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| {{featured article}} | |||
| {{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see ] --> | |||
| | name = J. K. Rowling | |||
| | image= Jk-rowling-crop.JPG | |||
| | caption = | |||
| | birthname = Joanne<!--Her name does NOT contain "Kathleen"; see the section "Name"--> Rowling | |||
| | birthdate = {{Birth date and age|1965|7|31|df=yes}} | |||
| | birthplace = ], ], ] | |||
| | nationality = ] | |||
| | occupation = ] | |||
| | notableworks = '']'' series | |||
| |influences = <!-- Influences derived from cited examples at wiki page Harry Potter influences and analogues. Please provide a citation for any new additions. -->]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>] | |||
| | website = http://www.jkrowling.com | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Joanne <!--Her name does NOT contain "Kathleen"; see the section "Name"--> "Jo" Murray''', ] '''Rowling''' ]<ref> . ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> (born ] ]),<ref>. Scholastic.com. Accessed ] ].</ref> who writes under the ] '''J. K. Rowling''',<ref name="darkmark-bbc" /> is a ] <!--do not change to "English" or "Scottish" until issue is resolved --> ] and author of the '']'' ] series. The ''Potter'' books have gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, and sold nearly 400 million copies.<ref>Booth, Jenny. {{cite web|title=J.K. Rowling publishes Harry Potter spin-off|date=|work=]|author=|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article2784397.ece|}} ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> The 2007 '']'' estimated Rowling's fortune at £545 million ($1.07 billion), ranking her as the 136th richest person and the 13th richest woman in Britain.<!-- | |||
| There are two links in that ref: one lists her ranking as a person, one lists her ranking as a woman. | |||
| --><ref>; . '']''. Accessed ] ].</ref> '']'' has named Rowling the second-richest female entertainer in the world,<ref> . Contact Music. Accessed ] ].</ref> and ranked her as the 48th most powerful celebrity of 2007.<ref>. '']''. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> '']'' named Rowling as a runner up for their 2007 ] noting the social, moral, and ] she has given ].<ref>. '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> She has become a notable ], supporting such charities as ], the ] and ]. | |||
| ''Harry Potter'' is now a global brand worth an estimated £7 billion (]15 billion),<ref>. Advertising Age. Accessed ] ]</ref> and the last four ''Harry Potter'' books have consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history.<ref>Pauli, Michelle. "". '']''; "". ]. Accessed ] ].</ref><ref name="sales">. ]. ] ]. Accessed on ] ].</ref> The series, totalling 4,195 pages,<ref>Sawyer, Jenny. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> has been translated, in whole or in part, into 65 languages.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2007/06/29/final_harry_potter_is_expected_to_set_record/|title= Final Harry Potter is expected to set record|work=]}} ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| ==Name== | |||
| Although she writes under the ] "J. K. Rowling", pronounced ''rolling'' ({{IPAEng|ˈroʊlɪŋ}}),<ref name=bio> J. K. Rowling. Originally from jkrowling.com; reprinted by cliphoto.com. Accessed ] ]</ref> she actually has no middle name, hence her full name when her first ''Harry Potter'' book was published was simply "Joanne Rowling". Before publishing her first book, her publisher ] feared that the target audience of young boys might be reluctant to buy books written by a female author. It requested that Rowling use two initials, rather than reveal her first name. As she had no middle name, she chose ''K''. for Kathleen as the second initial of her pseudonym, from her paternal grandmother. The name Kathleen has never been part of her real name.<ref name="darkmark-bbc" /> Following her marriage, her legal name is ''Joanne Murray''.<ref name=david> . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> She calls herself "Jo" and says, "No one ever called me 'Joanne' when I was young, unless they were angry."<ref>Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. . ''The Hogwarts Express''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| ==Early life== | |||
| Rowling was born to Peter James Rowling and Anne Rowling (née Volant) on ] ] in ], <!--Her birth certificate places her birth in Yate, not Chipping Sodbury, although the two towns are continuous--> ], ] {{convert|10|mi|km|+1}} northeast of ].<ref name="rowling-bio">. J.K. Rowling's Official Site. Accessed ] ].</ref> Her sister Dianne (Di) was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old.<ref name="rowling-bio" /> The family moved to the nearby village ] when Rowling was four. She attended ],<ref>''Winterbourne Family History Online,'' - Rowling listed as admission No.305. Accessed ] ].</ref> a school founded almost 200 years ago by famed ] ]<ref>Bowyer, Jerry. . ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> and education reformer ]. Her elderly headmaster at St. Michaels, Alfred Dunn, was claimed as the inspiration for the ''Harry Potter'' character ].<ref>. winterbourne.freeuk.com. Accessed ] ].</ref><ref>. Southlos.gov.uk. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| As a child, Rowling enjoyed writing fantasy stories, which she often read to her sister. "I can still remember me telling her a story in which she fell down a rabbit hole and was fed strawberries by the rabbit family inside it," she recalls, "Certainly the first story I ever wrote down (when I was five or six) was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee."<ref name=bio /> | |||
