A MOSSLEY mother has co-authored a bestselling book showing how women can overcome set up “mumpreneur” businesses against all the odds.

Nicola Parker, aged 31, made a 3,000-word contribution “Mumpreneur on Fire 3”, along side 25 other women who have battled through issues including depression, kidnap, bereavement and suicide to be successful.

The book shot straight to top of the Amazon Kindle chart when it was launched on October 4 and was published in print on Thursday (October 11).

The former Mossley Hollins High School mother of three now runs a company called Headstrong Fitness and is currently working with up to 20 clients who have mental health problems including social anxiety, using physical fitness as a tool.

Nicola, who has suffered similar problems herself, told The Oldham Times: “The biggest thing I get back from my clients is how people feel understood and they don’t feel along any more.

“We have a tribe of women in our group who really struggle with social anxiety. They like the fact that I’m very open and honest about my own background and issues.”

The book was put together by a group known as the Mums In Business Association. It asked its 20,000-plus members to submit applications to be a co-author of the book.

Nicola went on: “The book features inspirational mums who have set up their own businesses against all the odds. I didn't apply for the first two books as I didn't feel confident enough to do so then, but for this third book my application was successful.

“But now I feel the time is right and I can't believe I was accepted as one of the authors.”

However, Nicola admitted putting her experiences into print was not without its difficulties.

She said: “Writing the book has set me back. I had a bit of a breakdown and had to go back to the crisis centre at Tameside Hospital.

“It’s not something that goes away. You may get three years and then it comes back knocking on your door.

“My motto is ‘make yourself stronger than the mind’. It’s not about curing it, but learning to become stronger than it. It’s like if someone loses a leg, the leg’s not going to grow back, but you can grow stronger in other ways.”

In the book Nicola not only will I shares her warts and all journey with mental health but also why.

“I have never spoken about why death felt the only option from me and why my first suicide attempt occurred when I was 13,” she said.

“But felt the time was right to speak up and speak out. Because I know others who will have been through what I went through as a child.”