She had hinted at as much in the past, but now it’s official: Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has signed a deal with Little, Brown publishers for her first adult novel (no, not the sexy sex kind). As expected, absolutely no plot details were given, but Rowling did make a brief comment regarding her first foray into the adult world stressing that this new novel will be “very different” from the Harry Potter series. I’m just delighted that she’s tackling new stories; God knows the Potter books, films, amusement parks, merchandise, etc. have set her up for life. It’s refreshing to see that she’s not content to sit idle. Hit the jump to read her comments on this new venture.

Per Publisher’s Lunch, Rowling talked briefly about her new book:

"Although I’ve enjoyed writing it every bit as much, my next book will be very different to the Harry Potter series, which has been published so brilliantly by Bloomsbury and my other publishers around the world. The freedom to explore new territory is a gift that Harry's success has brought me, and with that new territory it seemed a logical progression to have a new publisher.  I am delighted to have a second publishing home in Little, Brown, and a publishing team that will be a great partner in this new phase of my writing life."

As I said, it’s extremely vague. Further details about the novel are said to be announced “later in the year.” There’s no word on whether this is a new series or simply a standalone book. As a huge fan of the Potter books, I can’t wait to read the next entry from Rowling. Her ability to completely transport readers to a different time or place is remarkable and I’m intrigued to see what kind of story she has to tell post-Potter.