Raincoast books, the Canadian publisher of the Harry Potter series has asked the courts to prevent anyone from leaking details from the latest book in the series. Copies were accidentally sold ahead of the release date.

Last Friday the Great Canadian Superstore in Coquitlam, B.C. sold 15 copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The official release date is July 16th at 12:01 a.m.

Customers who bought the book were requested to return it to the store and forbidden to release any information about the book to the general public. The publisher is offering gift enticements to customers who return their book voluntarily and a reward for anyone in the general public who may have information leading to the books return.

Raincoast spokesperson Jamie Broadhurst says some of the purchasers have voluntarily returned their copies. And he says the publisher is offering a reward to get the others returned.

"We're asking them to contact us and to temporarily return their copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to us,""he says.

"And in exchange, what we will do, is on July 16 at one minute past midnight, we will returns their copies to them along with a signed autographed bookplate to be affixed in their book from J.K. Rowling, and some gift items as well."

Bookstores who release the book before the official launch date are subject to losing their distribution agreements with the publisher and fines for violating the court injunctions.

The Harry Potter series has sold more than 200 million copies around the world.

Evanx

Grand Rapids, MI

June 2003

JUL 13, 2005 11:50 AM

I bet Karl Rove is behind this.

poptard

United Kingdom

November 2003

JUL 13, 2005 11:52 AM

see if i had the book i whoulfd have read it already, then i whoudl return it and thusly get soemthign even better on it return

Signon

Austin, TX

June 2005

JUL 13, 2005 05:01 PM

Everyflavor beans are made of people. Kevin Spacey is Voldemort.

FireBomber

Leesburg, FL

March 2005

JUL 13, 2005 08:09 PM

Signon said:
Everyflavor beans are made of people. Kevin Spacey is Voldemort.

That's the funniest thing I've read all day.

FireBomber

Leesburg, FL

March 2005

JUL 13, 2005 08:10 PM

D'oh! Double post.

[Edited on Jul 13, 2005 by TonyOrlando]

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Andvari

Calgary, AB

April 2005

JUL 13, 2005 10:20 AM

Evanx

Grand Rapids, MI

June 2003

JUL 13, 2005 11:50 AM

poptard

United Kingdom

November 2003

JUL 13, 2005 11:52 AM

Signon

Austin, TX

June 2005

JUL 13, 2005 05:01 PM

FireBomber

Leesburg, FL

March 2005

JUL 13, 2005 08:09 PM

FireBomber

Leesburg, FL

March 2005

JUL 13, 2005 08:10 PM