J.K. Rowling – the author of the already legendary Harry Potter series – has made a very bold move. She has created “Pottermore.” Pottermore is a website wholly dedicated to the sale of all Harry Potter type – including a complete set of e-books. Why is this a bold move? Rowling has created Harry Potter e-books without the help of Apple, Amazon, or any other e-tailer: a move that none have successfully made before.

Few authors have succeeded in selling e-books without the help of a publishing company or e-tailer. Yet, J.K. Rowling isn’t like other authors. Her authorship is of a spellbinding status. Harry Potter is one of the largest grossing outfits ever to hit bookshelves, toy shops, and movie screens. As a result, Rowling has a large following of devoted fans.

Breaking Away from E-Tailers

The Harry Potter series will come to an end in July. Rowling has type the last word of the last Harry Potter book, and now she’s looking to prolong the series through Pottermore. Stretching a brand to its fullest potential is reminiscent of Rovio (the company that created the Angry Birds Empire). Some wonder if Rowling’s venture will succeed or come crashing to the ground much like a bewitched broomstick.

The idea behind the Pottermore project is to allow consumers to purchase e-books and audiobooks directly from the Pottermore site. How, exactly, this will work is the question that many people are currently pondering.

Compatibility Issues

Presently, purchasing an e-book from Apple or Amazon is simple. Users only have to visit the respective site (Amazon for Kindle users and Apple for iPad users), download a book, and be happily on their reading way. Both Amazon and Apple (amongst others) have made e-books compatible for their corresponding readers.

But what happens when an e-book has not been made for either reader? Some claim that creating a readable e-book for any device isn’t a complex matter. Yet, there are rumors that Rowling’s people are currently in conversation with Apple. What the outcome will be of these talks is unknown, though Apple is notorious for forbidding others to tamper with their products. Could J. K. Rowling break this impenetrable Apple barrier?

Availability

If you head to the Pottermore website (linked above), you’ll note that the site will only be available in October. How users will access the many books listed on the site is unknown for the time being. Presumably, Pottermore books will be available through all e-readers, though the kinks haven’t been worked out quite yet.

One thing’s for sure: something is brewing in Pottermore. Magazine covers and newspapers around the globe are featuring various Harry Potter actors, the new Harry Potter movie is set to debut in July, and both Apple and Amazon seem to be vying for the Pottermore spot. Will Harry Potter fade after the last movie has been created?

Or, will Rowling succeed in creating a memorable brand much in the way that Angry Birds will last through cookbooks and accessories long after the game has been forgotten?