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JK Rowling unmasked as author of detective novel writing under nom deplume

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Vanillalite

Ask me about the GAF Notebook
The Telegraph

jk_2617100e.jpg


J K Rowling has been unmasked as the author of an acclaimed new detective novel.

Writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, the Harry Potter creator ghostwrote a 450-page crime novel called The Cuckoo’s Calling.

When approached this weekend, Miss Rowling said: “I had hoped to keep this secret a little longer because being Robert Galbraith has been such a liberating experience. It has been wonderful to publish without hype or expectation and pure pleasure to get feedback under a different name.”
 

Matt_

World's #1 One Direction Fan: Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you~~~
Hadn't her other book just come out?
She wacked this one out pretty quick

Kudos to her though
 

jtb

Banned
Hadn't her other book just come out?
She wacked this one out pretty quick

Kudos to her though

the Harry Potter novels got pretty long towards the end (not to mention, the doubtless huge weight of growing expectations with each sequel), and she churned those out on a surprisingly regular schedule. She seems to have a good routine down.

also, books can sit around for a months so publishers can build hype for it with ARCs and the like before they hit store shelves for the consumer.
 

daffy

Banned
Should've did the same with Casual Vacancy. Harry Potter really overshadowed it with people constantly making comparisons.
 
No way. This is awesome. Love news like this.

Purchasing now. I started Casual Vacancy, but after the first chapter I got bored. This sounds a bit better, and after it I will probably come back to Casual Vacancy.
 

Zebra

Member
From the Amazon description:

About the Author
After several years with the Royal Military Police, Robert Galbraith was attached to the SIB (Special Investigative Branch), the plain-clothes branch of the RMP. He left the military in 2003 and has been working since then in the civilian security industry. The idea for Cormoran Strike grew directly out of his own experiences and those of his military friends who returned to the civilian world. 'Robert Galbraith' is a pseudonym.
 

Tucah

you speak so well
Curious to check this out now. I thought Casual Vacancy was pretty awful but I think she has the potential to write a really good adult novel.
 
Wish she could've kept it up a little longer, like Stephen King/Richard Bachman.

Didn't like Casual Vacancy that much, but I'll definitely be checking this one out.
 

Pie and Beans

Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
Cormoran Strike. Lula Landry.

I guess it should have been obvious from her twee as fuck awful naming of characters.
 

wrowa

Member
All the power to her. That she's still writing at all and apparently even with a very strict routine shows that it is a work of passion; no matter what some people might say about the quality of her writing. I've got respect for that.

Might actually pick this up now, haven't read one of her books since... the fourth HP I think.
 

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
Not to be cynical, but here's what I think actually happened here:

- Rowling wanted to do a side project and wanted to test if she could receive positive feedback absent her celebrity, especially because the mystique of her celebrity was central in every review of The Casual Vacancy
- Her publisher didn't mind because she's now at the point where she has basically a license to do as she pleases, because she probably didn't ask for an advance, and because they thought the work was good enough.
- Now that she feels more comfortable being able to do what she wants and receive notice on her own merit without her baggage, it benefits her (in terms of number of eyes that read the page, and in terms of the gratification associated with writing something good and being recognized for it) and her publisher (in terms of cash), she outed herself.

I mean, take Nora Roberts. She's a famous author. She sells millions of books. She wants to write in another genre and her publisher feels she writes too quickly and they can't promote her books fast enough. So she writes as J.D. Robb--a few books later she outs herself as J.D. Robb and the books sell more and she's now an established author with a little extra range and leeway. Ta-da.

It works for me too, I don't read much genre fiction and I have no interest in mystery, but knowing that Rowling is something of a public figure I have more interest in reading this book.

I'd also add that the photo the Telgraph chose is very pretty, she looks warm and content, but real and human.
 

kirblar

Member
Not to be cynical, but here's what I think actually happened here:

- Rowling wanted to do a side project and wanted to test if she could receive positive feedback absent her celebrity, especially because the mystique of her celebrity was central in every review of The Casual Vacancy
- Her publisher didn't mind because she's now at the point where she has basically a license to do as she pleases, because she probably didn't ask for an advance, and because they thought the work was good enough.
- Now that she feels more comfortable being able to do what she wants and receive notice on her own merit without her baggage, it benefits her (in terms of number of eyes that read the page, and in terms of the gratification associated with writing something good and being recognized for it) and her publisher (in terms of cash), she outed herself.

I mean, take Nora Roberts. She's a famous author. She sells millions of books. She wants to write in another genre and her publisher feels she writes too quickly and they can't promote her books fast enough. So she writes as J.D. Robb--a few books later she outs herself as J.D. Robb and the books sell more and she's now an established author with a little extra range and leeway. Ta-da.

It works for me too, I don't read much genre fiction and I have no interest in mystery, but knowing that Rowling is something of a public figure I have more interest in reading this book.

