J.K. Rowling to make rare appearance in NYC in October

Video: J.K. Rowling to write adult novel

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   >>> big news in the literary world, jmt k. recalling, author of the " harry potter " sears is turning in a different way, publishing for grown-ups.

   >> reporter: those magical " harry potter " books flew off shelves around the world, nearly a million copes from america to afghanistan. the movie, the phenomenon, made single mom j.k. rowling who was once on welfare, the first billionaire author.

   >> i read them all, yeah, i loved them.

   >> reporter: well, now, sorry kids and wizard wannabes. this next one is not for you. in september j.k. will publish her debut novel for adults called "the casual vacancy." the novel is set in a fictional little englishtown where everything looks real pretty, but all is not as it seems. a town at war, her publisher describes, individuals at war, technologicalliers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbandens, called slightly comic and quite surprising. no, no wizards or dragons or slobber worms. just regular people . so what is it about little englishtowns -- that they're all at war. those parrish towns, little busy buzz. they're completely at war.

   >> reporter: are there things lurking behind corners and seething between cracks?

   >> yeah, there would be.

   >> reporter: hmm.

   >> j.k. rowels is the biggest publishing property. publishing her first adult novel is big, big news.

   >> reporter: critics are wondering if people will embrace j.k. without harry. many call her, one word, "great." for "today," michelle kosinski , nbc news, london.

   >> that's a lot of pressure.

   >> i was going to say. that's tough. when you have this series that you had that was so phenomenal and so beloved. is it ever going to rise to that same level?

   >> i'm kind of rest on your laurels.

   >> i was good enough then,

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