Back in October we asked you, “If you could tell J.K. Rowling something in one sentence, what would it be?” And now we’re proud to tell you that Miss Rowling has received our letter and read your sentences!

We spent a long while compiling your sentences from the comment section of that article as well as coming up with something meaningful and beautiful enough to deserve to be read by J.K. Rowling. Once we were happy with what we wrote we stuck it in an envelope, slapped a Hypable sticker on it, and waited to give it to her.

Any of you who where there that night at Lincoln Center can attest to how quick the interaction with Jo was. We’d practiced and practiced what to say before, during, and after her stage presence because we knew we had a limited time to get something to her out loud.

Sadly, when we arrived at the table the letter was taken from us not by J.K. Rowling but by one of her assistants, and when we approached the Queen all that came out of our mouths sounded like “habbaweewhutaletterhopeyoureadomgthankyou-” before we got the books signed and escorted away. Although we do want to point out she took the time to look us in the eyes and say “Thank you,” in such a heartfelt, warm, and heart-stopping way we were barely holding onto our emotions as we left the table.

As the weeks went on we were curious about whether or not the letter actually made it to Jo’s hands, and we waited nervously not knowing if we’d ever hear back. Today we did, and we wanted to share both our original letter and her response so you can all take a look at what we wrote her.

What we wrote

Dear Jo,
I write for a website called Hypable, where (as fans) we report on the news of several different shows, books movies, etc. When we learned you would be in New York this year we hurriedly got our tickets so we can meet you not just for our sake, but the fans’ as well.

We wanted to give the fans that couldn’t come and see you a chance to at least tell you something in their own words, so we asked them all to write something to you in one sentence. We got an overwhelmingly large response, as we knew we would, and had included everyone in this letter.

You’ve changed the lives of millions, and helped the dreams of children and adults alike thrive, grow, and become realities. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for creating what you did, and there are no words to express the love we have for you as a fandom, a community, and a family.

We hope you enjoy reading these sentences and that you never forget that we will be here supporting you until the end of time. Always.

Best,
Tariq Herzallah and Hypable.com

 

What Jo wrote us

Dear Tariq,
Firstly, let me thank you for your wonderful letter, which I have read even though this is a form response. While promoting the Casual Vacancy over the course of several weeks I was given so many letters that it’s been impossible to write individual replies to everybody. However, I can tell you that I have been completely overhwlmed by the things that people have said and written to me. Thank you so very much for taking the trouble to write. You can have little idea of what that means to an author, whose working life is so solitary and who rarely gets to talk to the people who matter most: her readers.

If you’ve read the Casual Vacancy, I really hope you enjoyed it. Very different from Harry and yet the same themes in both – mortality and morality as usual! I’m currently working on another children’s book, for slightly younger children, so I daresay I’ll be on the promotional trail again before too long (but taking a break from discussing sex and swearwords).

Thank you again for being so generous in sharing your thoughts and feelings. That’s the glory of books: a true meeting of friends.

With very best wishes,
J.K. Rowling (signature)

 
If that’s not enough, here’s a picture!

Click to view the full image

 
Want to read the compilation we put together? Check out the second page! Beware, there are over 150 comments, so it’s quite lengthy.

We thank you all for contributing to the letter and giving us something to hand to Jo, and we’re glad we were able to help at least some of you get your words to her. For those who didn’t get a chance to contribute, don’t fret. We’re sure that there will be another day where we ask for your sentences, and we hope you’ll be there at the ready!

What our readers want to say to you – in one sentence.

(or as close to that as they could get!)

Thank you for help keeping the Dementors away. – Christina

“So…you just liked Arthur more? It’s okay, whatever. It’s not like I had just gotten my life together or anything” – Lupin – James Bean

Thank you, Jo, for giving me three best friends when I didn’t have any. – Chris Kolmorgen

Thank you for providing a place where I can just escape at any time even in the middle of the night and to be welcome home, Mischief Managed. – Alicia

Sup. – Dobby

Eternally thankful for the magic you created both on the page and in my life. I’ll always be looking forward to your next chapter. – John Thrasher

Thank you for teaching my younger self what it meant to be loyal, brave, and most importantly, how powerful a book could be. – Nicole P

You’ve shown the world that Magic does indeed exist, through love, and we’ll never be able to thank you enough for that. – Brandi Delhagen

Thank you J.K. for helping us go through every tough time with Harry´s great example of love – VickyfromArgentina

Thank you for reminding me of the power of a good story. – Amanda Marie

Thank you for my childhood and giving me reason to live. – Gates P.

