View source for J. K. Rowling

{{Wikipedia|J. K. Rowling}}
{{Out of universe}}
{{Youmay|the author|the [[J. K. Rowling (in-universe)|in-universe J. K. Rowling]]}}
{{Semiprotected}}
{{Person infobox
|image=J.K. Rowling by Debra Hurford Brown Photography.jpg 
|name=Joanne <!--Do not add "Kathleen" here; it is not her legal middle name. She uses the "K" initial only for her pen name.--> Rowling
|birthname=Joanne Rowling
|born=[[31 July]] [[1965]] {{agecalc|19650731}}
Yate, Gloucestershire, [[England]]
|died=
|nationality=[[Great Britain|British]]
|residence=[[Scotland]]
|gender=Female
|eyes=Blue
|hair=Brunette (natural)
|height=5 ft 4 in (1.65 m)
|family=*Anne Rowling {{C|née Volant}} (mother) † 
*Peter James Rowling (father)
*Dianne Rowling (sister)
*Roger Moore (brother-in-law)
*Neil Murray (husband)
*Jessica Isabel Rowling-Arantes (daughter)
*David Gordon Rowling-Murray (son)
*Mackenzie Jean Rowling-Murray (daughter)
*Jorge Arantes (ex-husband)
*Ernest Rowling (paternal grandfather)
*Kathleen Rowling (paternal grandmother) †
*Stanley Volant (maternal grandfather)
*Frieda Volant (maternal grandmother)
|alias=*Jo
*J. K. Rowling
*Joanne K. Rowling
*Robert Galbraith
|occupation=*Writer
*Film producer
*Television producer
*Screenwriter
*Philanthropist
|signature=[[File:JK Rowling's signature.png|100px]]
}}
{{Quoteurl|If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped change. We do not need magic to transform our world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have the power to imagine better.|J. K. Rowling in her Harvard Commencement Speech on 5 June 2008|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cElk8cQk2VY}}
'''Joanne "Jo" Rowling''' (pronunciation: ''rolling''), <!-- DO NOT put "Joanne Kathleen Rowling"; this is NOT her name! Kathleen only exists as the initial K, used on the books, read below. -->{{w|Order of the Companions of Honour|CH}}, {{w|Order of the British Empire|OBE}}, {{w|Royal Society of Literature|FRSL}}, {{w|Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|FRCPE}} (b. [[31 July]] [[1965]]) better known by her {{w|pen name}} '''J. K. Rowling''', is a [[British]] novelist, film producer, television producer, screenwriter and philanthropist. Rowling is most famous for authoring the ''[[Harry Potter (book series)|Harry Potter]]'' series, which have gained international attention and have won multiple awards.  In [[February]] [[2004]], ''{{w|Forbes}}'' magazine estimated her fortune as £576 million,<ref>[http://www.forbes.com/2004/02/26/cx_jw_0226rowlingbill04.html "J.K. Rowling And The Billion-Dollar Empire"]</ref> making her the first person to become a [[United States of America|US]] dollar billionaire by writing books.

==Early life==
Joanne Rowling was born in Yate, United Kingdom in [[1965]], to Peter and Anne Rowling. Together with her mother, father, and younger sister Dianne, she moved to {{W|Winterbourne}}, [[Bristol]] and then to [[Tutshill]] near {{W|Chepstow}}. She attended secondary school at {{W|Wyedean School}}, where she told stories to her fellow students. In [[1990]], her 45-year-old mother succumbed to a decade-long battle with {{W|multiple sclerosis}}. This affected her very much. Growing up, her relationship with her father was strained, and as a result she has not spoken to him in recent years. She has also said that because of her lack of a proper father there are many father figures for Harry in her books.

[[File:Jkr.jpg|250px|thumb|left|J. K. Rowling in her childhood]]
Rowling studied for a BA in [[French]] and Classics at the {{W|University of Exeter}}, which she says was a "bit of a shock" as she "was expecting to be amongst lots of similar people– thinking radical thoughts". 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> She wrote a short essay titled "''[[What was the Name of that Nymph Again? or Greek and Roman Studies Recalled]]''" and published it in the university journal ''Pegasus'', which recounts her time at Exeter studying for her BA in Classics.<ref>Rowling, J. K. (1988). "What was the Name of that Nymph Again? or Greek and Roman Studies Recalled". ''Pegasus'' (41). University of Exeter Department of Classics and Ancient History. OCLC [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/179161486 179161486].</ref> After a year of study in [[Paris]], Rowling moved to London to work as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International.<ref>Norman-Culp, Sheila. [http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/1998/1198-ap-normanculp.html British author rides up the charts on a wizard's tale]. Associated Press. 1998. Retrieved 6 December 2007.</ref> During this period, she had the idea for a story of a young boy attending a school of wizardry while she was on a four-hour delayed train trip between [[Manchester]] and [[London]]. When she had reached her destination, she already had in her head the characters and a good part of the plot for {{PS}}, which she began working on during her lunch hours.

