You know you've got clout...

when 2 of contemporary literature's most established and well known authors plead for you not to kill off your main character in your next book.

That's exactly what Stephen King and John Irving ("The World According to Garp" for you non-readers) did when they asked J.K. Rowling not to kill off Harry Potter in the 7th book, due out next year.

Not bad for a former single mother on welfare...