Joanne Rowling, known by her pseudonym J.K. Rowling, is a British novelist born on July 31, 1965 in Yate, near Bristol, England. She is famous for creating the Harry Potter universe, which has spawned a series of globally successful novels, films and spin-off products.

Rowling grew up in a modest family, with an engineer father and a technician mother. From an early age, she developed a passion for reading and began writing stories. She went on to study French literature and classical languages at Exeter University.

After graduating, Rowling worked for Amnesty International in London, then as an English teacher in Portugal. It was during this period that she began to develop the story of Harry Potter, a young orphan wizard who discovers his magical heritage.

In 1993, after her divorce and her return to England with her daughter, Rowling went through a difficult period, marked by poverty and depression. It was during this period that she completed the manuscript for “Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone”. The novel was initially rejected by several publishers, before finally being accepted by Bloomsbury in 1996.

The first volume of the series was published in 1997 and was an immediate success. The other six volumes, published between 1998 and 2007, were just as popular, making J.K. Rowling one of the best-selling authors in history. The Harry Potter series was also adapted into films, which met with worldwide success.

In addition to the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling also writes novels for adults. In 2012, she published “A Place to Take”, which depicts life in a small English village and tackles themes such as social class, politics and hypocrisy. Later, under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, she wrote a series of crime novels featuring private detective Cormoran Strike, the first volume of which, “The Cuckoo's Calling”, was published in 2013.

J.K. Rowling is also involved in various charities. She created the Volant Foundation, which supports projects linked to the fight against poverty, education and health, and co-founded Lumos, an organization aiming to put an end to the institutionalization of children.

Today, J.K. Rowling is a key figure in literature and popular culture. Her work has marked generations of readers, and her journey from poverty to worldwide success is a source of inspiration for many aspiring writers.