Iconic fiction writer J.K. Rowling accepted an apology and a sizable charitable donation from the law firm that disclosed her as the true author behind the bestselling crime novel The Cuckoo's Calling. Individuals from the firm revealed that it was actually Rowling who wrote the novel under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
Rowling brought a lawsuit against Chris Gossage, partner at Russells, a London law firm, and his friend Judith Callegari. Rowling's agent was informed by Russells that it was Gossage who told Callegari about the true identity of the novel's author, who then relayed the message to a journalist at the Sunday Times via Twitter. The breach of confidence was then published in the Sunday Times newspaper.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Rowling's attorney Jenny Afia told the court that the defendants had left Rowling "dismayed and distressed by such a fundamental betrayal of her trust."
"As a reflection of their regret for breach of the claimant's confidence, including frustrating the claimant's ability to continue to write anonymously under the name Robert Galbraith, the defendants are here today to apologize publicly to the claimant," Afia said.
Gossage, Callegari and Russells all apologized to the Harry Potter author. Russells law firm agreed to reimburse the legal costs incurred by Rowling in addition to making a "substantial donation" to the Soldiers' Charity, which was formerly called the Army Benevolent Fund.
Rowling said that she is donating royalties from the book for the next three years to the Soldier's Charity. "This donation is being made to The Soldiers' Charity partly as a thank you to the army people who helped me with research, but also because writing a hero who is a veteran has given me an even greater appreciation and understanding of exactly how much this charity does for ex-servicemen and their families, and how much that support is needed," Rowling said in a public statement.
Chief executive of the charity, Major General Martin Rutledge, said, "We are absolutely thrilled by the extraordinary generosity of JK Rowling who is such an internationally renowned author. This donation will make a huge difference to the lives of thousands of soldiers, former soldiers and their families who are in real need."
The Cuckoo's Calling is 450-page fiction novel about a British veteran by the name of Cormoran Stike who lost a leg fighting in Afghanistan and later became a private eye. The classic "whodunit" debuted in April with stellar reviews and steady but moderate sales.
The Independent reported that, according to Nielsen BookScan, 17,662 hardback copies of the novel were sold from July 14-20, a drastic increase from the 43 copies sold a week prior.
Despite rumors to the contrary, Rowling has vehemently professed that the revelation of her true identity was not a publicity stunt to boost sales. On Robert-Galbraith.com, Rowling stated the reason why she decided to write under a pseudonym.
"I was yearning to go back to the beginning of a writing career in this new genre, to work without hype or expectation and to receive totally unvarnished feedback," Rowling wrote. "It was a fantastic experience and I only wish it could have gone on a little longer."
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