Margaret Johnson found the best way to recover from her relationship break-up was to write away the woes.
After getting over what she described as 'a tidal wave of grief' and moving to Norwich following the break-up, she created a workbook.
Ms Johnson said she found therapy writing down her experiences and used it as a way to express pain instead of burdening her friends and family.
She said the experience as 'enormously cathartic'.
Her book, The Four Seasons of Breakupvia – A Workbook for Recovery from Relationship Break-Up, likens the stages of recovery to the four seasons of the year.
And it offers the reader do-it-yourself tasks to help them on the path to recovery.
Ms Johnson said: 'Most self-help books are just about reading and reflecting, but I didn't want mine to be like that.
'I wanted it to be a really practical resource, something that would keep you busy – it's designed to help the user to accept what's happened to them.'
Writing was only ever meant to be a pastime but Ms Johnson has made a career from women's fiction novels.
'I was able to use my experience in my work and I think my characters' experiences were more believable,' she added.
A workshop on the book is taking place at Norwich Wellbeing Centre on June 18.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here