Thanks to her wand wielding wizard, the year 2000 saw Rowling as one of the top earners of Britain. She received an OBE (Order of the British Empire), a medal of achievement from the Queen, in March 2001. In 2003, she earned 125 million pounds from “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and profits from the “Chamber of Secrets” film. Rowling earns a 15% commission on the full price of each Potter book sold, a 5% cut of the licensing income on Harry Potter branded books and toys, and her share on films is 1% of the box office take, which is worth around 5 million per film. In 2004, the Forbes Magazine estimated that she was worth one billion pounds. This would make her the world's sixth wealthiest woman-the first person ever to make a billion just by writing books.
The Warner Bros, have signed a contract to produce motion pictures based on each of the seven Potter books. The first four books have been made into films. The “Sorcerer's Stone” made more than 950 US dollars, the “Chamber of Secrets” made more than 850 US dollars, the “Prisoner of Askaban” made more than 780 US dollars, and the “Goblet of Fire” made more than 890 US dollars.
What will happen to Harry?
Harry Potter fans all over the world now wait with bated breath for the last Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" to be released one minute after midnight all over the world on Saturday 21 July, 2007. The fans have to guess what is going to happen to Harry. Is he going to be killed in the final book? Many die-hard Potter fans hope not, and many wouldn't care otherwise. The writer has dropped a few hints that she may have to kill off one of the main characters. This may break the hearts of not only Harry's fans worldwide but also of the publishing companies, booksellers and licensees who have made a lot of money on the international Potter Phenomenon, since its inception with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"
The writer claims that, though she loves each of her books, the last one is her favourite. She says: "I always knew that Harry's story would end with the seventh book, but saying goodbye has been just as hard as I always knew it would be. Even while I'm mourning, though, I feel an incredible sense of achievement. I can hardly believe that I've finally written the ending I've been planning for so many years. I've never felt such a mixture of extreme emotions in my life, never dreamed I could feel simultaneously heartbroken and euphoric."
According to an online news source, JK Rowling finished writing her last Potter novel in the room of a five-star hotel in Edinburgh on 11th Jan 2007. She had scribbled a note in black marker on the back of a marble bust in Edinburgh's five-star Balmoral Hotel, which read: "JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (652) on 11th Jan 2007.” A worker captured the message on a mobile phone camera. Rowling's representative confirmed that she had been writing the novel at this hotel.
One may not be sure of the above bit of news. JK's last Potter novel might be finished or not. But it is quite certain that millions of Potter fans all over the world are eagerly waiting to know the fate of their favorite hero, in a state of almost breathless suspense--will Harry live on or die?
