Can Grindelwald Transfigure into Anyone He Wants at Any Time?! Day 10 of the 12 Days of #FantasticBeasts

On the tenth day of Fantastic Beasts, my true love gave to me... A return to the fabulous JKRowling.com!

Welcome to day 10 of the 12 Days of Fantastic Beasts!

SPOILERS ABOUND! DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU HAVE NOT YET SEEN THE MOVIE OR READ THE SCRIPT BOOK!

Newt's Trunk by Kayla Perkinson

Yesterday, JK Rowling revealed the new, and very much improved, JKRowling.com. It was a revamped return to the fabulous website she offered during the heights of the Harry Potter days. I'd said several months ago that I believed, I hoped, with the return to the wizarding world through Newt and Fantastic Beasts, that she'd also go back to the fun of her former website. And it looks like she has!

The site is designed, as in the old days, like a view into her office. There are not yet as many rooms or clues to explore...yet. But there are a couple, with hints of more to come. One of the biggest hints that she plans to play again is the day of the reveal: December 20. Solstice eve. She always tied big reveals with a significant date such as the solstice or Halloween.

She also gave us some new clues to obsess over. In her opening news article, she concludes with 7 questions answered about Fantastic Beasts (1 on Chamber of Secrets). The one that fascinates me the most is:

5. Why did ‘revelio’ undo the effects of Polyjuice Potion?
It didn’t. Grindelwald’s Transfiguration surpasses that of most wizards, so he used a spell, not a potion, to take on the appearance of Percival Graves.

I'd speculated in Fantastic Secrets Behind Fantastic Beasts that Percival Graves must be somewhere hidden about if Grindelwald had used the Polyjuice, as we suspected. However, if he used a spell, then that leaves the nature of Graves completely up in the air. Is he, as his name hints at, now a ghost? Did Grindelwald kill him in order to assume his identity? Talk about identity theft!

Whether Graves is alive or dead, however, that Grindelwald has this power to present himself as any person he chooses, without the need for constantly taking the Polyjuice, is frightening. He could be anyone at any time. We will have to be constantly vigilant! 

I suspect that there may be a clue or two in the text giving us a hint as to whether Graves is dead or alive, and with the coming days I hope to research it. If you have any theories, please share them below.

What other hints did you find in JKRowling.com? Do you think she'll return to the games of yore with special days of opening a door to reveal massive clues?!

Be sure to check out all posts for the 12 Days of Fantastic Beasts!

About the Book:

Fantastic Secrets Behind Fantastic Beasts

Explore JK Rowling's secrets, one clue at a time!

Fantastic Secrets Behind Fantastic Beasts is THE guide for all Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them fans eager to experience anew the excitement of of finding clues and sharing speculation, just like they enjoyed during the height of the Harry Potter series. New fans will be amazed at the secrets lurking underneath the surface of Rowling's newest film. Diving deeply into the story's mysteries, S.P. Sipal offers a detailed analysis of the analogies, myths, and clues JK Rowling hid on screen and on page to charm her fans once again.

Discover and explore such questions as:

• Is there an Animagi hidden in the story?
• Why will there be FIVE movies?
• What secret is Modesty hiding?
• Did Frank wipe out ALL the memories from that fateful night?
• And was Grindelwald already in possession of the Elder Wand?

S.P. Sipal has analyzed the mysteries behind the Harry Potter series for over a dozen years. A sought-after presenter at fan, writing, and academic conferences both at home and abroad, her books have also delighted writers, teachers, and fans alike. Now she turns her expert attention to investigating the beginning of Rowling's exciting new series. Join her as she prepares you to dig into the layers of subtext yourself to claim what treasures await...before the Niffler beats you to it!

Teaching Harry Potter to Creative Writers Released!

Teaching Harry Potter to Creative Writers

I'm thrilled to announce my newest release from Deep River Press. Based on the Fifth Anniversary edition of A Writer's Guide to Harry Potter, I have partnered with co-author Dalton Perkinson to create Teaching Harry Potter to Creative Writers: An Educator's Guide. It is our aim with this new book to help teachers of creative writing struggling with engaging their students to better help them channel their creativity to empower their own voice through storytelling.

“There are countless books about good writing, but few that peel back the curtain on what makes a book beloved. TEACHING HARRY POTTER TO CREATIVE WRITERS is a treasure trove for writers and teachers alike, filled with nuggets of insight into the characters, world, and techniques J.K. Rowling used to work her magic.”

-- Martina Boone, award-winning author of COMPULSION and the Heirs of Watson Island trilogy.

Dalton is a linguistics teacher who has for many years helped students communicate more effectively. Our Teachers Guide couples his skill of engaging students in the classroom with my experience of teaching creative writers how to use techniques learned from studying JK Rowling to empower their own stories with Harry Potter as our text.

