[scottish castle] JK Rowling’s agent: hey joanne agent: you wanted to see me? JK Rowling: yesss Rowling: i want to enquire Rowling: how are sssales of the hallmarked man? agent: agent: sales of what? Rowling: the latesst cormoron ssstrike book agent: agent: you’re still writing cormoron strike?
Rowling: of courssse i’m sstill writing cormoran ssstrike booksss! Rowling: it'ss my main thing! agent: i thought you pivoted entirely to posting? Rowling: no i’m sstill writing cormoran ssstrike!! Rowling: you should know thisss! Rowling: you’re my agent!!!
agent: listen, joanne, i’ve got bad news about the hallmarked man agent: it didn’t crack any major bestseller lists Rowling: that doessn’t make ssensse Rowling: don’t they know it wass written by me, JK Rowling?
Rowling: sseriously, it'ss a book by JK Rowling Rowling: isssn’t there ssome ssort of law that people have to buy it? Rowling: if not, there should be Rowling: i’m going to get right on that Rowling: i mean, how much could that possssibly cosst?
Rowling: oh wait wait i think i know the problem Rowling: maybe people don’t know that robert galbraith is actually jusst my pen name Rowling: i mean, i have been so coy about that agent: no i uh agent: agent: yeah actually sure that could be it
Rowling: sseriousssly, i don’t underssstand Rowling: don’t people want more thrilling sexy adventuresss with britain'sss number one playboy detective cormoran sstrike? Rowling: don’t they hunger for more ssceness of rich people endlessssly talking at fancy restaurantsss?
Rowling: thiss isss the book where cormoran sstrike finally confesssess hiss feelings for robin ellacot! Rowling: we’ve been doing thiss will they/won’t they dance for eight bookss! Rowling: people are really invessted in thiss!! agent: Rowling: THEY’RE REALLY INVESSTED IN THISS!!
agent: it’s not that people aren’t invested, joanne agent: it’s just that agent: ever since you were replaced as the UK’s top selling author– Rowling: ONLY BY VOLUME! agent: uh yes agent: since you were replaced as the UK’s top selling author by volume by- Rowling: DON’T SSAY THE NAME
Rowling: DON’T SSAY THE NAME! I FORBID ANYONE TO SSPEAK THAT NAME IN MY SSCOTTISH CASSSTLE!!! [phone rings] Rowling: agent: Rowling: agent: Rowling: agent: um aren’t you going to answer that? Rowling: NO Rowling: I KNOW WHO THAT IS
Rowling: [answers phone] hello? Julia Donaldson: hi is there a Ms. NottheUK'sbestsellingauthorbyvolume there Donaldson: first name Ima Rowling: hold on, i’ll check
Rowling: ima! ima nottheuk'sbestsellingauthorbyvolume! Rowling: Rowling: wait a ssecond Donaldson: [blowing airhorn] GET GRUFFALOED BITCHHHH Rowling: GODDAMNIT!!! Rowling: if i ever find out who thiss iss, i’m going to buy sso many ssupreme court decisionss againsst you!!!
“it’s concerning if university students are genuinely struggling to read full adult-level books for class” and “don’t overstate the reporting of a single news article” and “if this shift is genuinely real, it’s reflective of broad curriculum changes in lower education levels, probably at least in part due to remote schooling during COVID, and doesn’t mean the new generation is being willfully Stupid and Vapid” and “when reading for personal pleasure people should read whatever they like without shame” and “reading from a broad variety of genres, styles, and authorial backgrounds will improve your understanding of both literature and the real world” and “actively mocking people for their tastes in books does not encourage them to become more adventurous you’re just being mean” and also “but seriously adult books are not just boringly pretentious nothingburgers padded with pointless sex scenes, and claiming they are just shows how little you’ve read” all can and should co-exist.
ALT
