Wolverhampton Literature Festival: Author Narinder Dhami gears up to tell all

The daughter of an Indian father and English mother, Narinder grew up in Wolverhampton and says things have really moved on since her childhood days when mixed marriage was taboo.

"I know things are not perfect but when I was young the level of racism and hostility towards mixed marriage was huge. You can't believe it now as there are so many couples of mixed ethnicity."

The children's author – who made her name when she was approached to write the novelisation of the hit 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham – is one of a number of home-grown talents appearing at the city's first literary festival happening this month.

Young readers can meet Narinder at Wolverhampton Art Gallery on January 28 where she will read from her most recent book 13 Hours. The festival is aimed at celebrating the city's diverse literary and music tradition and Narinder thinks it's a really positive event.

"I'm really pleased and excited to have been asked to get involved in the festival. There's so much here that people outside the city don't see. Sometimes when I say I'm from Wolverhampton people's faces change because they have certain perceptions of the city. Yes, we have problems but there is a lot to shout about especially with all the rebuilding that's going on."

At her appearance Narinder, who grew up in a house off the Merridale Road with her parents and two sisters, will talk about her childhood and how she was influenced by both Asian and Western cultures. She recalls her school days, firstly at Bingley Junior, a multi-cultural school which has now closed, and then at Wolverhampton Girls' High School.

"I think there was a Chinese girl and one other Asian girl there but I never felt out of place. I loved it at the Girls' High. My father was a bus driver and when I heard some of the girls talking about their ponies that's when I felt different.

"It was a class thing more than a cultural thing." Having taught in London and lived in Cambridge, Narinder moved back to the area about six years ago, settling in Albrighton with her husband Robert who she met at Birmingham University.

She loves visiting National Trust properties Wightwick Manor and Moseley Old Hall and is impressed by Wolverhampton Art Gallery.

"I was quite amazed by all the modern exhibits there. It's a real gem. I love the Grand Theatre too and the Arena Theatre where you can see slightly more avant garde productions." Fans who meet Narinder at the festival will be able to find out about her journey to becoming a successful children's author. She has published around 200 books.

She says: "If you want to write children's books specifically don't rely on books you read as a child 20 years ago. In some ways every generation has the same issues – falling out with friends and worrying about parents splitting up – but children today are also a lot more sophisticated."

To find out more about Wolverhampton Literary Festival see expressandstar.com.