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.

Rowling, author of the mega-selling fantasy series that ended last summer, outed the beloved character while appearing before a full house at Carnegie Hall, New York.

After reading briefly from the final book, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, she took questions from audience members.

She was asked by one young fan whether Dumbledore finds "true love".

"Dumbledore is gay," the author responded to gasps and applause.

She then explained that Dumbledore was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards.

"Falling in love can blind us to an extent," Rowling said of Dumbledore’s feelings, adding that Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down".

Dumbledore’s love, she observed, was his "great tragedy".

"Oh, my God," Rowling concluded with a laugh, "the fan fiction".

Potter readers on fan sites and elsewhere on the internet have speculated on the sexuality of Dumbledore, noting that he has no close relationship with women and a mysterious, troubled past. And explicit scenes with Dumbledore have already appeared in fan fiction.

Rowling told the audience that while working on the planned sixth Potter film, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, she spotted a reference in the script to a girl who once was of interest to Dumbledore. A note was duly passed to director David Yates, revealing the truth about her character.



JK reads to young fans in New Orleans - Oct 20 2007
Seated on a plush oversized red chair, author JK Rowling read a passage from the seventh and final book of her Harry Potter series to an auditorium of young fans in New Orleans.

More than 1,500 students from 80 New Orleans area public schools attended, some wearing tall pointy hats.

After the reading JK answered questions and signed copies of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, which she gave to each student.

JK’s visit to New Orleans was part of a week-long visit to the US known as the Open Book Tour.

On Monday, she read to young fans at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, and will read at New York’s Carnegie Hall on Friday.