J.K. Rowling Vital Stats
Birth Name: Joanne (Kathleen) Rowling
Birth Date: July 31, 1965
Birth Place: Yate, South Gloucestershire
Height: 5’5”
Romantic Link: Neil Murray
Claim To Fame: Harry Potter book series
Birth Date: July 31, 1965
Birth Place: Yate, South Gloucestershire
Height: 5’5”
Romantic Link: Neil Murray
Claim To Fame: Harry Potter book series
J.K. Rowling Interesting Facts
J.K. Rowling writes all her books in longhand, not on a computer.
Being broke in University, the gift of choice J.K. Rowling would give to friends was personal little stories written specially for them.
After she spent 6 years writing her first Harry Potter book, J.K. Rowling was rejected by 12 publishers before London's Bloomsbury Publishing signed her.
J.K. Rowling used the pen name J.K. rather than her real name Joanne because Bloomsbury feared that little boys wouldn’t buy a book penned by a female author.
J.K. Rowling writes all her books in longhand, not on a computer.
Being broke in University, the gift of choice J.K. Rowling would give to friends was personal little stories written specially for them.
After she spent 6 years writing her first Harry Potter book, J.K. Rowling was rejected by 12 publishers before London's Bloomsbury Publishing signed her.
J.K. Rowling used the pen name J.K. rather than her real name Joanne because Bloomsbury feared that little boys wouldn’t buy a book penned by a female author.
J.K. Rowling Biography
Born in Yate, South Gloucestershire on July 31, 1965, to parents Peter and Anne, Joanne and her younger sister Dianne moved to the nearby village of Winterbourne when Joanne was all of 4 years old.
By age 9, the family up and moved to Tutshill in South Wales. By this time, Joanne had already discovered her talent for writing and would write stories to read to her little sister.
By age 9, the family up and moved to Tutshill in South Wales. By this time, Joanne had already discovered her talent for writing and would write stories to read to her little sister.
J.K. Rowling majors in French
Attending Wyedean School and College as a teenager, Joanne realized that she had no talent for sports and math, but was a wiz in languages. So, by the time she graduated from high school, Joanne enrolled at the University of Exeter in 1983, where she majored in French and the Classics.
After spending a year studying in Paris, Rowling moved to London where she began working for Amnesty International as a researcher and bilingual secretary.
In 1990, Joanne was struck with the idea of Harry Potter and began to work on her first book, which would later be called Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Unfortunately, Joanne’s mother had succumbed to multiple sclerosis in December of that same year, which devastated Rowling.
Attending Wyedean School and College as a teenager, Joanne realized that she had no talent for sports and math, but was a wiz in languages. So, by the time she graduated from high school, Joanne enrolled at the University of Exeter in 1983, where she majored in French and the Classics.
After spending a year studying in Paris, Rowling moved to London where she began working for Amnesty International as a researcher and bilingual secretary.
In 1990, Joanne was struck with the idea of Harry Potter and began to work on her first book, which would later be called Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Unfortunately, Joanne’s mother had succumbed to multiple sclerosis in December of that same year, which devastated Rowling.
J.K. Rowling moves to Portugal
Joanne packed up and moved to Porto, Portugal where she began teaching English as a foreign language. It was there that she met and married TV journalist Jorge Arantes in October 1992. Although they had a daughter together, the two divorced only a year later and Rowling moved to Edinburgh, Scotland to be closer to her younger sister.
With no money and a daughter to support, Rowling lived off government benefits as she worked on her first novel whenever she could. Having completed the book by 1994, Rowling immediately began shopping it around to publishers.
Joanne packed up and moved to Porto, Portugal where she began teaching English as a foreign language. It was there that she met and married TV journalist Jorge Arantes in October 1992. Although they had a daughter together, the two divorced only a year later and Rowling moved to Edinburgh, Scotland to be closer to her younger sister.
With no money and a daughter to support, Rowling lived off government benefits as she worked on her first novel whenever she could. Having completed the book by 1994, Rowling immediately began shopping it around to publishers.
J.K. Rowling publishes Harry Potter
It took her a full year to find a publisher, but finally Bloomsbury Publishing agreed to do it. Months later, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Press, a U.S. publisher, also bought the rights to the novel, but changed the title to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in an attempt to appeal to a wider American audience.
