Monday, October 4, 2010

JK Rowling on Oprah

So did you guys watch the interview of JK Rowling on Oprah last week? I watched it online once I got home from work.

Seriously, I cried.

I never realized how many parallels there were between my life and Rowling's. She was a single mother, escaped from a bad marriage with a tiny baby. There wasn't always enough money.

Then there was an idea -- a spark that set a flood loose in her mind. And so came Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Six months into writing, Jo lost her mother. In the interview she says that her mother's death is reflected on every page of the Harry Potter series.

I found the interview so incredibly inspiring.

I'm a single mother who escaped an awful marriage with a two-month-old baby. I moved in with my mother because I couldn't afford to support us on my own.

Then there was an idea. A light bulb came on. I started writing Emerald's Keeper long-hand in a $0.10 spiral notebook.

My younger brother died a month after I started writing. And on every page of Emerald the way his death affected me is reflected.

It's so hard sometimes to be positive in the face of so many challenges. But thanks to Jo's interview I feel a new sense of invigoration. Determination.

She reminded me that through hard work and perseverance, anything is possible.

So I'll keep my chin high and one day, someday, everything will look a lot brighter.

7 comments:

Susan said...

And now YOU have inspired me. Thanks, Holly. Your good spirit has spread and made my day brighter.

Hats off the next J.K. Rowling, Holly Dodson!

Holly Hill said...

You're so sweet, Susan. I'm glad I could make your day brighter. I do try. :)

Fi-chan said...

*hugs* Things will get A LOOOOT better for you!

Yikes, really should watch the interview soon.

Pam Harris said...

Wow, that does sound like an inspiring interview. I'm so mad that I missed it last week, but I'm going to try and catch it online, too. Thanks so much for sharing. :)

Unknown said...

Woah -- the correlation there is really striking. I haven't been able to watch the interview yet, but I plan to later!

Abby Stevens said...

I agree with Sarah, the similarities are striking. It sounds like you are an incredibly strong person, Holly. I am so sorry to hear about your brother. I am sure he would be undoubtedly proud to know that he helped you in any capacity create EMERALD.

Janet Johnson said...

I didn't see it. Sounds awesome. So much to bring us down if we let it, but so much to inspire us, too.