Okay - so I'm cross. I'm very cross. Even very very cross.

I know that I'm 40 and very possibly sad but I enjoy the Harry Potter books and I've pre-ordered my copy of HP5 due 21 June and I will be there at my local Ottakar's at opening time to collect my copy. So why do Ottakar's launch their 'Wizard Quest' competition with an upper age limit of FOURTEEN YEARS OLD!

I know I can get away with being mistaken for a 30-something, but aged 12 is pushing it! Any ideas?

mutter. mutter, mutter...................................................

I know! It's sooooo annoying!

Do you not have any younger relatives whose identity you could asume?

You can borrow my 12 year old if you like, but she's such a Harry Potter nut you may not get the prizes if you win!

Alteratively cut your legs off at the knees and start applying the miracle creams, they don't work for me personally.

It's a bit depressing when your own mum doesn't say "Hello" but "Haven't you gone grey!"

Time to wheel out the Greecian 2000

I'm figuring that I should dye my hair before I visit my brother in Seattle in August, so that people don't mistake me for his mother. I have more grey hair in my mid thirties than my mother does in her mid fifties (I take after dad, who started greying in his 20s).



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"I've often said that the difference between British and American SF TV series is that the British ones have three-dimensional characters and cardboard spaceships, while the Americans do it the other way around."
--Ross Smith

I've already had to shift to the permanent hair dye rather than the fades in 24 washes sort. Other than reducing my height and binding my chest rather tightly, I can't think of any way to get round it.

A letter to the chairman of Ottakar's will be winging its way on Monday!

I use the 24 wash stuff when I do it at all, because the way I wear my hair the roots would show immediately and it's better if it fades as it grows out.

Under 14 is a bit much. I mean even I couldn't enter that!



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There's a hole in my creativity bucket and it's all leaked out.

Such is the mysterious ways in which marketing departments move. 'Harry Potter' is a children's book, therefore we only market it for children, even though there's good evidence that a lot of adults enjoy the series too. They probably wanted some way of cutting down on the number of entries they would recieve.

Sorry - take issue with the only market it for children comment - Bloomsbury have published all four titles in paperback with an 'adult' jacket and with HP5 they are publishing both a children's and an adult jacket hardback at the same time!

Bloomsbury just aren't fun any more!

I'm buying them all in the kid's jackets. Much cooler.

And I'm collecting the DWJ kids books, and i've just started on the Series of Unfortunate Events, or whatever they are.



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Do something pretty while you can...

I've ordered the adult jacket - I think I should change so it's looks like I've borrowed the kids' book. I'm having it delivered to work so I can read it first otherwise it means waiting to be fourth in line and I don't have to queue up at midnight with the other parents of fanatical children to buy it!

Dante - you will LOVE the Series of Unfortunate Events - they are just so good! I've been lending out my audio books around the office - the boss's wife plays them quietly at work trying not to laugh out loud!

Auntysassy - yeah, the first three are great! Thing is, I got them @#$%& second-hand, and cause they're so little i object to paying full price for them...may have to though!

I believe lemony snicket's done an adult book under a different name, anyone know anything about it?



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Do something pretty while you can...

My son loves the series of unfortunate events stuff, but I've never got round to picking them up.

Just about everyone I know has read the HP books, children and adults alike, but I wonder if the competition is set up like that to try and get more children to try to persude their parents to pre order the book. The publishers are already safe in the number of pre orders from the adult readership.

Dante: It's daniel Sandler his name, if I'm remembering correctly. The name of the book is Basic 8 and we had it in a promo a few months ago.

Close Carla, it's David Handler. errr....or maybe Daniel Handler. I forget.



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Revolt! Revolt! No matter why or when,
It's novelty--old novelty again.

Ta to both of you, it's Daniel Handler if you're wondering!

One adult book and one that's sorta teenage, apparently. Think I@'m going to have a mass amazon spree tomorrow - that adult one, wolp, harry potter 3, maybe wee free men, and i'm sure there was something else i've forgotten now... oh, the new laurell k hamilton. whee!



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Do something pretty while you can...