Rowling then moved to {{W|Porto}}, [[Portugal]], to teach English as a foreign language. While there she married Portuguese TV journalist Jorge Arantes on 16 October [[1992]]. They had one child, Jessica Isabel Rowling Arantes (born [[27 July]] [[1993]]), before their divorce in [[1995]].

In [[December]] [[1994]], she and her daughter moved to be near her sister in [[Edinburgh]]. Unemployed and living on state benefits, she completed her first novel, doing some of the work in an Edinburgh café. (There is a widely circulated rumour that she wrote in a local café to escape from her unheated flat — but according to the author this is false.)

==''Harry Potter'' and beyond==
[[File:JKRowling.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Rowling]]
Rowling's publisher, [[Bloomsbury Publishing]], wanted to use initials on the cover of the ''Harry Potter'' books, suggesting that if they used an obviously female name, the target group of young boys might be reluctant to buy them. Since Rowling didn't have a middle name she chose to adopt her paternal grandmother's name, Kathleen (full name: Kathleen Ada Bulgen Rowling), for the middle initial.

''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' was a huge success, and she has thus far published six sequels. The sales made her a multi-millionaire, and in 2001, she purchased a luxurious 19th-century mansion, Killiechassie House, on the banks of the {{w|River Tay}} in {{w|Perthshire}}, Scotland, where she married her second husband, Dr Neil Murray, on 26 December 2001.

The ''Harry Potter'' series runs seven volumes, one for each year Harry spends in school. The series is complete. The fifth book, titled {{OOTP}}, was delayed by an unsuccessful plagiarism suit directed towards her by rival author {{w|Nancy Stouffer}} (see below). Rowling took some time off from writing at this point because during the process of writing the fifth book she felt her workload was too heavy. She said that at one point she had considered breaking her arm to get out of writing because the pressure on her was too much. After forcing her publishers to drop her deadline, she enjoyed three years of quiet writing, commenting that she spent some time working on something else that she might return to when she is finished with the ''Harry Potter'' series. The fifth book was released on 21 June 2003.

[[File:Hpsim03.png|250px|thumb|left|Rowling's appearance as herself on ''[[The Simpsons]]'']]
In late 2003, she was approached by television producer {{w|Russell T. Davies}} to contribute an episode to the British television science-fiction series ''{{w|Doctor Who}}''. Although she was "amused by the suggestion", she turned the offer down, as she was busy working on the next novel in the ''Potter'' series. On 20 December 2004, she announced that the sixth ''Harry Potter'' book would be released on 16 July 2005.

Rowling has also made a guest appearance as herself on the American cartoon show ''[[The Simpsons]]'', in a special British-themed episode entitled "[[w:c:simpsons:The_Regina_Monologues|The Regina Monologues]]".

On 5 June 2008, J. K. Rowling was the keynote speaker for {{w|Harvard University}} Commencement.<ref name="Rowling-Harvard">''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck J.K. Rowling Harvard Commencement Speech]''</ref>

===''Harry Potter'' books===
[[File:HP-books-1-through-7.jpg|200px|thumb|The complete set of Harry Potter books]]
*{{PS}} (26 June 1997)
*{{COS}} (2 July 1998)
*{{POA}} (8 July 1999)
*{{GOF}} (8 July 2000)
*{{OOTP}} (21 June 2003)
*{{HBP}} (16 July 2005)
*{{DH}} (21 July 2007)
*{{CC}} (31 July 2016)

====''Harry Potter''-related books and stories ====
*{{QTA|R}} (2001)
*{{FB|R}} (2001)
*{{TBB|R}} (2008)
*{{HPP}} (2008)
*[[Pottermore Presents]]<ref name="PottermorePresents">[https://www.pottermore.com/news/pottermore-presents-ebook-series-published-september Pottermore has a brand new treat for you this September: Pottermore Presents, a trio of eBooks that delve even deeper into the wizarding world.]</ref>
**''[[Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide]]'' (6 September 2016)
**''[[Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists]]'' (6 September 2016)
**''[[Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies]]'' (6 September 2016)

The first two ''Harry Potter''-related books purport to be facsimiles of books mentioned in the novels. ''Fantastic Beasts'' is a textbook, while ''Quidditch'' is probably the most popular book in the [[Hogwarts Library]]. They are complete with handwritten annotations and scribblings in the margins and include introductions by [[Albus Dumbledore]]. All proceeds from them go to the UK [[Comic Relief]] charity. She has contributed money and support to many other charitable causes, especially research and treatment of multiple sclerosis, from which her mother died in 1990. By Rowling's own account, this death greatly affected her writing.

=====''Fantastic Beasts''-screenplays=====
[[File:fbedition.jpeg|thumb|100px]]
[[File:Fantastic Beasts The Crimes of Grindelwald The Original Screenplay.jpeg|thumb|100px]]
[[File:The Secrets of Dumbledore The Complete Screenplay.png|thumb|100px]]
*{{FB|S}} (19 November 2016)
*{{COG|S}} (16 November 2018)
*{{SOD|S}} (30 June 2022) (The screenplay was announced to be released 5 months later from the film release.)

