J.K. Rowling: An International Icon

         Who would have ever guessed the woman sitting in that café writing away would become an international celebrity? I bet you couldn't. J.K. Rowling's life is as exciting and interesting as reading one of her international renowned Harry Potter books. But where did she come up with the ideas to write such large books, sometimes almost seven hundred pages? How did she come up with the idea for Harry Potter? Joanne Kathleen Rowling definitely has a thing for picking peculiar names, conniving a plot, and telling a fantasy story like no other! 

         The characters of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter book have some interesting names! But, how did she come up with such strange and uncanny names? You would be astonished by how many of her characters relate to real things. For example, the character of Dumbledore may have had an interesting beginning. When J.K. Rowling was around the age of six she wrote a story about a rabbit that had some friends visit him because he was ill. One of the characters that visited him was a bee named Miss Bee. An old English word meaning "Dumbledore" is "bee." This might have a relation to Dumbledore's name! The name "Potter" has a root in Rowling's history, too! Joanne used to hang out with a band of kids when she was living in Winterbourne. Two of the kids she hung out with had the last name, Potter, hence Harry's.  Some other unusual names include Snape, which is a place in England, and Hedwig, which was the name of a saint. J.K. Rowling sure has a thing for picking fanciful and unbelievable names!
         How did the idea of Harry Potter come about? The scheme for the debut Harry Potter book was devised on a train ride to London where the idea simply "fell into [her] head." Although, the complete idea of Harry was not thought through yet, the main concept of a wizard going to a wizard school was always intact.  The introduction to the six Harry Potter books took five years to write, although she was also writing sections of the sequels. The ideas for Harry were magnificently translated to page, and for the series to come to an end has been a tragic occurrence for many Potter Fans.

         J.K. Rowling's riveting imagination has brought us to many unique locales, but what actually happens to the main characters after their "seventh year" at Hogwarts?  Well, the Auror Department got support from Harry, along with Ron. Hermione, who at this point is Ron's wife, works in the Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures helping out prejudiced creatures. Later, she joins the magical law enforcement. Ginny Weasley, who is Ron's sister and now Harry's wife, plays on the Quidditch team for the Holyhead Harpies, which is an all-female Quidditch team. She later left the team to raise their three children- James, Albus, and Lily. Harry and his friends certainly led an interesting life after leaving Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!

         Joanne Kathleen Rowling definitely has a thing for picking peculiar names, conniving a plot, and telling a fantasy story like no other! Who would have ever guessed the woman sitting in that café writing away would become an international celebrity? I know I didn't.  J.K. Rowling's life is as exciting and interesting as reading one of her international renowned Harry Potter books. But where did she come up with the ideas to write such large books, sometimes almost seven hundred pages? How did she come up with the idea for Harry Potter? Some of these questions are answered while others linger in the mist- unknown forever.