The Night Before Potter

'Twas the night before Potter
And all through retail
The booksellers were anxious
Not a copy yet on sale


Okay, so it's a bad rhyme, but what can you do? Today is Harry Potter Eve across the land -- across many lands, actually. Since the "on sale date" for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is July 16, 2005, and it can't go on a sale a moment earlier (with a few notable exceptions already of course, typically from non-book retail outlets), bookstores across the land are holding late night Harry Potter events, with the book going on sale at 12:01 AM. Fun. I've already ordered my copy, weeks ago, online. If Rowling is still at the series years down the line, perhaps following Harry and his chums at the Hogwarts Old Folks Home, perhaps Fran and I will be at those midnight events with Alexander.