Fans from all over the world and Britain flocked to Cheltenham racecourse tonight to see award-winning author J.K. Rowling.
Rowling was speaking about her first adult novel, A Casual Vacancy, on the second night of Cheltenham's Literature Festival.
The Gloucestershire-born author answered questions about characters in her new book, the inspiration to her first adult novel, and moving on from Harry Potter.
She also dropped hints of her next book, which will be for children possibly younger than those who read Harry Potter.
The Casual Vacancy was released on September 27, and revolves around a by-election to find a parish councillor in the imaginary town of Pagford after Barry Fairbrother dies.
While there is speculation much of the story was inspired by her time in Gloucestershire, she said there were features of Chepstow, where she grew up.
Rowling also talked about the importance of staying traditional, and said: "I always planned for this book to be a hardcover."
My feeling is the best publishing style is still with traditional publishing houses."
She insisted the book was not autobiographical, but rather a reflection of "growing up in the West country and growing up in a comprehensive school".
When told the book was seemingly "blacker than Harry Potter", she responded by saying it was her idea to do an adult novel all along.
She also touched on her days of struggling with depression, and said: "I used to suffer from depression and I know how that feels, and it helps with the writing of the book."
Marcelo Neves, 29, came from Brazil to see his idol.
Celebrities in Gloucestershire
He runs potterish.com, a fan site dedicated to Harry Potter. He said: "She was really good. She was quite relaxed, and I really enjoyed that session.
"She showed the world her personality and seemed to really enjoy talking to her fans. Also, she gave us a glimpse of what she might be doing next, so it was a great night."
JK Rowling
Magdalene Dix, a 14-year-old student from Salisbury, came down with her parents to meet Rowling.
Magdalene said: "She is my favourite author she is so engaging. I'm looking forward to reading her new book."
