J.K. Rowling lived on social welfare, Potter brought her millions, and accusations that she was transphobic nearly ruined her!
She wrote her first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, in 1997. Joanne then decided to take the stage name JK, believing that male writers do better and that with these initials it is difficult to tell whether a writer is male or female.
JK Rowling, 56, is best known as the author of best-selling books about Harry Potter that brought her fame and millions. She was adored all over the world, everyone appreciated her opinions, and then with one comment about the trans community she tarnished her reputation.
She was born Joanne Rowling, on July 31, 1965, in the small town of Yate. Father Peter was an engineer by profession, and mother Anne was a scientific technician. Although she has a degree in French literature, upon graduation she moved to Portugal where she taught English as a foreign language.
She married Portuguese Jorge Arantes in 1992 and they had a daughter, Jessica Arantes, 28. Due to marital disagreements, the couple soon divorced and Joanne took her daughter and returned to Britain, living briefly with her older sister in Scotland.
During this period, Joanne was left without a mother and without a job, which inspired her for one of the most magical stories ever written. One night, when she couldn’t sleep, she got the idea for a story about a boy attending a witchcraft school.
She wrote her first book ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ in 1997. Joanne then decided to take the stage name JK, believing that male writers do better and that with these initials it is difficult to figure out whether a writer is male or female. Also, in this way she tried to hide her gender so that the boys could read the book as well.
After numerous rejections by the publisher, the book became a hit. Joanne has written six more sequels: ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’, ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’, ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’, ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, ‘ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows '.
Despite all her struggles, in her 2008 speech, she stated, ‘The rock bottom has become a solid foundation on which I have built my life’.
It is the story of a poor English boy who is left without parents and on his 11th birthday learns that he is a wizard who lives in the ordinary world, among the ‘helpless’.
Harry then goes to a school of witchcraft and wizardry, Hogwarts, and meets a loyal group of friends with whom he will later experience a number of dangerous adventures.
Harry Potter novels have been translated into more than 80 languages. More than 500 million copies of the novel have been sold. Each book has been adapted into films.
