J.K. Rowling's meteoric rise to worldwide superstardom and bestseller status is now the stuff of tabloid legend -- how she would spend hours in a café in Edinburgh, nursing a single coffee and a glass of water while she wrote the Harry Potter novel that would bring her fame and fortune. Creator of the most famous and best-loved character in contemporary fiction, J.K. Rowling is also the author of her own escape from a depressing existence on the verge of destitution. Sean Smith traces the life story of this phenomenal woman who has brought joy and inspiration to millions of readers around the world. And in a book based on exhaustive interviews with many of the people from her past and her present, Smith also traces the origins of the books that are worldwide bestsellers.