| At the age of nine, Rowling moved to the Gloucestershire village of ], close to ], ].<ref name="rowling-bio" /> When she was a young teen, her great aunt, who Rowling said "taught classics and approved of a thirst for knowledge, even of a questionable kind",<ref name=hons>Rowling, JK. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> gave her a very old copy of ]'s autobiography, ''].''<ref name=hons /> Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling subsequently read all of her books.<ref name=harryandme>Fraser, Lindsey. . '']''. ] ]: interview with Rowling, edited excerpt from ''Conversations with J.K. Rowling''. </ref> | |||
| She attended secondary school at ]. Rowling has said of her adolescence, "] is loosely based on me. She's a caricature of me when I was 11, which I'm not particularly proud of."<ref>Feldman, Roxanne. , ''School Library Journal'', September 1999.</ref> Sean Harris, her best friend in the ] owned a turquoise ], which she says inspired the one in her books. "Ron Weasley isn't a living portrait of Sean, but he really is very Sean-ish."<ref>Fraser, Lindsey. ''Conversations with J.K. Rowling'', pg 19–20, Scholastic.</ref> Of her musical tastes of the time, she said "My favourite group in the world is ]. And when I was going through a punky phase, it was ]."<ref>Fraser, Lindsey. ''Conversations with J.K. Rowling,'' pg 29 Scholastic.</ref> Rowling read for a BA in ] and ] at the ], which she says was a "bit of a shock" as she "was expecting to be amongst lots of similar people– thinking radical thoughts."<ref name="fraser34"/> Once she made friends with "some like-minded people" she says she began to enjoy herself.<ref name=fraser34>Fraser, Lindsey. ''Conversations with J.K. Rowling'', pg 34 Scholastic.</ref> With a year of study in ], Rowling moved to ] to work as a researcher and bilingual secretary for ].<ref>Norman-Culp, Sheila. . Associated Press. 1998. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| In 1990, while she was on a four-hour-delayed train trip from ] to London, the idea for a story of a young boy attending a school of wizardry "came fully formed" into her mind.<ref name=loer/> "I really don't know where the idea came from", she told the '']'', "It started with Harry, then all these characters and situations came flooding into my head."<ref name=loer>Loer, Stephanie. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref><ref name="rowling-bio" /> When she had reached her ] flat, she began to write immediately.<ref name="rowling-bio" /><ref> . BBC Christmas Special. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| However, in December of that year, Rowling’s mother succumbed to a 10-year battle with ].<ref name="rowling-bio"/> Rowling commented, "I was writing ''Harry Potter'' at the moment my mother died. I had never told her about ''Harry Potter''."<ref name=tatler>Greig, Geordie. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ]. in '']''.</ref> Rowling said this death heavily affected her writing<ref>J.K. Rowling's Official Site, . Accessed ] ].</ref><ref name=tatler /> and that she introduced much more detail about Harry's loss in the first book, because she knew about how it felt.<ref> . '']'', Channel Four Corporation (UK). ],]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| Rowling then moved to ], ] to teach English as a foreign language.<ref name=harryandme /> While there, on ] ], she married Portuguese television journalist Jorge Arantes.<ref name="Scotsman" /> Their one child, Jessica Isabel Rowling Arantes (named after Jessica Mitford), was born on ] ] in Portugal.<ref name="Scotsman" /> They separated in November 1993.<ref name="Scotsman" /><ref> Weeks, Linton. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> In December 1994, Rowling and her daughter moved to be near her sister in ], ].<ref name="rowling-bio" /> During this period Rowling was diagnosed with clinical depression, and contemplated suicide.<ref name="cnn23mar08"> . CNN. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> It was the feeling of her illness which brought her the idea of ], soulless creatures featured in ''Harry Potter''.<ref>. ]. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| Unemployed and living on state benefits, Rowling completed her first novel in numerous cafés (e.g. Nicolson's Café and Elephant House Café), whenever she could get Jessica to fall asleep.<ref name="rowling-bio" /><ref name="hpandme"> . BBC Christmas Special. ] ]. Transcribed by "Marvelous Marvolo" and Jimmi Thøgersen. ''Quick Quotes Quill.org''. Accessed ] ].</ref> In a 2001 BBC interview, Rowling denied the rumour that she wrote in local cafés to escape from her unheated flat, remarking, "I am not stupid enough to rent an unheated flat in Edinburgh in midwinter. It had heating."<ref name="hpandme"/> Instead, as she stated on the American TV program '']'', one of the reasons she wrote in cafés was because taking her baby out for a walk was the best way to make her fall asleep.<ref name="hpandme" /> | |||