Dear Jo, can you proof-read my comparative essay on Hagrid and Mary Poppins, please? – Laura Cain

I don’t know how I would’ve made it without Harry; thank you. – Jess

Thank you for sharing your world to us, it has been an experience we will never forget and we will always be waiting for that day when we go back to our true home, Hogwarts. – Michael

Thanks for giving me and my friends an excuse to run around, dueling each other at the age of 13. – Olivia M

You made my world a much better place Jo. – Mohamed El-Azhary

Thank you for teaching me to love – for introducing me to Remus Lupin and Albus Dumbledore, and the singlemost beautiful line ever written – “Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world.” – Chris Monaco

This sounds weird, but the smell of the Harry Potter books is one of my favourite smells, takes me right back to my childhood, so thanks. – Annie

It speaks much for your series that while I could be yelling at you for building me a second home I can never set foot in and crushing my young hopes as I ran to get the mail every day in the summer of my eleventh year, instead I choose to thank you for molding this part of my life which I will NEVER lose, giving a shy girl a way to connect with anyone, anywhere, and building up new hopes of finding my Hogwarts in a muggle world. – RNT

Thank you for Harry Potter, for Beedle The Bard, for Newt Scammander, for Kennilworthy Wisp and thank you most of all for Barry Fairbrother! – Denis Ó Ceallacháin

Thank you for the amazing opportunity to grow up with Harry and his friends. – Jordan Henry

There is not a day that goes by without me thinking of Harry – thank you Jo for giving me not just a wonderful childhood…but a wonderful life. – Emily

Thank you for showing me what it means to love, what it means to be a loyal friend and most of all, what it means to get lost in a story full of magic and wonders. – Alejandra

Thank you for a magical childhood and introducing me to my love of reading! – Kayla

Thank you for treacle tarts! – Yani Clovers

Thank you for giving me an escape when I needed it most. Simona

Jo, thank you for making the world a better place. – Kami McArthur

Dear Jo, your books are so universal, so full of love, so full of the human spirit and the beauty of this world that they helped me through my depression. I want you to know that you have made all the difference to at least one life on this earth. Thank you! – Kamala

Thank you for giving me the greatest childhood gift possible. I try to keep up with all things Rowling on JoRowling.net and the things they post about you never fail to inspire me or make me love and adore you even more. I love you and wish I could meet you one day. – Always, Sandra

Thank you for everything. – Courtney Siobhan Smith

Thank you! My life is forever changed because of you and your words! – Lindsey

Dear J.K. Rowling, thank you so much for inspiring me to write my stories. –Rosie

You deserve every single one of these compliments J.K.! – starkidwannabe

Harry Potter has meant more to me than anything else in my life – it’s taught me about joy, love, sorrow, has inspired me to write, and has given me a safe haven which I can always return to, and for that all I can say is a profound thank you. – Riley Rawson

Jo, while I have only been a fan of your books for a short while, you have added some brightness to my life with your Lumos charm, so thank you! – HexSky51

I’ve written multiple essays and projects on you and your works – you are that influential to me (and many others) and it was because of you that I am majoring in Writing – I would love nothing more than to meet you. – Michelle K

Your writings have and always will be a constant source of inspiration – Thank you. – Nicole

Ms. Rowling, thank you for introducing me to my closest friends, taking me on an incredible journey, and showing me of the power of unconditional love. – Jojo Squires

I love you. – Jordie Rutledge

Dear Jo, Thank you so much for everything and creating something completely amazing, without it I wouldn’t have the amazing friends I have today, and I wouldn’t love reading as much as I do now, you are truly an inspiration to all. – Beth

Thank you for creating a world I can disappear into whenever I want. – Katharine McKee

Thank you. I will always consider you, Jo, my protego. – Lee

You’ve taught me so much, thank you for my childhood, thank you for making me who I am today. – Will R

You taught me more about society and people than I ever learned simply by growing up in this world. – Lauren Mason

Thank you so much for being my role model and for writing books that will never be forgotten. – Maeve

Your books are and forever will be the greatest books ever written and Harry Potter changed my life for the better, thank you. – HP4ever!