I'd also add that the photo the Telgraph chose is very pretty, she looks warm and content, but real and human.
Honestly? She should probably do this for all her future releases. Lets her test things out without the expectations.
 

ivysaur12

Banned
Not to be cynical, but here's what I think actually happened here:

- Rowling wanted to do a side project and wanted to test if she could receive positive feedback absent her celebrity, especially because the mystique of her celebrity was central in every review of The Casual Vacancy
- Her publisher didn't mind because she's now at the point where she has basically a license to do as she pleases, because she probably didn't ask for an advance, and because they thought the work was good enough.
- Now that she feels more comfortable being able to do what she wants and receive notice on her own merit without her baggage, it benefits her (in terms of number of eyes that read the page, and in terms of the gratification associated with writing something good and being recognized for it) and her publisher (in terms of cash), she outed herself.

I mean, take Nora Roberts. She's a famous author. She sells millions of books. She wants to write in another genre and her publisher feels she writes too quickly and they can't promote her books fast enough. So she writes as J.D. Robb--a few books later she outs herself as J.D. Robb and the books sell more and she's now an established author with a little extra range and leeway. Ta-da.

It works for me too, I don't read much genre fiction and I have no interest in mystery, but knowing that Rowling is something of a public figure I have more interest in reading this book.

I'd also add that the photo the Telgraph chose is very pretty, she looks warm and content, but real and human.

I agree and I wouldn't mind if she kept doing this.
 

B-Dubs

No Scrubs
Not to be cynical, but here's what I think actually happened here:

- Rowling wanted to do a side project and wanted to test if she could receive positive feedback absent her celebrity, especially because the mystique of her celebrity was central in every review of The Casual Vacancy
- Her publisher didn't mind because she's now at the point where she has basically a license to do as she pleases, because she probably didn't ask for an advance, and because they thought the work was good enough.
- Now that she feels more comfortable being able to do what she wants and receive notice on her own merit without her baggage, it benefits her (in terms of number of eyes that read the page, and in terms of the gratification associated with writing something good and being recognized for it) and her publisher (in terms of cash), she outed herself.

I mean, take Nora Roberts. She's a famous author. She sells millions of books. She wants to write in another genre and her publisher feels she writes too quickly and they can't promote her books fast enough. So she writes as J.D. Robb--a few books later she outs herself as J.D. Robb and the books sell more and she's now an established author with a little extra range and leeway. Ta-da.

It works for me too, I don't read much genre fiction and I have no interest in mystery, but knowing that Rowling is something of a public figure I have more interest in reading this book.

I'd also add that the photo the Telgraph chose is very pretty, she looks warm and content, but real and human.

I don't really think that's a cynical way to look at it. She wanted to prove that she wasn't a one-hit wonder and she felt crushed under her own celebrity so she made a pseudonym. When the book gets good reviews, she feels content that she didn't just get lucky with Harry Potter and feels confident enough to out herself. If nothing else it'll force reviewers to take her a little more seriously in the future since they gave this book good reviews.

I don't really see anything wrong with any of it.

Next we'll hear she ghostwrote The Queen of the Tearling

That would be funny considering this piece of news.
 

Pooya

Member
Interesting, I'll probably check it out. Whatever she had in mind is probably working wonders right now.
 
I mean, take Nora Roberts. She's a famous author. She sells millions of books. She wants to write in another genre and her publisher feels she writes too quickly and they can't promote her books fast enough. So she writes as J.D. Robb--a few books later she outs herself as J.D. Robb and the books sell more and she's now an established author with a little extra range and leeway.

Whoa I did not know this. My mom reads the hell out Nora Roberts and J.D. Robb books. I wonder if she knows...
 

Acorn

Member
Not to be cynical, but here's what I think actually happened here:

- Rowling wanted to do a side project and wanted to test if she could receive positive feedback absent her celebrity, especially because the mystique of her celebrity was central in every review of The Casual Vacancy
- Her publisher didn't mind because she's now at the point where she has basically a license to do as she pleases, because she probably didn't ask for an advance, and because they thought the work was good enough.
- Now that she feels more comfortable being able to do what she wants and receive notice on her own merit without her baggage, it benefits her (in terms of number of eyes that read the page, and in terms of the gratification associated with writing something good and being recognized for it) and her publisher (in terms of cash), she outed herself.

I mean, take Nora Roberts. She's a famous author. She sells millions of books. She wants to write in another genre and her publisher feels she writes too quickly and they can't promote her books fast enough. So she writes as J.D. Robb--a few books later she outs herself as J.D. Robb and the books sell more and she's now an established author with a little extra range and leeway. Ta-da.

It works for me too, I don't read much genre fiction and I have no interest in mystery, but knowing that Rowling is something of a public figure I have more interest in reading this book.

I'd also add that the photo the Telgraph chose is very pretty, she looks warm and content, but real and human.
I agree with this.
 

kazebyaka

Banned
Rowling is a genius. And i love seeing her trying something new and not let the money stray her from creative path. But i still want my next potter book :/
 

Minigo

Member
Pffff she has nothing on George R. R. Martin, wait till Martin reveals his other 50 nom deplume, everything will make sense...
 
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