| ==''Harry Potter''== | |||
| ===''Harry Potter'' books=== | |||
| {{main|Harry Potter}} | |||
| <!--Please note: the three booklets Rowling composed for charity are listed in the "Charity" section--> | |||
| In 1995, Rowling finished her manuscript for '']'' on an old manual typewriter.<ref>Riccio, Heather. . ''Hilary Magazine''. Accessed ] ].</ref> Upon the enthusiastic response of Bryony Evans, a reader who had been asked to review the book’s first three chapters, the Fulham-based ] agreed to represent Rowling in her quest for a publisher. The book was submitted to twelve publishing houses, all of which rejected the manuscript.<ref name="Scotsman">McGinty, Stephen. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> A year later she was finally given the green light (and a £1500 advance) by editor Barry Cunningham from ], a small British publishing house in London, England.<ref>. ]. Accessed ] ].</ref><ref name="Scotsman" /> The decision to publish Rowling's book apparently owes much to Alice Newton, the eight-year-old daughter of Bloomsbury’s chairman, who was given the first chapter to review by her father and immediately demanded the next.<ref name="Eight year old saves Potter">Lawless, John. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Although Bloomsbury agreed to publish the book, Cunningham says that he advised Rowling to get a day job, since she had little chance of making money in children’s books.<ref>Blais, Jacqueline. . wkyc.com. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Soon after, in 1997, Rowling received an £8000 grant from the ] to enable her to continue writing.<ref>. hpna.com. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> The following spring, an auction was held in the United States for the rights to publish the novel, and was won by ], for $105,000. Rowling has said she “nearly died” when she heard the news.<ref>Reynolds, Nigel. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| In June 1997, Bloomsbury published ''Philosopher’s<!-- DO NOT change to Sorceror--> Stone'' with an initial print-run of one thousand copies, five hundred of which were distributed to libraries. Today, such copies are valued between £16,000 and £25,000.<ref>Kleffel, Rick. . metroactive.com. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Five months later, the book won its first award, a ]. In February, the novel won the prestigious ] for Children’s Book of the Year, and later, the Children’s Book Award. In October 1998, Scholastic published ''Philosopher’s<!-- DO NOT change to Sorceror--> Stone'' in the US under the title of ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone'': a change Rowling claims she now regrets and would have fought if she had been in a better position at the time.<ref name="darkmark-bbc"> . ]. March 2001. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| In December 1999, the third novel, '']'', won the Smarties Prize, making Rowling the first person to win the award three times running.<ref>. ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> She later withdrew the fourth ''Harry Potter'' novel from contention to allow other books a fair chance. In January 2000, ''Prisoner of Azkaban'' won the inaugural ], though it lost the Book of the Year prize to ]’s translation of '']''.<ref>Gibbons, Fiachra. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| The fourth book, ''],'' was released simultaneously in the UK and the US on ], ], and broke sales records in both countries. Some 372,775 copies of the book were sold in its first day in the UK, almost equalling the number ''Prisoner of Azkaban'' sold during its first year.<ref name= culture> . Reuters/PRNewswire. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> In the US, the book sold three million copies in its first 48 hours, smashing all literary sales records.<ref name= culture /> Rowling admitted that she had had a moment of crisis while writing the novel; "Halfway through writing Four, I realised there was a serious fault with the plot ... I've had some of my blackest moments with this book ... One chapter I rewrote 13 times, though no-one who has read it can spot which one or know the pain it caused me."<ref>Johnstone, Anne. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling was named author of the year in the 2000 British Book Awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=British Book Awards: Previous Winners & Shortlists|url=http://www.britishbookawards.co.uk/pnbb_previouswinners.asp?}} Accessed: ] ]</ref> | |||
