A reader emailed us this

A reader emailed us this article from the Daily Express:

Reclusive author JK Rowling, creator of the phenomenally successful boy wizard Harry Potter books, is to be the subject of an unauthorised biography. JK, by former gossip columnist Sean Smith, will be published in the autumn by Michael O’Mara books.

Smith, 45, who has written books on subjects from royalty to the Rolling Stones, emphasises it will be “sympathetic” to former struggling single-parent- turned-literary-millionairess Joanne Rowling, who earned GBP25million last year and is Britain’s third richest woman.

Smith tells me: “It will be very positive but is not authorised. Hers is a wonderful story of conquering adversity and is an inspiration.”

He claims that Rowling, 34, “knows” about it but he has not yet approached her for an interview. “But it would be lovely if she did speak to me.”

However, divorcee Rowling is known to be fiercely private and is unlikely to be happy about anyone delving into her past.

Smith admits he has “an open mind” about writing about her personal life. Her first marriage to Portuguese journalist, Jorge Arantes, collapsed after a year but last December she was reportedly “besotted” by Scottish anaesthetist Dr Neil Murray, 29, who is estranged from his wife.

For years she lived alone in some hardship with her seven-year-old daughter Jessica. She used a coffee shop as an office while writing her books because she could not afford to heat her flat. In recent months American author Nancy Stouffer has controversially accused Rowling of plagiarising her Rah books which also contain a Potter character.

Smith has been researching Rowling’s years at Exeter University in the Eighties. He says: “You can see how it helped her paint a picture of Harry Potter’s world. Many lecturers told me about their memories.

“I can’t say anything more, but it’s nice stuff. She accepted an honorary doctorate there and always speaks of it highly.

“One thing I can say is that she loved the library. Apparently she ran up a lot of overdue fines!”