Kobo Inc., a global leader in eReading, today announced that J.K. Rowling’s bestselling Harry Potter book series is now available to Kobo customers. Readers across the globe can now download all seven must-have Harry Potter eBooks to their Kobo libraries, and can choose from English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish—with more languages to come. Customers can buy the eBooks from J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore online store by visiting http://www.kobo.com/harrypotter.

In keeping with Kobo’s philosophy of read anytime, anyplace, this exciting series can be read on the award-winning Kobo Touch™ eReader and the Kobo Vox™ eReader tablet. In addition, customers can also use Kobo’s free eReading apps available for iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac, PC, and BlackBerry. Kobo apps automatically sync readers’ libraries across all their devices—this way, they will never lose their place in Harry Potter’s epic adventures of wizardry and magic. Unique to Kobo, readers will also be able to track their progress in books with awards from Kobo Reading Life™, and share their thoughts on exciting passages with Kobo Pulse™. In addition, Kobo is the official eReading partner of Facebook™, letting readers easily update and chat with friends about Harry and his friends on Facebook.

“We’re excited to bring together the extremely successful Harry Potter phenomenon and the always-enthusiastic Kobo eReading community. Fans have been waiting for years to see the Harry Potter series in digital and now that wait is over,” said Michael Tamblyn, Executive Vice President Content, Sales & Merchandising, Kobo. “Best-selling author J. K. Rowling has captured the imaginations of book lovers everywhere, and we couldn’t be more excited about bringing her vision to the Kobo reading experience.”

“Kobo is an increasingly powerful player in the eReading market and we are delighted to have them on board,” said Charlie Redmayne, CEO, Pottermore.

Colorado Springs, CO, May 12, 2012 -- Harry Potter fans are invited to an evening of spellbinding entertainment including a Hogwarts-style improv-comedy show, photo sessions, autograph signings and one-on-one encounters with actors from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and other films adapted from J.K. Rowling's beloved classics. The event will unfold at the Margeson Theater at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center on June 2, 2012 at 8:00pm. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit Make-A-Wish® Foundation of Central and Northern Florida.

“A few years ago, we were honored by a young lady, a Make-A-Wish® recipient, who chose our HP tours as her wish fulfillment,” said Jeannie Barresi, CEO of HP Fan Trips™ which has transported thousands of Harry Potter fans on J.K. Rowling-inspired adventures since 2003. “The family had a fantastic trip and we were so grateful for having been given this opportunity to create such a great memory for them. We’d like to give back to Make-A-Wish® through this event to offer other children the opportunity to have their wishes fulfilled.”

"For Potter fans, our tours are so much more than vacations," Barresi continues. "Now that Harry, Ron and Hermione have completed their adventures at Hogwarts and Rowling has put down her pen, fans can keep the magic alive by sharing their passion for the books they've loved since childhood with like-minded mortals in sunny Florida. Our comedy evening will be a special treat, as it will bring characters from Potterdom to the stage for interaction with the audience."

Bulgarian actor Stanislav Ianevski will be among the stars of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire who will interact with guests, pose for photographs and sign autographs. Fans will remember Ianevski charging across Hogwarts' skies on his broomstick as Quidditch player Viktor Krum. Joining Ianevski will be British actor Louis Cordice, who portrayed Blaise Zabini, one of Malfoy’s friends, in several Potter movies. Adding to the fun will be comedian Nick Paul, who could make Dumbledore proud with his quirky brand of mime and magic. Paul has performed comedy/magic internationally and has trained with Wicked, Blue Man Group, The Second City Touring Company and Cirque Du Soleil. Tickets start at just $15 for general admission seating. Silver seats are $50 and include a personalized autograph from one of the actors. Gold seats are $85 and include a personalized autograph from one of the actors and a photograph with one of the actors.

In addition to the improv-comedy night with film stars, HP Fan Trips™' offers Florida vacations which include a private VIP Gala party, admission to other theme park attractions in Orlando; a scavenger hunt with prizes, four or five nights at the four-star Melia Orlando Hotel in Celebration, Florida, and transfers.

