JK Rowling published her first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, in the US on September 1, 1998 (it appeared in the UK a year earlier). Once that book first landed on our shores, I witnessed a renaissance of reading among the next generation. That this occurred during the early years of the internet and the rapid acceleration of personal technology made it more amazing. I was fascinated.
I also witnessed how the success of JKR’s first seven book series was enhanced by the geometric progression and the leap frog effect of the corresponding film versions of those books.
The two cross-pollinating forms of creative expression of JKR’s brilliant and magical narrative established an infinity loop.
U+221E ∞ INFINITY
JKR wrote an enchanting narrative foundation of her first four books which created a fan base for the films that followed which created an even larger fan base for her later books in the Harry Potter series.
https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/harry-potter-books-and-movie-release-dates
And so on, and so on, and so on.
My Sci-fi/Fantasy series, The Claire Saga, has a story line that can be directly marketed to the same demographic that first devoured JKR’s books. People now in their 30s and 40s who are immersed in the emotionally sterile technological present of their everyday lives can still enjoy the idea of the existence of magic in the modern world. Those remaining readers who appreciate friendship, loyalty and bravery in a universe where preconceived limitations are constantly challenged are the perfect target audience.
To access that demographic, I must stand on the shoulders of a giant. Thank you JKR. You rock.
With any luck, and maybe a bit of magic, I can also capitalize on the book to film to book experience to make TCS successful.
Developing a literary following is even a greater challenge now than when JKR broke the literary mold, especially, if like me, you must guerilla market your books.
Far more problematic is the impact of the decades of Moore’s Law, which has allowed social media to shorten the average person’s attention span, even among JKR’s original followers.
While I desperately want to see the fan base of The Claire Saga increased by a full transition to film, I really do want my existing books to get people – particularly men – to actually read again. Especially fiction.
This is a big problem for fiction writers of all genres. We may have lost full literary access to the millennial generation. The one with disposable income who can drop a dime on a paperback.
So, what can this old bastard of a writer do?
I may have to skip the millennials, and even Gen Z, entirely and try to capture the next one. Gen Alpha.
Here’s my plan.
As my fine, five readers know, I have grandchildren whom I adore, all Gen Alpha. The two eldest of which are very capable of reading. Scarlett, the oldest girl, is a natural reader.
But that does not mean she reads for pleasure.
I would love for Scarlett to someday read The Claire Saga, if only to enjoy the character, “Scarlett” – who actually taught the character “Claire” to read and speak, and who is based upon my granddaughter. The other grans all make their appearance throughout the series, but given Scarlett’s character’s involvement in Claire’s literacy, it seems she is a good place for me to start this process.
But I need a hook now to establish a love for pleasure reading, that I can set deeply and firmly in her psyche, while she is young, to prime the literary intellectual curiosity that I can then capitalize on to get her to read The Claire Saga when she is a little older.
I’m trying a little experiment and going back to a tried and true formula. The magic of JKR.
You see, Scarlett is a major fan of the Harry Potter film series. I intend to capitalize on that.
Yesterday, I spotted a pristine box set of JKR’s Harry Potter hardcovers on FB marketplace going for $125.00.
Now this set regularly goes for almost $150,
and I’ve seen it listed for over $225.00,
so, I ran out and bought it.
An absolute steal.
I’m going to give this set of books to Scarlett – most likely as one of her Christmas presents. Hopefully, if history is any prognosticator, her siblings will immediately demand access to those books, if only because Scarlett doesn’t want to share them. No respect for the progenitrix.
I am going to encourage Scarlett to binge read the set over as long as it takes, because I know, from my own decades old experience with JKR’s books, and the incantational magic in every word on every page therein, that it will instill the same love of reading I saw those books instill in the younger generation when they first began to appear at the turn of this century. Given Scarlett’s natural beauty, charm, charisma and popularity, soon every kid in her school will be carrying around copies of the Harry Potter books.
Now hopefully, if I play my cards right, there will be a film version of The Claire Saga available by the time Scarlett and her siblings and cousin are old enough to watch and appreciate it. And of course, all of her friends will want to watch those films and see the silver screen magic before their eyes. Herd mentality.
Hopefully, those blockbusting films will further expand the readership base of the existing book versions of TCS.
And at that point, if not earlier, I hope that Scarlett, so thoroughly infected by a love of reading by JKR’s Harry Potter book series, and by then an established literary trendsetter, will then dust off the inscribed set of my TCS books that are waiting for her, and devour them.
In short, I too want to create an infinity loop fanbase for the book and film versions of The Claire Saga, that will, like JKR’s resilient body of work, remain consumed at full throttle decades in the future.
Wish me luck.
Anyway, Thursday, our weekend handmaiden to Friday has arrived. Let’s do all we need to wrap up the work week. Summer is waning rapidly. You can feel the desperate undercurrent.
Opportunities to enjoy summer reading pleasure is also on the wane. For example the chance to read the e-book copy of The Wise Ass will be gone on the final day of August. So, now would be a great time to pull that freebie trigger –
I have to get moving, those recyclables aren’t going to shift themselves to the road.
But, no matter what else we get up to, let us make today a great one.
