Former Alnmouth woman hopes putting her experiences into new book will help people battling depression

Katherine James has created ‘The Story of Hope’, released to coincide with this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week.

Although a piece of fiction, it includes practical advice for anyone struggling with mental health problems.

Katherine, based in Whitchurch, Hampshire, now runs a successful marketing consultancy but she recalls: “Back in 2014, I was in a really difficult place. I didn’t know how to find a new direction.

“So I searched desperately for a book to help me overcome all that adversity and depression. I couldn’t find that book, so I wrote one myself.

“The book encourages people who feel trapped, and have lost hope, to rewrite their own story and find the courage to begin a new chapter.”

Katherine recalls that she was a shy, sensitive child.

“I spent many hours in the attic of our large house by the sea where I grew up - trying to make sense of the world,” she said.

“I fed my imagination with fairy tales and fantasy literature - things like the Hobbit, Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. The heroes and heroines of those tales became my friends.

“This was also the time that I first came up with the concept of ‘The Story of Hope’ – and it’s great to now see it being published as a book.”

It is published by Storyarc Publishing. To find out more visit www.thestoryofhope.co.uk

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