We always get comments about how when they listen to our podcast, people feel like they’re getting a glimpse into our lives. They usually follow up with a statement about how they love the rapport the two of us have. Well, for those of you who like HPProgs for the intimate way we welcome you into our lives then this is the episode for you. After we discussed the new Twilight Book, “Breaking Dawn,” Greg and I proceeded to have a general potpourri episode with some content and a lot of personality (pseudonym for annoyance at each other). We also discussed an exciting new contest that is in the works!

As always we can’t wait to hear your thoughts: on the Breaking Dawn review, the Beedle the Bard News and contest,  our short fandom discussion and everything else we talked about. You can leave comments here on the blog or call our voicemail at 206-337-0357 in the US or 07092899490 in the UK. Please make sure to keep the message as close to one minute as possible and try to speak loudly and clearly.

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You can listen to the episode with the player below, or download directly as an mp3.

This just in:

In December 2007, J.K. Rowling unveiled The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a very special book of five fairy tales illustrated by the bard herself, embellished with silver ornaments and mounted moonstones. Amazon was fortunate to come into possession of one of the original copies, and it was our privilege to share images and reviews of this incredible artifact. Now J.K. Rowling is giving millions of Harry Potter fans worldwide cause for celebration with these new editions of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, available December 4, 2008.

Beedle the Bard Standard Cover

Beedle The Bard Deluxe Edition

You can pre-order the special Collector’s Edition of Beedle The Bard for $100 or the Standard Edition for $7.79.

All proceeds go to The Children’s High Level Group charity.

The biggest question for me is: Will Jim Dale narrate the “Tales of Beedle The Bard?”

(Hat tip: thehogshead.org)

We were almost the only HP fansite that didn’t acknowledge the one-year anniversary of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I tried not to think about this. Not because I am in denial, but more because I try not to make too big of a deal out of seemingly arbitrary dates.

But then I started to think about this past year. And about all that has gone on in relation to Harry Potter, the fandom, and HPProgs in general.

So now, please join me on a stroll down memory lane to remember the Harry Potter Happenings of the past year:

• Hundreds of news outlets and mainstream press published articles related to the upcoming release of HPDH. Several newspapers (including my local paper, the Baltimore Sun) made the egregious error of spoiling the plot for fans and still haven’t been forgiven by many loyal Potter fans.

• My final emotional post right before Deathly Hallows came out. I still get tears in my eyes when I re-read it.
• HPProgs podcast immediately following our first reading of the book. I was a mess and cried for the first few minutes. It is a gem of a memory (yes that is sarcasm).
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows exceeds sales speculations and sets new records.
• July 24, 2007: JK Rowling announces to the delight of her fans that she plans on writing an Encyclopedia of characters, places and back stories as a compendium to the Harry Potter Series.
• August 2-5, 2007: We attended our first HP Symposium: Prophecy 2007: From Hero to Legend. The post-Potter excitement at this conference was palpable and there will probably never be another gathering of HP fans that is as exciting and momentous as this was.
• Snape fans everywhere  feel validated and begin to post youtube videos, fanart, and fanfiction about our favorite (or not) greasy potions master.
• August 2007: filming for “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” movie commences.
• September 2007: JK Rowling and Scholastic announce Open Book Tour to take place in select cities in October of 2007.
• October 2007: Harry Potter is the final Wizard of the Month on JKRowling.com.
• October 17, 2007: Jo causes a stir by discussing religious symbolism in Harry Potter at the LA stop on the Open Book Tour (we didn’t know what we were in for yet).
• October 19, 2007: Jo shakes the fandom by stating that she “always thought of Dumbledore as gay,” when asked if he ever “found love.” Ironically, the fandom was less shaken when she alluded to the fact  that Aberforth did in fact have  inappropriate relations with goats during his lifetime.
• Fans (including us) question whether Jo’s revelations after the books “change canon.”
• October 31, 2007: the lawsuit between JK Rowling/WB and Steve Vander Ark/ RDR Books is announced.
• November 2007: JK Rowling is named Entertainment Weekly Magazine’s Entertainer of the Year for 2007.
• December 2007: Amazon.com wins the Sotheby’s auction of the “Tales of Beedle the Bard” for $4 Million.
• December 2007: JK Rowling is named the 3rd runner-up for Time Magazine’s Person of the Year 2007.
• December 2007: Fans get to see footage of JK Rowling completing Deathly Hallows on ITV’s “A Year in the LIfe” special.
• January 2008: JK Rowling/WB file a full injunction against Steve Vander Ark and RDR Publishers to stop the HP-Lexicon from being published.
• March 2008: After much speculation, it is announced that the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie will be split into two parts. Once again, fans are in an uproar.
• April 2008: Fans learn more than we ever wanted to know about the “Fair Use Doctrine” as the JK Rowling/Steve Vander Ark trial takes place in New York.
• April 25, 2008: “Harry Potter: The Exhibition” is announced.
• May 1, 2008: For the first time in 10 years, Harry Potter is NOT on the New York Times Best Seller list.
• May 2008: Fans see copies of the JKR/SVA trial transcript. Some decide to re-enact the case.
• May 20, 2008: Scholastic announces special 10th Anniversary version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to be released in September 2008.
• June 5, 2008: JK Rowling is the guest speaker at the 2008 Harvard Commencement Speech.
• June 11, 2008: JK Rowling writes 800 word Harry Potter Prequel for charity. She states that she has no intention of writing more of a prequel, fans hope otherwise.
• July 10-13, 2008: Portus 2008 takes place in Dallas Texas. Most attendees agree it is one of the best Potter conferences ever. Jim Dale makes a special appearance.
• July 18, 2008: Fans who have been eagerly waiting for the Half Blood Prince Teaser Trailer are dismayed at the 15 second non-teaser they get prior to the Imax showing of “Dark Knight.”
• July 21, 2008: Fans everywhere celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. They use this day to celebrate, reminisce, hope for more, and make a plea for social change.  They are once again united in a way that only Harry Potter can unite a diverse group of individuals.

Amazon has announced the semi finalists for the Beedle The Bard Ballad Writing Contest.

• Vote for your favourite in the 13-17 age group
• Vote for your favourite in the 18-and-over age group

Through May 11, 2008, Amazon customers are invited to vote for their favorite submission in both age groups. Each winner will receive a $1,000 Amazon Gift Certificate, as well as the opportunity to square off in another round of customer voting–beginning May 13–to determine the Grand Prize winner of the trip for two to London, England and a weekend with The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

In order to vote, you must be signed in to a valid Amazon.com account (account holders for amazon.ca, amazon.co.uk, amazon.fr, and amazon.de should automatically qualify). Make your choice carefully and vote just once–your first vote is the only one that will count.

The top bidder in the auction for the seventh handwritten copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard has been announced.  It’s Amazon.com!  Amazon has always been one of my favorite companies and web sites (I do all my online shopping there, if I can help it), but this makes them even more awesome.  Not only are they going to take the book on tour so that everyone can get a chance to see it, they are posting copious amounts of information on their web site.  It’s so amazing that Amazon has chosen to share this with so many Potter fans.  Thanks Amazon.

Check out the Amazon page for The Tales of Beedle the Bard, and make sure to check back, as Amazon is promising to post additional information, pictures and more.