| A wait of three years occurred between the release of ''Goblet of Fire'' and the fifth ''Harry Potter'' novel, '']''. This gap led to press speculation that Rowling had developed ], speculations she fervently denied.<ref> . ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling later admitted that writing the book was a chore. "I think Phoenix could have been shorter", she told ], "I knew that, and I ran out of time and energy toward the end."<ref>Grossman, Lev. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ], ].</ref> | |||
| The sixth book, '']'', was released on ], ]. It too broke all sales records, selling nine million copies in its first 24 hours of release.<ref>. ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> While writing, she told a fan online, "Book six has been planned for years, but before I started writing seriously I spend two months re-visiting the plan and making absolutely sure I knew what I was doing."<ref>. ] ]. ]. Accessed ], ].</ref> She noted on her website that the opening chapter of book six, which features a conversation between the ] and the British Prime Minister, had been intended as the first chapter first for ''Philosopher's Stone'', then ''Chamber of Secrets'' then ''Prisoner of Azkaban''.<ref> J. K. Rowling's Official Site. Accessed ], ].</ref> In 2006, ''Half-Blood Prince'' received the ] prize at the ].<ref name="bba">{{cite web|url=http://www.britishbookawards.co.uk/pnbb_shortlist2006.asp?|title=Winners & Shortlists 2006|publisher=Publishing News}}Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| The title of the seventh and final ''Harry Potter'' book was revealed ] ] to be '']''.<ref>Press Release. . ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> On ] ] Rowling wrote on a bust in her hotel room at the Balmoral Hotel in ] that she had written the seventh book in that room on ] ].<ref>Cornwell, Tim.. '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' was released on ] ] (0:00 ]) and broke its predecessor's record as the fastest-selling book of all time.<ref name="sales" /> It sold 11 million copies in the first day of release in the United Kingdom and United States.<ref name="sales"/> She has said that the last chapter of the book was written "in something like 1990", as part of her earliest work on the entire series.<ref name="last chapter">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5119836.stm|title=Rowling to kill two in final book|publisher=]}}] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> During a year period when Rowling was completing the last book, she allowed herself to be filmed for a documentary which aired in Britain on ] on ] ]. It was entitled ''J K Rowling... A Year In The Life'' and showed her returning to her old Edinburgh tenement flat where she lived, and completed the first ''Harry Potter'' book.<ref name="returns">Hastings, Chris. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Re-visiting the flat for the first time reduced her to tears, saying it was "really where I turned my life around completely."<ref name="returns"/> | |||
| The ''Harry Potter'' books have also gained recognition for sparking an interest in reading among the young at a time when children were thought to be abandoning the book for the computer and the television,<ref>. Scholastic. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> although the series' overall impact on children's reading habits has been questioned.<ref>Mehegan, David. {{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2007/07/09/in_end_potter_magic_extends_only_so_far/?page=1|title= In end, Potter magic extends only so far|work=]}} ], ]. Accessed ], ].</ref> | |||
| === ''Harry Potter'' films === | |||
| {{main|Harry Potter film series}} | |||
| In October 1998, ] purchased the film rights to the first two novels for a seven-figure sum.<ref>Walker, Andrew. . '']''. ]]. Accessed ] ].</ref> A film version of '']''<!-- DO NOT change to Sorceror--> was released on ] ], and '']'' on ] ].<ref name=mojo>. Box Office Mojo. Accessed ], ].</ref> Both were directed by ]. ] ] saw the release of the film version of '']'', directed by ].<ref name=mojo /> The fourth film, '']'', was directed by yet another new director, ], and released on ] ].<ref name=mojo /> The film of '']'' was released on ] ].<ref name=mojo /> ] was its director, and ] its screenwriter, having taken over the position from ]. '']'' is in production,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/9/19/half-blood-prince-filming-news-threat-of-strike-to-affect-harry-potter-six|title="Half-Blood Prince" Filming News: Threat of Strike to Affect Harry Potter Six?|accessdate=|date=|publisher=The Leaky Cauldron}}] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> scheduled for release on ] ].<ref name=mojo /> David Yates will direct again, and Kloves will return to screenwrite it.<ref>Fienberg, Daniel. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ]; Spelling, Ian. . Sci Fi Wire. ] ].</ref> In March 2008, Warner Bros. announced that the final installment of the series, '']'', would be filmed in two segments, with part one released in November 2010 and part two released in May 2011. Yates would again return to direct both films.<ref>{{cite web|title=Final 'Harry Potter' book will be split into two movies|work=Los Angeles Times|Jeff Boucher|date=March 13, 2008|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-potter13mar13,1,5626063.story|accessdate=2008-03-13}}</ref> | |||
