Almas Khan

I was born and raised in Bradford, but I've lived in t'South for so long that I'm starting to lose my accent. As well as writing, I'm also mad about cooking, knitting, dyeing and spinning (that's wool not cycling). I also like talking, getting angry and arguing, especially when I'm in the right.

I wrote my first novel, Chapati and Chips, in 1993. It went down pretty well in my home town, but instead of writing more books, I made the mistake of setting all that aside so I could help my first husband develop his career. In 2003, I came to my senses and set him aside, so I could get back to writing.

The result is Poppadom Preach: many years in the making, and hopefully the funniest, warmest and most poignant book you'll ever read. I've used the story of Dilly Shah's upbringing to shine a light on a very private, often hidden part of British life, and to explore the ways that children adapt to survive when confronted with domestic abuse.

I'm not a fan of dry worthy literature, so my own personal challenge was to create, in Poppadom Preach, an easy-reading and joyous celebration of childhood - but with some serious issues too. If all it does is make you laugh, that's fine with me. If it makes you laugh AND cry, that's even better. And if you're inspired and motivated by Dilly's story, that's best of all.