Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Writer Stephanie Meyer arrives at the Premiere of Summit Entertainment's 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1' at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 14, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.
Stephanie Meyer is making a career change.
After writing seven "Twilight" books in the past decade, she's ready to move on. "The Chemist," to be released this November, will be her first novel not written for teenage girls. There won't be a vampire in sight.
The novel doesn't look very interesting. It's about a former secret agent on the run from the government. What is interesting is her publisher: Little, Brown and Company.
Little Brown (as it's referred to in the industry) is the publishing house J.K. Rowling chose for her first post-Potter book, "The Casual Vacancy." She trusted them to handle an image change: Rowling wanted to be seen as a writer for adults, and to do so at the same place that published Norman Mailer and David Foster Wallace.
Meyer's "Twilight" series was also published by Little Brown. But instead of moving publishers, Meyer is sticking with them and trusting them to handle an image makeover, just like they did with Rowling. Instead of the cover of "The Chemist" advertising her as "The author of 'Twilight,'" it says she's the bestselling author of "The Host," the only non-"Twilight" book Meyer wrote.
Since wrapping up the "Harry Potter" series, Rowling's image is still inextricably tied to the "Harry Potter" franchise. And she's fine with that. In fact, she's expanding it. But Rowling now has a reputation as an imaginative woman responsible for "The Casual Vacancy," the Cormoran Strike novels, and tweeting about British politics.
Likewise, Stephanie Meyer will forever be known for "Twilight." But Little Brown might help her become known for more.