Well, no, not really. But I am quoted (and indeed called "a studious 28-year-old") in a Time magazine article about some of the behind-the-scenes logistics of the seventh Harry Potter book:
Harry Potter and the Sinister Spoilers
with an accompanying graphic breakdown of the path the manuscript traveled:
The Saga of the Seventh Manuscript
I was amused by a comment on The Leaky Cauldron saying that Scholastic should have sent me to London on a private LearJet -- that would have been fabulous, but totally defeated our strategy of secrecy! As it was, no one gave me a second glance all that trip, other than that nosy airport security guard . . . I was just another twentysomething doing Sudoku. Hee.
While I'm on the subject of Harry:
- If you're on Facebook, you can join my fan club: Hottt Cheryl -- the Myth, the Legend, the Hotness. (I did not found this fan club, I hasten to say, but I'm honored by its existence.)
- For the book release on the 21st, Scholastic will once again create "Harry Potter Place" on Mercer Street behind our headquarters in New York; click here for details.
- And the Knight Bus is awesome too!
- Harry and the Potters will be performing at the Bohemian Beer Garden in Astoria (Queens) on Thursday, July 19 -- the perfect way to kick off a weekend of Harry madness. Who else is in?
Posts
I'm in. Too excited for the movie and book release!!The only bummer is I'll become so engrossed in the book that my writing will slack off dramatically. (not to mention the hours of sleep I'll miss)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy all the good vibes coming your way during Potter mania...Hard work always pays off:)
You've got quite an exclusive accomplishment in your life... you're one of maybe 10 people who saw the Deathly Hallows manuscript before its release!
ReplyDeleteCool on so many levels.
ReplyDeleteMany people who use my branch library are racing the clock -- re-reading the whole HP series -- hoping to finish number 6 the day before number 7 comes out.
ReplyDeleteand I am one of them.
I am amazed at all the foreshadowing she uses that I completely missed in my first reading of the books.
librarian and writer
Thank you for remembering us little people and giving us a glimpse into your fame!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I finally saw The Devil Wears Prada tonight (yes, I know, I'm just a little behind the curve) ... had to laugh at the idea that anyone could score the unpublished ms! I'm guessing it'd be easier to knock over Fort Knox.
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ReplyDeleteI just wanted to let everyone know how dedicated Cheryl is to Harry Potter.
ReplyDeleteI gave her a box of See's Chocolates and she still refused to tell me anything about Book VII. Sigh.
(And she kept the candy.)
*apologizing for asking you in an earlier post to leak book 7*
ReplyDelete*now hanging head in shame*
Hm....like your Lois Lane wig and black contacts in that Second Look feature.
ReplyDeleteI just saw "The Devil Wears Prada" this past spring, and I crossed my arms and glared at Anne Hathaway through the entire HP sequence. AS IF.
ReplyDeleteBut the bettere "TDWP" story is probably our entire imprint's reaction to the movie: Arthur said that he saw it, and after Anne was given her mission, he turned to his partner and asked, "Is she going to call *me*?" And my mom saw it and got excited and thought, She's going to call Cheryl! And Rachel saw it and thought, She's going to call *me*, and I'm going to give her an assistant-on-assistant smackdown! :-)
I loved the image of you sitting on the manuscript while on the airplane. Did that really happen? It makes sense, but couldn't have been comfortable ;)
ReplyDeleteThat was our lawyer, who picked up the manuscript's first draft. I got the second draft, and just kept it beneath my feet under the seat in front of me.
ReplyDeleteGreat story about the "whole lotta papers" check!
ReplyDeleteGiven the size of the ms, I would have been hard to sit on it and not be noticeable, I'm thinking. :) If you're short, then it could make a nice footrest, though.
Thanks in advance to you and everyone else who's brought us Potter. I CAN'T WAIT until July 21, at which point I will probably have to borrow the bookstore's secret Potter storage room to read it before the rest of my family catches me.
I protest. This looks NOTHING like Cheryl!
ReplyDeleteBut w00t! You're famous, and justifiably so! Indeed, I would posit you were already famous. But now you're famouser. :-)
Interesting comment about Mary GrandPré drawing herself as Harry. I have the poster B&N did for the last book hanging in my work cubicle, and it has the cover illustrations of Harry from the first six books. All those from Goblet of Fire onward, he bears a distinct resemblance to Daniel Radcliffe. I do like how Harry "grows up" in the illustrations, though. It first became really clear in the illustration for Order of the Phoenix--he was obviously a teenager.
For you, I will break my vow to never go back to the Bohemian Beer Garden.
ReplyDeleteBeing part of the college aged crew, I'm rather impressed with your facebook group. And 125 members, too!
ReplyDeleteBecause of that, I had to add you as a friend. :)
I just finished reading the TIME magazine...what a cool article! I wonder HOW you are able to keep the details of the new book inside your own head and not say anything to anyone. HOW? That's a real talent, on top of all the others!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I have been wondering . . . why did you guys transport hard copies of the manuscript, rather than putting it on a thumb drive/flash drive that could be worn on a lanyard? Though the lawyer probably wouldn't want to sit on that.
ReplyDeleteThere's a reason for that, but I'm probably not allowed to tell you what it is, so I won't here. Sorry!
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ReplyDeleteAwesome, Cheryl! Eric here. Phoebe, Hallie and I just had a communal reading of the Time article, during which Phoebe at some point said, "Dad, Cheryl is by FAR your coolest friend!." When I read "Klein has either the worst job in the world or the best, depending on how you look at it," both girls simultaneously said "the best" with conviction. Waytogo!
ReplyDeleteAh . . . now that I think about it, I can guess why.
ReplyDeleteI think there should be tee shirts that say, "Cheryl Klein (the Potterologist)" Fan Club.
ReplyDeleteWe are planning our midnight read fest.
I was bemused by the hacker with the spoilers. I think the true test of a good story is its rereadability, "The road, not the inn," to mangle Cervantes.
If you know that Elizabeth marries Darcy does that ruin the story? Not one bit. What is important is how they get to that point.
That said, Cheryl, feel free to call me at home and let me know if Snape is good or evil. I'll up Lisa's offer, box of chocolate AND a case of McVitie's. (Actually, no, I want to see how Snape’s story unfolds for myself.)
Marilyn
You were mentioned in The Times newspaper too (http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article2039650.ece). Oh and JKR's ex-teacher isn't too impressed (http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sunday/tm_method=full%26objectid=19423032%26siteid=98487-name_page.html)
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