JK Rowling

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More than Just a Writer

The Harry Potter books (http://famouspeoplepic.blogspot.com/2009/03/harry-potter-all-book-covers.html)

JK Rowling, or Joanne Rowling, was born on July 31, 1965 in Yate Gloucestershire, England. In 1990 she started planning a story featuring a boy wizard and began writing in earnest. Unfortunately, her mother passed away later that year after a long battle with multiple sclerosis. Her mother’s death had a devastating effect on her daughter; she had died not knowing about the eventual success of Harry Potter. Seven years after university, Rowling was a single mother, with no job. Living on state welfare in public housing, she was diagnosed with clinical depression. Both Harry Potter and her young daughter, Jessica, helped Rowling fight though her sorrows. In June 1997, finally, in spite of 12 rejections, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone was published by Bloomsbury Publishers. Slowly, Rowling began to rebuild her life. The sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, followed in 1998, and the third book in the series, Prisoner of Azkaban, in 1999. Currently with all seven books published, JK Rowling is the only person in history to achieve billionaire status from writing alone.

While JK Rowling could use her billion dollars to spend the rest of her life in the lap of luxury, she has utilized her money and success to help others. She supports many charities that combat poverty and social inequality. She is the president of One Parent Families, an organization that provides support to single parents. Rowling also donates large sums of money towards multiple sclerosis research and treatment. As stated by her “I think you have a moral responsibility when you've been given far more than you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently." She is considered one of the most influential women in Britain, and topped a Children’s Under 10 “Ultimate Hero” poll (beating second place Zac Efron by more than ten percent.) But these are just titles. As is evidenced above, JK Rowling clearly demonstrates the heroic qualities of determination, perseverance and generosity.

Another characteristic of a hero is the ability to inspire others. Harry Potter has inspired millions around the world to read and write. My younger sister never read books until she read Harry Potter. Even my dad, after finishing the first book, read the whole series in just over a week and is now an obsessive Potter fan. Heroes come in all different shapes and sizes. Rowling demonstrates you do not need spandex and a cape to be a hero; she accomplished this with only focused determination, a typewriter and a good idea.

Typewriter (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1E8q-u7H4Qo/TBGmKpEWHRI/AAAAAAAAAE0/AxwJ8LxyTck/s1600/ist2_5521746-old-vintage-typewriter.jpg)