| Warner Bros took considerable notice of Rowling's desires and thoughts when drafting her contract. One of her principal stipulations was the films be shot in Britain with an all-British cast, which has been adhered to strictly.<ref>Treneman, Ann. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> In an unprecedented move, Rowling also demanded that ], the victor in the race to ] their products to the film series, donate $18 million to the American charity ], as well as a number of community charity programs.<ref> . ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| The first four films were scripted by Steve Kloves; Rowling assisted him in the writing process, ensuring that his scripts did not contradict future books in the series. She has said that she told him more about the later books than anybody else (prior to their release), but not everything.<ref>Mzimba, Lizo, moderator. . BBC Newsround. February 2003. Accessed ] ].</ref> She has also said that she told ] (]) and ] (]) certain secrets about their characters before they were revealed in the books.<ref>. ''CBBC Newsround''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> She was also asked by ] (]) if Harry died and Rowling answered him by saying, "You have a death scene", thereby not explicitly answering the question.<ref>. '']''. ], ]. Accessed ], ].</ref> ] was approached to direct the first film, but dropped out. The press has repeatedly claimed that Rowling played a role in his departure, but Rowling stated that she has no say in who directs the films and would not have vetoed Spielberg if she had.<ref> . J. K. Rowling's official site. Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling's first choice for the director had been ] member ], as she is a fan of his work. Warner Bros. wanted a more family friendly film, and eventually they settled on ].<ref>. Wizard News. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| ===After ''Harry Potter''=== | |||
| <!-- | |||
| NOTE: The Tales of Beedle the Bard is mentioned in the Philanthropy section | |||
| --> | |||
| Rowling has stated that she plans to continue writing after the publication of the final ''Harry Potter'' book, '']'', and that she will most likely not use a new pen name as the press would quickly discover her identity.<ref>. Radio 4. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> In 2006, Rowling revealed that she had finished writing a few short stories and another children's book (a "political fairy story") about a monster, aimed at a younger audience than ''Harry Potter'' readers.<ref> . in.rediff.com. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| She is not planning to write an eighth ''Harry Potter'' book, stating, "I can't say I'll never write another book about that world just because I think, what do I know, in ten years' time I might want to return to it but I think it's unlikely."<ref>. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> However, Rowling has said she will be writing an encyclopedia of ''Harry Potter'''s ] consisting of various unpublished material and notes.<ref>Brown, Jen. . ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Any profits from such a book would be given to charity.<ref>. J. K. Rowling official site. Accessed ] ].</ref> During a news conference at Hollywood's ] in 2007, Rowling, when asked how the encyclopedia was coming along, said, "It's not coming along, and I haven't started writing it. I never said it was the next thing I'd do."<ref>{{cite web|title=J.K. Rowling brings magic touch to U.S.|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/books/la-et-rowling16oct16,0,5110522.story?coll=cl-books-features| | |||
| author=David L. Ulin|work=]|accessdate=}} ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> As of the end of 2007, Rowling has said that the encyclopedia could take up to ten years to complete, stating "There is no point in doing it unless it is amazing. The last thing I want to do is to rush something out".<ref name="returns"/> | |||
