J.K. Rowling

An iconic author for the ages

MCT

SELL. The Harry Potter series spans 7 different novels. Deathly Hallows, the final book in the series, became the fastest selling novel, reaching over 15 million copies sold in 24 hours. Similarly, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” was the highest grossing movie of the series and was one of only 26 films which has grossed over 1 billion dollars.

Elizabeth Rickert, Print Editor-in-Chief
March 31, 2016

Joanne Rowling or J.K. Rowling is the iconic author of the “Harry Potter” series. As of July 2013, the series had sold 450 million copies making it the best selling series of all time. Rowling was not always this successful.
Before her best selling novel, Rowling was a single mother who struggled to support her daughter and herself on welfare. During this time Rowling was inspired to begin writing the “Harry Potter” series on a train between Manchester and London.
This novel was rejected by 12 publishers and only received an inquiry from one before she finally found a publisher. Rowling’s legacy does not end with the iconic series. After the final installment, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”, was released Rowling announced that she would write no more novels about the Potter Universe.
She began writing new novels, her first was “The Casual Vacancy”. After that milder success, she broke into crime fiction. This new style was published under a pen name, Robert Galbraith.
Rowling said, “I had hoped to keep this secret a little longer, because being Robert Galbraith has been such a liberating experience. It has been wonderful to publish without hype or expectation, and pure pleasure to get feedback under a different name.”
Despite Rowling’s statement about not venturing back into the wizarding world, she has started several new wizarding projects. The first of which is the movie, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, this movie is based upon a book in the “Harry Potter” series that was released in print in 2001. Currently, the book is being made into a movie adaptation trilogy starring Eddie Redmayne and will premiere in Nov. 18, 2016.
In addition, to “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, Rowling is working on a London play called “The Cursed Child“. It follows Harry’s son, Albus Severus, through his adventure at Hogwarts. Thankfully, for those who do not live in England, Rowling is releasing the script for the play.
The play premieres on July 30, and the script is being released on Harry Potter’s birthday, July 31.