Rowling sues Potter book publisher - Nov 12 2007
The publication of a Harry Potter encyclopaedia will be delayed after author JK Rowling sued the book's publisher, a judge has ruled.

The Harry Potter Lexicon, based on the internet fan site of the same name, will be delayed until a federal judge in New York rules on whether the reference book is a violation of Rowling's intellectual property rights, or the copyright on her novels held by Warner Bros.

The book, by Steve Vander Ark, was originally set to be published by RDR Books on November 28.

In a statement released on her website, Rowling said she took "no pleasure" in the prevention of the Lexicon's publication.

"On the contrary, I feel massively disappointed that this matter had to come to court at all," she said.

"Given my past good relations with the Lexicon fan site, I can only feel sad and disillusioned that this is where we have ended up."

Federal judge Robert Patterson issued an order barring completion, distribution, marketing or advance sales of the book until further notice.

Publisher Roger Rapoport said he had given a copy of the book to Warner Bros lawyers, in the hope that they would read it and decide it did not amount to copyright infringement.

"I think they should drop it. I'm hopeful that they will," he said. "We will continue to defend our author and the Lexicon in this David and Goliath battle with an eye toward protecting the rights of readers and writers everywhere."

Rowling's lawsuit, filed on October 31, sought an injunction blocking publication of the book by Steve Vander Ark on the grounds that it was likely to borrow too heavily from her work, and interfere with her plans to eventually publish her own version of an encyclopaedia on the boy wizard's world.


JK Rowling launches claim over book - Nov 1 2007
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has accused the publisher of an upcoming reference book on the boy wizard series of infringing her intellectual property rights.

Rowling and Warner Bros, the distributor of the films, launched a claim in the Southern District of New York federal court against RDR books over the forthcoming Harry Potter Lexicon book.

The book, due out in the UK next month, is written by Steve Vander Ark, a librarian who created an online encyclopaedia of the Harry Potter series.

Rowling said: "It’s common knowledge that I love genuine Harry Potter fansites, which is why I created my own award to recognise their creativity and ingenuity.

"It’s also old news that I hope one day to write the definitive Harry Potter encyclopaedia, which will include all the material that never made it into the novels, and that I will give the royalties from this book to charity.

"I cannot, therefore, approve of ’companion books’ or encyclopaedias that seek to pre-empt my definitive Potter reference book for their authors’ own personal gain.

"The losers in such a situation would be the charities that I hope, eventually, to benefit."

A spokesman for Warner Bros added: "In taking this action, we are seeking to protect our intellectual property rights in the interests of fans and so that everyone can continue to enjoy Harry Potter books and films in the spirit in which they were created.

"In doing so, we are determined to protect JK Rowling’s right to produce her own companion book to the Harry Potter series she created, and to donate all proceeds to charity, as she did with her previous companion books."


Rowling outs ’gay’ Dumbledore - Oct 22 2007
The rumours are true: Albus Dumbledore, master wizard and headmaster of Hogwarts, is gay, Harry Potter author JK Rowkling has admitted.