| In July 2007, Rowling said that she wants to dedicate "lots" of her time to her family, but is currently "sort of writing two things", one for children and the other for adults.<ref name=USAToday200707>Memmott, Carol. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> She did not give any details about the two projects but did state that she was excited because the two book situation reminded her of writing the ''Philosopher's Stone'', explaining how she was then writing two books until Harry took over.<ref>. '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> She stated in October 2007 that her future work was unlikely to be in the fantasy genre, explaining, "I think probably I've done my fantasy....it would be incredibly difficult to go out and create another world that didn't in some way overlap with Harry's or maybe borrow a little too much from Harry."<ref>Topel, Fred. {{cite web|title='Harry Potter' Author J.K. Rowling Enchants Readers on Her U.S. Book Tour|work=]|url=http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/movies/news/n13576.htm|year=2007}} Accessed ] ].</ref> In November 2007, Rowling said that she was working on another book, a "half-finished book for children that I think will probably be the next thing I publish."<ref>{{cite web|title=Rowling completes post-Harry Potter book|work=Associated Press|date=|url=http://omg.yahoo.com/rowling-completes-post-harry-potter-book/news/3619}} ] ]. Accessed ] ]</ref> In March 2008, Rowling confirmed that her "political fairy tale" for children was nearing completion. <ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=JK Rowling in court over photo of son | date=] | publisher= | url =http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/JK-Rowling-in-court-over.3861605.jp | work =The Scotsman | pages = | accessdate = 2008-03-18 | language = }}</ref> | |||
| In March 2008, Rowling revealed in interview that she had returned to writing in Edinburgh cafes, intent on composing a new novel for children. "I will continue writing for children because that's what I enjoy," she told '']''. "I am very good at finding a suitable cafe; I blend into the crowd and, of course, I don't sit in the middle of the bar staring all around me."<ref>{{cite web|title=New adventure is child's play for Jo|author=Richard Eden|work=]|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/03/02/dp0201.xml | |||
| |accessdate=}} ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| ==Personal life== | |||
| ''Forbes'' has named Rowling as the first person to become a U.S.-dollar billionaire by writing books,<ref>Watson, Julie and Kellner, Tomas. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> and ranked her as the 1,062nd richest person in the world.<ref>. ]. Accessed ]].</ref> When first listed as a billionaire by ''Forbes'' in 2004, Rowling disputed the calculations and said she has plenty of money, but was not a billionaire.<ref>. ]. Accessed ], ].</ref> In 2001, Rowling purchased a luxurious 19th-century ], ], on the banks of the ], near ], in ], Scotland.<ref>Nichols, Michelle. . '']''. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling also owns a home in ], Edinburgh, and a £4.5 million ($9 million) ] house in ], West London,<ref name=dailymail>Boshoff, Alison. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> on a street with 24-hour security.<ref>Collinson, Patrick. . '']''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| On ] ], Rowling married Neil Michael Murray (born ] ]), an ], in a private ceremony at her Aberfeldy home.<ref> . ]. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> This was a second marriage for both Rowling and Murray, as Murray had previously been married to Dr. Fiona Duncan in 1996. Murray and Duncan separated in 1999 and divorced in the summer of 2001. Rowling and Murray's son David Gordon Rowling Murray was born on ] ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2883095.stm|title=Baby joy for JK Rowling|work= ]}} ], ]. Accessed ] ]</ref> Shortly after Rowling began writing ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' she took a break from working on the novel to care for him in his early infancy.<ref>J.K. Rowling's Official Site, . ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling's youngest child, daughter Mackenzie Jean Rowling Murray, to whom she dedicated '']'', was born ] ].<ref> J.K. Rowling's Official Site, . Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| Rowling is a member of the ]. She once said, "I believe in God, not magic."<ref>Nelson, Michael. . '']''. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Early on she felt that if readers knew of her ] beliefs, they would be able to "guess what is coming in the books."<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2000/1000-vancouversun-wyman.htm|title='You can lead a fool to a book but you can't make them think'|newspaper=Vancouver Sun|last=Wyman|first=Max|date=|accessdate=}} ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling has stated that she struggles with her own beliefs. In an interview with the '']'' in July 2007, she said, "...until we reached Book Seven, views of what happens after death and so on...would give away a lot of what was coming. So … yes, my belief and my struggling with religious belief and so on I think is quite apparent in this book."<ref>Viera, Meredith.. ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| Rowling commented on her political views when she discussed the ] with the Spanish-language newspaper '']''. She said she is "obsessed with the United States elections" because "it will have a profound effect on the rest of the world". As of February 2008, she has said that both ] and ] would be "extraordinary" in the White House. In the same interview, she also said her hero was ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.elpais.com/articulo/cultura/Ser/invisible/seria/elpepicul/20080208elpepicul_1/Tes|title=Ser invisible... eso sería lo más|date=|accessdate=|last=Cruz|first=Juan|publisher=]}}] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| ==Relationship with the press== | |||
