Friday afternoon... ugh

[cleolinda]

Oh God, I didn't come down with my mother's sinus infection--I came down with a stomach bug. Blarrrrrrg. So I'm just going to finish reading my email which is going to take a very, very long time and try to sit very, very still.

However, two Potterdämmerung stories:

RDR Books finally gets an actual lawyer (!), but a restraining order is still granted against the Lexicon book; JK Rowling is a sad panda.

James Potter and the Hall of Elder's Crossing ? Brilliant research from julian_black and peachespig at that entry has discovered that it's 99% most likely a promotion for a professional illustrator and animator's fanfic. Unfortunately, Publisher's Weekly has already picked up the story:

The Lexicon suit is not the only Potter buzz of the week, either. An Australian site is reporting that a new Web site—"harry potter book 8 secret test marketing"—is counting down the days to a project called James Potter and the Hall of Elder's Crossing, rumored to be an eighth Harry Potter novel. Warner Bros., whom many believe is behind the Web site, has neither confirmed nor denied involvement with the rumored project, but a studio spokesperson offered this comment on the site: "Many fans believe that James Potter and the Hall of Elder's Crossing may be the eighth book of the series—but written by someone other than author J.K. Rowling."

A Scholastic spokesperson said, "This is clearly not an eighth book in the Harry Potter series."

And we know how WB feels about amateur competitors who mislead the public. This guy needs to run hard and run fast, y'all.

Comments

[leavesoflorien.livejournal.com]

What a bizarre website... O_O'

Feel better!

[robyn-ma.livejournal.com]

'And we know how WB feels about amateur competitors who mislead the public.'

They send Gerald after them.

'Are You Not Aware That You Are Infringing Upon Copyright?'

'I...uh...I didn't mean...'

'I Will Have To Rectify This Situation. With My Hands.'

'Aaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee'

...Sorry. Gerald is not going to stop being funny anytime soon, I fear.

[quasar360.livejournal.com]

YES!

Yay for Gerald! *flails* ... I wonder if this man is aware that he is becoming an internet icon? (if only in Cleo's corner of the internet)

[edda.livejournal.com]

1.) Seriously, Gerald RULES.

2.) Someone needs to make a Gerald Icon (I know that's not how you meant it; still...) with Laurence Fishburne as Gerald.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

People made a couple of Morpheus/Gerald macros in the previous entries. Ironically, I was more imagining LF in MI3, particularly that scene where he lays it down on Tom Cruise and Billy Crudup for like five minutes straight ("Please Don't Interrupt Me When I'm Asking Rhetorical Questions"), but yeah, it's Morpheus that people know better. Also, it's a funnier image.

[quasar360.livejournal.com]

Well, below is my humble attempt. *crosses fingers that this will work*

(http://photobucket.com)

[edda.livejournal.com]

HEEEEEE.

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

Umm... OT, but is anyone else getting a 'connection overflow' error message when they try the Project Download link?

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

The site's been having problems on and off today; up and down. I got through about half an hour ago. Keep trying until it works.

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[megapope.livejournal.com]

Whatever it is, it's a nice website with a pretty cool viral ad thing going on.

[quasar360.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you're not feeling well, Cleo. I hope that you get over this bug quickly!

re: James Potter story - why, why, why do people have to be so stupid about publishing fanfic? I would think that it is common sense that if you've written something based on another person's work - without their prior consent - that it's simply not ok to distribute it for profit (if at all).

[gryphonmage.livejournal.com]

If you go to the page for the project http://www.elderscrossing.com/wizard.html and let it load, a little harry (or maybe James, I guess) appears chasing a snitch. If you click on it, it asks you if you have the first password. I...clearly don't, but I'd love to know what happens if you do!

