‘Harry Potter Lexicon’ Author Cries On Stand

The author of a Harry Potter encyclopedia cried as he told a New York court about his devotion to the series of books about the boy wizard and denied accusations by JK Rowling that he plagiarised her work.

Rowling and Warner Brothers are suing independent US publisher RDR Books, which plans to publish The Harry Potter Lexicon - a 400 page reference book written by Steve Vander Ark.

Rowling, 42, whose seven Harry Potter books have sold around 400 million copies, told the court on Monday that Vander Ark’s plans for an unofficial encyclopedic Harry Potter companion book and the stress of the lawsuit had stifled her creativity and caused her to stop work on a new novel. (yeah sure JK, I believe they call that PMS).

Today Vander Ark, 50, said his Potter encyclopedia was merely a companion reference guide to help fans and readers and was intended to celebrate Rowling’s work.

With Rowling and her lawyers sitting directly in front of him, Vander Ark broke down in tears after more than three hours on the witness stand. He was asked if he still thought of himself as part of the Harry Potter fan club community.

“I do,” he said, trembling with tears and struggling to continue speaking.

“It’s been difficult because there’s been a lot of criticism, obviously, but … it has been an important part of my life for the last nine years or so.”

Rowling has called Vander Ark’s book, due to be published last November, “sloppy, lazy” work compared with other Harry Potter companion books already published.

The trial continues.

Hey J.K. - You have more than $4,500,000,000 dollars. Why don’t you pick on someone your own size.

~ “jU don’t like”

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