| Rowling has had a difficult relationship with the press. She admits to being "thin-skinned" and dislikes the fickle nature of reporting.<ref name=Treneman/> "They went in one day from saying, 'She’s got writer’s block' to saying, 'She's been self-indulgent'", she told ''The Times'' in 2003, "And I thought, well, what a difference 24 hours makes."<ref name=Treneman>Treneman, Ann. . '']''. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> However, Rowling disputes her reputation as a recluse who hates to be interviewed.<ref name=Treneman /> In 2001, the Press Complaints Commission upheld a complaint by Rowling over a series of unauthorised photographs of her with her daughter on the beach in ] published in '']''.<ref>. pcc.org.uk. 2001. Accessed ] ].</ref> In 2007 Rowling lost a court fight to ban publication of a photograph of her young son.<ref name=david /> The photo, taken by a photographer using a long-range lens, was subsequently published in a '']'' article featuring Rowling's family life and motherhood.<ref name=david /> | |||
| Rowling has said she particularly dislikes the British tabloid '']'', which made references to a stalker Rowling insists does not exist, and conducted interviews with her estranged ex-husband.<ref name=vernon /> As one journalist noted, "Harry's ] is a grotesque philistine of violent tendencies and remarkably little brain. It is not difficult to guess which newspaper Rowling gives him to read ."<ref name=vernon>Lockerbie, Catherine. {{cite web|title="All aboard the Hogwarts Express"|author=|work=]|url=http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2000/0700-scotsman-lockerbie.html}} ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| Some have speculated that Rowling's fraught relationship with the press was the inspiration behind the character ]. However, Rowling noted in 2000 that the character actually predates her rise to fame: "People have asked me whether Rita Skeeter was invented , but in fact she was always planned."<ref>{{cite web|title="About the Books: transcript of J.K. Rowling's live interview on Scholastic.com"|url=http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/books/author/interview2.htm|}} ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> "I tried to put Rita in ''Philosopher's Stone''- you know when Harry walks into the Leaky Cauldron for the first time and everyone says, "Mr Potter you're back!", I wanted to put a journalist in there. She wasn't called Rita then but she was a woman. And then I thought, as I looked at the plot overall, I thought, that's not really where she fits best, she fits best in Four when Harry's supposed to come to terms with his fame."<ref>. ''BBC Newsround''. 2000. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| == Philanthropy == | |||
| In 2000, Rowling established the Volant Charitable Trust, which uses its annual budget of £5.1 million to aid women and children, and to combat ] and social inequality. The fund also gives to organizations that aid children, one parent families, and multiple sclerosis research.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Volant Charitable Trust (UK and overseas)|work=Merseyside Funding|year=|url=http://www.mfip.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1085&Itemid=27|}} Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling said, "I think you have a moral responsibility when you've been given far more than you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently."<ref name=USAToday200707 /> | |||
| Rowling, once a single parent herself, is now president of the charity ], having already become their first Ambassador in 2000.<ref name="OPF">{{cite web|url=http://www.oneparentfamilies.org.uk/|title=One Parent Families Gingerbread|work=OneParentFamilies|}}. Accessed ] ].</ref><ref> . oneparentfamilies.org. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling collaborated with ], wife of British Prime Minister ], to write a book of children's stories to aid One Parent Families.<ref> . '']''. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| In 2001, the UK anti-poverty fundraiser ] asked three bestselling British authors – cookery writer and TV presenter ], ] creator ], and Rowling – to submit booklets related to their most famous works for publication.