A BOOK-LOVING student has drawn on her own and other people’s experiences to help write her first ever novel, which touches on mental health issues.

Chloe Grant-Jones, 21, of Nicholas Street, off Lawrence Street, says she is “thrilled” that ‘Forgotten in Memory’ has been published.

Now in her third year of studying history and English literature at the University of York, Chloe was just 19 when she started writing the book. It took her about six months to complete, while pursuing her degree at the same time.

The novel focuses on three siblings who struggle to overcome the death of their parents. Despite the fact that their parents died in an accident nine years previously, mental and physical scars still haunt the siblings.

Chloe says her time at university has influenced the book to some degree.

She said: “When I went to uni I was struck by how every person had a different back story. I wouldn’t say people I have met in real life are in the story. I went to uni and met so many people with different life stories and ways of viewing life.

“It’s a combination of drawing on personal experiences and other experiences I have seen.”

Chloe, who was diagnosed with depression a couple of years ago, said: “The central theme in the novel is normalising mental health issues. Getting rid of the stigma around depression and anxiety and talking about it.”

Forgotten in Memory is available to buy now on Amazon and the Book Guild website for £8.99.

Chloe has already started working on her second book, which is unrelated to the first.

Chloe was born in Cardiff but spent most of her childhood in Kent. Her family now lives in Belfast.

When she was growing up, Chloe says she and her sisters were “massive bookworms,” but it was only after starting university that she decided she wanted to become an author.

She said: “When I was younger I wrote short stories when in primary school. I grew out of it. Then I decided to study History and English Literature, a subject so heavily focused on writing I thought I would give it a go.”

Chloe approached a number of publishers after writing the novel, and despite getting a few rejections, she received two offers.

“I thought I’d put it out there and the chances of people getting back to me are quite slim,” she said.

“So when I signed a contract with Book Guild it felt amazing.”