LONDON, England (CNN) -- Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling has revealed she thought of killing herself while penniless and suffering from depression as a single mother, according to a report in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper.
J.K. Rowling is now one of the world's richest women due to the success of her Harry Potter books.
At the time, Rowling had separated from her first husband and was living in a cramped apartment with her baby daughter.
She was able to afford the rent only after a friend paid the £600 ($1,189) that she needed, the newspaper quoted her as telling a student reporter at Edinburgh University.
"We're talking suicidal thoughts here, we're not talking 'I'm a little bit miserable,'" Rowling said.
"Mid-twenties life circumstances were poor and I really plummeted. The thing that made me go for help . . . was probably my daughter.
"She was something that earthed me, grounded me, and I thought, this isn't right, this can't be right, she cannot grow up with me in this state."
Rowling said she then sought professional help.
While the 42-year-old has spoken before of her battle with depression, it was the first time she had admitted that she contemplated suicide, the newspaper said.
It was then that Rowling began writing the first Harry Potter book, which was eventually published in 1996.
Since then, more than 325 million books -- translated into 64 languages -- have been sold around the world and Rowling is now one of the world's richest women. E-mail to a friend
All About J.K. Rowling • Harry Potter • Books • Suicide
From the Blogs: 
Sit tight, we're getting to the good stuff