Thank you for such a wonderful story that has inspired and touched so many; it’s completely worth it that every stranger I meet tells me I should name my children ‘Harry.’ – Matthew Potter

Thank you for giving me my best friends. It is because of you I know them. :-) – ladybirds

Thank you, Jo, for kindling my passion to read, inviting me to your secret magical world, giving me three of the best friends in the world, increasing my desire for a good story, being a walking inspiration, and leading me to decide on a career – being an author. – Eric

I would tell her “Thank you so much, J.K. Rowling. You have no idea how much your stories mean to me even though this sentence may come across as sort of underwhelming when compared to others. Anyway, Harry Potter has helped me through some pretty tough times and I am forever grateful for it, and you. You’re pretty much everything I want to be.” – Glaciusx

You have given happiness I never knew existed and friends I never knew I deserved, and a life I wouldn’t change for anything. – Téa

I hope your next book for children is Grumble the Grubby Goat. – Hermione Granger

Thank you for being brave enough to put your pain in writing; it has given me the strength to face my demons as well. – Madison

Jo, thank you so much for everything. Your stories have influenced my life more than anyone can ever know. (And please write a collection of short stories about the Marauders!) – Laura F

Thank you, Jo, for all the experiences your stories have given me. I have made some of my greatest friends through your books and they have taught me so much about “a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature” -love. Your writing has given so many people happiness and changed so many lives. You have inspired me to be the best I can be and to try to write novels of my own. Thank you so much for everything. –Nicholas K.

Thank you for making me the person I am today. – Jill

Thank you for making me feel not alone, keeping me alive, and giving me courage like Harry. – Liz

You’ve given us all a world to go to when we had no where else to go. Thank you Jo. – Jill

Thank you for Harry and what you’ve taught and given us and for all the magic and how you’ve touched our lives through him. – AccioMagic23778

Thank you for writing books that make me confident to be myself, no matter what anyone else says; you have made my life a better place to be. – Lian

Thanks Jo, for giving us so many wonderful stories to be surrounded with for my entire childhood, and for the future, to share with my children. – Shyam R. Srinivasan

Thank you so much…. You inspired me to write, and because of you I read and write every single day. – HermioneKatniss1

Thank you, Jo, for helping me to believe in magic and in myself. – Liz

Thank you for inspiring not only myself, but millions of others, and thank you for helping me to realize that good things will come to those who wait and that you can find magic anywhere. – Jessica S.

Thank you for allowing me to grow up with an obsession that has lasted into my late 20s! – Michael Prickett

Thank you for giving me the magic I so desperately search for. – tsl

I feel as if there are no words I can say to you that another individual hasn’t already, but I do thank you for everything you have done for this community of muggles, you have warmed the hearts of many and we will always love you! – Gregory John Bacon III

No longer am I that “nerd” who only cares about school because due to Hermione, I have the confidence to realize that being labeled as a “know-it-all” is cool and now I embrace it and like Hermione am able to realize that perhaps all knowledge does not come from school. Thanks. – Lucy

Thank you so much for when Dumbledore says “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” because now I know that everything about that world can be real. – Francesca

Thank you so much, you gave me my best friends, another home, and my childhood; you are my inspiration. – Caitlin

Thank you for writing these stories that brought me so much joy in my life and for inspiring me to be proud of who I am. – Julie L

Thank you for introducing me into reading. Harry changed my life for the better. – Megan Goodwin

Thank you for giving me the best childhood I could ever ask for and for helping me become the woman I am today. – Caitlin Marie Erienbach

I thought a sentence was nowhere near enough to describe what the Harry Potter series means to me, but then I realised I don’t think I’d ever be able to put it into words, but I’ll try; thanks for reminding me that no matter what else is happening in my life I’ll always have somewhere safe to go, with people who seem to understand. elinorbridges

Harry gave me hope and imagination during a time when I had none… Something to believe in, magic. – Angie Curl

