J.K. Rowling Talks Robert Galbraith, ‘The Cuckoo’s Calling’

After being outed as author Robert Galbraith, Harry Potter scribe J.K. Rowling has opened up about the pseudonym and her latest literary endeavor The Cuckoo’s Calling.

Rowling was understandably upset when news leaked that she was the one responsible for penning the acclaimed crime novel. Although the book was selling pretty well on its own, sales quickly shot through the roof once fans learned that she had written the tale.

“Robert was doing rather better than we had expected him to,” J.K. Rowling told The Associated Press.

She added, “I was yearning to go back to the beginning of a writing career in this new genre, to work without hype or expectation and to receive totally unvarnished feedback.”

Since Robert Galbraith’s true identity is now public knowledge, the writer has updated the FAQ section of her official website. Instead of fielding one question after another, Rowling instead posted a few details about how she came up with the pseudonym.

“[Robert] is one of my favourite men’s names. Robert F Kennedy is my hero. Mercifully, I hadn’t used it for any of the characters in the Potter series or The Casual Vacancy,” she explained.

Rowling continued, “When I was a child, I really wanted to be called Ella Galbraith, and I’ve no idea why. I don’t even know how I knew that the surname existed, because I can’t remember ever meeting anyone with it. Be that as it may, the name had a fascination for me.”

As of this writing, The Cuckoo’s Calling is perched at the top position on the Amazon sales chart. Prior to Rowling being outed, the novel sold around 8,500 copies across a handful of platforms. No word yet if Hollywood intends to transform the tale into a major motion picture.

Are you a fan of J.K. Rowling? What do you think about the author’s latest book?

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