In 2013, Rowling announced that she had begun to write a screenplay for ''[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)|Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]'', which would take place seventy years before the events of the ''Harry Potter'' novels.<ref name="independent">[http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/jk-rowling-to-write-new-harry-potterinspired-film-series-based-on-fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-8812270.html "JK Rowling to write new Harry Potter-inspired film series based on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"] at [http://www.independent.co.uk/ The Independent]</ref> 

In 2016, she finished the screenplay for the sequel, {{COG}}.{{fact}}

In 2018, the same month of the release of {{COG}}, she announced she finished writing the first screenplay of {{SOD|S}} that was not used, that is different to the one that was written by her and [[Steve Kloves]] in 2020.{{fact}}

===''Harry Potter'' and ''Fantastic Beasts'' films===
Rowling sold the film rights of the first four books to Warner Bros. for a reported price of $2 million. 

In keeping with the book's British atmosphere and themes, Rowling made a mandatory rule that the cast be kept strictly British and Irish. She resisted suggestions by the filmmakers that the movies should be filmed in the United States or cast with American actors (only two Americans appear in the first film).<ref>While [[Zoë Wanamaker]] has made a name for herself as an English actress, she was born in New York.</ref> She only reluctantly went along with changing ''Philosopher's Stone'' to ''Sorcerer's Stone'' and limited it to the U.S. only but later allowed it to be extended to India and Philippines, therefore making them the only three countries to use such a title. In particular, Rowling's primary insistence on British and Irish actors for the main roles resulted in {{w|Steven Spielberg}} passing on the opportunity to direct the series.

Rowling assisted [[Steve Kloves]] in writing the scripts for the films, ensuring that his scripts do not contradict future books in the series. She says she had told him more about the later books than anybody else, but not everything. She has also said that she had told [[Alan Rickman]] and [[Robbie Coltrane]] certain secrets about their characters that had not yet been revealed, in order to inform their performances and avoid later inconsistencies.

A [[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)|film version]] of {{PS}} was released in late 2001 and {{COS|FA}} in 2002. Both were directed by American film director [[Chris Columbus]]. 

A darker atmosphere was adopted in {{POA|FA}}, attributed to the new director, [[Alfonso Cuarón]]. Rowling, who was a fan of Cuarón's work prior to the third film, has stated that the third film is her personal favourite.

Kloves took time off from ''Harry Potter'' in 2007 to work on his own film; [[Michael Goldenberg]] was hired to [[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)|adapt]] {{OOTP}}, while Kloves returned for {{HBP|FA}} and parts 1 and 2 of {{DH}}.

Alongside writing the screenplays for [[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)|''Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'']], {{COG}}, {{SOD}} - she did produce each film and attended some days on the set of the films.
=== Television series ===
For two whole years from 2020 to 2022, J. K. Rowling refused to meet with any employee of Warner Bros, and had refrained from attending a reunion special. When she appeared at a ''Fantastic Beasts'' premiere, no one wanted to do much with her. Critics and former fans spent two years castigating her for comments on gender and sex. She felt betrayed when Warner Bros. did not rush to her defence. After Warner Bros' new CEO David Zaslav sent a message saying he wanted to meet with her, they met at a London Supper Club, and discussed for four hours about various topics. Zaslav revealed that he wanted to breathe new life into the franchise by creating a television series instead.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/business/media/jk-rowling-harry-potter-warner-bros-tv-ba66a767</ref>

==Other books==
In 2012, Rowling began publishing books unrelated to her ''Harry Potter'' series. Her first adult book was ''The Casual Vacancy'', which has since been adapted into a three-episode miniseries that aired on BBC One in February 2015. In December 2016, Rowling announced that she was working on two new novels - one written with the name J. K. Rowling and another written with the name Robert Galbraith. She was unsure which one would be completed first and promised to update when she was. She also clarified that neither would be centred around [[Newton Scamander|Newt Scamander]].<ref>[http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/jk-rowling-is-working-on-two-new-novels JK Rowling is working on TWO new novels (Merry Christmas, everyone!)] by Glamour Magazine</ref>

In April 2013, Rowling published the first of her ''Cormoran Strike'' series titled ''The Cuckoo's Calling'' under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Since 2014 to 2020, she has published five sequels. In November 2020, she published a children's book, ''The Ickabog''. In August 2022, the sixth novel in her ''Cormoran Strike'' series, called ''The Ink Black Heart'', was published.

===''The Casual Vacancy''===
{{Quoteurl|I think I've really exhausted the magical. It was a lot of fun, but I've put it behind me for the time being. If there is a connection between Harry Potter and my new novel, it's my interest in characters.|J. K. Rowling comparing ''The Casual Vacancy'' to the ''Harry Potter'' series|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/spiegel-interview-with-author-j-k-rowling-a-857632.html}}
[[File:CasualVacancyCoverArt.jpg|200px|thumb|right|The cover of ''The Casual Vacancy'']]
''The Casual Vacancy'' was released worldwide on [[27 September]] [[2012]]<ref name="usatoday">"[http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/story/2012-04-12/harry-potter-jk-rowling-new-book/54200224/1 J.K. Rowling's next book: 'The Casual Vacancy']" from ''USA Today''</ref> by Little, Brown and Company in hardback, e-book, audio download, and CD formats.<ref name="bbc">"[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17693206 JK Rowling announces title of first adult novel]" from BBC News</ref> It was Rowling's first novel targeted specifically at an adult audience and her first published work outside of the [[Harry Potter (book series)|''Harry Potter'' series]].<ref name="usatoday" /><ref name="bbc" /> It was released in paperback on [[18 July]] 2013 in the [[Great Britain|UK]], with two new covers available.<ref name="snitchpaperbak">[http://www.snitchseeker.com/harry-potter-news/j-k-rowlings-the-casual-vacancy-set-for-july-18th-paperback-release-new-covers-92756/ SnitchSeeker - J. K. Rowling's ''Casual Vacancy'' Set for July 18th paperback release]</ref>

