1. Joanne Rowling is the British author of the Harry Potter series of books for children

2. She is one of the most celebrated and successful authors of all time, and her books have sold over 400 million copies... they have been translated into 65 languages and all of the books have been, or will be, made into movies. J. K.

3. Rowling was born July 31, 1965, in Yate, Gloucestershire, England... her sister, Dianne, was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old... her parents are Peter and Anne Rowling

4. J. K. Rowling wrote her first story when she was very young... it was about a rabbit called Rabbit who is visited by his friends when he gets sick with the measles

5. Rowling attended Exeter University where she graduated in 1987 with a degree in French and Classics... she also taught English in Portugal before returning with her daughter to Scotland to be near her sister, Dianne

6. The idea for the Harry Potter books came to Rowling in 1990 when she was on a train ride to London... she began thinking about a boy wizard and all his adventures.. when she reached her flat in London she began writing the story

7. On October 16, 1992, Rowling married television journalist Jorge Arantes... their daughter, Jessica Isabel Rowling Arantes, was born on July 27, 1993, in Portugal... they later divorced and in December 1994, Rowling and her daughter moved to Scotland... Rowling would take her baby daughter on walks to get her to fall asleep

8. She would end up in cafes and would write her manuscripts on pads of paper... her first book was completed on an old typewriter

9. Today, J.K. Rowling is married to Dr. Neil Michael Murray... he is anaesthetist which is a doctor trained to administer drugs to patients before, during, and after surgery so they will not feel any pain or other sensations... Dr. Murray and J. K. Rowling have two children... on March 24, 2003, their son, David Gordon Rowling Murray was born, and daughter Mackenzie Jean Rowling Murray was born January 23, 2005

10. Rowling and her family still live in Scotland where she supports charities that help victims of multiple sclerosis and single-parent families

The Harry Potter books include:

1. 1997 - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States).
2. 1998 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. 1999 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
4. 2000 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5. 2003 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
6. 2005 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
7. 2007 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows