AN IT expert has turned his grief from losing loved ones into the inspiration for his debut book.

Craig Randall, from Maldon, suffered the loss of several family members and friends before writing new self-help book You Are Awesome.

Since its release, the book has reached the top five in Amazon’s self-help charts.

It was an unexpected gift from his wife that led to Craig, 30, realising what he could do by writing.

He said: “I only really started to get into reading books at the end of 2018 when my wife bought me the entire set of Harry Potter.

“Safe to say J K Rowling set the bar very high with her amazingly creative imagination.

“You Are Awesome is really about my journey so far and some of the hurdles I have had to face and the way I have dealt with them.

“It’s not your normal self-help book, but there are some fun challenges inside to hopefully inject some enjoyment.”

The book delivers hints and tips for improving well-being and mental health, which has led to a string of five-star reviews.

Dad-of-one Craig says while he did some background research, most of the ideas in the book are original.

Craig is now planning to write a second book after the success of his debut.