Likethatofherowncharacter,HarryPotter,J.K.Rowling'slifehasthelusterofafairytale.Divorced,livingonpublicassistanceinatinyEdinburghflatwithherinfantdaughter,RowlingwroteHarryPotterandtheSorcerer'sStoneatatableinacafeduringherdaughter'snaps—anditwasHarryPotterthatrescuedher.

　　JoanneKathleenRowlingenteredtheworldinChippingSodburyGeneralHospitalinBristol,England,afittingbeginningforsomeonewhowouldlaterenjoymakingupstrangenamesforpeople,placesandgamesplayedonflyingbroomsticks.HeryoungersisterDiwasbornjustundertwoyearslater.

　　Rowlingremembersthatshealwayswantedtowriteandthatthefirststorysheactuallywrotedown,whenshewasfiveorsix,wasastoryaboutarabbitcalledRabbit.Manyofherfavoritememoriescenteraroundreading—hearingTheWindintheWillowsreadaloudbyherfatherwhenshehadthemeasles,enjoyingthefantasticadventurestoriesofE.Nesbit,revelinginthemagicalworldofC.S.Lewis'sNarnia,andherfavoritestoryofall,TheLittleWhiteHorsebyElizabethGoudge.

　　AtExeterUniversityRowlingtookherdegreeinFrenchandspentoneyearstudyinginParis.AftercollegeshemovedtoLondontoworkforAmnestyInternationalasaresearcherandbilingualsecretary.Thebestthingaboutworkinginanoffice,shehassaid,wastypingupstoriesonthecomputerwhennoonewaswatching.Duringthistime,onaparticularlylongtrainridefromManchestertoLondoninthesummerof1990,theideacametoherofaboywhoisawizardanddoesn'tknowit.Heattendsaschoolforwizardry——shecouldseehimveryplainlyinhermind.BythetimethetrainpulledintoKing'sCrossStationfourhourslater,manyofthecharactersandtheearlystagesoftheplotwerefullyformedinherhead.Thestorytookfurthershapeasshecontinuedworkingonitinpubsandcafesoverherlunchhours.

　　In1992RowlingleftoffworkinginofficesandmovedtoPortugaltoteachEnglishasaSecondLanguage.Inspiteofherstudentsmakingjokesabouthername（thistimetheycalledher"RollingStone"）,sheenjoyedteaching.Sheworkedafternoonsandevenings,leavingmorningsfreeforwriting.AfterhermarriagetoaPortugueseTVjournalistendedindivorce,RowlingreturnedtoBritainwithherinfantdaughterandasuitcasefullofHarryPotternotesandchapters.ShesettledinEdinburghtobenearhersisterandsetouttofinishthebookbeforelookingforateachingjob.Wheelingherdaughter'scarriagearoundthecitytoescapetheirtiny,coldapartment,shewouldduckintocoffeeshopstowritewhenthebabyfellasleep.Inthiswayshefinishedthebookandstartedsendingittopublishers.ItwasrejectedseveraltimesbeforeshefoundanLondonagent,chosenbecauseshelikedhisname——ChristopherLittle,whosoldthemanuscripttoBloomsburyChildren'sBooks.

　　RowlingwasworkingasaFrenchteacherwhensheheardthatherbookabouttheboywizardhadbeenacceptedforpublication.HarryPotterandthePhilosopher'sStonewaspublishedinJune1997andachievedalmostinstantsuccess.WiththepublicationoftheAmericanedition,retitledHarryPotterandtheSorcerer'sStone,in1998,Rowling'sbookscontinuedtomakepublishinghistory.HarryPotterclimbedtothetopofallthebestsellerlistsforchildren'sandadultbooks.Indeed,thestoryoftheboywizard,hisCinderladchildhood,andhisadventuresatHogwartsSchoolofWitchcraftandWizardrycaughttheimag