J.K. Rowling's new novel The Casual Vacancy was inspired, in part, by the author's personal experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as a teenager.
"We have an adult character in the book who has obsessive-compulsive disorder," she told Nightline co-anchor Cynthia McFadden. "These are things I know from the inside... When I was in my teens, I had issues with OCD."
The author also struggled with depression
Rowling has opened up about her experiences with depression in the past, but this is the first time the successful author has spoken publicly about her struggles with the anxiety disorder, which manifested itself as compulsions. She said she was always "checking, double checking, triple checking" things.
Her new novel explores darker topics
Rowling's intimate knowledge of OCD helped her develop one of the characters and write part of the story. Described as a "black comedy," the novel explores darker topics than the writer's Harry Potter series, including adolescent sexuality, cutting, and death.
Harry Potter helped her overcome depression
Rowling's depression has been gone from her life for "more than a decade," which she attributes, in part, to Harry Potter.
"Forget the money. Harry Potter gave me back self-respect. Harry gave me a job to do that I loved more than anything else," she said. "It was an amazing thing that happened."
After Rowling promotes her new novel in the U.S. and Britain, she plans to retreat to her home in Scotland and enjoy the quiet time she cherishes.
Source: ABC News