<ref>Goodson, Rory and Chittenden, Maurice. . '']''. ], ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling's two booklets, '']'' and '']'', are ostensibly facsimiles of books found in the ] library. Since going on sale in March, 2001, the books have raised £15.7 million ($30 million) for the fund. The £10.8 million ($20 million) they have raised outside the UK have been channeled into a newly created International Fund for Children and Young People in Crisis.<ref>. Comic Relief. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| In 2005, to improve the lot of vulnerable children in eastern Europe, Rowling and ] ] founded the Children's High Level Group.<ref>{{cite web|title=Children's High Level Group|url=http://www.chlg.org/who-we-are.asp|publisher=The Children's Voice}} Accessed ] ].</ref> In January 2006, Rowling went to ] to highlight the use of caged beds in children's mental institutions.<ref> . J.K. Rowling's Official Site. Accessed ] ].</ref> To further support the CHLG, Rowling auctioned one of seven handwritten and illustrated copies of '']'', a series of fairy tales referred to in ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows''. The book was purchased for £1.95 million by on-line bookseller ] on ] ].<ref name="fetches">. ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref><ref>. MSNBC. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref><ref>. ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling commented "This will mean so much to children in desperate need of help. It means Christmas has come early to me."<ref name="fetches"/><ref>Majendie, Paul. . ]. ], ]. Accessed ], ].</ref> Rowling will give away the remaining six copies to those who have a close connection with the ''Harry Potter'' books.<ref name="fetches"/> | |||
| Rowling has contributed money and support for research and treatment of ], from which her mother died in 1990. In 2006, Rowling contributed a substantial sum toward the creation of a new Centre for Regenerative Medicine at ].<ref>MS Society, Scotland . ''Edinburgh Research and Innovation, University of Edinburgh''. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> On ] and ] ] she read alongside ] and ] at ] in New York City. Profits from the event were donated to the Haven Foundation, a charity that aids artists and performers left uninsurable and unable to work, and the medical ] ].<ref>. Scholastic. 2006. Accessed ] ].</ref> In May 2007, Rowling gave $495,000 to a reward fund of over $4.5 million for the safe return of a young British girl, ], who disappeared in Portugal.<ref>. ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref><ref name="safe">. ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> Rowling, along with ], ], and ], wrote an introduction to a collection of Gordon Brown's speeches, the proceeds of which are donated to the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory.<ref> . ]. ] ]. Accessed ] ].</ref> | |||
| ==Publications== | |||
| ;Harry Potter series | |||
| # '']'' (] ]) | |||
| # '']'' (] ]) | |||
| # '']'' (] ]) | |||
| # '']'' (] ]) | |||
| #'']'' (] ]) | |||
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| # '']'' (] ]) | |||
| ;Other books | |||
| * '']'' (supplement to the Potter series) (2001) | |||
| * '']'' (supplement to the Potter series) (2001) | |||
| * '']'' (never published, but publicly displayed by Amazon.com) (2007) | |||
| ;Articles | |||
| * "The First It Girl: J.K. Rowling reviews ''Decca: the Letters of ]'' ed by Peter Y Sussman", '']'' ] ] | |||
| * Introduction to "Ending Child Poverty" in ''Moving Britain Forward. Selected Speeches 1997-2006'' by ], Bloomsbury (2006) | |||
| * Foreword to the anthology ''Magic'', edited by Gil McNeil and ], Bloomsbury (2002) | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{Reflist|2}} | |||
| <!-- Dead note "film6-imdb": {{imdb title|id=0417741|title=Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}} : not actually cited at the moment, but there just in case--> | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| {{commons|J. K. Rowling}} | |||
| {{wikiquote}} | |||
| {{hpw|J._K._Rowling}} | |||
| * (]-heavy, with ]s; ) | |||
| * : Rowling's article on Jessica Mitford for ''The Telegraph'' | |||
| * | |||
| * {{isfdb name|id=J._K._Rowling|name=J. K. Rowling}} | |||
| * {{imdb name | id=0746830 | name=J.K. Rowling}} | |||
| * {{IBList |type=author|id=146|name=J.K. Rowling}} | |||
| {{harrypotter}} | |||
| <!-- Metadata: see ] --> | |||
| {{Persondata | |||
| |NAME=Joanne Rowling | |||
| |ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Jo Rowling | |||
| |PSEUDONYM=J. K. Rowling | |||
| |SHORT DESCRIPTION=English writer. Author of the ] series | |||
| |DATE OF BIRTH={{Birth date and age|1965|7|31|mf=y}} | |||
| |PLACE OF BIRTH=], ], ] | |||
| |DATE OF DEATH= | |||
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| }} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Rowling, J. K.}} | |||
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Revision as of 11:29, 11 April 2008
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