J.K. Rowling

Joanne Rowling was born to Peter and Anne Rowling in Yate, Gloucestershire, England.

Rowling's family moved to Winterbourne, a suburb of Bristol, where she spent much of her childhood.

Rowling completed her secondary education at Wyedean School and College, where she was an avid reader and writer.

Rowling graduated from the University of Exeter with a degree in French and Classics, though she focused more on French literature.

After graduation, Rowling moved to London and worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International.

While on a delayed train from Manchester to London, Rowling conceived the idea for the Harry Potter series, which would later become a global phenomenon.

Rowling moved to Porto, Portugal, to teach English as a foreign language, where she met and married Jorge Arantes.

Rowling married Portuguese TV journalist Jorge Arantes, and they began their life together in Porto, Portugal.

Rowling gave birth to her first child, Jessica Isabel Arantes, in December 1993, while living in Porto, Portugal.

Following the breakdown of her marriage, Rowling and her daughter moved back to Scotland, where she began writing the first Harry Potter book in earnest.

Rowling completed the manuscript for 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,' the first book in the series, while living in Edinburgh.

'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' was published by Bloomsbury in the UK, marking the beginning of Rowling's literary career.

The first Harry Potter book was released in the US as 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,' achieving widespread acclaim and commercial success.

The final book in the Harry Potter series, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,' was published, concluding the series and cementing Rowling's status as a literary icon.

Rowling founded the charity Lumos to help transform the lives of disadvantaged children by ending the institutionalization of children worldwide.

Rowling launched Pottermore, an interactive website and digital publisher for the Harry Potter series, offering fans new content and experiences.

Rowling wrote the screenplay for 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,' expanding the Harry Potter universe into a new film series.

Rowling published 'The Ickabog,' a fairy tale for children, initially released as a free online serial during the COVID-19 pandemic.