JK Rowling's new book: The Casual Vacancy

[xhanax315]

Originally Posted by samjc

So do you guys think this book will have a midnight launch at bookstores? I really hope so as I only went to one midnight launch for Harry Potter.

I would hope so, it is Jo Rowling after all.

[Goddess_Clio]

Originally Posted by samjc

So do you guys think this book will have a midnight launch at bookstores? I really hope so as I only went to one midnight launch for Harry Potter.

I don't think so. JKR is a very famous author - to make a massive understatement - but the release of an untried and untested book for adults simply might not garner the kind of hype associated with the release of a Harry Potter book. Harry Potter had midnight releases because fans already loved the characters and loved the story; fans know next to nothing about this new book.

It seems fans are falling into two categories: Fans who are super excited dispite not knowing the book's genre, story, characters or even title; or fans who are skeptical to cautiously optimistic who are waiting to see if the book strikes their fancy or falls into a genre they like or who are simply trying to not get their hopes up only to feel disappointed once they read the book and it's not what they expected.

I, too, only went to one midnight release - but what a release it was! In London, at the Picadilly Waterstones with news cameras, people decked out in full on costume - it was like Harry Potter Mardi Gras To a certain extent, though, I like that the midnight book releases of Harry Potter were precious, one of a kind events. It makes them more special.

[HMN]

Originally Posted by Rell

I'm surprised at how few posts this thread still has . I thought that there would be more interest.

I just heard about it now. I don't know how I missed this announcement.

I'll say that I will buy it regardless of genre and topic. I just hope it's good. I really, really want it to be good so that she writes more and more.

It's interesting that it's for adults. I've learned recently that aside from obvious themes that separate YA and Adult, one thing that separates the classification is price point. YA books will be priced under $25. And adult fiction will be priced at $25 and up.

Harry Potter hard covers being the exception. But possibly because they knew adults were reading it as well as kids.

Originally Posted by samjc

So do you guys think this book will have a midnight launch at bookstores? I really hope so as I only went to one midnight launch for Harry Potter.

I think that would depend on how the reviews for the book go. I think unlike the later HP books, this new one will have Advanced Reader Copies for the press and others in the book world.

[xhanax315]

That's interesting about the difference only being about price points. I hadn't known that.

[leah49]

Originally Posted by HMN

It's interesting that it's for adults. I've learned recently that aside from obvious themes that separate YA and Adult, one thing that separates the classification is price point. YA books will be priced under $25. And adult fiction will be priced at $25 and up.

I'm not sure I've ever come across ANY fiction at $25 or higher.

[Goddess_Clio]

Originally Posted by leah49

I'm not sure I've ever come across ANY fiction at $25 or higher.

I'm assuming we're talking $25 per book because I've purchased box sets of things for more than $25 I've never paid more than $20 for a hardcover book and most recently shelled out $18 for a paperback - but I was in Canada so I was paying the Canadian price rather than the US price which is always cheaper - I just had to have that book then and there, there was no option to wait

Adult themes are very important in making the distinction between adult and young adult and I'd say that's where the line is drawn rather than just wanting to make more money. At this point, profits are probably not JKR's biggest motivator My guess is that she and her publishers are classifying it as adult because it includes adult themes or content deemed inappropriate for young adults.

[MissMarauder]

Oh wow $25 for one book? Besides Harry Potter I don't think I've paid more than $10 for a book (besides textbooks). If that's the case, I'm waiting until I can get it from the library. Or read it an BN.

[xhanax315]

Originally Posted by leah49

I'm not sure I've ever come across ANY fiction at $25 or higher.

Really? I've seen quite a few King books hardcover that are usually 29.95. I think that's the highest I've seen a fiction book. I don't recall what the Millenium series were when I got the last one because it hadn't become paperback yet. I wonder what A Dance with Dragons is, I haven't looked at it yet. Regardless of price, I'd probably get it just because I couldn't stand to wait for it to come out in paperback, it takes to long and no way would I find it second hand so soon.

