JoanneRowling,OBE(born31July1965)isanEnglishfictionwriterwhowritesunderthepennameJ.K.Rowling.RowlingistheauthoroftheHarryPotterfantasyseries,whichhasgainedinternationalattention,wonmultipleawards,andsoldover375millioncopiesworldwide.InFebruary2004,Forbesmagazineestimatedherfortuneat£576million(justoverUS$1billion),makingherthefirstpersontobecomeaUS-dollarbillionairebywritingbooks.RowlingearnedUS$75millionin2005.In2006,Forbesnamedherthesecondrichestfemaleentertainerintheworld,behindtalkshowhostOprahWinfrey

　　JoanneRowlingwasbornatYate,northeastofBristol,SouthGloucestershire,Englandon31July1965.HersisterDianne(Di)wasbornattheirhomewhenRowlingwas23monthsold.ThefamilymovedtothenearbyvillageWinterbournewhenRowlingwasfourwheresheattendedStMichael'sPrimarySchool,latermovingtoTutshill,nearChepstow,SouthWalesattheageofnine.SheattendedsecondaryschoolatWyedeanSchoolandCollege.Rowlingwasgoodwithlanguages,butdidnotexcelatsportsandmathematics.TherearenumerousWelshreferencestoplaces,thingsandpeopleinHarryPotter,whichcouldbeattributedtohertimeinChepstow.

　　InDecember1990,Rowling’smothersuccumbedtoa10-year-longbattlewithmultiplesclerosis.Rowlingcommented,“IwaswritingHarryPotteratthemomentmymotherdied.IhadnevertoldheraboutHarryPotter.

　　AfterstudyingFrenchandClassicsattheUniversityofExeter(shehadpreviouslyappliedtoOxfordbutwasturneddown),withayearofstudyinParis,shemovedtoLondontoworkasaresearcherandbilingualsecretaryforAmnestyInternational.Duringthisperiod,whileshewasonafour-hourdelayed-traintripbetweenManchesterandLondon,shehadtheideaforastoryofayoungboyattendingaschoolofwizardry.WhenshehadreachedherClaphamJunctionflat,shebeganwritingimmediately.

　　RowlingthenmovedtoPorto,PortugaltoteachEnglishasaforeignlanguage.Whilethere,shemarriedPortuguesetelevisionjournalistJorgeAranteson16October1992.Theyhadonechild,Jessica,whowasnamedafterRowling’sheroine,JessicaMitford.Theydivorcedin1993afterafightinwhichJorgethrewheroutofthehouse.

　　InDecember1994,RowlingandherdaughtermovedtobenearRowling’ssisterinEdinburgh,Scotland.Unemployedandlivingonstatebenefits,shecompletedherfirstnovel.ShedidmuchoftheworkintheElephantHousecaféwhenevershecouldgetJessicatofallasleep.Therewasarumourthatshewroteinlocalcaféstoescapefromherunheatedflat,butina2001BBCinterviewRowlingremarked,“IamnotstupidenoughtorentanunheatedflatinEdinburghinmidwinter.Ithadheating.”jK.罗琳（J.K.Rowling）,英国女作家,本名乔安妮·凯瑟琳·罗琳

　　24岁那年,罗琳在曼彻斯特前往伦敦的火车旅途中,一个瘦弱、戴着眼镜的黑发小巫师,一直在车窗外对着她微笑.他一下子闯进了她的生命,使她萌生了创作哈利·波特的念头.虽然当时她的手边没有纸和笔,但她开始天马行空地想象,终于把这个哈利·波特的男孩故事推向了世界.于是,哈利·波特诞生了——一个10岁小男孩,瘦小的个子,黑色乱蓬蓬的头发,明亮的绿色眼睛,戴着圆形眼镜,前额上有一道细长、闪电状的伤疤……哈利·波特成为风靡全球的童话人物.