Last year we were all agog at the idea of Harry Potter 7, coming soon, count downs to release day. Which store to go to for the party. House party plans being made. Authentic Potter menus researched and practiced. Conferences juggled around the release date. Reading schedules worked out. How many copies to buy, would it be just the hard cover or did we need the audio as well? Who doesn’t love Jim Dale, the “voice” of Harry Potter? But this year, as they say, “not so much” to look forward… book wise.
The closest book is Stephanie Meyer‘s Breaking Dawn. The book stores are planning midnight parties but unfortunately for the majority of readers — non-female ones particularly — the overwhelming look on the face when asked if they’re going to the store is confusion. That confusion is also felt by most of our book club members as well when asked if we should plan an expedition. And the excuses for not going, well, I guess vampires and werewolves just don’t hold the same universal appeal as does magic and round glasses.
Or is it because HP had a series of movies made almost simultaneously with the rising popularity of the books? So even if the sight of 600 page books daunted, people knew the HP characters and “place.” The first “Twilight” movie isn’t scheduled to be released until late fall way after the final book in the series is published. I remember talking myself blue in the face about the HP books when number four was being released but that was also the summer when the first HP movie was released and the trailer made little eyes pop open and they were eager to try out Goblet of Fire. In fact that is the first midnight party we attended. And it was an eye-opener!
All those kids and parents staying up on a Friday night, crowding a store and a BOOK store at that to get their hands on a big fat book. Wow! In the years since then, I’ve managed to drag even the non-HP readers to the “midnight events” every other year and it was the highlight of the summer! We’d plan a late Friday night dinner at a restaurant near the store of choice, then troop over to partake in the craziness of an HP Countdown party! Then our very next book club would be a HP night complete with butter beer and pumpkin pasties. Delicious! We’d sit around the table until late at night discussing characters, motivations, plot, favorite bits and whether or not the ending was necessary! It was fun, it was unusual and wow, do I miss it!
So, what are you waiting for this summer? What delicious treat is in store for your literary entertainment? Is “Hancock” or “Mamma Mia” really going to fix your yen? Or, are you like me desperately missing Harry Potter?
Check out our photos from Harry Potter 7 party
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