ABC Family stirs up some magic with a four day “Harry Potter” marathon, starting Thursday, May 17th with “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” and going through Sunday, May 20^th with “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

The “Harry Potter” marathon schedule is as follows:

Thursday, May 17th

7:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET/PT –  “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

Friday, May 18th

4:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

8:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

Saturday, March 19th 

1:30 PM – 4:30 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

4:30 PM – 8:00 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”

8:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET/PT –  “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

11:00 PM – 2:00 AM ET/PT –  “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

Sunday, May 20th 

11:00 AM – 2:00 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

2:00 PM – 5:30 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”

5:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET/PT – “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

8:30 PM – 12:00 AM ET/PT –  “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”

Read all of J.K. Rowling’s iconic Harry Potter series for free on your Kindle

Kindle Owners’ Lending Library now includes more than 145,000 books, including over 100 current and former New York Times Best Sellers

SEATTLE, May 10, 2012—Owning a Kindle just got a whole lot better for magic-loving Muggles. Starting June 19, Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) is adding all seven Harry Potter books (in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish) to*the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library (KOLL). Harry Potter is the all-time best-selling book series in history, and Amazon has purchased an exclusive license from J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore to make the addition of these titles possible. The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library is a benefit of Amazon Prime membership—Prime members also enjoy free two-day shipping on millions of items and unlimited streaming of more than 17,000 movies and TV episodes. The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library has now grown to over 145,000 books that can be borrowed for free as frequently as once a month, with no due dates.

“We’re absolutely delighted to have reached this agreement with Pottermore. This is the kind of significant investment in the Kindle ecosystem that we’ll continue to make on behalf of Kindle owners,” said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com. “Over a year, borrowing the Harry Potter books, plus a handful of additional titles, can alone be worth more than the $79 cost of Prime or a Kindle. The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library also has an innovative feature that’s of great benefit for popular titles like Harry Potter – unlimited supply of each title – you never get put on a waiting list.”

The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library now features over 145,000 books to borrow for free, including over 100 current and former New York Times Best Sellers. With traditional library lending, the library buys a certain number of eBook copies of a particular title. If all of those are checked out, readers have to get on a waiting list. For popular titles like Harry Potter, the wait can sometimes be months. With the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, there are no due dates, books can be borrowed as frequently as once a month, and there are no limits on how many people can simultaneously borrow the same title—so readers never have to wait in line for the book they want.

Just as with any other Kindle book, your notes, highlights and bookmarks in borrowed books will be saved, so you’ll have them later if you purchase or re-borrow the book. Books are borrowed from a Kindle device, and customers can have one book out at a time. When customers want to borrow a new book, any borrowed book can easily be returned right from their device. To learn more about the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, visit www.amazon.com/kindleownerslendinglibrary. To learn about all the additional benefits included with Amazon Prime, or to start an Amazon Prime free trial, visit www.amazon.com/kindleprime.

Fans in Japan of boy wizard Harry Potter will soon be able to explore the magical world of Hogwarts when Universal Studios Japan expands its theme park with a half-billion dollar investment.

The company is going to boost the footprint of its park in Osaka, western Japan, by one fifth, with an area devoted to the Harry Potter phenomenon that is slated for opening in 2014, a spokesman said Thursday.

"We will build several attractions, including a school for wizards," he said.

James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley Twins in the Harry Potter movies, will be on hand later Thursday for the official unveiling of the plan, the spokesman said.

The blockbuster series has been a huge success in Japan, sparking long queues of costume-clad fans at bookstores every time the Japanese translation of a new novel was released.

Universal Studios Japan, in partnership with Warner Bros. and Universal Parks & Resorts, will announce later today that they will be bringing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Japan, marking the global expansion of this wildly popular themed entertainment experience that started at Universal Orlando Resort nearly two years ago.

The announcement will be made by Glenn Gumpel, President and CEO, Universal Studios Japan; Brad Globe, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products; and Michael Silver, President, Global Business Development, Universal Parks & Resorts; as well as James and Oliver Phelps, who played the roles of Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter film series, who will be the guests of honor for the announcement.  The Governor of Osaka Ichiro Matsui is expected to be on-hand.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan is the result of the creative teamwork and efforts by Universal Studios Japan in conjunction with Warner Bros., which produced and distributed the Harry Potter films, and Universal Parks & Resorts, which oversees Universal Studios theme parks, hotels and resorts throughout the world.  It will be as magnificent and as impressive as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort.  Just as in Orlando, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan will faithfully and authentically bring to life the stories created by J.K. Rowling in her books and captured on screen in Warner Bros.’ films.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando brought significant increases in tourism, jobs and economic benefit to the entire central Florida economy. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan is also expected to make a significant impact on tourism in both the Osaka/Kansai region and the entire country, creating thousands of new jobs and bringing economic benefits throughout Japan for decades to come.

"I was delighted to experience and enjoy the attention to detail, creativity and superb craft that went into the first Wizarding World in Orlando.  I am equally delighted that the same level of expertise and enjoyment will translate to the new park in Japan," said J.K. Rowling.

