J.K. Rowling

   Although you may know some of J.K. Rowling's famous books, do you know what got her into writing or how her background life played a role in her success?  There is so much more to her that many people don't know about.

Life Before She Began Her Career
 
 Birth date: July 31, 1965 (Yate, England)
 Age: 49

   Joanne Rowling's journey began in Yate, England, her birthplace.  After graduating from Exter University, she decided she wanted to move to Portugal in 1990 to teach English.  There she had her daughter, Jessica ( born in 1993). However, years later she divorced her husband, Jorge Arantes.  After her divorce she moved to Edinburgh with her daughter to live near her younger sister.  While struggling financially to support Jessica and herself on welfare, she started working on the first Harry Potter book.  She started typing the first book, usually on her old typewriter in the Edinburgh Cafe.  After publishing the books, fame came calling her name.  People fell in love with the wizard boy!  She soon became a multimillionaire.  A couple years after publishing the first book she married Dr. Neil Murray.  They had two children, David and Mackenzie.
   J.K. Rowling has now written seven of the Harry Potter books: The Sorcerer's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, The Half-blood Prince, and The Deathly Hallows.  All of these books have been adapted into movies as well.

What Is Harry Potter?

    The Harry Potter series is about a young boy, Harry Potter, who discovers he is a wizard.  After his eleventh birthday he is taken to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Here he meets Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger who eventually become his best friends.  Throughout the series Harry, Ron, and Hermione find themselves going on several thrilling adventures at Hogwarts.

Has she written any other books?

   J.K. Rowling has written many other books including:
     * The Cuckoo's Calling
     * The Casual Vacancy
     * The Silkworm
     * The Tales of Beedle and Bard
      

Fun Facts

* she did not write Harry Potter in a ditch (that was just a rumor)
 
* she went from being unemployed and living on state benefits to becoming a multimillionaire in 5 years

* Harry Potter and J.K share the same birthday: July 31

* Her real name is Joanne; she uses J.K. as her pen name because she was scared that boys wouldn't want to read her books if they knew a girl wrote them

* She does not have a middle name, the K comes from her grandmother's name, Kathleen

*she was at one time diagnosed with clinical depression which she says gave her inspiration to create the dementors in the Harry Potter series

* on a delayed train from Manchester to London in 1990,  she wrote her initial ideas for Harry Potter on a napkin since she didn't have any paper with her

* She is now Britain's 13th wealthiest woman.  In fact, she is wealthier than the Queen of England! 
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