Ask J.K. Rowling a Question About The Casual Vacancy Showing 1,351-1,400 of 1,725

[Lilbookelf]

Did you find writing for a more mature audience better or worse than writing for a global audience of all ages?

[Jastin]

What was your inspiration to write the Casual Vacancy while you knew your fans expected another masterpiece?

[Lisa]

While I did not enjoy this book a great deal; I think you are a good writer so please don't give up on more adult books.

[Sam]

How do you find a delicate balance between a character's inward thoughts and a character's outward actions that makes a reader decide whether to tolerate or sympathize with the whole character?

[Jen]

You come up with some of the greatest and loveable characters of all time from Harry and his gang to the new book of Tessa. How do you create memberable characters that are so detail and feel like such real characters that some of us lose ourselves in your books only hoping to one day not come out of it? The greatest thing about your writing is the characters who live on in our memories, book shelves and in our heart.

[Jackie]

What was the most challenging part about writing The Casual Vacancy?

[Nekolife]

Was The Casual Vacancy a study in unhappiness? And did you mean to show how many people are unhappy and aren't conscious of it or simply think they can’t achieve happiness? That the world has to MAKE them happy?

[Nekolife]

Were the characters based on people you've met, or were some of them inspired by other people/situations you didn't have direct contact with?

[[deleted user]]

What made you decide to write a book for adults instead of a book for children/teens, like Harry Potter?

[Nekolife]

What inspired you to write about Pagford?

[Lexanne]

What made you decide to do something completely opposite of the magical world of Harry Potter? Why not continue on but with other mystical beings?

[Michelle]

Your adolescent characters are the best developed in this book. How hard was it for you to develop your adult characters? They are also well done.

[Teo]

There was a news a while ago about parents not spending too much time with their children. Most of the actions that happen in the novel reflect that lack of parent supervision, children trying to take revenge on the fact that parents seem to lack empathy or love to them . Are you giving an awakening call by this novel, which to some extend is for (the sake of) children? thank you

[Lauren Patterson]

What motivated you to switch to such a different genre after the success of the Harry Potter series?

[Shirley]

Which character(s) did you identify the most with and why?

[Meredith]

How would Krystal's situation been different if Barry hadn't died? Could he have prevented some of her pain or was some of her suffering inevitable?

[Jennifer]

Do you plan to write any other kind of series like HP's one? Or about another genre?

[Skye]

If you had to cast actors to portray your characters in Casual Vacancy, whom might you choose and why?

[Barb]

As amazing and wonderful as the Harry Potter series is... was it fun for you to write something completely different? Was it somehow..freeing? Both are excellent by the way :)

[Mariana]

What inspired you to write The Casual Vacancy? And, what are the messages you are hoping the readers receive and apply to their daily lives?

[Lisa]

Although I loved the way you captured small-town politics amd relationships, I was disappointed with some of the vulgarity that seemed unnecessary to the telling of the story. Did you feel like you had to use such a tactic to prove you could write a book for adults?

[Max]

I understand the surnames Weedon, Price, Fairbrother, and Jawanda, but what was the significance of the last names Bawden, Wall, and Mollison?

[Helen]

Did you set out to have readers despise every character? How did you make them all so unredeeming but still write a page turner I loved and continue to recommend?

[Maria]

1. Why did you decide to have Fats as an adopted child- could he not have been a 'natural born' sociopath.

2. Also did you see yourself in Barry Fairweather. He was a person who had experienced 'The Fields' and made good. This sort of parallels with your own experiences when you were a single mum and doing it tough.

[Lana]

Dear Ms. Joanne Rowling,
How important do you think comedy is to this book and to life generally, especially in the face of adversity or horror?

[Lana]

As an author, do you think it is more important to bring injustices into light or to inspire readers to become better people through your novels? What dramatic elements would you use in order to do this, for example comedy/parody?

[Preston]

whats the book about (its a question !)

[Penelope]

I loved the HP series -- near perfect to me. As a parent, teacher, and children's author, I hope for more for MG/YA readers -- Will you write more MG/YA books?

