Best known for writing the beloved fantasy series Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling said she had created a fairy tale for her kids as a bedtime story over a long time ago, but citing the unprecedented times wants to release it for other children as well. The popular author doled out the first couple of chapters of the story on May 26.

Rowling made the revelation on Twitter, much to the delight of her 14.6 million followers on the social media platform. The author clarified that the book is not a Harry Potter series spin-off, but a brand new story. In a press conference posted on her official website, Rowling revealed that a major portion of the first draft was written about a decade ago, despite having her hands full with the Harry Potter series.

The author admitted that she had planned to publish the book, but after writing the concluding book in the Harry Potter series, she ended up writing a couple of novels that targeted adults. After some hesitation, she decided to release the children-centric book, adding that until recently, the only two people who had heard the fairy tale were her younger children.

The book's draft was kept in her attic for a long time, and Rowling decided to bring it downstairs just weeks ago. After a little bit of rewriting, she decided to release the book free online so children holed up in their homes, as well as those back at school can read or have it read to them amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Children will be able to read at least one chapter of the story every weekday until Jul. 10 on The Ickabog website, she wrote. Moreover, Rowling is encouraging children to come up with illustrations for the book. Keeping in line with that, she will be making suggestions for artwork to appear with the chapters every day.

The guardians or parents of children between the ages of 7 and 12 can then submit these completed illustrations in a competition to stand a chance of having their art appear on the book, according to the book's website. The story will be made available in English in Nov. 2020, showcasing the best drawings in each territory will be included in the completed books.

In the press release, Rowling explained that they would be considering drawing that reflects inventiveness, and creativity, coupled with effort. The competition will be managed by Rowling's publishers, who would be accepting the drawings online.