Hi everybody. I know there are some Harry Potter readers here, and certainly there are creative people. For all of you, I am passing on information about The Witching Hour, a Harry Potter symposium. TWH will explore the Harry Potter books and culture through academic examination and discussion, as well as through some fun fan convention elements. What's unique here is while much of this convention will consist of advanced academic presentations and round table discussions, there are also creative, fan-centered events including fanfic and fanart booths, a concert and a ball.
The Witching Hour takes place October 6-10 in Salem, Massachusetts.
I urge everybody to check out the website here http://www.witchinghour.org/about/index.html to check it out. The theme of the symposium is an exploration of the darkness inside of us, and why we as readers and people choose to deal with our own potential for darkness the way we do.
I know some of the fans behind this symposium and am incredibly impressed with what they've set up here.
ETA: I'd also encourage anyone with an interest to consider applying for a position such as sketch booth staffer, workshop presenter or round tables moderator. You don't have to have a PhD in literature or hours of experience as a public speaker in order to come up with a great presentation. TWH is, above all, supposed to be fun.
-m