“However my parents - both of whom came from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing quirk that would never pay a mortgage or secure a pension.”

British author, philanthropist, producer, and screenwriter

J. K. Rowling is a British author, philanthropist, producer, and screenwriter. Born Joanne Rowling, she is best known for writing the Harry Potter series, a seven-volume set about a young wizard that became the best-selling book series in history. She also writes the ongoing Cormoran Strike crime novels under the name Robert Galbraith. Her work is closely associated with fantasy and crime fiction, and her name remains tied to two widely read series.