It is set in the fictional location of Pagford, a seemingly peaceful and idyllic town. However, beneath its surface, Pagford is a "town at war", where rich clash with poor, teenagers with parents, wives with their husbands, and teachers with their students. After the sudden death of Barry Fairbrother shocks the town, his seat on the parish council is left open, leading to an election "fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations".<ref name="usatoday" />

The title was promoted with a "minimalist" approach, with few advance copies being released, with few appearances by Rowling herself. She had only one appearance in the United States well in advance of its release. Those who received advanced copies were reportedly required to sign contracts described as "more legal documents than would typically be involved in buying a house".<ref name="washingtonpost">[http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/the-casual-vacancy-want-an-advance-copy-good-luck/2012/09/26/157f4556-0721-11e2-858a-5311df86ab04_blog.html The Casual Vacancy: Want an advance copy? Good luck.]</ref>

The print copy reached #1 on Amazon.com's list of bestsellers and #1 in both the Contemporary and Literature sections. Early reviews were  generally favourable, but noted its vast difference from the ''Harry Potter'' novels, including elements such as drugs, sex, and explicit language.<ref name="christianscience">[http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2012/0924/The-Casual-Vacancy-Adult-content-shows-we-re-not-at-Hogwarts-anymore ''Christian Science Monitor'' - "The Casual Vacancy: Adult content shows we're not at Hogwarts anymore"]</ref><ref name="guardian">[http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/sep/27/jk-rowling-casual-vacancy-review ''The Guardian'' - J.K. Rowling: ''The Casual Vacancy'': Review]</ref>

==Lawsuits==
Rowling has been involved in a lawsuit over the Harry Potter series, and other litigation has been suggested or rumoured.

===Nancy Stouffer===
In the late 1990s, Nancy Stouffer, an author of children's books published in the 1980s, began to charge publicly that Rowling's books were based on her books, including ''The Legend of Rah and the Muggles'' and ''Larry Potter and His Best Friend Lilly''.

In 2001, Rowling, Scholastic Press (the American publisher of her books), and [[Warner Bros.]] (the producer of the film adaptations) sued Stouffer, asking the court to judge that there was no infringement of Stouffer's trademarks or copyright. Stouffer, who had not previously sued, then filed counterclaims alleging such infringement.[[File:LRM.jpg|thumb|The cover of Nancy Stouffer's ''The Legend of Rah and the Muggles'']]

Rowling and her colitigants argued that much of the evidence that Stouffer presented was fraudulent, and asked for sanctions and attorneys' fees as punishment. In September 2002 the court found in Rowling's favour, stating that Stouffer had lied to the court and falsified and forged documents to support her case. Stouffer was fined $50,000 and ordered to pay part (but not all) of the plaintiffs' costs.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2268024.stm "Rowling wins Potter plagiarism case" BBC news report on suit]</ref>

In January 2004, it was reported that Stouffer's appeal against the judgement had been rejected. The appeals court agreed that Stouffer's claims were properly dismissed because "no reasonable juror could find a likelihood of confusion as to the source of the two parties' works". The Court explained:

<blockquote>''Stouffer's and Plaintiffs' marks are used in two very different ways. Rowling's use of the term "Muggles" describes ordinary humans with no magical powers while Stouffer's "Muggles" are tiny, hairless creatures with elongated heads. Further, the Harry Potter books are novel-length works and whose primary customers are older children and adults whereas Stouffer's booklets appeal to young children. Accordingly, the District Court correctly dismissed Stouffer's trademark claims.''</blockquote>

Stouffer was also ordered to pay the costs of the appeal. A report of the judgement can be found at [http://web.archive.org/web/20040208005904/http://www.entlawdigest.com/story.cfm?storyID=3094 Entertainment Law Digest, available via Web Archive]. The 2002 judgement can be found here:
[http://www.eyrie.org/~robotech/stouffer.htm ROWLING v. STOUFFER]

Some sources, such as the TV Tropes Wiki, have pointed out that the word "muggle" (sometimes in its present meaning of "na&iuml;ve/incompetent person") dates back at least to the 1920s.

