Joanne Rowling, (born 31 July 1965), better known under the pen name J.K. Rowling is a British author best known as the creator of the Harry Potter fantasy series, the idea for which was conceived whilst on a train trip from Manchester to London in 1990. The Potter books have gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, sold more than 400 million copies, and been the basis for a popular series of films.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy began as a science fiction comedy radio series written by Douglas Adams (with some material in the first series provided by John Lloyd). It was originally broadcast in the United Kingdom over the BBC, soon followed by global short wave broadcast over the BBC World Service, in 1978. Broadcasting by National Public Radio (one of their first to occur in stereo) in the United States followed in March, 1981, with a repeat broadcast in September. The following year, 1982, the BBC series was carried by CBC Radio (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).
Agatha Mary Clarissa, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976), commonly known as Agatha Christie, was an English crime writer of novels, short stories and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but is best remembered for her 80 detective novels and her successful West End theatre plays. Her works, particularly featuring detectives Hercule Poirot or Miss Jane Marple, have given her the title the 'Queen of Crime' and made her one of the most important and innovative writers in the development of the genre.
Douglas Noël Adams (11th March 1952–11th May 2001) was an English radio comic dramatist and novelist, most notably of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Hitchhiker's began on radio, and developed into a "trilogy" of five books (which sold more than fifteen million copies during his lifetime), as well as a television series, a stage show, a comic book series, a computer game, and a feature film that was completed after Adams's death.
Neil Richard Gaiman (born November 10, 1960, Portchester, Hampshire) is an English author of numerous science fiction and fantasy works. As of 2006, he lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. While Gaiman is most famously known for The Sandman, a series of graphic novels, many of his other works translate well to the spoken word. Gaiman is a prolific blogger and has a noted interest in music. He befriended Tori Amos early in her career after she sent him a demo tape.