We’re taking a break from our Academy Awards predictions (Part 1 , Part 2, Part 3!) to predict what will be inside J.K. Rowling’s just-announced adult novel!

We’re eager for your predictions too…

staff predictions:

Selina: (Twitter) I was shocked when I turned on the computer today (my birthday, incidentally. Jo, why are you stealing my thunder?) and saw the announcement that Jo is writing a new book! Although when I think about it, it really shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone considering all her “pen and paper are my priority” tweets (but wouldn’t it be a twist if her main characters were called Pen and Paper? You heard it here first, folks!) and the fact that you know, she’s an author and all.

But the fact that she’s writing a book for adults was a surprise, considering that last we heard she was planning the HP lexicon (guess that’s no longer happening… I can’t say I’m not disappointed, Pottermore is a poor substitute for me) and that political fairytale for children. I guess maybe she’s holding off on that for a while to avoid Hunger Games comparisons?

But then again, she’s JK Rowling, she can do whatever the heck she likes! So what’s this new book going to be about? Personally, I think she’s going to break completely away from the Potter genre. No magic, no supernatural elements. I’m actually imagining that she’s writing a crime novel, perhaps set in the past, like Edwardian London or similar. And while I’m eagerly anticipating this along with everything else, I can’t help but be slightly apprehensive. I love Philip Pullman because of the His Dark Materials series, but I couldn’t get through The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ even after attending a reading and Q&A with the author a few years back.

I’m one of the people that believes that Jo Rowling can do no wrong, but I’m not going to hype this book up to be the next Harry Potter. That series has taken on such a massive life of its own both in my own and in the fans’ collective imagination, and NOTHING will ever be as good, or perfect in its own imperfect way. That said, count me in for that midnight release party, Andrew! Jo Rowling breathing new life into the Potter fandom can never be a bad thing.

Jimmy: (Twitter) It’s been five years now since J.K. “I don’t understand how sports work” Rowling kicked her writing addiction, and now that she has officially announced a relapse, fans the world over have started saving their milk money for her new ink and paper child.

There’s no telling what the next book will be about, or even what world it will be set in, but my prediction is that it will be set firmly in reality. No magic, no supernatural foes, and above all, names that don’t sound like they were borrowed from Greek/Roman/Chinese/English/Romanian mythology.

In my opinion, J.K. Rowling has already proven that she can create THE SHIT out of a magical world, and if I know a writer’s brain, she’s going to want to branch out to something new.

We know that Jo DELIGHTS in setting her readers up on a mystery (Where is the Chamber of Secrets? How did Harry’s name get in the Goblet of Fire? Who is the Half-Blood Prince?), so my best assumption is that we will receive a proper mystery, possibly with a Sherlock Holmes-ish protagonist that (like many of the characters in Harry’s world) has an impossibly keen sense of perception and has his (OR HER!) own agenda to fulfill. The tonal quality of Harry Potter suggests an era that fascinates her (specifically, a quasi-modern Victorian era), so it might be possible to see her set up shop on Holmes’ turf with an equally compelling piece of realistic fiction.

The great thing at this point is this: Jo can write whatever she wants and people will buy it. Unlike other authors that are clandestined to remain in the YA or CL realm, Jo’s name is now synonymous with authorship, meaning that she will never be forced to cater to a certain audience. She specifically mentions that the book is “for adults”, so she has proven that she wants to do something she hasn’t had the chance to do before.

Two questions remain: A) Does she plan on establishing a series? and B) Will it rise higher than Harry Potter? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Andrew: (Twitter) Today definitely feels like a Harry Potter book announcement day. My hope for this new book is a story that has some level of magic to it, whether it be as deeply intertwined to the story as Potter or simply has a whimsical feel. Jo’s beautiful writing in the Harry Potter series has left the bar so high that we may find ourselves picking up this new book and yearning to feel some new magic. Then again, I doubt she wants to be typecast as a fantasy author.

