J.K. Rowling’s charity, Lumos, is launching a new campaign to help kids with disabilities. Last year Lumos raised over $30,000 on Indiegogo to build a first-of-its kind Special Education Unit (SEU) in Ialoveni, Moldova. This year they are funding an inclusive education project to help furnish the unit with the specialised equipment that the children will need to go to school, some for the very first time. They are looking to raise $35,000 before December 22nd. You can visit their Indiegogo page to donate to the cause and get some great perks.
Lumos is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organisation founded by J.K. Rowling to help countries reform their services for disadvantaged children. We believe that children need families, not orphanages, and are committed to ending the institutionalisation of children worldwide by 2050.
TV Wise is reporting that The Cormoran Strike Mysteries, a television show based on J.K. Rowling’s Robert Galbraith novels will most likely be airing on HBO in 2016. We previously reported that BBC would be airing the show in the UK. This news is not yet official, but it would make sense for BBC and HBO to partner again, as they did for Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy miniseries.
Additionally, it looks like the screenwriter for The Cuckoos Calling portion of the show, Sarah Phelps, has finished some, if not all, of her work for The Cormoran Strike Mysteries. Rowling tweeted the writer earlier this week to express her excitement over reading “a certain thing.” Ben Richards will adapt the second novel The Silkworm. It is unknown who will adapt Career of Evil.
According to the TV Wise article, a formal episode order for The Cormoran Strike Mysteries has not yet been set, with the BBC stating that it would be finalised once the scripts are completed.
Steeped in the atmosphere of contemporary London, Cormoran Strike’s city is far from the bright lights and frenetic bustle, immersed instead in its darker, murkier side. War veteran turned private detective, Strike investigates shocking crimes together with his female assistant Robin, whose forensic mind and fierce determination he cannot ignore. The murders take them from the hushed streets of Mayfair to the literary haunts of Fitzrovia, exposing the seedy reality lurking beneath seemingly innocent societies. With each crime, they discover a little more about each other and both learn that appearances can be deceptive.
We will of course keep you up to date on all news related to The Cormoran Strike Mysteries.
Yesterday, Robert Galbraith, aka J.K. Rowling, gave her first UK interview as her pseudonym as part of the BBC Radio 2 Book Club, discussing her latest novel Career Of Evil. In the interview, J. K. Rowling as Robert talked about her inspiration for creating a pen name, her crime writing influences and more. Before we get to the interview, and for those of you who enjoy the series and want to take an in-depth look, do check out The Strike Files, a brand new podcast made by our friends Zack Luye and Melissa Anelli!
A few highlights from the interview may be read below.
Robert Galbraith aka JK Rowling on upcoming projects and her latest novel Career of Evil: ‘Definitely the darkest of the series so far. It’s the only book I’ve ever written that has literally given me nightmares… But I really enjoyed the crafting of the book.’
There’s more to come for fans of all ages: ‘I’m not going to give you an absolute date because things are busy enough, but I will definitely write more novels as JK Rowling. I have so many ideas. I have written part of a children’s book that I really love so there will be another children’s book and I have ideas for other adult books… I sometimes worry I’ll die before I’ve written them all out. That’s my mid-life crisis.’
But she isn’t writing under any other names for now: ‘Trying to run more than one pseudonym is a fool’s game, I wish Robert had lasted longer because it was a lot of fun.’
Yesterday the Twitterverse went crazy over some new Harry Potter and the Cursed Child news. We waited until there was more concrete information to post, which we have gotten this morning! The website has been updated to let us know that it is a SEQUEL, so now we know why Rowling was adamant it wasn’t a prequel.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child officially opens at the Palace Theatre London in July 2016, with preview performances from late May 2016. Tickets will go on sale October 30th, for more information on ticket prices and preview tickets, click here. It is one play presented in two Parts, which are intended to be seen in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings.
Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne. It is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage.
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.
While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.
Audible has released the first two chapters of Robert Galbraith’s Career of Evil through Twitter! Career of Evil is Galbraith’s third novel in the Cormoran Strike series. The book will be released one week from today, on October 20th. Listen to Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 on Soundcloud.
When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg. Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible – and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.
With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them….
Career of Evil is the third in the highly acclaimed series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott. A fiendishly clever mystery with unexpected twists around every corner, it is also a gripping story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives.
J.K. Rowling confirmed on Twitter today that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will now be two separate plays due to the “epic nature o the story.” Pottermore was also updated with further information. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will open in London’s West End summer 2016, with tickets going on sale this Autumn. You can register for priority booking at HarryPotterthePlay.com.
The important bits from the Pottermore post may be read below:
Bafta-winning writer Jack Thorne was elated by the chance to delve deeper into the wizarding world.‘Obviously I loved it when we decided to tell this story in two parts,’ Jack tells us, ‘because I got to spend more time with the characters and what an honour that has been. It continues to be unbelievable and amazing that I’ve been given this extraordinary chance to bring Harry Potter to the stage. As a fan, who just devoured the books and the films, this couldn’t be more exciting for me.’
The significance of the stage play is not lost on Tony and Olivier Award-winning director John Tiffany. He feels that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a unique production, and we’re inclined to agree.
‘I’ve never worked on anything quite like this before,’ he says. ‘Usually in theatre you’re adapting existing material or creating an entirely new play. With the Cursed Child we have been given the unique opportunity to explore some of the most cherished books and beloved characters ever written, yet work with J.K. Rowling to tell a story from that world that no one yet knows – it’s exhilarating. It shares a scale and ambition with all the Harry Potter stories so in order to do this justice we have decided to present the play in two parts.’
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