[Tibbetts]

I've known a few Stephen King novels to be about $25-$30. Generally though, I get my fiction at about $15-$25 range from Amazon.com. Or cheaper, if I buy from their market or I buy a paperback.

Looking forward to the knew Rowling novel. Should be interesting, that's for sure.

[Wab]

Originally Posted by samjc

So do you guys think this book will have a midnight launch at bookstores? I really hope so as I only went to one midnight launch for Harry Potter.

Given that the book's primary demographic is a general adult readership and not young fen, I seriously doubt it.

As for book prices, they are ludicrously expensive here (for various political reasons that don't bear going into). A mass market hardback will have a recommended retail of anything up to $50 and TPBs about $30.

Of course most bookshops have to cut prices on best-sellers to compete with discount stores. Which is why I usually go to Book Depository.

[HMN]

Originally Posted by Goddess_Clio

I'm assuming we're talking $25 per book because I've purchased box sets of things for more than $25

Yes, per book. Recommended retail hardcover - the actual price printed on the book, not the discount the store often gives.

Adult themes are very important in making the distinction between adult and young adult and I'd say that's where the line is drawn rather than just wanting to make more money. At this point, profits are probably not JKR's biggest motivator My guess is that she and her publishers are classifying it as adult because it includes adult themes or content deemed inappropriate for young adults.

Yes, themes are the primary differentiator - but if you take a book like The Night Circus, which could go either way (YA or Adult Fiction), they priced the retail hardcover at $24.99 meaning that the publisher marketed it towards adult fiction. If you look at say, Michael Scott's next book The Enchantress, it's recommended retail price is $18.99 and will be placed in the YA section of a bookstore.

[Pearl_Took]

Whilst I like the HP books -- otherwise I wouldn't have been here for the past five years -- the series also makes me long for something much darker and more adult. If JKR can deliver that, I am definitely interested.

I think an adult readership will be much more critical, and have higher expectations of her writing, than her already existing (vast) fanbase.

[SopophorousBean]

Originally Posted by samjc

So do you guys think this book will have a midnight launch at bookstores? I really hope so as I only went to one midnight launch for Harry Potter.

I didn't go to a single midnight book release so I'm definitely hoping for one, but I imagine it will depend on the demand and whether they think it's suitable. I mean plenty of adults wait up for midnight game releases and plenty of adults went to the midnight book releases, but I suppose if they want to distance it from Potter they might stay away from that idea. Still hoping they do though

I'll definitely be interested to see the figures when it becomes available to pre-order, just to see how much demand there'll be for this book!

I hope they release some more information about the book soon, it seems the excitement has died down for a while because there isn't much new information to discuss

[TheRemix]

im so excited for the new book. Soo excited!

[samjc]

So when do you think it'll be out? I would say this summer but it seems a bit soon now...

[Annett]

No I don`t think summer. Autumn is more likely.

Lets take a look: I remember Jo announcing the last book at Christmas, which came out early July. If that`s the normal time span I would say we should look out for it in September.

But she has a new publisher, maybe things work differently there.

[Wab]

Originally Posted by Annett

Lets take a look: I remember Jo announcing the last book at Christmas, which came out early July. If that`s the normal time span I would say we should look out for it in September.

Odds are late September-early October which is the time most publishers release their main titles for Christmas.

[gelowo93]

The title, synopsis, and release date has been announced

http://www.littlebrown.co.uk/TheCasualVacancy

[Hes]

Well I guess the name of the first character is easily to remember...

ETA: edited the thread title.

[gelowo93]

^^ I've already seen someone comment that it's one letter off Harry

It sounds interesting enough, though I'd probably pass over it if it wasn't by JKR. It struck me that it's being released on a Thursday. It's probably not that unusual but I'm so used to the HP books being released on Saturdays that it seemed a little weird.