Ancient Mirrors ~ take a trip through the looking glass

“What a difference 24 hours makes.” This was J.K. Rowling’s comment on how quickly the attitudes of the press can change, but it applies equally well to the author’s overnight success. In 1997, Rowling published the first book of her Harry Potter saga, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and became possibly the most-recognized fantasy novelist of recent times. Even more unusual for a fantasy series, the books enjoyed popularity across all age groups and international borders. The final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was the fastest-selling book ever at the time of its release, with 15 million copies sold in the first 24 hours. It’s certainly a hard act to follow. So, what’s next for Rowlingand have we really seen the last of the series, as she insists?Rowling has been notorious for long creative breaks. She came up with the idea for the first book five years before finishing the manuscript, during which time the death of her mother also caused her to slow her writing. The fifth book took three years to write. Rowling has promised that she is still writing, and even says that she is almost finished with what she calls a “political fairy story” for an even younger audience than the Harry Potter novels. What she means by this description is unclear, as Rowling has also indicated her reluctance to try writing another fantasy series, which would inevitably be compared to its famous sibling.The big news for Potter fans is Rowling’s announcement that she plans to eventually publish an encyclopedia about Harry Potter’s world, although a release date (and even whether she’s begun or not) are unknown. Meanwhile, the series is about to be reinvigorated this November with the release of Part I of the Deathly Hallows film version. While curiosity was stirred back in July when Rowling was seen working on her laptop in a coffee shop, the author’s customary tight lips keep any additional speculation purely that.