Inspirational people surround us at every turn. To celebrate some of the incredible women who continue to motivate me on my writing journey I look at the women/characters who are my artistic inspiration.
Last time I honoured the fictional character of Alice from Alice in Wonderland. You can read that post HERE. Today, I’m devoting the Monday Muse to a lady who celebrated her birthday recently, and who needs no introduction.
On 31st July I watched my Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram feed fill up with images and quotes dedicated to Joanne Kathleen Rowling in celebration of her birthday. The world wanted to share their love for this incredible author who has had such a huge impact on the lives of young and old alike.
A friend of mine asked me the other day which author I would choose to interview if I got the chance of every writer in the world – my answer took a split second to come out of my mouth, it would be J.K. Rowling. What a spectacular experience that would be to ask the queen of the wizarding world all about her writing journey, inspirations, and fears.
Yes, we can read articles about her online, but being face-to-face would be something quite special – and this muggle would relish every second!
Joanne loved to read as a child, wrote her first book at the tender age of six. She went to comprehensive school and then to University to study French and Classics. She’s known loss, heartache, poverty, and pain – but she never gave up.
After receiving numerous rejections for her Harry Potter manuscript, Joanne refused to let this impede her dreams. Eventually, in 1997 Bloomsbury published Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone which quickly became a bestseller, and the world was transfixed by a little wizard with a scar on his forehead.
If you are anything like me (a Potterhead!), Joanne’s world will have become a part of your life – whether that’s via page or screen. I visited the Warner Bros Harry Potter Tour last year and felt like a kid in a sweet shop (or a wizard in Hogwarts!), you can read that post HERE. It’s incredible to think that all this started off with a young woman’s simple idea as she sat on a delayed train.
J.K.Rowling continues to write, has won numerous awards, and honours, and remains one of my key inspirational muses for achieving my goals and striving to succeed.
Are you a Harry Potter fan? Perhaps you’ve never understood the hype behind this children’s book series. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this week’s Monday Muse.
Shelley Wilson Author 
I’m with you all the way, Shelley. Although I didn’t read The Cursed Child in an all-nighter after the launch. Nearly through by now though.
One of my good friends visited from Germany last week, and on seeing the book, commented dismissively: I tried to read Harry Potter – I was deadly bored after the first few pages and gave up.’ I was surprised, of course. But maybe a little offended, too. 🙂
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Haha, my dad said something similar and I ‘judged’ him for the first time in my life! 😉
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I admire J K Rowling for what she has achieved, but I’ve never read the books, Shelley. I started reading the first one, put it down one day and never went back to it. I’ve enjoyed watching some of the Harry Potter movies, though. I guess we all have different tastes in what we read and they sometimes will overlap, but there’s certainly other writers I look up to, especially the unknown writers who write scripts for TV drama such as the recent BBC ‘The Living & The Dead.’ Not to everyone’s taste, but how I so wish I had written that show.
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Oh I totally agree, Hugh. Some of the TV drama writers are incredibly talented. I think J.K inspired me because of her attitude more than anything else. 🙂
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I agree, Shelley, Her determination to get her book out there was incredible.
I’m just about to publish a post which I was inspired to write after reading this post. Thank you very much for the inspiration today. 😀
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Aww, how lovely. Thanks, Hugh 🙂
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Excellent choice – she’s a real inspiration!
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Lying in bed recovering from my appendectomy about 15 years ago, I realised I didn’t have anything to read, so I limped (always good to make it look worse than it is) into my daughter’s bedroom hunting for something and came across The Philosopher’s Stone. I devoured it and, having done so, rounded the family up the following night and proceeded to read it aloud to them. This became a ritual over the next 2-3 years as we worked our way through the books, until the kids get too old (and too impatient) to sit and listen.
My regard for her as a writer has grown though, having read A Casual Vacancy (which I didn’t particularly think was great as a story, but somehow could still appreciate her writing), and the first Cormoran Strike book. Writing is her calling (funnily enough), and her skill as a writer should be studied by all who aspire to write.
Great call, Shelley.
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I adore this woman and her writing. I’m a Potterhead, as you may know, and have read through the HP series more than…whatever number sounds good to you. Pick one – it’s probably more than that. 🙂
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I was fortunate enough to secure two tickets to see ‘The Cursed Child’ as a member of the preview audience as my daughter is a Potterhead. I wrote a review blog of the stage performance which was truly incredible. I have not read her books but thoroughly enjoyed it. What a clever, clever lady. She is working on so many levels for the greater good.
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I agree. the author that has inspired me to write.
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