[Alice]

Harry is your children's ink-and-paper brother. How to they feel about the characters in your new book?

[Don]

The Casual Vacancy for the most part is filled with characters that are inwardly very ugly and selfish. Do you believe that in reality (where this book is set) most people are this way? This is a turn from your previous works where there were heroes that were noble and good hearted.

[Sarah]

Sharon wrote: "in Harry potter what present did ginny give harry for his coming of age (17th ) birthday !!!! ???"

She kissed him.

[Rebekah]

Do you see this book as very similar to the Potter series? Do you think that writing 7 books about war and death has kept with you at all as you attempted a new plot with new characters?

[MaryC]

When you began giving some details about Fats's background (i. e. born in the Fields), did you intend the reader to wonder whether he and Krystal would turn out to be brother and sister?

[Preston]

Preston wrote: "whats the book about (its a question !)



Is the book have magic stuff in it ?

What time is it set in I suppose I should actually read the book to find these things out but...

[Sa]

Was Harry Potter a dream you made into reality?
what inspird you?

[Gillian]

I've read Harry potter but I have not read casual vacancy. I was wondering do you ever feel like you leave part of your self in your stories? I know a lot of authors base the characters off of their life

[Kristy]

I love the way you get inside the heads of the characters in "The Casual Vacancy" and reveal some of their darkest thoughts, yet keep the reader fully invested in what happens to them. This was also true with Harry Potter where I actually found myself caring about what happened to Snape. My question is: how do you reveal so many negative sides of a character and still keep the reader glued to the pages desperate to know their fate?

[Margot]

I'm curious what your thought process was in deciding to include multiple viewpoints, jumping from the head of one character to another, in a single scene. Did you debate the pros and cons of the technique or worry that some readers might be put off by the "rule breaking" point of view jumps?

[[deleted user]]

How do you find the inspiration to write this book? I mean the story line was like, wow! So, tell me. :)

[Kathy]

To be honest as much as I love your writing I had a really hard time with The Casual Vacancy, it was very melancholy and I had a really hard time connecting with the characters. It reminded me of the British Soaps my G'ma likes to watch, minus some loveable characters. What was your thought process when planning this story.

[Cody]

Did you view the death of Barry Fairbrother as the death of the only "good person" in the story or was the perception of his goodness coming from the fact that he had died and we tend to exaggerate the goodness of people in their deaths?

[Aline]

Now that some time has passed since the release of The Casual Vacancy and you've had time to sink in what the proportion of writing a different novel from Harry Potter was, do you consider it was better for you to write and adult-based book than continuing on the line of your previous work?

[Stephanie]

in a cast full of characters you pick one who finds redemption after death. in hp it was snape, who was despised but keeping a life long secret. in cv its krystal who while reading you want to root for her but dislike at the same time. what is it about these characters that are so deserving of special attention and immortalization?

[Elle]

Since your fan base basically grew up with Harry Potter and are now adults, did you write Casual Vacancy for them, as a type of cautionary tale (considering the sensitive subjects) intended for those same fans? Or were you expecting/targeting a completely different audience?

[Caitie]

What books did you personally read while you were writing The Casual Vacancy, and how do you feel they affected your writing (if at all)?

[Annie]

I loved The Casual Vacancy. You appear to bring many characters into your books with complex personalities. Do you plan your characters before you write or add them as you create your story? You are a Master storyteller! Thank you!

[Anna]

One of my favorite things about the book was the fact that all of the characters seemed so believable, which in my opinion, is partially due to the fact that they are so visibly flawed. Because of this though, I didn't feel like I had any specific character or narrator who was my favorite, instead it was the story and the interaction of the characters that drew me in. Was there a character whose point of view you liked writing from the most or least?

[Storm]

What life event inspired you to address the topic of mental institutions in contemporary society?

[Shannon]

I keep thinking about your characters and can't help but wonder if you missed the Harry Potter characters when you were writing Casual Vacancy and envisioned how they could have fit in your new story.

[Juraj]

Some of your fans,I mean,every fan wants you to write more books about Harry Potter.I think that you could write about the things that happened before Harry's born or about his children.Are there going to be more books?