Thank you for helping me to discover my passion, my calling, and my home. – Amber Jane Sorensen

You probably don’t care what I have to say because I am only one person out of billions of fans and you are most likely getting tired of reading everyone’s message saying how you changed their lives time and time again and you might be sitting in your home reading these heartfelt messages thinking that you don’t deserve all this attention or that you don’t deserve such great fans, but I’m writing this to tell you that you are the greatest writer of our time and will forever be remembered as the woman who shaped the literary world of the 21st century and no one can thank you enough for what you have done for children and adults everywhere around the world. – Jonathan Kunitsky

Thank you for making me who I am, and giving me the power to accept it, love it and show it off. – a Slytherin

Thank you. – Hanna

Thank you for making me believe in myself. – Kathryn

Jo, you are amazing, and you need to come and visit Canada some time soon! – Sachin

Thank you for my childhood. – Kalina Graf

I would just say thank you, for everything – Wes Oxford

Thank you for introducing me to the world of literature. – Melissa M

Is there anything that you would change about the Potter universe or the books? – Amelia

You will never know how much your letter helped me deal with the obstacles in my life, thank you to the edge of space and back.- Laura

Thank you for making my childhood magical, and for teaching me to dream. – Megan

Thank you for an unforgettable childhood and proving that there is still magic in the power of books. – Allyssa M.

Nothing has influenced and inspired me more than the Harry Potter books, and I just want to thank you for that, Jo. – Tara H.

You saved my life, and changed it too, by helping me find the bravery within me. – Jacob

Jo, your books have become the most important things to ever happen to me – they built the foundation for how I deal with love, loss, and life; and I could not adequately convey my gratitude for how you have shaped my existence in the most positive way imaginable. – Noah Otten

I cannot remember a life before Harry and I would not want to. – Elsa

We love you, Jo, and thank you for a magical childhood! – Noelle Braaten

Thank you for giving me a safe place to go to when I need an escape. – Kevin Landeen

Thank you for bringing a little bit of Portugal into the series: their cloaks are based on Porto university students’ clothes, am I right? But above all, thank you for the most wonderful childhood one could ever ask for. – Forever grateful, Raquel

Harry Potter changed my life in the best ways possible, so thank you very much for the magic, and thanks for making Merlin a Slytherin – we needed a good one! – Maj Elisabeth

Thank you for an incredible childhood. – Juliana Brown

Thank you so much, Jo, you and Harry Potter saved my life! – Magali

Your books shaped my childhood, brought my family together, helped me make lasting friendships, and they continue to lift me when I am sad and inspire me to be a better me – I cannot thank you enough. – Megan Clarke

What flavour Bertie Bott’s would you never try? – kels

Thank you for being the voice of my childhood, for creating a world that inspired and brought joy to so many, for all that you’ve done and all that you are, thank you, so very, very much. – Emily Cross

You gave me my passion to read – Plyush Goyal

Thank you for introducing me to fantasy literature. – Granger7

You are an amazing author, just thought someone needed to say it again. – belac889

Thank you for everything. The magic of Harry Potter goes well beyond the stories and into our lives. – Sarah T

Thank you for making redheads cool. – Sarah M.

Only need one word: Thanks! – John B.

I along with countless others grew up alongside Harry Potter, and I both thank you for inspiring and changing my childhood, and look forward to your magic as I navigate adulthood. – Samantha

Your stories have taught me things that I never could have learned in any amount of school education, and for this I will always support you, and of course, love you. – Tyler Peterson

Thank you for helping me decide the values and morals I live by, and for reminding us that love conquers all. – Rebecca Leigh Hurst

Thank you for inspiring my absolute and fundamental beliefs. – Elise Thompson

Thank you for saving my life, teaching me how to laugh, and giving me a semblance of childhood throughout all of those dark years in the twenty years I’ve been alive. – Mairead Nguyen

Thank you, Jo, for giving me the most magical childhood I could have ever asked for. Thank you for helping shape me into the person I am today. – Kendra Baird

You have changed my life in more ways than I can describe; thank you for helping me become the person I am today. – Matt Schrebe

Thank you for inspiring me to be more than I ever thought I could be. – Annie

Thank you. Not a day goes by that I don’t use a reference to one of the Harry Potter books or characters. They taught me to turn on the light when the world goes dark. – PhoenixStorm

Thank you so much, without Potter, the world would have been a terrible place for me. :) – Aamino H.

