JK Rowling to write novel for adults

By TIM CORNWELL
Published on Friday 24 February 2012 12:26

FIVE years after penning her final Harry Potter novel, JK Rowling has changed publishers and written a new book – for adults.

The title and publication date will be confirmed later this year, but speculation is mounting that it will be a crime novel.

The Edinburgh author’s new editor has built a career working with leading writers in the genre.

Rowling – whose saga of boy wizard Harry became an international publishing sensation, led to eight major films, and built her a reported £500 million fortune – said her new novel would be “very different” to the books that made her name.

The Harry Potter series was published by Bloomsbury, which paid Rowling a £3,000 advance for her first book, and by children’s publisher Scholastic in the US. But the new novel will be issued in both countries by Little, Brown, publishers of Stephanie Meyer and her best-selling teen vampire series Twilight.

Rowling said: “The freedom to explore new territory is a gift that Harry’s success has brought me, and with that new territory it seemed a logical progression to have a new publisher.

“I am delighted to have a second publishing home in Little, Brown, and a publishing team that will be a great partner in this new phase of my writing life.”

Details about the book remain a closely guarded secret by an author, who has fought to protect her and her family’s privacy and has a taste for surprises.

But her editor at Little, Brown is David Shelley, who has worked with crime writers such as Mark Billingham, Val McDermid, Alex Gray and Patricia Cornwell.

Mr Shelley said he was “thrilled, honoured and proud” to be working with Rowling, which was a “personal and professional dream come true”.

“She is one of the best storytellers in the world, and I am looking forward enormously to helping bring her new novel for adults to her fans and admirers, and to introducing her writing to new readers the world over,” he said.

Rowling, who is said to be a fan of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers, started out as a single mother writing in Edinburgh cafes, and is said to have finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – the last in the series – on 11 January, 2007, in a suite at the city’s Balmoral Hotel.

The new book is certain to be an international publishing sensation, although children’s authors as far back as AA Milne have struggled to switch successfully into adult fiction.

Fellow Edinburgh author Ian Rankin first hinted years ago that Rowling was writing crime fiction. He wrote on Twitter yesterday: “Wouldn’t it be funny if JK Rowling’s first novel for adults turned out to be a crime story set in Edinburgh? My word yes.”

“I just think it’s a really interesting development, and also I’m intrigued that she’s gone to Little, Brown, to a very distinguished editor who has a strong background in crime and thriller publishing,” said Scottish literary agent Jenny Brown.

Gray, who worked on eight books with Mr Shelley, said: “He is very incisive, but he also has a very, very light touch and a real appreciation for the beauties in prose.”

The director of the Edinburgh Unesco City of Literature project said: “Anything with JK Rowling’s name on will sell. It will be really interesting to see how she makes that transition from a kids’ market to an adult market. I’d love it if she set something in Edinburgh.”

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17

Sharylfp

Monday, February 27, 2012 at 12:31 AM

Good for her! Nothing wrong with branching out to bigger audiences, because not EVERYone is into reading the Harry Potter Series. I have just about every one of the Potter books, accept for the last three. I have yet to read past the first book! Naturally, as I enjoy fantasy fiction, but would definitely check out Rowling's adult fiction, and I'm sure I will not be disappointed. She is a fantastic author and should explore other horizons! I'm certain, writing for adult readers, that she will continue to achieve success & prosperity! Blessings go out to her on her new adventures!

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16

Still Douglas

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 09:00 PM

Inspector Suber, a Hearts fan who likes a pint of Deuchars in The Tynecastle Arms brushes cigarette ash from the lapel of his rumpled suit jacket and tries in vain to rub the years of abuse from his careworn face. As he passes the new female chief superintendent on the stairs.........................................................................................................................................................

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15

Niebiosa tam sa naprawde nieskrzydlowe ludzie tam

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 06:40 PM

hehehe like that. Oh dear, older ,rich tottie alert. Obviously men of a certain age :)

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14

Tartancult

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 04:50 PM

#3 Oh dear, has she not heard of quitting when you are ahead ?" ------------------That is something you will never have to consider.

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13

Niebiosa tam sa naprawde nieskrzydlowe ludzie tam

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 01:45 PM

A crime novel, let me see a lonely,drunken rogue police detective,living in an historic Edinburgh City, with a long tradition of gothic literature. IR, I would shred your discarded documents from now on, lest the neighbours or ex neighbours go through your bins. !

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12

Niebiosa tam sa naprawde nieskrzydlowe ludzie tam

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 01:41 PM

#9 I take it you enjoyed her turgid and plagaristic efforts so far ? MMhh hardly makes you a fit person to comment on literature in that case.

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11

Niebiosa tam sa naprawde nieskrzydlowe ludzie tam

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 01:39 PM

"as a toilet as a toilet " I can write as gooder English as you matey. What is British literature ? I think you may be one of my toilet regulars.

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10

A Friend of Fernando Poo

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 01:09 PM

I was hoping for a new series: "Harry Potter Goes to Magic University".

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9

Faceless_bureaucrat

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 11:36 AM

Oh dear, a half wit with a silly Polish handle dares to give an opinion on British literature - been working as a toilet as a toilet assistant for too long ?

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8

young reekie

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:09 AM

#6 Meow!!

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7

young reekie

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:08 AM

It would be great if the book was set in Edinburgh hopefully not as dark as Rankin's

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6

Niebiosa tam sa naprawde nieskrzydlowe ludzie tam

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:00 AM

My Mother had curtains like that dress

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5

george toot toot

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 08:05 AM

I'm looking forward to it. I started reading her books -and watching the films- when N°2 came out. I am a detective novel & film fan so we'll see how it is.

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4

Wiener

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 07:44 AM

Wonder if it will be the first in a series of Harry Phowter books?

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3

Niebiosa tam sa naprawde nieskrzydlowe ludzie tam

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 07:09 AM

Oh dear, has she not heard of quitting when you are ahead ?

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