I found this article in the Guardian written by Louisa Young, the author of 'The Book of the Heart'. The article is about how almost every new promising author gets hailed as 'The New J.K. Rowling, and how this is getting out of hand. At the end of the article she writes:
"... "We are all the New JK Rowling now." Though I will myself soon be applying for the rather more exclusive (if less well-paid) position of the New Philip Pullman."
The New Pullman? Sounds good ... read the whole article below.
Tragically, I am no longer the New JK Rowling. I read in the paper that one Jonathan Stroud is the New New JK Rowling, and so my brief but glorious reign is over - before, I may say, the book that won me the title is even published. Or, strictly, as it's a three-parter, even finished.
You may think that being the New JK Rowling is an experience granted to few, of little interest to the general reader - but you'd be wrong. New JK Rowlings are ten a penny (which must be galling for the Actual JK Rowling). There was Georgia Byng, Eoin Colfer, Lemony Snicket, Lorraine Kelly and that vicar, and the guy whose mother saved his manuscript from the bin.
Recently, the BBC held a contest for the position, which a drama student from Canterbury won. Even the AJKR was herself voted the NJKR in a poll. In fact, if you can just get off your arse and write a children's book (though I'm sure we will have some NJKRs soon who have not written a word), and perhaps demonstrate some vague similarity to the AJKR, then before you know it you too will be getting emails from your friends saying: "Haha! I hear you're JK Rowling in it!"
I had to look carefully to see what Ms Rowling and I have in common. Admittedly I am also female, though as we see from the earlier list that's not necessary. Both fair-haired: one point. Both written books for children: one point - a salient point, even. Some papers suggested "both single mothers", even though she's married, and I am happily ensconced, thank you. So perhaps "both have a child from a previous relationship". Both first-time writers - whoops, oh no I'm not, I've published five books ... er ...
Basically, I'm pretty sure I was the New JKR because I am being paid what could (though not accurately) be called a Million-Pound Advance - following the logic that whatever six figures your six figures may be, six figures is nearly seven figures, and seven figures is a million quid and a million quid is a headline.
Then the logic gets even more curious, because the AJKR famously received, I believe, a mere- to-average
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