and second (speaking of the critic): there's a man who has an unpublished manuscript somewhere!

I don't doubt it. They say the worst critics are the ones that failed to be a success in the chosen subject.

FWIW, I found the Harry Potter books quite amusing, something I wished had been around when I was young. There's a clarity of communication that doesn't get enough credit, or sees enough use in some "adult" efforts.

Ali