to know this, but we’re really cool and we do.” (Emerson)
Best bets for pivotal roles: The Mirror of Erised; Aunt Petunia; Neville Longbottom. (Everyone)
Best Mnemonic: “It’s Rowling, like bowling.” (Melissa)
Best prediction about how Rowling will end the series: “She’s not going to go all French Existentialist on us.” (Cheryl)
Best embarrassing moment: A girl’s cell phone went off, and she blushed.
The ring tone: “Hedwig’s Theme,” from the Potter films. Of course.
———-
ctc-tempo@tribune.com
