JK Rowling’s wizard agent dies at 79

JK Rowling’s wizard agent dies at 79: Man credited with finding publisher for the first Harry Potter novel passes away

  • Christopher Little was credited with finding a publisher for Rowling’s first novel 
  • The literary agent has passed away at the age of 79,  representatives confirmed
  • He received a manuscript for the first book and managed to sell it to Bloomsbury 

The literary agent who launched JK Rowling to international stardom has passed away, his representatives said last night.

Christopher Little, 79, was credited with finding a publisher for Rowling’s first novel, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone, in 1996 after 12 major companies had turned it down.

Rumour has it that Miss Rowling, then a poor 29-year-old single mother, picked Mr Little from a list of literary agents because he sounded like a character from a children’s book.

Christopher Little, 79, was credited with finding a publisher for Rowling’s first novel, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone, in 1996

He received a manuscript for the first book and managed to sell it to Bloomsbury for £2,500.

In 2007 Mr Little recalled: ‘I wrote back to JK Rowling within four days of receiving the manuscript. I thought there was something really special there, although we could never have guessed what would happen to it.’ 

He would go on to reap millions of pounds as a result of the series’ extraordinary international success.

However, his relationship with Miss Rowling soured in 2011 when she decided to part company with his agency.

At the time, a spokesman for his agency said he was ‘disappointed and surprised’ with the move but that he ‘greatly admires her’.

Mr Little’s death was confirmed by a spokesman for his agency last night.