All's quiet on the 'Harry Potter' front

  July 3, 2005 at 11:13 AM ET
  Geri     The Leaky Cauldron (via Cincinnati Enquirer)
  harry potter and the half-blood prince, half-blood prince, book 6


So I guess everyone’s wondering why we haven’t heard anything about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince? Well in an articleopens in new window today Harry Potter illustrator Mary GrandPré, Amazon rep Kristin Mariani and Cincinnati Librarian PR director Amy Banister discuss the secrecy that surrounds all these books.

In a telephone interview Ms. GrandPré won’t give any details away:

I can't talk too much about that. It is handled very carefully with lots of security and legal things involving confidentiality. Let's just say it's not your average job - the way it is delivered, done, there is nothing normal about it.

Kristin Mariani, head of public relations for Amazon states:

We treat the (Harry Potter) books completely separate from other inventory. There is a special area dedicated to nothing but processing this book. It is cordoned off and there is an 8-foot high barrier around the entire area.

There are only a few entry points and those are guarded 24/7. Only people with special badges can get in. And they have to show their badge when they enter and leave.

Finally, Amy Banister, director of public relations for the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County comments briefly on the penalty for breaking the embargo and that all the books are kept under lock and key:

We don't get the books much before the date. It's a quick turnaround to get them processed and ready for check out, then to the libraries.

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