Rowling in the deep The first Harry Potter book was published 20 years ago this month. His story—and author J.K. Rowling’s—still mean a lot to some Renoites.
J by Nisha Sridhara n
une 26, 1997, marked the beginning of an era. Who hasn’t fantasized about getting a letter from Hogwarts on their 11th birthday or dreamt of walking into the castle on the hill? Harry Potter is now a household name. Last year, millions of people lined up in bookstores to have a peek into the world of Harry’s future, and movie theaters saw a horde of older people queuing up to watch Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, J.K. Rowling’s spinoff. It all began 20 years ago with a dream on a train and a book called Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, as it's known in the U.K. and most Englishspeaking countries. It was first published by Bloomsbury, with an initial print run of 1,000 copies. Now, over 450 million copies from the seven-book series have been sold.
Fantasy fan worlds Potter’s story is not just a story about the fantasy world of Rowling, it has a million other people’s stories attached to it. One such story is that of Lindsey Novello, a case manager in Reno who is part of the Geek Girl Brunch group. She credits her love of reading and books to Harry Potter. She recalls her teacher reading the books in class one day, which made her fall in love with the story. “Harry Potter is the start of my geekiness,” she said. “Harry Potter turned me 20
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into someone who has a whole library in her house, and it also inspired me to be a writer.” The books have been an escape from reality into a fantasy world. Novello said Potter’s story helped her when she was subjected to abuse, bullying and depression. She’s engaged to be married in September, and she has all plans in motion for her dream geek wedding. “We have a whole table set up for Harry Potter with a personalized centerpiece for that table," Novello said. “I have also incorporated it into my bridesmaid, who will be Harry Potter themed, and my headpiece, which is the golden snitch.” There have been a lot of themed weddings and events related to the wizarding world. Barnes & Nobles hosted its first ever Harry Potter Magical Holiday Ball last December in Reno. The Geek Girl Brunch has hosted Harry Potter-themed lunches, the most recent in August 2016.
Life changing events The books, stories and characters have had a big impact on people through the years. Diana Grace, a former pediatric assistant and speech-language pathologist who recently moved to Reno, is one of them. As a cancer survivor, she's taken great strength from the books. In 2006, at age 16, she underwent chemotherapy. The Kids Wish Network offered to fulfil a wish, and at 17, her wish was granted. She met the cast of the Harry Potter films. “He was courage when I was a child,” she said. “He was a friend I could relate to when I was an adolescent. He was strength when I was battling cancer. He was solace when I was upset and needed something familiar that I could lose myself in.” But being a Potterhead is not only about the books and the movies. From collectible wands to visiting the Wizarding World, there are a multitude of options for indulging in fandom. Grace has her collection of wands and merchandise from her favorite house, Ravenclaw. She would also love to one day have a custom license plate reading RVNCLW.