Rowling was ecstatic that she finally received enough money to support her daughter and begin writing full time. Before the book went to print, however, Joanne took on pen name J.K. Rowling, for fear that young boys would not go for a fantasy book written by a female.
The book was an instant worldwide hit, winning awards like the Nestle Smarties Book Prize and the prestigious British Book Award for Children’s Book of the Year.
It took her a full year to find a publisher, but finally Bloomsbury Publishing agreed to do it. Months later, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Press, a U.S. publisher, also bought the rights to the novel, but changed the title to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in an attempt to appeal to a wider American audience.
Rowling was ecstatic that she finally received enough money to support her daughter and begin writing full time. Before the book went to print, however, Joanne took on pen name J.K. Rowling, for fear that young boys would not go for a fantasy book written by a female.
The book was an instant worldwide hit, winning awards like the Nestle Smarties Book Prize and the prestigious British Book Award for Children’s Book of the Year.
J.K. Rowling begins a Harry Potter series
Rowling immediately went back to her desk to start working on a sequel. Only one year later, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The book was flying off the shelves and Rowling committed herself to writing 5 more novels for the Harry Potter series.
By 1999, the third installment of the Harry Potter series, entitled Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was on store shelves, and by this time, J.K. Rowling was worth over $400 million. The books took over the 3 top slots on the New York Times Bestsellers List.
Translated into over 35 languages having sold over 30 million copies, by the time J.K. Rowling was ready to release her fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 1 million advance copies had already been sold.
Rowling immediately went back to her desk to start working on a sequel. Only one year later, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The book was flying off the shelves and Rowling committed herself to writing 5 more novels for the Harry Potter series.
By 1999, the third installment of the Harry Potter series, entitled Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was on store shelves, and by this time, J.K. Rowling was worth over $400 million. The books took over the 3 top slots on the New York Times Bestsellers List.
Translated into over 35 languages having sold over 30 million copies, by the time J.K. Rowling was ready to release her fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 1 million advance copies had already been sold.
J.K. Rowling meets the Queen
By June 2000, even the Queen of England took notice of J.K. Rowling’s accomplishments, making her an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
On top of the world, in 2001, J.K. Rowling wed Dr. Neil Murray and the couple had 2 children together (in 2003 and 2005).
With a novel written for every year of Harry Potter’s scholastic life, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003), and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005) have all broken sales records, proving that reading books is not a dead art.
By June 2000, even the Queen of England took notice of J.K. Rowling’s accomplishments, making her an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
On top of the world, in 2001, J.K. Rowling wed Dr. Neil Murray and the couple had 2 children together (in 2003 and 2005).
With a novel written for every year of Harry Potter’s scholastic life, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003), and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005) have all broken sales records, proving that reading books is not a dead art.
J.K. Rowling kills Harry Potter
The last of her book series, released on July 21, 2007, and entitled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows drew the character’s life to a close and allowed J.K. Rowling to dedicate herself to the myriad charities she currently supports including many multiple sclerosis foundations.
With a movie made for every book written and the countless paraphernalia based on the Harry Potter world, J.K. Rowling will live a very comfortable life economically, but plans to continue writing.
Currently, J.K. Rowling, her husband and 3 children live in Edinburgh, Scotland, although she also owns a home in London. While there are no more Harry Potter books in her future, J.K. Rowling suggested that she may one day put together an encyclopedia of the Harry Potter world.
The last of her book series, released on July 21, 2007, and entitled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows drew the character’s life to a close and allowed J.K. Rowling to dedicate herself to the myriad charities she currently supports including many multiple sclerosis foundations.
With a movie made for every book written and the countless paraphernalia based on the Harry Potter world, J.K. Rowling will live a very comfortable life economically, but plans to continue writing.
Currently, J.K. Rowling, her husband and 3 children live in Edinburgh, Scotland, although she also owns a home in London. While there are no more Harry Potter books in her future, J.K. Rowling suggested that she may one day put together an encyclopedia of the Harry Potter world.
Post Title → J.K. Rowling
