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JK Rowling announces title of first adult novel
JK Rowling wrote seven Harry Potter books
Author JK Rowling has announced her first adult novel will be called The Casual Vacancy.
The Harry Potter writer revealed in February that she was working on the book, and said it would be "very different" from her previous material.
The book will be published worldwide in hardback, e-book and as an audio download and CD on 27 September.
"The freedom to explore new territory is a gift that Harry's success has brought me," Rowling said.
The story is centred on the death of Barry Fairbrother, whose unexpected passing shocks the local villagers of Pagford.
Publishers Little, Brown & Co said: "Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty facade is a town at war."
The company describes the tale as being "blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising".
JK Rowling speaking to the BBC about her future projects in 2011
Speaking at the premiere of the final Potter movie last year, Rowling told BBC News that the movie marked the start of a new writing direction.
"I think I always felt that I didn't want to publish again until the last film was out, because Potter has been such a huge thing of my life.
"I've been writing hard ever since I finished writing [Harry Potter and the Deathly] Hallows, so I've got a lot of stuff. And I suppose it's a question of deciding which one comes out first."
More than 450 million copies of Rowling's seven Potter books have been sold worldwide.
The novels, about a boy wizard who survives the attack that kills his parents, became a worldwide phenomenon and were turned into eight blockbuster films starring Daniel Radcliffe.
When the final instalment of the book series went on sale in 2007, thousands of copies sold in minutes.
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Comment number 179.
Cassandra12th April 2012 - 20:01
Looking forward to any new stories she wants to tell!
Too bad so many tiresome people will try to compare her adult fiction with her children's stories. It's not fair or reasonable, but it's inevitable.
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Comment number 169.
martluck12th April 2012 - 19:41
Whether it's good or whether it's garbage people will still buy it because Rowling wrote it. They'll rave about it for the same reason.
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Comment number 168.
Marie9112th April 2012 - 19:19
She's still writing despite her previous earnings- surely that's a good thing, showing that she truly has a passion for what she does.
I personally love the HP books and look forward to her new book it is all opinion; don't criticise someone for their tastes. How boring it would be if we all liked the same things.
100% behind JKR, and nice to have some British talent!
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Comment number 159.
ronald12th April 2012 - 18:54
This is about the same garbage announcement, as Britney Spears was to be paid 15m to be a judge on X-Factor. OK if kids were encouraged to read with HP books, but does this article warrant a HYS? Sounds more UK people are lead like lemmings to part with their money. Big Brother, Strictly, has any Brit got brains now? BTW I am British, live abroad, & thankfully don't have to pay for this rubbish
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Comment number 119.
NickyofHull12th April 2012 - 16:56
I have never read any of the HP novels, and I've only seen a couple of the films. Indeed, I'm so disinterested in this genre in general (ba humbug), I haven't bothered to read the article above. But there is something special about JK Rowling's personality that I do admire - and I like that she is a British Icon. I hope she finds further success....here, on Earth!
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