We will be celebrating the release of our book in conjunction with the release of JK Rowling's newest story and film: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. You can get both books at our release event at Stone's Education Superstore in Raleigh, NC this Friday, November 18, starting at 4 pm. Teachers are eligible to receive a 25% discount for this Friday only. Email me at SPSipal AT gmail.com for more details!

Check out our Facebook Event here.


We wish to thank:

• Martina Boone for her constant support and encouragement.
• Greg Schultz for his exquisite cover.
• Kayla Laine Perkinson for beautifully drawn and fan-inspired illustrations that make our book come to life.
• And Deep River Press for being an innovate, supportive publisher. Thank you!

And be sure to check back with me soon as I hope to have another surprise coming in a few weeks! 😀

About the Book:

Teach your students to write with Harry Potter as their text!

JK Rowling's Harry Potter series not only inspired a new generation to read, but to write as well. Many of these early fans are now creative writing teachers eager to introduce their students to the magic that inspired them. By drawing on a text most students will know and adore, Harry Potter for Creative Writers teaches creative fiction with examples and activities that even the most reluctant learners will find enchanting.

This guide’s insightful analysis has been taught as a complementary resource at high school and college campuses and dozens of writers workshops and fan conferences for over a decade. Through guided lessons plans and reproducible handouts, plus more available online, the authors provide a proven method to engage students and to foster 21st century skills.

Pacing options are provided for three lengths of study, and many activities are adapted for a younger age group.

Amazon Link

About the Authors:

Dalton Perkinson

Dalton Perkinson is a language acquisition teacher in North Carolina currently dedicated to developing globally inspired language curriculum with real-world approaches. His passions are rooted in a strong linguistic background that is focused on the analysis of English influence on the language production of immigrant Spanish-speaking natives. Through a linguistic study of Indo-European, Altaic, and Sino-Tibetan languages, and practical language accommodation techniques, Perkinson has constructed authentic language resources for independent learners and language academies.

Twitter

S.P. Sipal

S.P. Sipal is a writer, editor, and international speaker who has presented the material in this guide since the Harry Potter phenomenon gripped the nation. Susan celebrated the release of the last Harry Potter book, Deathly Hallows, as a presenter at a fan conference in London. Her writing workshops, school and college lessons, and numerous fan conference presentations have been met with enthusiasm and repeat requests.

Susan lives in North Carolina with her husband and two children.

Updated and Expanded Edition of A Writer's Guide to Harry Potter Releases Soon!

I'm thrilled to share some exciting news. A newly updated and expanded edition of A Writer's Guide to Harry Potter will be releasing July 26, 2016! My publisher, Deep River Press, has some wonderful plans for this 5th anniversary edition.

First, the book has been completely revised and expanded with more examples and some new analysis, including thoughts on the upcoming Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. This edition will be available in both paperback and Kindle through all major retailers.

But one addition I'm truly excited about are the upcoming workbooks and teachers' guides. Encouraging a love of creative writing with Harry Potter as the text is a natural step for many teachers who grew up on the series. Now, we'll provide educators with workbooks at two levels, middle grade and upper grade, along with a teacher's guide to help make this an exciting enhancement to the classroom curriculum.

If you've read my Writer's Guide in the past, or attended any of my workshops, and would be willing to give me a quote, or are interested in reading an ARC of the new book and providing a review, please contact me at SPSipal AT gmail.com. Or, if you're an educator interested in the workbooks and teachers' guides, you may contact my publisher at publicity AT deepriverpressinc.com.

Check out the new book on Amazon here. It's available only for preview until July 26, but you can add it to any of your wish lists now.

Note: I will also be teaching from the new Guide and using the workbook when I teach the class at Central Carolina Community College from July 14 through August 8 at the Pittsboro, NC campus. See more info and sign up here under the link for The Crafting of a Bestseller.

About the Book:

Improve Your Writing with Harry Potter as Your Text!

A Writer's Guide to Harry Potter

The Harry Potter magic lives on as J.K. Rowling expands her wizarding world into new stories and formats. For five years, writers and fans from all continents have used A Writer's Guide to Harry Potter to delve beneath her pages' surface to discover the skill and artistry which created a story that enchanted audiences across generations. In this newly revised and expanded edition, S.P. Sipal takes you even deeper than before, exploring new techniques, and even peering into the artistic and marketing vision behind the upcoming Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

No matter your genre, this guide will help you strengthen your craft by virtually apprenticing under a bestselling mentor. Through fourteen lessons, discover the expert techniques Ms. Rowling employs which makes her series such a phenomenal success and which will help improve your own craft and style.

Topics include:

• characterization
• world building
• backstory
• mystery plotting
• myths and archetypes
• fan interaction
• social media
• and author-driven publishing and promotion.