Pottermore

I'm so excited for this.. can't wait to see what she has in store for us Harry Potter fans.

From Press Release:

For this groundbreaking collaborative project, J.K. Rowling has written extensive new material about the characters, places and objects in the much-loved stories, which will inform, inspire and entertain readers as they journey through the storylines of the books.  Pottermore will later incorporate an online shop where people can purchase exclusively the long-awaited Harry Potter eBooks, in partnership with J.K. Rowling’s publishers worldwide, and is ultimately intended to become an online reading experience, extending the relevance of Harry Potter to new generations of readers, while still appealing to existing fans.  As the Pottermore Shop develops, it is intended that it should include further products designed specifically for Harry Potter fans, offering a potential outlet for Sony products and services related to Pottermore.  In keeping with Harry Potter’s international appeal, the site will launch in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish, with more languages to follow.

In the new website, the storyline will be brought to life with sumptuous newly-commissioned illustrations and interactive ‘Moments’ through which you can navigate, starting with the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (Sorcerer’s) Stone. On entering, you choose a magic username and begin your experience.  As you move through the chapters, you can read and share exclusive writing from J.K. Rowling, and, just as Harry joins Hogwarts, so can you. You visit Diagon Alley, get sorted into a house, cast spells and mix potions to help your house compete for the House Cup.   

At a press conference at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Rowling revealed some key features of the website. In an announcement which will thrill fans, she described how she has brought to life both the Sorting Hat and Ollivanders experiences from her books for the first time on Pottermore, by revealing the questions asked by the Sorting Hat - which places newcomers into their Hogwarts houses according to their characteristics -  and the magic behind the Wand Chooser – which finds the right wand for each user from over 33,000 possible combinations. She also revealed glimpses of the new information she has provided on some of the best-loved characters.

J.K. Rowling’s announcement on YouTube and sony.com today revealed that Pottermore (along with the Pottermore Shop) will be open to all users in October 2011.  From today, 23rd June, fans can submit their email addresses on Pottermore.com in order to be contacted by the site following the opening of registration on 31st July, Harry’s birthday.  Also on that date, an online challenge will be launched, whereby the first million people to complete their registration will gain early entry into the website, and help put final touches to the experience. 

 More details from http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org

• Pottermore is an interactive new Web site and reading experience with more than 18,000 new words from J.K. Rowling: Much more to come.
• JKR behind the scenes filming the video picture. 
• An online experience to read, interact with and share the Harry Potter stories. Exclusive writing from J.K. Rowling and more.
• Pottermore will feature infromation J.K. Rowling has been "hoarding" for years about Harry Potter.
• Pottermore will be the exclusive place to purchase the digital audio books and, at last, eBooks of the Harry Potter series.
• Pottermore was developed in association with the leading digital company, @th_nktweets
• Pottermore was also created in partnership with @sony!
• One million fans will get access to a beta on July 31, Harry's birthday. It will be open for all in October 2011.
• The launch of Pottermore will have more than 18,000 words from J.K. Rowling, but that is only a third of what she has written so far.
• J.K. Rowling said this morning that there is a lot more content to come for the Pottermore site, and she will develop it as it grows.
• This morning J.K. Rowling said that she and Harry have a "casual relationship," instead of the serious kind they once had.
• "I've never cried over a man as much as I've cried over Harry." - JKR 
• The idea came from a conv. with her agent about how to help Harry live on in today's digital age.
• JKR downloaded eBooks for the 1st time this year and loved it - "a thousand books in your pocket" - tho she loves paper.
• You will follow the story, get sorted into a house and get a wand (one of 33,000 possible combinations) - all crafted by JKR.
• JKR is excited to include a long backstory on McGonagall - her childhood, ministry career, early heartbreak...
• A lot of the Pottermore team is Hufflepuff, which JKR said is what "you want in a team - they're workers!"
• JKR said if you're not sorted into Gryffindor you get even more exclusive content about your house.
• Chamber of Secrets story to debut in 2012. 
• Also shown this morning, there will be info on Minerva McGonagall's long friendship with Dumbledore
• A physical encyclopedia may come one day, JKR said, but she is not positive.
• Also mentioned that Vernon ad Petunia met at work, backstory also on Pottermore.
• JKR on Pottermore: "I've worked with the most incredible team at TH_NK to make it come alive."