Could a retired school teacher from Shropshire really be on the cusp of taking up J.K. Rowling's mantle? The final Harry film is released this week, leaving fans searching for a new literary thrill, and Catherine Cooper's series of books looks set to fill the void for both booksellers and Hollywood.

Catherine's first book, The Golden Acorn, was the overall winner at the inaugural Brit Writers'Awards in July 2010. Full of twists and turns, it sees the hero, Jack Brenin encountering talking ravens, mystical prophecies and magical creatures and exploring mythical landscapes. The book is an entertaining and exciting tale from a very talented new author and has been a huge hit on Amazon's Kindle with nearly 100,000 downloads this year. The sequel, Glasruhen Gate, was published in March 2011. Readers, especially in the USA, are lapping Cooper's work up and praise for her books is abundant.

Infinite Ideas has recently signed a five-book deal with Cooper to publish the entire Jack Brenin series and has optioned movie rights for The Golden Acorn with Los Angeles based Delve Films.

David Grant of Infinite Ideas says, "We're thrilled by this partnership with Delve. It's a testament to the word-of-mouth interest that this book has gained as well as the increasing awareness of the Brit Writers' Awards. Our own online and e-book campaigns have proved incredibly effective. The Golden Acorn, with its beautiful mix of mythology and magic, has really struck a chord as the outstanding Amazon reviews demonstrate."

So maybe with the boy wizard disappearing into the distance, it's time for JKR to step aside and let Catherine Cooper and Jack Brenin take centre stage.

Infinite Ideas will publish three more Jack Brenin titles in 2011 and 2012, Silver Hill, The Lost Treasure of Annwn and The Oak Lord.