===''New York Daily News''===
On 19 June 2003, Rowling and her American publisher Scholastic announced that they would sue the ''{{w|New York Daily News}}'' for $100 million because the newspaper had printed information on her work ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' before the book's official release date. The novel was due for release on Saturday 21 June, but the newspaper published a plot summary and short quotes on Wednesday 18 June. An accompanying image even revealed two pages from the book with legible text. However, the story was complicated further when it was revealed that the paper had purchased the book from a health store whose owner received the novels wholesale and decided to place them in the window. The man claimed he was unaware he was supposed to wait until that Saturday.

==Publications==
===Children===
====''Harry Potter'' series====
#{{PS}} (26 June 1997)
#{{COS}} (2 July 1998)
#{{POA}} (8 July 1999)
#{{GOF}} (8 July 2000)
#{{OOTP}} (21 June 2003)
#{{HBP}} (16 July 2005)
#{{DH}} (21 July 2007)

====Related works====
*{{FB}} (supplement to the ''Harry Potter'' series) (1 March 2001)
*{{QTA}} (supplement to the ''Harry Potter'' series) (1 March 2001)
*{{TBB}} (supplement to the ''Harry Potter'' series) (4 December 2008)
*{{CC}} (story concept) (play written by [[Jack Thorne]]) (31 July 2016)
*''[[Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists]]'' (6 September 2016)
*''[[Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies]]'' (6 September 2016)
*''[[Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide]]'' (6 September 2016)
*{{FB|S}} (film script) (19 November 2016)
*{{COG|S}} (film script) (16 November 2018)
*{{SOD}} (film script) (15 April 2022)
*''[[The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac]]'' (10 October 2023)

====Short stories====
*[[Untitled charity auction story|''Harry Potter'' prequel]] (July 2008)

====Other====
*''The Ickabog'' (originally published online, print release November 10 2020)<ref name="Ickabog">[https://www.scholastic.com/site/theickabog.html Scholastic - ''The Ickabog'']</ref>

===Adults===
*''The Casual Vacancy'' (27 September 2012)

====''Cormoran Strike'' series====
*''The Cuckoo's Calling'' (as Robert Galbraith) (18 April 2013)
*''The Silkworm'' (as Robert Galbraith) (19 June 2014)
*''Career of Evil'' (as Robert Galbraith) (20 October 2015)
*''Lethal White'' (as Robert Galbraith) (18 September 2018)
*''Troubled Blood'' (as Robert Galbraith) (15 September 2020)
*''The Ink Black Heart'' (as Robert Galbraith) (30 August 2022)
*''The Running Grave'' (as Robert Galbraith) (26 September 2023)

===Other===
====Non-fiction====
*McNeil, Gil and Sarah Jane Brown|Brown, Sarah, editors (2002). Foreword to the anthology ''Magic''. Bloomsbury.
*[[Gordon Brown|Brown, Gordon]] (2006). Introduction to "Ending Child Poverty" in ''Moving Britain Forward. Selected Speeches 1997–2006''. Bloomsbury.
*Sussman, Peter Y., editor (26 July 2006). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/3656769/The-first-It-Girl.html "The First It Girl: J. K. Rowling reviews ''Decca: the Letters by Jessica Mitford''"]. ''The Daily Telegraph''.
*Anelli, Melissa (2008). Foreword to ''[[Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon|Harry, A History]]''. Pocket Books.
*Rowling, J. K. (5 June 2008). [http://harvardmagazine.com/go/jkrowling.html "The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination".] ''Harvard Magazine''.
**J. K. Rowling, ''Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and Importance of Imagination'', illustrated by Joel Holland, Sphere, 14 April 2015, 80 pages (ISBN 978-1-4087-0678-7).
*Rowling, J. K. (30 April 2009). [http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893847_1894201,00.html "Gordon Brown – The 2009 Time 100"]. ''Time'' magazine.
*Rowling, J. K. (14 April 2010). [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article7096786.ece "The Single Mother's Manifesto".] ''The Times''.
*Rowling, J. K. (30 November 2012). [http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/nov/30/jk-rowling-duped-angry-david-cameron-leveson "I feel duped and angry at David Cameron's reaction to Leveson".] ''[[The Guardian]]''.
*Rowling, J. K. (17 December 2014). [http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/17/jk-rowling-fairytale-orphanage-lumos Isn't it time we left orphanages to fairytales?] ''The Guardian''.
*Rowling, J. K. (guest editor) (28 April 2014). [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b040yzlm "Woman's Hour Takeover".] ''Woman's Hour'', BBC Radio 4.<ref name="guardian-20140410">{{cite news |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/10/jk-rowling-guest-editor-womans-hour |title=JK Rowling to become Woman's Hour first guest editor for 60 years |author=Alison Flood |newspaper=The Guardian |date=10 April 2014 |accessdate=7 May 2014}}</ref>

==Awards==
J. K. Rowling has received numerous honours and awards:

