The Brilliant Mind Behind Harry Potter

In just over a decade, Joanne "Jo" Rowling (better known as J.K. Rowling) has gone from London secretary to billionaire author. As the brilliant mind behind the Harry Potter series, Jo's seven magical books have become a worldwide phenomenon, selling more than 400 million copies and captivating readers in 69 languages and 200 countries around the world.

In July 2007, Jo's final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was released. It went on to become the fastest-selling book of all time when fans bought 8.3 million copies in the first 24 hours.

And Jo's empire doesn't end with there. Since 2001, fans have flocked to the theaters nearly every year to catch the latest Harry Potter film. The blockbusters are the highest-grossing movie franchise in Hollywood history, raking in $5.3 billion and counting.

The most recent addition to all things Harry Potter is the theme park at Universal Orlando in Florida, which opened in the summer of 2010. At The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, fans can soar over Harry's school, escape a dragon attack and stock up on chocolate frogs.

With adults and children alike soaking in every last word of her books, it's no wonder some credit Jo with doing more for literacy than anyone on the planet. The superstar author sits down with Oprah at a hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland—the very hotel where she finished writing the Harry Potter series—to talk about fame, marriage and if she'll ever write another Harry Potter book.