Are you here via MarkReads?

Welcome to Ascendio, friends of MarkReads.net/MarkWatches.net!

HPEF is thrilled to announce that Mark Oshiro of the world-renowned MarkReads.net and MarkWatches.net will be a special guest at Ascendio, HPEF’s eighth Harry Potter fandom event, taking place at the Portofino Bay Resort at Universal Orlando, Florida from July 12 – 15, 2012.

Mark will be hosting discussions about the Harry Potter series as well as at least one meet-up for discussion of everything and anything from MarkReads and MarkWatches. In May of 2010, after blogging his experience reading the Twilight series, and after avoiding the Harry Potter books and films for years, Mark took a friend’s suggestion to start Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone, and he was not prepared for the journey the books would take him on. His blog became a group read-along as thousands of Harry Potter fans from around the world tried to avoid spoiling upcoming chapters while sharing in Mark’s reactions to the surprises, revelations, quirks, joys and tragedies of J.K. Rowling’s stories. Mark continues to revisit Harry Potter on Mark Reads and is currently working his way through Sorcerer’s Stone; this time, nobody’s worried about spoilers!

If you’re coming here from Mark’s website (or Twitter, or Facebook page, or just because he told you to) you can learn more about Ascendio at our FAQ or by clicking around our website (points of interest: The Quill Track, Night of a Thousand Wizards 2 [our private park event!]) if you’re ready to register, you can click here. Don’t forget to put “Mark” or “MarkReads” as your referral source.

Our Call for Papers/Presentations/Panels is already up at http://hp2012.org/files/AscendioFinal.docx (PDF and web page versions are coming soon). Ascendio’s formal programming sessions are almost entirely attendee-generated, so if there’s a subject you want to lead a discussion on, present a paper about or workshop, please submit your proposal via our form at http://tinyurl.com/AscendioCFP

Also, hotel rooms are filling up quickly, and you can make your reservation at the Portofino Bay Resort – the Ascendio host hotel – even without registering for Ascendio. The standard room rate – which is good on any night between July 8 and July 19, 2012 – is $210 plus tax for up to four people in a room. We also have Deluxe rooms available for $265 plus tax for up to four people in a room. You can reserve a room for any dates, July 8 – 19, 2012, at their website, or by calling the hotel at 866-360-7395, or faxing 407-503-9258. If you call or fax the hotel, you must provide them with our code – HPEF-ASCENDIO – or you will not be able to make a reservation at our fantastic rates.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at Ascendio! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, LiveJournal, Dreamwidth and through our Newsletter to get news and updates!