*'''Booksellers Association Author of the Year''' - [[1998]] and [[1999]]<ref name="officialsite">[http://www.jkrowling.com/en/index.cfm jkrowling.com]</ref>
*'''Author of the Year''' - [[1999]]<ref name="officialsite" />
*'''Order of the British Empire''' (OBE) - [[2001]]<ref name="officialsite" />
*'''Prince of Asturias Award for Concord''' - [[2003]]<ref name="officialsite" />
*'''W.H. Smith Fiction Award''' - [[2004]]<ref name="officialsite" />
*'''Blue Peter Gold Badge''' - [[2007]]<ref name="officialsite" />
*'''James Joyce Award''' - University College Dublin, [[2008]]<ref name="officialsite" />
*'''The Edinburgh Award''' - [[2008]]<ref name="officialsite" />
*'''Outstanding Achievement Award''' - South Bank Show Awards, [[2008]]<ref name="officialsite" />
*'''Lifetime Achievement Award''' - [[2008]]<ref name="officialsite" />
*'''Commencement Speaker''' - Harvard University, U.S.A., [[2008]]<ref name="officialsite" />
*'''The French Legion of Honour Award'''
[[File:Rowling frenchlegionofhonour.jpg|200px|thumb|J. K. Rowling at the French Legion of Honour Awards]]
On 3 February 2009, the French president awarded Rowling the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of the [[Wikipedia:Légion d'honneur|Legion of Honour]], France's highest honour. Rowling believed until recent years that her great-grandfather Louis Volant had also received the award for bravery during the war when she discovered the recipient was a different man with the same name in the programme ''Who Do You Think You Are?''. The awarding ceremony was held at Palace Elysee in Paris, France.<ref name="officialsite" /><ref name="Legion-of-Honour">''[http://bloghogwarts.com/2009/02/02/jk-rowling-recibira-legion-de-honor-en-francia/ JKR receive the Legion of Honour award from French president]''</ref><ref name="French-president">''[http://www.elysee.fr/documents/index.php?mode=view&lang=fr&cat_id=8&press_id=2290 Décoration de Mme J.K. ROWLING, romancière]''</ref>
*'''H.C. Andersen Literature price''' - [[19 October]] [[2010]] in Odense, Denmark<ref>[http://www.azkaban.dk Azkaban.dk]</ref>
*'''Order of the Companions of''' '''Honour''' - [[2017]]

==Personal life==
Rowling's first marriage was to Jorge Arantes. They have a daughter, Jessica Rowling-Arantes. 

On 26 December 2001, Rowling married Dr Neil Murray in a private ceremony at her home in the {{w|Perthshire}} village of {{w|Aberfeldy, Scotland|Aberfeldy}}.<ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1670067.stm Potter creator buys Scots hideaway]" - BBC News article, dated November 22, 2001</ref> On 23 March 2003, Rowling gave birth to her second child, a boy named David Gordon Rowling Murray, at the Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health at the New Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh.<ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2883095.stm Baby joy for JK Rowling]" - BBC News article, dated March 24, 2003</ref><ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/showbiz/2883059.stm Potter author has baby boy]" - BBC News article, dated March 25, 2003</ref> On 23 January 2005, Rowling's third child, also by Dr Murray, was born, fulfilling Rowling's lifelong wish to have three children. The baby girl was named Mackenzie Jean Rowling Murray.

Rowling is a member of the {{w|Church of Scotland}} and has stated that she believes in God, although the Christian theme was not included in the books as it might have been easy to predict where the stories were going.<ref name="vancouversun">[http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2000/1000-vancouversun-wyman.htm Wyman, Max. " 'You can lead a fool to a book but you can't make them think': Author has frank words for the religious right," The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia), October 26, 2000, retrieved from Accio Quote!]</ref>