“Harry Potter, the most wonderful and amazing story of our time, is coming to Universal Studios Japan.  USJ is thrilled to be chosen to make the Harry Potter experience come alive for the people of Japan.  USJ is committed to being the world’s best Theme Park and by bringing this brilliant story to Japan and creating a fantastic experience is yet another validation of that commitment,” said Glenn Gumpel, President and CEO of USJ Co., Ltd.  “USJ will recreate to the highest level of authenticity, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, created by Universal Studios in Orlando, which has been enjoyed and cherished by millions and millions of Universal Orlando’s guests.  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - USJ’s commitment to bring the world’s best to life.”

The themed area itself will be a fully immersive environment for the entire family that brings the stories of Harry Potter to life and is faithful to the visual landscape of the films, including a majestic Hogwarts castle which will serve as the centerpiece of the land.

“Harry Potter continues to captivate generations of fans around the world and we are delighted to announce this partnership with Universal Studios Japan that will allow us to bring the magic of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Asia,” said Brad Globe, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products.  “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter allows fans to step into the magical world created in the books and witnessed in the films.  We think this is the perfectly timed next step in bringing the magical world of Harry Potter to life for even more fans.”

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan will be similar to the spectacularly themed land at Universal Orlando Resort and will include Hogwarts castle, Hogsmeade and multiple themed attractions.  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan will be created with the same commitment to authenticity and the same high level of talent and resources, including the creative leadership of Stuart Craig, Production Designer for the entire Harry Potter film series.

“The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an entirely new level of themed entertainment that brings the stories of Harry Potter to life in incredible ways.  It will forever change tourism, not only in Kansai but throughout Japan.  We are thrilled to be bringing one of the most powerful themed entertainment experiences of our time to Universal Studios Japan, marking the global expansion of this incredible phenomenon, and we are confident that guests will want to return again and again to fully experience all that this fantastic environment will have to offer,” said Michael Silver, President, Global Business Development, Universal Parks & Resorts.

In June 2010, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort opened and became an instant, unprecedented hit.  Since then, Warner Bros. and Universal Parks & Resorts announced that the themed area would be coming to Universal Studios Hollywood, and also that the Orlando location would be significantly expanded.  No specific details on either of these plans have yet been announced.

Harry Potter fans are invited to an evening of spellbinding entertainment including a Hogwarts-style improv-comedy show, photo sessions, autograph signings and one-on-one encounters with actors from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and other films adapted from J.K. Rowling's beloved classics. The event will unfold at the Margeson Theater at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center on June 2, 2012. It will be a highlight of HP Fan Trips™ four- and five-day summer vacation packages. Tickets to the Comedy Show can be purchased separately.

"For Potter fans, our tours are so much more than vacations," said Jeannie Barresi, CEO of HP Fan Trips™, which has transported thousands of Harry Potter fans on J.K. Rowling-inspired adventures since 2003. "Now that Harry, Ron and Hermione have completed their adventures at Hogwarts and Rowling has put down her pen, fans can keep the magic alive by sharing their passion for the books they've loved since childhood with like-minded mortals in sunny Florida. Our comedy evening will be a special treat, as it will bring characters from Potterdom to the stage for interaction with the audience."

Bulgarian actor Stanislav Ianevski will be among the stars of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire who will interact with guests, pose for photographs and sign autographs. Fans will remember Ianevski charging across Hogwarts' skies on his broomstick as Quidditch player Viktor Krum. Adding to the fun will be comedian Nick Paul, who could make Dumbledore proud with his quirky brand of mime and magic. Paul has performed comedy/magic internationally and has trained with Wicked, Blue Man Group, The Second City Touring Company and Cirque Du Soleil. Tickets start at just $15.

In addition to the improv-comedy night with film stars, all HP Fan Trips™' Florida vacations include a private VIP Gala party, admission to other theme park attractions in Orlando; a scavenger hunt with cash prizes, four or five nights at the four-star Melia Orlando Hotel in Celebration, Florida, and all transfers.

All HP Fan Trips™ Florida vacations begin after wannabe wizards are sorted into houses to learn about the legendary arts with fellow Potter fans. Prices begin at $699 per person, not including transportation to Orlando for the vacation packages.

Space is limited; reserve at http://hpfantrips.com/2012/show/ Facebook or contact Jeannie Barresi at 719.471.0222. High resolution photos are available upon request.

THE BATTLE IS BUILDING! The sequel to the hit video game is now available for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad!

