JK Rowling
is the author of probably the most successful series of books that have
appealed to both children and adults – Harry Potter. There are seven books
which have enthralled and captured the imagination of millions as well as eight
films. There is even a theatre show in the West End called Harry Potter and the
Cursed Child. What do you know about JK Rowling?
Joanne
Kathleen Rowling was born near Bristol in July 1965. Her father was an aircraft
engineer and her mother a chemistry technician in the local secondary school.
Unsurprisingly
she loved reading and wrote her first book when she was only 6 years old, it
was called Rabbit. When she was 11 she wrote a story about seven cursed
diamonds and the people who owned them. She would spend every spare moment
reading and writing notes for story ideas.
She went to
Exeter University and studied French and Classics. Part of her course involved
her living in Paris which she describes as ‘one of her favourite places on
earth.’
After
finishing her course she moved to Portugal to teach English as a foreign
language where she met and married her future husband. They had a daughter in
1993. Unfortunately the marriage did not last and Jo came back to the UK and
chose to live in Edinburgh. She carried on teaching and sent the first three
chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone to many publishers. One of
them responded and the rest is history.
Jo also
writes books under another name, Robert Galbraith, they are crime novels for
adults featuring a private detective.
In 2001 she
married again and had a daughter and son. She continues to live in Scotland.
