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JK ROWLING HAS announced she is publishing a standalone fairytale called The Ickabog and will make it available for free online.
The Harry Potter author said she wrote the story 10 years ago but put it away in a box in the attic as she published her novels for adults.
Rowling said she has now retrieved it and done some re-writing and will be publishing a chapter online every weekday.
Sharing the news on Twitter, she wrote: “I have a small announcement, but before I get started, I want to head off one possible source of confusion. THIS IS NOT A HARRY POTTER SPIN-OFF.
“Over 10 years ago, I wrote a stand-alone fairy tale called The Ickabog.”
She added: “I always meant to publish it, but after the last Potter was released I wrote two novels for adults and, after some dithering, decided to put those out next.
“Until very recently, the only people who’d heard the story of The Ickabog were my two younger children.
“Over time I came to think of The Ickabog as just for my family. The manuscript went up into the attic, where it remained until a few weeks ago.”
J.K. Rowling / TwitterOver 10 years ago, I wrote a stand-alone fairy tale called
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 26, 2020
The Ickabog. You can read more about how, why and
when The Ickabog was written at https://t.co/MgH9NZnSAS
2/13
Sharing a photo of the book she kept the pages on, she added: “This is the very dusty box I got down from the attic…
“Opening the box was like opening a time capsule. Most of the story was handwritten, but bits had been typed up. When I put it into some kind of order (I’m not renowned for my filing skills) I had a patchwork first draft.”
She continued: “Anyway I’ve decided to publish The Ickabog for free online, so children on lockdown, or even those back at school during these strange, unsettling times, can read it or have it read to them.”
Rowling said she will publish at least one chapter of the book every weekday from today until 10 July.
Illustrations
The author added that she would like children to illustrate the book for her, writing: “I’ll be suggesting ideas for pictures as we go, but nobody should feel constrained by my ideas. Let your imaginations run wild!”
Rowling said the best pictures in each publishing territory will be included in the books she intends to publish in November 2020.
She added she will not be judging the competition but encouraged parents or guardians to share the picture on social media.
She continued: “Lastly, I intend to donate my author royalties from the published books to projects and organisations helping the groups most impacted by Covid-19. Full details will be made available later in the year.
“The first two chapters of The Ickabog will be going live in a couple of hours time. Whether you read it yourself, or have it read to you, I hope you enjoy it.”
Earlier this month Rowling announced she was donating £1 million (about €1.1 million) to help the homeless and those affected by domestic abuse during the coronavirus pandemic.
Announcing the financial contribution – which will be split between the Crisis and Refuge charities – Rowling said the money would go towards helping some of those hit hardest by the outbreak and the impact of the lockdown.
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Fair play to her. She could have made many more millions with it. She is a gem.
@Barry Teehan: When you have a personal fortune of nearly a £1billion and rising what a couple of million so you give it for free
@Robert Preston: that’s not the point, she could have marketed it to make money, but she is not!
@Anthony Edward Healy: ok chief i got that .Whats a couple of more millions .
@Robert Preston: Yeah,how dare she give away something for free. Tut Tut Tut …
Disagree with the title… “for children” :-)
I, for one, will be reading!
What a woman!
Someone who never forgets where she came from. She is an example of someone who appreciates the power of empathy
Nice touch….. fairy tales are very hard to write very hard for the writer to make a tale so unique to stand alone in comparison to the Canon of Fairy Tales that exist. ….. She could have donated the copyright to St Ormonds Childrens Hospital or some other charity rather than give it away for free….. just saying….
@Paul O’Sullivan: Good point.
@Paul O’Sullivan: Although, a lot of kids probably wouldnt het read it then. I think with people being on lockdown…
@Paul O’Sullivan:
Not familiar with St Ormonds Hospital. Are you referring to Great Ormonds Street Children’s Hospital?
Just checking!
@Paul O’Sullivan: damned if you do, and damned if you don’t!
@Paul O’Sullivan:
She is entitled to publish her next 50 books and hand them out in the street free of charge if she so wishes. You would be better to check your posts before commenting about things you know little about.
Thank you and have a nice day.
Oh goody… free, Just like a Jehovah’s witness pamphlet.
Went off her totally when she attacked Scottish nationalist. She hates nationalism. Wouldn’t be surprised if Irish is in there somewhere.
@LUCY Thomas: All she said was it “contains traces of bigotry” very hard to argue otherwise. All nationalism, by very nature does. It was hardly an attack.
@Louis Jacob: she did indeed, she picked up on a few tweets from some who would diminish any cause. I remember the heart in the Scottish campaign and as soon as she came out in Whitehalls favour they used her name as a beating stick against the Scottish as much as they could. The press was awash with her name as a result.
Ickabob part two available in hardback form in all good book stores for christmas.
Guaranteed propaganda aimed at kids
For anyone interested in another free kids story, environmental and sustainability focused, here you go: https://stuckinthemuddle.com/blog/2019/7/18/grace-and-the-fairy-tree
Terf. She has zero respect for trans. Never apologised for her Twitter transphobia. Sex is only an idea and all gender identities are true and valid. An increasing number of children suffer from how nature or God if in the extreme unliklihood of their being gave them the wrong physical form. Parents assign gender which is not really their right or business. Shame on the journal for promoting her.
@Test Religion: sex is an idea? Biological sex is fact but gender construct is an idea. Regardless peoples identity should be respected.
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