Amid all the hype over the release of the long-awaited last book in the Harry Potter series, I haven’t been able to help but wonder just what author JK Rowling has up her sleeve next. As wonderful as I know it must feel for her to finally write THE END after 17 years of living with the boy wizard’s story in her head, it has to be a little daunting for her as well. Not only is she saying goodbye to this wonderful world she has created, but for the first time in years what lies ahead for her is unknown. What an exciting yet frightening crossroads to be at.

Where does Rowling go from here? Having created such a beloved character and mega-bestselling series, what will she do next? To be perfectly honest, I don’t envy her at all. Well, okay, maybe a little. She is, after all, an ultra-talented writer and obviously far, far wealthier than I will ever be. (Sniff-sniff) But I can’t even begin to imagine the sort of pressure she will more than likely be feeling when it comes time to sit down and come up with the idea for her next tale. I’ve watched her recent interviews on the Today show and she has said that she definitely wants to keep writing, that she can’t imagine not writing, and as an author I can totally understand that sort of drive. However, at the same time, any work she turns out after this is bound to be subjected to intense scrutiny and will probably constantly be compared to Harry Potter. What a very difficult act to follow!

So, what do you think? If you were JK Rowling, what would you do? Would you continue with the Harry Potter series or perhaps write some sort of spin-off with some other character from the series? Would you try something completely new? Or would you retire your pen, content to know that you are going out at the top of your game?