(It's not snitch, harry, seeker, or copyright infringement, I can tell you that)

[gryphonmage.livejournal.com]

And now I have to reply to my own comment, because if you watch, a little bean pops up in the lower corner and if you click on it you can get the password, which is genisolaris. It will open a book called Technomancy, History and Magical Policies by Theodore Hirschall Jackson III and eventually tell you that the next password is Corsica.

I am _VERY_ curious to see what all this leads to!

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

There you go. Apparently whatever it is will be here on December 1, if it's not lawyered out of existence first. I just wish the guy had tried some kind of original story rather than open himself up to this.

[gryphonmage.livejournal.com]

It would be nice to see this kind of energy and mystique about a new author with an original work. But I can't understand putting so much time and effort and presumably money into promoting a fanfic.

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

And even for a fanfic, they should make it clear that there isn't official endorsement, especially for something professionally executed.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I heard that it's genisolaris, if you want to try that.

[lyn-thorne.livejournal.com]

Aww, I'm sorry that you have come down with a bug :( I hope you get to feeling better soon! *Hands you chocolate, a book and a movie* whichever makes you happiest. I hope your Mom's sinus infection gets better as well.

(BTW - I just read the Gerald story, and that is going in my Memories. Seriously, your storytelling abilities are insanely good.)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Hee, thanks. I attribute it to four years of writing on LJ, quite honestly. : )

[crucioveritas.livejournal.com]

I will trade you stomach bug for my strep?

[lyrainverse.livejournal.com]

Potential linkspam for you: this website (http://www.freerice.com) donates a grain of rice to the UN World Food Programme for every vocabulary word you get right. Help people AND build your vocabulary/GRE skills. I donated 10 bowls in like, 7 minutes so it won't take up too much time. (It was featured on the BBC's website, but it's down right now so I can't send you a link. Sorry!)

[quasar360.livejournal.com]

Oh, man. I love this site. Nothing like feeling superior about your vocabulary while helping others. (Heh, it doesn't take up much time if you don't get obsessed with it! 'Tis very addictive, I think)

Thought you might find this interesting

[xander77.livejournal.com]

http://www.datamancer.net/steampunklaptop/steampunklaptop.htm

Re: Thought you might find this interesting

[idrach.livejournal.com]

Have you seen the desktop done by the guy's friend over at the Steampunk workshop? That's amazing too!

These creations are hideously expensive, but I'm hard pressed to think of what I wouldn't give up to have one.

[endril-lei.livejournal.com]

Hey Cleolinda! I'm not sure if you posted about this in your journal yet (and if I missed it, I'm sorry), but I thought you and your readers might be interested in http://freerice.com/ . It's a way to improve your vocabulary while donating grains of rice through United Nations to countries that need it. Definitely worth a check out!

[endril-lei.livejournal.com]

nevermind, I guess I didn't see the comment about it either. ^^ All is well.

[ellisgnome.livejournal.com]

I love the term "Potterdämmerung" but will it have neat musical motives by Wagner?

[legionseagle.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you're still collecting links relating to l'Affaire Lexicon, but if you are I suggest you check this one (http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/rights/display.cgi?no=4902) out, and have a word, perhaps, with praetorianguard about the legal implications of its still being up and running. I got it via the Steve Vander Ark fan site (are those guys for real, or is it a brilliant piece of on-line satire, do you think?) and, if I'm not very much mistaken, it's a live link to the very Publisher's Marketplace item which got Christopher Little, JKR and Warner Bros interested in the first place (compare it to the details given in the complaint). But now there's a n injunction in place.

Anyway, I thought you might be interested.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

... Oh dear.

RDR and SVA to give talk

[ninagarcia.livejournal.com]

I can't seem to post this on Fandom Wank but I thought it would be extremely interesting to the wank. I actually know SVA and live in his hometown. Just a few days ago, our local paper had an article stating that SVA and Roger Rapoport of RDR would be giving a talk on Dec. 5th at Grand Valley State University. Why they don't get the idea that keeping mum on this situation is the best course of action is beyond me. By the way, it's free!