JK Rowling commented on what her next set of books to be published will feature this weekend at The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, as well as clearing up a few misconceptions about themes in her new book,
The Casual Vacancy.
Rowling admitted, according to
The Telegraph, that her next published book will be one for children younger than the Harry Potter demographic, and that she has a second child and adult book near completion, as she has stated in recent interviews to promote
The Casual Vacancy.
Do note, as per her comments below, that her two younger children are ages 9 (David) and 7 (Mackenzie).
"As the writer of Harry Potter, I'm always nervous of committing myself to another children's book, but yes, the next thing I write will be for children," [Rowling] said.
"I have a lot of things on my laptop currently, including a couple of things for children - for a slightly younger age group than Harry Potter was aimed at - which are nearly done and will, I think, be the next thing I publish. I have run them by my children and they seem to like them which is always a good sign.
"I also have some ideas for another book for adults but it isn't too far on [in development]."
In an interview at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on Saturday, Rowling hit out at critics, who she claimed had "misrepresented" her social views in the book.
She said: "I am not a particularly thick-skinned person. It is true that a lot of what I am looking at in the book are certainly middle-class issues, but then I think that's fair and I am well-qualified as I am from the middle class, which I can empathise with.
"But I think some critics have misrepresented my views as more extreme or black and white than they really are. I don't think I am evangelical in my work."
She said: "We do stigmatise teens a lot and see them as scary and alien. It's a very fragile time of life. It is more difficult to be a teenager now than when I was a teenager. The internet has been a boon and a curse for teenagers."
Rowling also
said she wanted her new book to be a hardcover and published on paper, as well as e-book format, and that as an adult book
The Casual Vacancy was naturally going to be darker than
Harry Potter.
Rowling also talked about the importance of staying traditional, and said: "I always planned for this book to be a hardcover."
My feeling is the best publishing style is still with traditional publishing houses."
She insisted the book was not autobiographical, but rather a reflection of "growing up in the West country and growing up in a comprehensive school".
When told the book was seemingly "blacker than Harry Potter", she responded by saying it was her idea to do an adult novel all along.
Order J.K. Rowling's 512-page book
The Casual Vacancy now, via:
Amazon.com - The Casual Vacancy Hardcover | The Casual Vacancy Kindle
Amazon.co.uk - The Casual Vacancy Hardcover | The Casual Vacancy Kindle
Amazon Canada - The Casual Vacancy Hardcover | The Casual Vacancy Audio CD 
JK Rowling admits next published book will be for younger audience than Harry Potter 
x6 
x2
. I am interested to see the title choice 
But her hair looks lovely in that photo! [/sidenote]
I'd read it... or buy it for me sister. 
