J.K. Rowling attends Cheltenham Lit Festival and reveals next book will be for children

As we previously reported, J.K. Rowling was slated to appear at the Cheltenham Literature Festival yesterday and read from her new adult novel, The Casual Vacancy, as well as answer some questions.

While this is not NEW news, as J.K. Rowling stated on her interview with American Journalist Cynthia McFadden, she confirmed that her next project that she will be releasing will be another children's book. In a recent article by the Telegraph, she stated:

"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. 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]."

Her novel The Casual Vacancy has received very mixed reviews around the globe including the possibility of being banned in certain cultural areas. While this type of criticism is nothing new to the author, as Harry Potter remains on top of the current most Challenged Books list, Rowling did say this:

"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 previously stated, "We're a phenomenally snobby society and it's such a rich seam. The middle class is so funny. It's the class I know best and it's the class where you find the most pretension." She added that she had "laid my friends bare".

Thanks to Leaky for the tip!

MuggleNet staff members will be in full force next week as Ms. Rowling is scheduled to read from her new adult novel as well as answer questions at the David Koch Center in New York City on October 16th. Let us know if you will also be attending the event.