The Casual Vacancy will be released in hardback on 27 September while e-books and audio downloads will also be available. Rowling commented at a press conference that the freedom to venture into new territory has been a product of the success of the Harry Potter series she created.

The Casual Vacancy centres on the passing of Barry Fairweather, an event which shocks the villagers of Pagford. Rowling’s publisher, Little, Brown & Co said in a press release that Pagford seems like a typical English idyll with its cobbled market square and ancient abbey yet what lies behind its pretty facade is a village at war.

The tale as been described as blackly comic and thought-provoking yet also constantly surprising. Speaking at the red carper premiere of the last Potter movie in 2011, Rowling told reporters that the release of the movie marked the beginning of a completely new writing direction for her before adding that she had numerous projects in the pipeline.

As over 450 million copies of the seven Potter books were sold worldwide, author Rowling is among the richest novelists of all time. When the final novel of the series went on sale almost five years ago, thousands of copies were snapped up in minutes.

Her book is to be published across the map, although neither a date nor a title has been released thus far. Rowling pointed out that the huge success of the Harry Potter series gave her the gift of now being able to explore new territory.

In total, seven Potter books were published. Between them, they sold over 450 million copies worldwide. The novels, about a boy wizard, were a phenomenon and eight blockbuster films set on them took billions of pounds at the box office while making its actors, such as Daniel Radcliffe, into A-List celebrities.

When Rowling released the last installment of the fantasy series in 2007, hundreds of thousands of copies sold in a matter of minutes. While Bloomsbury published all of the Potter books, Rowling has decided to use a new publisher, Little Brown, for the debut she will make in adult fiction due to how different to wizardry the subject matter will be in her new novel.

Little Brown’s David Shelley commented that his company is thrilled, honoured, and incredibly proud to be the publisher of the Scot’s latest novel – even going as far to say that it is a dream come true for him to actually be working with such a big name as JK Rowling, an author whose work he and millions of others have admired so much over the years.

The distinctive shape of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is already visible with its thin layer of fake snow covering it.

The twenty-acre amusement destination is scheduled for an early spring launch. The park, which is believed to have cost as much as £160 million, is part of the Universal Orlando Resort in Florida.

Upon visiting The Potter theme park, guests will have the opportunity to experience popular elements of the renowned story such as a tour of the Hogwarts Castle, a stop at Ollivander’s wand shop and even the one-in-a-life-time chance to taste some butter beer.

The opening of the theme park will be followed by the launch half-a-year later of the last film in the series, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows in November.

When arriving at the park, guest will be welcomed by the familiar whistle which announces the Hogsmeade Station when the Hogwarts Express arrives in the movies.

The centre piece of the new theme destination will be a cluster of three roller-coaster rides. Universal have promised to keep secret details of what it calls its best and biggest park attraction. Web-based Harry Potter fan sites have rumoured that the secret is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a hi-tech experience located inside the Hodgwarts Castle which features the similarity to the characters in the series.

Meanwhile, it was revealed recently that the teenage Harry Potter actress Emma Watson, who portrays Hermione in the series, has received the accolade of the highest-paid female star in Hollywood in a poll carried out by American entertainment magazine Vanity Fair.

The nineteen-year-old actress, who now represents top brand names in fashion campaigns, is believed to have earned more than  $30m (£19m) in 2009.

Universal Orlando Resort in Florida, is planning an experience so immensely magical that  it will be unlike any other experience on the planet when it will be launched in spring 2010.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will offer visitors a mystical journey to Hogwarts Castle, where fans will be able to shop at the wand boutique Ollivanders and hop onto a Hippogriff for a training flight.

Also in the park will be The Owlery, an idea by author J. K. Rowling and featured in the movies,  including birds nesting in the rafters and fans able to mail letters, stamped with the Hogsmeade postmark, thorugh The Owl Post.

Visitors will be able to head to The Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head pub where food and drinks will be served.

Unveiled recently during a webcast presented by Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative, the event gave a lesson in hype.

Woodbury deemed the park a project of monumental proportions, while Potter film stars gave breathless quotes.

Daniel Radcliffe, portraying the much-loved Harry in the six films, said that he would come out of movie theatres when younger and wished that world could really exist and that he could be a part of it.

Ron Weasley actor Rupert Grint claimed the park will be like experiencing the movies.

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” saw $79.5 million in receipts in the US during its opening weekend, and a total of $159.7 million for the five days since its American premiere, according to estimates on Sunday.

Since last Wednesday, the movie took in $237 million in 54 countries outside the US, making its worldwide total thus far $396.7 million.

“Half-Blood Prince” is receiving some of the best reviews seen by any “Harry Potter” movie, and is off to the fastest start in the history of the franchise.

The sixth movie in the series has taken in $20 million more than the last film, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”, which grossed $139.7 million in the US during its first five days of release.

“Bruno” last weekend’s box office hit, dropped sharply, falling to fourth place and taking in $8.4 million, down by 73 percent from its opening weekend take of $30.6 million.

The new romantic comedy, “500 Days of Summer”, opened in limited release at 27 theaters, with a very good start, taking in $837,588. That amounted to $31,022 per cinema, on average, compared with $18,376 per cinema for “Half-Blood Prince”, which opened in 4,325 theaters.

For more information on this article please visit www.sfgate.com.

Despite the rain and a soggy red carpet, the cast members of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” were in high spirits for the film’s London premiere.

On Tuesday night the celebrities in attendance were likely wishing that they’d worn rain gear or that the premiere’s organizers had at least put up a tent.

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and other members of the film’s cast seemed in good cheer as they walked the red carpet with assistants holding see-through plastic umbrellas over them.

Radcliffe said to The Associated Press: “This is Brit spirit!” He added: “This is, ‘We got through two wars like this.’ This is fine. This is wonderful. This is nothing. It’s a spot of rain.”

He did admit, though, that he’d probably have to buy a new pair of shoes after walking through all the puddles on the red carpet.

Watson’s full-length gown is going to need some serious attention at the dry cleaners. She said of her wardrobe choice: “Big mistake. I’m suffering for it now. But hey, it’s mid-July. It’s been beautiful for three weeks.”

On Tuesday, however, it was different. Watson said: “The heavens have opened. It is pouring.”

Thanks to www.mtv.com for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

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