March 7, 2008: Exciting news! The Daily Prophet & PotterWar have been included in a major feature-length documentary film about the entire fan subculture that has grown up around the 'Harry Potter' books! The film is called 'We Are Wizards' and it is an official selection for the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival. 'Wizards' is premiering March 8, 2008 in Austin, Texas as a part of the festival and we couldn't be happier about being included in this spectacular project. A few select individuals were chosen to be featured in the film for their contribution to the world of Potter fandom, and I was honored to be one of those lucky few. Filming the documentary was a truly memorable experience and I know that, having seen the love with which the film makers crafted this film, the documentary is going to be truly fantastic.
Additional information about 'We Are Wizards', our participation in its creation, the other amazing people who were interviewed, and screening information is available on our official corporate site, Prophet Incorporated. This is a mind-boggling immense honor for The Daily Prophet and for myself and I just couldn't be happier. It's an exciting time to be a Harry Potter fan and I know you won't want to miss out on this! So go check it out, and keep an eye out for when 'Wizards' will be coming to your hometown. We'll see you at the movies!
Press Information: If you're a member of the press and are interested in speaking with me about 'We Are Wizards', I'd be more than happy to speak with you and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact me directly at hlawver AT gmail DOT com. Please remove the spaces and add the indicated punctuation. Thanks very much! I look forward to hearing from you!
I need your help!
The Daily Prophet has a rich and wonderful heritage; from tutoring and mentoring over 400 children worldwide in Creative Writing, to fighting for the rights of Harry Potter fansites through the now infamous boycott known as PotterWar. Our grand achievements have been recognized with numerous awards and international acclaim, and the history of our impact has been recorded in textbooks from the likes of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford Law. We have accomplished so much under the name of Harry Potter, and although those accomplishments were long ago, they are not dead, nor are we.
The next chapter of The Daily Prophet is waiting to be written, but it cannot happen without you. I have been negligent in my duties as webmistress far too long, not out of choice, but of necessity. I have spent the last decade of my life in and out of hospitals, always hoping that soon I would be well again and able to rebuild this community that has been a home and a haven to me. After many long years I have come to the conclusion that it is foolish to wait for hope any longer; it is clear to me now that I have to do my best to press on, despite the hand that Fate has dealt to me.
It is for that reason that I have posted this letter to you all. I cannot do this without you. So many times in the past I have been buffeted by your support, your love, your patience, and your cooperation. I am asking for such favors again. I cannot stand idly while The Daily Prophet waits in the wings. It needs to come back now, and I need your help to do it. If you would be kind enough to help me one more time, perhaps together we could see The Daily Prophet brought back to life, and brought to a place where it can help and entertain so many more people than it ever has before.
Here's what I need: I've long spoken of a plan for the next stage of The Daily Prophet. I'd still love to implement that plan, but am unable to do it myself. Therefore, I am seeking the assistance of a skilled and patient group of programmers who are capable of handling the implementation of a somewhat complex community publishing system. I have it all mapped out in my brain, and some of it on paper - other programmers have advised me in the past, so I know that it is possible, it will just take time, patience, and a bit of work.
I'd like to put together a team of programmers, preferably with one programmer as technical manager. I'm afraid at this time I won't be able to offer you anything but my sincerest gratitude. However, The Daily Prophet is a registered, tax-exempt 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Once the new community system is up and running, I will be applying for grants and donations from major organizations, so that hopefully I will be able to properly employ programmers full time - and hopefully repay those that have volunteered their efforts to make the system come to life. So although I cannot promise you money at this time, I can promise you that you will have a hand in the further development of an already internationally acclaimed organization, and that your work will be recognized by some of the highest and most respected individuals in the technological community (i.e. Lawrence Lessig, Philip Greenspun, Henry Jenkins, etc).
If you're interested in lending a hand, or perhaps lending a few dollars, please email me directly at hlawver (at) gmail(dot)com - please include "Daily Prophet" in the headline, and you know what to do to make that email address functional. Or, if you aren't a programmer but still want to help in some way, keep an eye on this space! Hopefully soon we'll be looking for columnists, editors, moderators, and so on. One way or another, it would mean a great deal to me if anybody would like to do anything to help. The success of this community has always been dependent on those who have reached out a helping hand and nothing we have accomplished could have been done without you. For that I will be forever grateful, for The Daily Prophet has become so intertwined in my life that I cannot imagine living without it. It would mean the world to me to see it blossom yet again, and I know that it can't happen without you.
Thank you so much for visiting and for taking the time to read this! To those of you who were columnists and friends in the past, my unending gratitude and love go out to you, wherever life has taken you since we parted. I think of you often and you will always have a place in my heart.
Sincerely yours,
Otherwise known as Heather L. Lawver
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