'Dark, funny' tale out next year

Shappi Khorsandi is writing her first novel.

Nina Is Not OK is described as 'a very dark, very funny, bittersweet and edgy tale of a 17-year-old girl coming to terms with addiction, low self-esteem and one disastrous Saturday night that she can't even remember'.

It follows her childhood memoirs about being an Iranian refugee, A Beginner's Guide To Acting English, which was released in 2010.

Now the publisher of that book, Ebury, has bought the rights to her first fiction title, via her agents Off The Kerb.

Khorsandi said: 'This opportunity to let Nina out of my head and on to the pages of a book has been a great relief. She was causing me no end of grief. But now she is out, with my help and with the support of wonderful Ebury, Nina can flourish and take us with her on her adventure. Heaven help us.'

Ebury publishing director Gillian Green added: 'We're all delighted that Shappi has turned her considerable writing talents to fiction…. Shappi is utterly brilliant at capturing the angst and humour of teenage life.'

Nina is Not OK will be published in hardback in July next year.

Published: 28 Jul 2015