JK said she remembered the first book that made her feel passionate about reading and storytelling. She was four and home sick with the measles when her father read her The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

She also gave advice on how to become a good writer.

"Read a lot," she said. "And write what you know."

She said many of the Harry Potter scenes and characters came from people and places she’d encountered.

JK -- and her American publisher, Scholastic -- left their mark in the city still recovering from Katrina.

Scholastic donated 10,000 copies of Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone to Orleans Parish public school students.

The company also announced it’s donating a complete set of the Harry Potter series to each public school and public library in New Orleans.
 

JK ’depressed’ after Harry - July 26 2007
JK Rowling has apparently revealed that she suffered depression after writing the final chapter of the last Harry Potter book.

The author, who turns 42 on Tuesday, told US TV that the first two days after penning the end of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows were "terrible", reports the Daily Mirror.

"I was incredibly low. I felt devastated. I was mourning the loss of this world I had written about for so long and loved so much. I was mourning the retreat it had been from ordinary life," she said.

And she added that the end had forced her to reflect on the last 17 years of her life, which had been wrapped up with writing the novels.

"I went through the birth of three children, two serious bereavements, break up of a marriage. And lots of happy memories. It threw me back into all that.

"And it was very linked to my mother dying. This big long passage from my life is now rounded off."

But JK added that Harry will always be with her and said once the depression lifted, she felt free.

"I felt light and thought ’I can write whatever I like. The pressure’s off’," she said.


Rowling fumes over Potter book spoilers - July 19 2007
JK Rowling has slammed US newspapers for publishing reviews of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows two days before the book comes out.

The New York Times is among those to reveal a succession of plot spoilers for the seventh and final instalment.

A US online retailer shipped up to 1,200 copies of the book to customers on Tuesday - breaking the strict embargo of midnight tomorrow.

The internet is also awash with copies of pages supposedly scanned from the book.

A spokeswoman for publisher Bloomsbury said the reviews may be based on fake copies.

In a statement, Rowling said: "I am staggered that some American newspapers have decided to publish purported spoilers in the form of reviews in complete disregard of the wishes of literally millions of readers, particularly children, who wanted to reach Harry’s final destination by themselves, in their own time.

"I am incredibly grateful to all those newspapers, booksellers and others who have chosen not to attempt to spoil Harry’s last adventure for fans."

Bloomsbury was "extremely dismayed" to learn that some copies of the book have already been sent out.

"The release date and time embargo of 0001 BST on Saturday July 21 is being enforced unflinchingly and without exception by the publishers," it said.