Harry Potter Competition

Celebrating 15 years of Harry Potter magic

The search for UK and Ireland’s biggest HARRY POTTER fan

From an idea born on a train journey, to its creation in a small cafe in Edinburgh Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the book that started a global phenomenon.  Rejected by many publishers and with an initial hardback print run of 500 copies, it has now sold over 90 million copies worldwide. It is the book that put Harry’s destiny in motion and created a whole new generation of readers. It is hard to think now that before 1997 none of us knew about Hogwarts, Quidditch or Voldemort (who was voted as the favourite literary villain in a recent Bloomsbury poll).

To celebrate the 15^th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Bloomsbury is launching a nationwide competition to find the UK’s biggest HARRY POTTER fan.

Bloomsbury is inviting fans to write a letter of no more than 50 words explaining why they love HARRY POTTER. We are looking for the most creative, clever and entertaining reasons and, while the word limit is set to a strict 50 words, entrants are encouraged to draw, doodle and make their letters as elaborate as possible.

HARRY POTTER fans can only enter by visiting a local bookshop or library and posting their letter in the specially designed postboxes. Over 1800 bookshops and libraries have already signed up to take part. The competition will run from Tuesday 26^th June to Tuesday 31^st July 2012 after which we will name the UK and Ireland’s biggest HARRY POTTER fan. The winner and runners up will be announced on Saturday 1^st September.*

The competition is an ideal opportunity for fans to show how much they love HARRY POTTER as well as supporting their local bookshop or library. Details of how to enter and a list of participating bookshops and libraries can be found on the website:www.bloomsbury.com/harrypottercompetition

Press release is attached as well as 15 facts about the first book. Bloomsbury has created an exclusive short video to celebrate this anniversary which will be available from 00:01 on the morning of Tuesday 26^th June. The video can be viewed at www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter and can be requested as a link from 9:00am the same day.    

*The winner will receive a family holiday to experience the magic and excitement of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ only at Universal Orlando^® Resort and a leather-bound, signed, dedicated and numbered 15^th Anniversary Edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The limited number 15^th Anniversary Editions are exclusive to the competition and cannot be purchased elsewhere. Fourteen runners-up will also each receive a leather-bound, signed, dedicated and numbered 15^th Anniversary Edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

For more information contact IAN LAMB on 020 7631 5726 or email ian.lamb@bloomsbury.com

Notes:

·          Entry to the competition is only available through bookshops and libraries in the UK and Ireland. Terms and conditions apply, and no purchase is necessary. Other international competitions will be running in other territories.

·          Bloomsbury will be unable to return any entries. All entries become the property of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc; by participating in the competition, entrants consent to the use and publication of their names and contributions by Bloomsbury.

·          The Harry Potter novels have now sold approximately 450 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 73 languages. J.K. Rowling has generated huge popular appeal for her books in an unprecedented fashion. She was the first children’s author to be voted the BA Author of the Year, and also win the British Book Awards Author of the Year. J.K. Rowling lives with her family in Edinburgh.