I would be happiest with a mystery/thriller from Rowling. Give us something that leaves us constantly on the edge of our seat and trying to figure out what lies ahead in the plot. My other big hope is that she writes with the level of detail and forward-thinking style we saw in the Potter books. Though this book does not appear to be the first in a series, it’d be wonderful to have easter eggs scattered throughout the story that only connect once you read the book a second or third time.

Jeremy: (Twitter) J.K. Rowling has said she’s done with fantasy. I think it might be a noir type mystery. I doubt there would be supernatural or fantastical elements. I think Rowling would want to avoid comparisons to Potter at all costs, even though they’ll be unavoidable. Having any form of fantasy, world-building would lengthen that disconnect. So I think she’ll be working strictly in “our” world with this next novel.

Amanda: (Twitter) Suspense/Thriller

Jessie: (Twitter) My prediction is that it will be a more science fiction book about an alternate reality. I also anticipate it will be riddled with romance! (yes this is a shot in the dark)

Jenn: (Jen) I think it will be a murder/mystery with supernatural or magical elements. While I am sure JK can write outside of the fantasy realm I really want it to have supernatural elements. I just love the way she crafts the fantasy world.

John: (Twitter) The only thing we know is that it’s not Harry Potter and it’s aimed for adults. I think that whatever it is, it will be constructed around the idea of having a movie option with it. My guess would be a suspense/thriller. It will be interesting to see if Rowling will be able to tell another story just as well as she did with Harry’s world. Her true test as an author comes with this release.

Harri: (Twitter) I reckon it will definitely be a mystery/thriller, perhaps the political fariytale she spoke about YEARS ago.  Fairy tales are in vogue at the moment, and while I am sure that she could write non-fantastical fiction very well, I just can’t see one of Jo’s stories having nothing supernatural at all.

reader predictions:

Pablo Ruiz V: I think it will be a mystery story! And it will be GREAT!

Ingrid Rose: crime novel!

Sara Cox: I think it will be a mystery as well! And it will be beyond great!

Bence Ságodi: she said something about working on a political fairytale

Zachary Brennan: I believe it will be something completely different (obviously) but have similar structure. With her excellent skills at foreshadowing and hints, she probably find a clever way to incorporate harry potter somewhere, even if its brief or of little significance

Meredith Davidson-King: It will be mystery intrigue and my guess a romance

Emilee Marie Self: A book with a completely normal person that has abnormal things happening to them all the time. This person has to combat the weird things to get back to his/her normality.

Emily Zitterkopf: She has said before, I believe, that she was working on a fantasy mystery series. It would be GREAT to see an adult series from Rowling like that. We can accept nothing is going to be Harry Potter, but her writing is so fantastic it is bound to be amazing.

Corey Paxton: I’m hoping for more fantasy, but I doubt it.

Haley Kirby: i think it will be a mystery that shocks all of us with how… normal it will be. no magic, fairy tales, or creatures, just humans.

Hayden Brady: Any JK Rowling book will be worth reading!

Charlene Sambrooks: a fantasy yet mystery novel which will be AMAZING!!!!!1

Erin Joan C. Yang: I think it will be a mystery and suspense novel that will keep us reading nonstop. Like there the lead character thinks he/she is normal but it turns out his/her family has been on to something for generations and now it’s his/her time to know about secret. If something bad happens to the secret, the world could be in danger. Just a general prediction and it would be nice if history facts could be added to the novel to make it more interesting :)

Maggie Fender: Jk Rowling’s books (harry potter) were always mysterious. So I think that she will be doing a normal book, with normal people. But it would be fun to add fantasy to it!

Amy Cleveland: At one point in time J.K. Rowling had mentioned wanting to write a mystery novel for adults, I think that is just what she has done to.

Ana Carolina Fonseca: I would love it if it were a dystopian society book.

P.j. Galaviz: I guess mine is a combination of two theories. I was going to say a political murder mystery. Something about corrupt government. Sent in Britain?? Ms. Rowling is sure to be fantastic no matter what.

your predictions:

Sound off in the comments below and let us know if you agree/disagree with any of these theories!