Continue the saga of the Boy Who Lived in this spell-binding adventure for wizards and Muggles alike. Experience Harry’s last years at Hogwarts™ and battle Lord Voldemort™ in the ultimate fight between good and evil. The creative LEGO® prowess unites with the expansive world of Harry Potter™ to deliver an exciting and rewarding gameplay experience that features lessons, spell-casting, dueling and much more for players of all ages!

Follow Harry’s heroic endeavors and encounter new faces, new lessons, new challenges and new spells.

Explore new LEGO gameplay settings including Grimmauld Place, the Ministry of Magic, and Godric’s Hollow as well as iconic locations like Diagon Alley and Hogwarts.

Build, conjure and explore this multi-faceted LEGO world as you discover your inner wizard!

FEATURES:

STUNNING GRAPHICS
Enjoy the game with full 3D game play.

INTUITIVE TOUCH SCREEN CONTROLS

Touch the screen to cast spells and target objects, use the interactive display to change characters and spells simply by touching their icons, and recreate iconic duels by casting and deflecting spells with your fingers tips.

LEADER BOARDS

Complete the game to 100% in the fastest time and post your scores to the leader board. Compare your score against friends or the whole world!

ACHIEVEMENTS

25 achievements to unlock
DUELING CLUB EXPANSION
Add the Dueling Club expansion and master advanced dueling skills against a host of famous witches and wizards including Professor Snape, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Lord Voldemort and many more. Defeat each category leader to unlock them for use in Free Play mode.

J.K. Rowling will receive the Freedom of the City of London at The Mansion House on Tuesday 8 May for services to children’s literature.

The Harry Potter author, whose books have sold an estimated 450 million copies worldwide, has been nominated for the Freedom by Alderman David Wootton, Lord Mayor of the City of London, and Sheriff of London Wendy Mead.

J.K. Rowling started writing the Harry Potter series during a delayed train journey and over the next five years, she outlined the plots for each book and began writing the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which was published in 1997. Ten years later, the seven-book series concluded with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. As well as an OBE for services to children’s literature, J.K. Rowling has been awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for Concord, the Hans Christian Andersen Award, and the Légion d’Honneur. According to her publisher, her next novel, The Casual Vacancy, will be a ‘blackly comic’ tale aimed at adults.

Her Freedom ceremony at The Mansion House, the Lord Mayor’s official residence, will begin with her reading aloud the Declaration of a Freeman, and end with her being greeted by Chris Bilsland, Chamberlain of London, as a ‘Citizen of London’ and the presentation of her framed parchment certificate.

Speaking before the ceremony, J.K. Rowling said:

“Both my parents were Londoners.  They met on a train departing from King’s Cross Station in 1964, and while neither of them ever lived in London again, both their daughters headed straight for the capital the moment that they were independent.  To me, London is packed with personal memories, but it has never lost the aura of excitement and mystery that it had during trips to see family as a child.

“ I am prouder than I can say to be given the Freedom of the City, which, on top of all the known benefits (and few people realize this), entitles me to a free pint in The Leaky Cauldron and a ten Galleon voucher to spend in Diagon Alley.”

Alderman David Wootton, Lord Mayor of the City of London, said:

“From the moment that ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ hit the book shelves, J.K.Rowling’s stories have cast a magical spell over many millions of children and grown-ups across the world. The books have become phenomenally successful, and we are delighted that Joanne has accepted our invitation to receive the Freedom of the City of London.

“Her Freedom, which is bestowed on her for services to children’s literature, recognises two unique achievements - the astonishing success of the series, and the way in which Harry Potter’s adventures have not only enthralled book lovers, but also encouraged many young people to lose themselves in a book for the first time.”

The Freedom of the City of London is believed to have begun in 1237 and enabled recipients to carry out their trade; and today, people are nominated for, or apply for, the Freedom, because it offers them a link with the historic City of London and one of its ancient traditions.

The Freedom is also offered to individuals by the City of London Corporation to help celebrate a significant achievement, or to pay tribute to their outstanding contribution to London life or public life. However, many of the so-called traditional privileges associated with the Freedom, such as driving sheep over London Bridge, no longer exist.

Little, Brown Book Group announces that the new novel for adults by J.K. Rowling is entitled The Casual Vacancy.  The book will be published worldwide in the English language in hardback, ebook, unabridged audio download and on CD on Thursday 27th September 2012.

The Casual Vacancy

When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

Blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

The Casual Vacancy
480 pages (approximately)
ISBN  9781408704202   (hardback) price £20.00
ISBN  9781405519229   (ebook) price £11.99   
ISBN  9781405519212   (audio download) £20.00
ISBN  9781405519205   (CD) price £30.00