==Behind the scenes==
{{Imagecat|Images by J. K. Rowling}}
{{Imagecat|Images of J. K. Rowling}}
[[File:Jk rowling peeves.jpg|200px|thumb|Her original sketch of [[Peeves]]]]
[[File:JKR Original Sketch 1..jpg|200px|thumb|Her drawing of [[Rubeus Hagrid]], [[Albus Dumbledore]], and [[Minerva McGonagall]] cooing over a baby [[Harry Potter]]]]
[[File:JKR Harry and the Dursleys illustration.png|200px|thumb|J. K. Rowling's drawing of [[Harry Potter]] at [[4 Privet Drive]]]] 
*J. K. Rowling wrote her first book at the age of six. It was about a [[rabbit]] called Rabbit.
*In {{TBB|R}}, J. K. Rowling writes an in-universe introduction to the stories, which ostensibly have been translated by [[Hermione Granger]]. As such, she establishes that [[J. K. Rowling (in-universe)|a J. K. Rowling]] exists in the ''Harry Potter'' universe.
*In 2010, J. K. Rowling said that she can't guarantee she wouldn't return to the world of ''Harry Potter'' in the next ten years or so, therefore she didn't want to say she never would, but she also said it was unlikely. However, during an interview with Oprah, she gave signs of an eighth book.<ref name="After Harry">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/04/08/jk-rowling-isnt-done-with-the-harry-potter-universe-but-where-could-the-series-go/ J.K. Rowling isn't done with 'Harry Potter' Universe, but where could it go?]</ref> It is possible that this turned out to be {{CC}}, as the stage play was marketed as the eighth story.
*Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story is a television film by the Lifetime television channel, broadcast on [[18 July]] [[2011]]. It is based on the book ''J.K. Rowling: A Biography'' by Sean Smith, with Poppy Montgomery starring as J. K. Rowling. The film details the journey of struggling single mother J. K. Rowling, her bid to become a published author, and her rise to fame that followed the publication of {{PS}}. 
*In June of 2011, Rowling announced {{PM}}, an online interactive experience.
*When J. K. Rowling received the Legion of Honour Award from {{W|Nicolas Sarkozy}} in 2009, she gave a speech in French in which she talked about her grandfather, Louis Volant.<ref name="legion">[https://www.mugglenet.com/2009/11/transcript-j-k-rowlings-legion-dhonneur-award-acceptance-speech/ Transcript: J.K. Rowling's Legion of Honour Award Acceptance Speech]</ref>
*In [[February]] 2012, Rowling announced the publication of an upcoming new book, targeted at adults, but no further information was given. The title was later revealed to be ''[[The Casual Vacancy]]''. She also announced a complete revamp of her official website, slated to be launched sometime in the spring.
*In [[April]] 2012, she reopened her official website and announced that her new novel was to be titled ''The Casual Vacancy'' and would be published on September 27. The tone of the novel is described as being "blackly comic."<ref name="usatoday" />
*J. K. Rowling was [[Hogwarts sorting quiz|sorted]] into [[Gryffindor]] on Pottermore.<ref>[[Harry Potter Reading Club]] live webchat, 11 October 2012 (source [http://www.snitchseeker.com/harry-potter-news/live-video-jk-rowlings-new-webchat-and-interview-from-harry-potter-reading-club-91343/ here])</ref> However, before that, she once took an online Sorting Hat Quiz which sorted her into [[Hufflepuff]].
*J. K. Rowling has stated that her [[Patronus Charm|Patronus]] would be a [[Pine Marten]],<ref name="TheMarySue">[http://www.themarysue.com/pine-marten-patronus/ JK Rowling's Patronus is a Pine Marten - The Mary Sue]</ref> although when she did the [[Patronus quiz]] again, she instead received a [[heron]].<ref name="heron">[https://www.insider.com/harry-potter-characters-patronus-2018-11#bonus-jk-rowling-revealed-that-her-patronus-was-a-pine-marten-but-changed-to-a-heron-22 All the Known Patronus Shapes for 'Harry Potter' characters - Insider]</ref>
*In ''[[Harry Potter: Beyond the Page]]'', Rowling revealed that she cannot remember a time when she wanted to be anything other than a writer.
*In [[July]] 2013, the ''Sunday Times'' newspaper revealed that the "debut" novel, ''{{w|The Cuckoo's Calling}}'' by "Robert Galbraith" (published in [[April]] 2013), was actually written by Rowling under a pseudonym (presumably a combination of the names of businessman {{w|Robert Rowling}} and economist {{w|J. K. Galbraith}}). She is planning to write a second novel about this book's protagonist, Cormoran Strike.<ref name="galbraith">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23304181 JK Rowling writes secret crime novel under false name]</ref>
**A second [[w:c:cormoranstrike|Cormoran Strike]] novel, ''Silkworm'', was published on 19 June 2014.
*In December 2013, Rowling auctioned a [[:file:Harry Potter-themed charm bracelet by JKR.jpg|Harry Potter-themed charm bracelet]] which was designed based on her sketches.<ref>[http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/fashion/jewellery-watches/news/a8652/j-k-rowling-on-the-power-of-charm-bracelets/ J.K. Rowling on Charm Bracelets, Harper's Bazaar, December 1st, 2013]</ref>
*Rowling said the [[Harry Potter series]] might not have happened if her mother hadn't died. "The books are what they are because she died ... because I loved her and she died."
*J. K. Rowling disapproved of {{W|Donald Trump}}'s idea to ban citizens of countries accused of sponsoring terrorism from entering the United States of America, which was perceived by some as Islamophobic. Following this, BBC Newsbeat published an article titled "Why people are calling American businessman Donald Trump [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]]." However, Rowling disagreed as she felt that Voldemort is "nowhere near as bad".<ref>{{Tweet|jk_rowling|J. K. Rowling|674196610683940864|How horrible. Voldemort was nowhere near as bad.}}</ref>
*J. K. Rowling revealed on Twitter that she was sorted into the [[Thunderbird (House)|Thunderbird House]] for [[Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]].<ref>{{Tweet|jk_rowling|J. K. Rowling|747854325230276608|I'm a Thunderbird.}}</ref>
