Unofficial book simply 'a rearrangement' of her work: J.K. Rowling
Last Updated: Monday, April 14, 2008 | 4:56 PM ET
CBC News
J.K. Rowling's attempts to block the publication of a book based on the Harry Potter world she created has sapped her creativity, she testified on Monday.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling arrives at Manhattan federal court in New York on Monday.
(Louis Lanzano/Associated Press)
Speaking in a U.S. District Court in Manhattan Monday, the blockbuster writer said the lawsuit has "decimated [her] creative work over the last month" and that she has stopped working on a new novel.
Rowling is suing Michigan-based publisher RDR Books to stop its publication of Harry Potter Lexicon, an encyclopedic tome about the world of wizards from the U.K. author's massively successful book series. Penning the proposed book is Steven Vander Ark, who has for years run the popular website of the same name that once even counted Rowling as a fan.
Though she previously supported the site and Vander Ark, she objects to the publishing of a book that she feels "constitutes wholesale theft of 17 years of my hard work."
On Monday, she called the project "nothing more than a rearrangement" of her own material, especially since it will not include the commentary and fan discussion that is present on the website.
Vander Ark's lawyers say that RDR Books does not challenge Rowling's copyright claims. However, they argue that the book will be used for scholarly pursuit.
The case is expected to last through the week, with U.S. District Court Judge Robert P. Patterson hearing the trial without a jury.
Rowling released the seventh and final installment of her internationally successful Harry Potter book series in 2007.
The novels, which detail the coming-of-age of the titular teen wizard, have been published in 64 languages and sold more than 400 million copies worldwide. The books have also spawned a popular film franchise.
With files from the Associated Press
