|
OCTOBER 17, 2003 at 2:11 PM
Posted by GRAE
Source: The Press Democrat via The Leaky Cauldron
"Harry, Harry Potter, where are you? Idiot boy!" Uncle Vernon looked exactly like Dudley, a big man with hardly any neck, "Your wands gone! If I find you on the roof, I swear I'll ..." But Harry never heard what Uncle Vernon was going to do. Harry never found out. Hedwig, Harry's snow owl had swooped out and pecked Uncle Vernon. Uncle Vernon grabbed a kitchen knife and pointed it at Hedwig's throat. "If you don't get down here, this owl dies!" yelled Uncle Vernon.
No, the above excerpt isn't from the next book in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series, but rather a work of fan fiction - although you may be surprised at the age of the young author
.
[Eight-year-old Dezi] Gallegos, an active boy with an active imagination, loves fantasy tales in which good battles evil, and reads voraciously.
He's devoured all of the Harry Potter books, and after reading the "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" released during the summer, Gallegos began writing while on a family beach vacation in Southern California.
"Something about the fifth book inspired me. I started writing the first chapter and it was pretty long. I went home and kept writing. I loved my idea so much that I kept writing. I was finally so happy and I knew when it was done," said Gallegos, his brown eyes flashing with excitement.
His parents, Melanie and Ken, gently told him it was highly unlikely Rowling would consider using his storyline -- or the entire manuscript -- but that didn't deter Gallegos, who was determined to play out a new Harry Potter adventure in his mind, and record it on paper.
Gallegos has been building momentum for his 300-page Harry Potter book for the past few years. As a birthday gift for his father, Gallegos recently wrote him a long Sherlock Holmes-inspired story, and for a second-grade class project at Grant Elementary School, Gallegos wrote a 100-page book.
"It's hard for me to understand why kids write two page stories," said Gallegos.
In his 10-chapter book, Harry Potter is 18-years-old and becomes a Hogwarts teacher.
"I did it just for fun, but then I thought maybe this could be J.K. Rowling's next book," he said.
His dad mailed the typed manuscript to Rowling's publisher in August, requesting it be forwarded to her. Since then, Dezi has checked the mailbox regularly for a a response.
"Thousands of people read Harry Potter, so maybe she can let them try my book. I really want to get my book out in the world," he said.
You can read more excerpts from Dezi's book at the above link.
Reader Comments (54)
click to read...
Your Thoughts
click to write...
Copyright © 2002-2009 HPANA. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. 
HPANA is an unofficial fan site, in no way affiliated with J.K. Rowling,
Scholastic Books, Bloomsbury Publishing or Warner Bros. Entertainment. All
trademarks and copyrighted material are the property of their respective owners.
About HPANA | Movie 6 | Send a news tip | Contact us | Privacy policy
Metamorphmagus
Points: 37939
tonks black says:
Wow. He is only 8? I woulda guessed atleast 12!
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 2:23 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 454
crazy4hp says:
8? OHH SHAME ON ALL OF US! really, anyways i want to read that book!
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 2:41 PM EST
Points: 67
Dansfan_13 says:
Wow that pretty cool!! and hes only 8 holy cow!! i read this in my email bcause i get GOOGLE news alerts. i couldnt belive it! but it was kind of strange. i didnt get why Vernon did that to hedwig. Why was Harry on the roof? i guess we shall never know...
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 2:52 PM EST
Points: 927
ChelCho says:
That kid sounds a lot like JK. He's a pretty good writer; I'd like to read the rest of that story.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 3:01 PM EST
Points: 7828
Rococoed says:
I've written a fan-fiction longer than GoF, and I'm glad the media hasn't knocked on my door! That's a remarkable achievement to write a fan-fiction of that length, but you have to realize that your manuscript won't be published, and fan-fiction.net or fictionalley will have to suffice. If, however, you had an original manuscript unrelated at all to Harry Potter, you might have a chance at seeing on the book shelf at Barnes & Noble.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 3:10 PM EST
Points: 790
M. Sebastian says:
Not sure how much time JKR will have to spend reading the entire manuscript, but I expect she will be delighted to have inspired someone so young to be so creative. Sounds like an exceptionally talented and dedicated boy.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 3:44 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 548
alfonso llama says:
I just hope when this kid grows up, he becomes a good ORIGINAL author, because while he sounds fantastic for his age, so far he's proven himself on pieces that take after Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes. Still, as something of a writer myself, I'd love to know this guy better! I wonder if we'll hear more about him in the near future...?
