"Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling is the world's highest-paid writer, raking in $95 million in the past 12 months, according to Forbes annual list of the highest-paid authors.
Rowling made the top spot on the list for the first time in nearly a decade, knocking thriller author James Patterson into second with earnings of $87 million.
Rowling's huge earnings were mostly the result of the success of the movie "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," which she wrote and co-produced, and the hit play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child."
Far below in earnings in the third spot, was children's book writer Jeff Kinney, of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" success, with $21 million in earnings and Dan Brown of "The Da Vinci Code" fame in fourth with $20 million. Horror master Stephen King rounded out the top five.
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