*J. K. Rowling once stated that if she were to choose her own wand, it would be made of [[Walnut (tree)|walnut]] wood, with a [[Phoenix feather]] [[wand core|core]].<ref>[http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2001/0301-comicrelief-staff.htm Comic Relief live chat transcript, March 2001]</ref>
*As {{W|International Women's Day}} passes, many have said her publishers told her to write her author name as 'J. K. Rowling' instead of 'Joanne Rowling' because if young boys knew a woman wrote the books, they 'wouldn't buy them.'
*J. K. Rowling cannot drive.<ref>{{Tweet|jk_rowling|J. K. Rowling|1263505641823522817|My favourite bit of utter nonsense about Potter landmarks is still this one. I can't drive.}}</ref>
*J. K. Rowling has said that her favourite [[magic]]al [[beast]] is the [[Demiguise]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo1wOqVKpYU/ Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them: Live European Premiere from London]</ref>
*Recently, Rowling has been accused of {{W|transphobia}} by many following several controversial tweets posted on her [[J. K. Rowling's X account|Twitter account]] regarding the {{W|transgender}} community and transgender issues, along with the contents of her 2020 crime novel ''{{W|Troubled Blood}}''.<ref name="glamour-transphobia">[https://www.glamour.com/story/a-complete-breakdown-of-the-jk-rowling-transgender-comments-controversy A Complete Breakdown of the J. K. Rowling Transgender-Comments Controversy - Glamour]</ref><ref name="scotsman-transphobia">[https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/jk-rowling-on-twitter-why-the-harry-potter-author-has-been-accused-of-transphobia-on-social-media-platforms-2877977 JK Rowling on Twitter: why the Harry Potter author has been accused of transphobia on social media platforms - The Scotsman]</ref> Rowling's Twitter comments also notably sparked backlash from several [[Wizarding World (franchise)|Wizarding World]] actors, including [[Daniel Radcliffe]], [[Emma Watson]], [[Rupert Grint]], [[Eddie Redmayne]], [[Evanna Lynch]], [[Bonnie Wright]], [[Noma Dumezweni]], [[Chris Rankin]] and [[Katie Leung]].<ref name="ew-transphobia">[https://ew.com/movies/every-harry-potter-actor-whos-spoken-out-against-j-k-rowlings-controversial-transgender-comments/Every Harry Potter actor who's spoken out against J.K. Rowling's controversial trans comments]</ref> Wizarding World fan sites [[MuggleNet]] and [[The Leaky Cauldron (website)|The Leaky Cauldron]] have distanced themselves from Rowling concerning her transgender comments and criticised them.<ref name="fan-sites">[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/03/harry-potter-fan-sites-distance-themselves-from-jk-rowling-over-transgender-rights Harry Potter fan sites distance themselves from JK Rowling over transgender rights]</ref> She has also received criticism from transgender and non-binary ''Harry Potter'' fans, who have cited their disappointment in her comments and found them disheartening.<ref name="vox-transphobia">[https://www.vox.com/culture/21285396/jk-rowling-transphobic-backlash-harry-potter Harry Potter and the Author Who Failed Us - Vox]</ref><ref name="vox-2">[https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/culture/23622610/jk-rowling-transphobic-statements-timeline-history-controversy Is J.K. Rowling transphobic? Let's let her speak for herself.]</ref> Rowling has defended these comments in a written statement on her website.<ref name="rowling-gender">[https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/ J.K. Rowling Writes about Her Reasons for Speaking out on Sex and Gender Issues]</ref><ref name="ew-transphobia-2">[https://ew.com/celebrity/j-k-rowling-trans-stance/ J.K. Rowling posts lengthy defence of trans stance, says she's a sexual assault survivor]</ref> In response to criticism Rowling has received in the media for these comments, she has also received many tweets deemed abusive which have also been heavily criticised.<ref name="vogue-transphobia">[https://www.vogue.com/article/jk-rowling-transphobia-unacceptable-online-harassment J.K. Rowling's Transphobia Is Unacceptable—But So Is Her Online Harassment - Vogue]</ref>
*She was considered to be extremely protective of her work, having revealed to Leslie Stahl that she refuted numerous companies from licensing her characters to numerous companies, such as Boeing.{{fact}}
*In an interview record for her own website, she went into details bout her writing process on the ''Harry Potter'' series.<ref>[https://www.jkrowling.com/on-writing/ JK Rowling's website on Writing</ref>
**She revealed that Alan Rickman called her via phone and asked "Look I'm spinning plates here. I really need to understand what Snape's up to? Am I a pure baddie?", to which she replied "you were in love with Harry's mother" and talked him through it by saying "You are a double agent. But you do dislike Harry. You can't overcome your spiteful visceral dislike of this boy who looks just like your arch enemy." She then told him what was coming, before it appeared in the films. She also revealed she disliked killing off characters, and killing off Severus Snape was terrible, as well as the deaths of Remus Lupin, [[Nymphadora Tonks]], and [[Fred Weasley]]. 
**After she spent 17 years writing in the world of ''Harry Potter'', she said "I'm free to fail, I'm free to write what I want to do, (even) if no one wants to read it."
**She had writer's block during the writing of the second book, but that feeling of being overwhelmed lasted a week.

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
*{{JKRS}}
*{{JKYL}}
*{{HPM}}

==External links==
*{{Facebook|JKRowling}}
*{{Twitter|jk_rowling}}
*[http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2000/1000-scholastic-chat.htm Scholastic interview with J. K. Rowling]
*[http://coolspotters.com/authors/jk-rowling J. K. Rowling at Coolspotters.com]
*[http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f50/joanne-k-rowling-48207.html J. K. Rowling at The Fashion Spot.com]
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[[Category:Authors (real-world)]]
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