Before the Harry Potter phenomenon Rowling studied French and the Classics at the University of Exeter, with a year of studying in Paris. Afterward she moved to London and worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International. During this time she was struck with the idea for Harry Potter. While on a delayed train ride between Manchester and England Rowling came up with a good portion of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Rowling then moved to Oporto, Portugal to teach English. In Portugal she met her first husband, Jorge Arantes and together they had one child, Jessica Isabel Rowling Arantes. Jessica named after her idol, Jessica Mitford.
She divorced her jorge Arantes in 1994 and moved to Edinburgh, Scotland where her sister, Diane, lived. There she was unemployeed and living on welfare, yet she continued to write about the idea she had on the train. The story of J.K. Rowling and her writing the first book of Harry Potter in Nicolsons' Cafe while caring for her daughter has become almost legend. Around that time Rowling requested a grant for the Scottish Art Council and she was able to finish writing the book. She completed the book and after many rejections it was bought by Bloomsbury in the UK for an equivalent of about $4,000.
While working as a French teacher to support her daughter and herself the book gained popularity. The American rights were then bought by Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic Press. The title was changed for the American audience to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone fearing that American children would not recognize or understand what was meant by "philosopher." At this time Rowling had enough money to quit teaching and write full time. After the book was released Rowling almost instantly famous and won many awards.
Ms. Rowling gained enormous success with the rest of the series. She has so far written Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Poiter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. She also two other Harry Potter related books for charity, Quidditch through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. All of the proceeds to these two books have gone to UK Comic Relief Charity. All of these books have made J.K. Rowling a household name making her one of the most influential women in contemporary literature. Along with UK Comic Relief Charity Rowling has contributed money and support to many other charities especially one to find a cure for multiple sclerosis. Her mother died from this disease in 1990 and it has greatly affected her.
Rowling family life has improved greatly since writing the beginning of the series. On December 2001 she married Dr. Neil Murray and on the 23rd of March she gave birth to her second child, David Gordon Rowling Murray. She dedicated her fifth book to her husband and her two children saying that they "make my world magical." Then on January 23 2005 she gave birth to Mackenzie Jean Rowling Murray, her third child.