Your books accepted me into a wonderful new world when the real world was bringing me down. Thank you for being there for me through all of my difficult times and thank you for writing a magnificent story! I am eternally grateful to you. – Carolyn C.

Jo, thank you for making my childhood magical and letting me know that I can always call Hogwarts my home. – Haley Simpson

We will keep the magic alive long after people have stopped believing; thank you for a lifetime of memories. – Helena

Thank you for giving me a reason to live during some of the hardest years of my life. – Briana Michelle Meyer

Thank you not for changing my life, but for shaping it. – Kavitha

My childhood consist of me and my dad reading your books. I grew up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, so thank you so much. – Brittany Miller

I don’t know what to say, besides thank you for the magic, the adventures and for our beloved Mr. Potter! – Paola

Thank you for giving me light when all I had was darkness. – Alexandra V.

I turn to Harry every single time that I’m feeling like I just can’t keep going with it all anymore, because his story is so familiar that it’s home now, and comforts me like nothing else – and for that I truly and honestly can never thank you enough. – Maddie M

If I looked at the Mirror of Erised, I would see myself reading your books. – Pablo Ruiz V

You’ve been the greatest inspiration to me and your books gave me light when I saw only darkness; Thank you for everything. – Stephanie Evans

Thank you for showing me that you can be both intelligent and brave, bookish and beautiful. Thank you for telling the world that different is ok. Above all, thank you for giving me a place that will always be home. – Kara Olsavsky

You have created a story I fell in love with, characters I’m inspired to be like, and a world I have become myself in. Thank you for everything for creating something that has become another part of me. – ~Alexandra

Thank you for helping me make it to adulthood, for helping me believe in magic, and most of all, for inspiring me to keep that magic alive by writing my own stories. – Sarah

Your books have made me a better person, and I can honestly say I wouldn’t be who I am today if I hadn’t read the Harry Potter series. Thank you, so much. – Sofia Thomas

Jo, here’s a message from someone who admires you greatly in all aspects. You changed my life and the lives of many people around me, and there are no words that define every feeling of gratitude and admiration. I’m from Brazil, Team potterish.com fansite, and one day I hope to tell you personally, if my voice does not disappear completely, of course. Congratulations on the success you deserve, I’m reading The Casual Vacancy and am loving. – Evandro Lira

Dear Jo, thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn life’s most important aspects: friendship, loyalty, love, happiness and being true to yourself. – Lui

The leather bound 15th anniversary edition of Philosophers Stone that you signed and dedicated to me is one of my most prized possessions and I just wanted to say thanks for making me one of the most happiest Potter fans alive. – SpiritWitch120

Thank you for a wonderful childhood, and for making me appreciate the importance of names. – Gjertrud

You have changed my life. – Becca

Thank you for inspiring generations to pick up a book and fall in love with reading again. – Kristin A.

Did you ever wonder while writing that your book would cause controversy and if so how dd you feel about it? – redhead312

Thank you, Jo, for the most amazing childhood I could have ever asked for. – Jessica Leija

Dear Jo, thank you for teaching me the importance of love, friendship, and loyalty! – RussellTurner

Thank you for my childhood. – Allie Reynolds

I love your work and apprieciate what you’ve done, but will you please please please give us a Harry Potter Encyclopedia soon??!! – little5

Thank you for giving my life purpose and joy, Harry Potter and you and inspired me to become an author and write books that will change peoples lives for the better, I don’t know where I would be with out Harry as he has been my best friend since the first movie, my queen I bow down to you and say thank you for an amazing life and dream. – Tyler McMahan

Thank you for giving me the courage to write my own works, and not just keep them stored up in my head. – Lauren Medlin

You’ve changed my life. I was in an abusive relationship when I started reading HP. Harry gave me the strength to kick the guy to the curve and made me stronger! – Yvette R

I never opened a book before Harry Potter. – Lucas Roetter

Please write the Harry Potter encyclopedia and improve Pottermore, thank you for everything! – StarSky

Thanks for following your dreams so that I can follow mine. – Courtney L.