J K Rowling is really a very remarkable humane being who has lived life at both emotional and economic extremes. She gave me the inspiration to change tack and become a writer too. She speaks of imagination and also the torture of the innocent, which may have a resonance in her own childhood pain. She speaks clearly of growth through pain and a shedding of the ego to enter a state of being true to yourself. She has spoken words that are hard to hear except by those who are apt to listen, difficult to understand except by those who have experienced. She has climbed the mountain of faith, imagination and genius and what does she say - listen with your heart, have compassion and imagine a greater now.

I'm sure it's a simple mistake on J.K. Rowling's part, but seven years ago was 2001, and the first Harry Potter book was published in the U.S. in 1998 (Amazon is already marketing the 10th anniversary edition). The U.K. publishing date was 1997. By February of 1998, the book had already won major awards in the U.K. and was already on many best-seller lists. The movie version came out in 2001 (i.e., seven years ago), by which time the book was already a huge cultural phenomenon. I seriously doubt she was broke at that point.

I meant listen to her speech in my second comment, sorry for the mistake, forgive me, etc.?