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 3:46 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1990
HarrysGran says:
As a kid I wanted to be a writer. I had many good ideas (in my very own opinion of course), but I never was able to write them down, stopped after a few chapters - I just wasn't good enough.... sigh!
When a kid is able to write 300 pages with all the grammar and spelling right at this age, well I think we can expect great things of him!
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 4:20 PM EST
Witch
Points: 574
Tonks007 says:
He is really good if he is only 8 it really amazes me what someone can do like write a great story or juggle.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 4:52 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1645
morgana witch says:
He wrote 300 pages and he's 8. Wow! I agree with Hairy Potty that you have to realize your manuscript won't be published.
"I did it just for fun, but then I thought maybe this could be J.K. Rowling's next book," he said.
"Thousands of people read Harry Potter, so maybe she can let them try my book. I really want to get my book out in the world," he said.
He's eight. And it will NOT be JKR's next book. I think he's expecting a little (actually a LOT) too much. It's not like he's the first person to have ever written a Harry Potter fan-fic.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 5:17 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1153
tokixjam says:
That's pretty good! Way to go for him!
Although if he wants to be famous like JK, he should make up his own story (but totally different from Harry Potter...because that would just be repetitive and all...)
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 5:54 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1227
Prongs150 says:
I think it's a great step towards a future in writing. Hopefully, it will be "published " online so HP fans can read it and give him some input. The only thing holding him back from becoming a professional is an original idea. And there are plenty of those for him to pick. Good going, Dezi!
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 6:02 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1826
snapelupinfan says:
An eight-year old boy writing such a story? That's amazing. When I was eight I was happy to write a one-page-story! But I don't believe that JKR reads his story, if she reads every story fans will send her she won't be able to write any more!
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 6:10 PM EST
Points: 616
Minister of Magic says:
Well, a only 8 year-old boy! Wow! I thought he was older. There's a website http://hpfanfiction.net which has published very good Fanfiction Books. I've read books 5 and 6. They were written before OotP release, and the fan-fiction-OotP was good, I read it about January these year.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 6:18 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1506
Paint Horse says:
It's nice to see how JKR can inspire someone. I guess after book seven, all we'll have is fan-fiction to carry on the saga.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 6:19 PM EST
Witch
Points: 585
harryzbestgurl says:
i agree with paint horse!!! fanfiction IS all we'll have when all seven books are finished!!!
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 7:19 PM EST
Crookshanks Caretaker
Points: 3836
hermionefan1 says:
Whoa, that kid is only 8! He's got some talent. He could be the future JKR.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 7:26 PM EST
Witch
Points: 979
Butterbeer says:
This id is 8 and he nows about killing owls? What kind of place do we live in now? But really, this id is amazing.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 7:30 PM EST
Witch
Points: 750
siriusgurl says:
aawww That's so cute. Go little kid!
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 7:37 PM EST
Student
Points: 281
LiLSw33ti says:
That's pretty impressive. I don't see what's wrong with 2 page stories though. Some stories don't have to be long to be amazing/inspiring.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 8:01 PM EST
Witch
Points: 585
Joyce says:
I think this may be a great start to a career in writing. I would be interested to see where he is in about 20 years.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 9:22 PM EST
Witch
Points: 742
TigerEyez says:
Hmmmm, interesting, but he's setting his hopes a little too high. i doubt that the publishers will even look at it.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 9:25 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1068
Penumbra says:
I really don't know what to think about this.. JK is the only one entitled to write HP is really cool what this boy is doing right? But he at least should wait until Jk finishes publishing all of her books to ask for his to be out in the market.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 9:27 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 603
Padfoot7 says:
How cute..... the kid has some talent. And Penumbra, it is completely illegal for that book to ever be published or for JK to use it.
Posted Oct 17, 2003 at 10:51 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2391
HPN4eveRon says:
Thats Crazyness! An 8yr old from SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA! Yea Southern California rocks! Woo hoo! That place is so fun. That kid is truely talented. I really hope JKR gets to at least read his story. That story should be published in A Magazine for kids, or a newspaper or something at least!
Posted Oct 18, 2003 at 12:09 AM EST
Snape's Woman
(Moderator)
Points: 5392
Prof. Andaxia Moonstar says:
As an aspiring writer myself, I know how hard it can be. Best of luck to him; he has real talent! I believe more children would take the initiative in writing long stories if both reading and writing were made more interesting in school. I hope for his sake that JK finds the time to read his story. WELL DONE!
Posted Oct 18, 2003 at 12:16 AM EST
Back to top of page