JK Rowling and dad reunite after `years of differences`

London: J.K. Rowling’s dad has reportedly reconciled with his once-estranged daughter, despite claims that she partly based a “vile” character on him in her new novel, ‘The Casual Vacancy.’

Peter Rowling fell out with the 47-year-old best-selling author nine years ago after he sold a collection of rare ‘Harry Potter’ first editions to cover his 100,000-pound debts. He claimed that his daughter, who is worth 560 million pounds, refused to help him after his burger van business went bust. “It’s a heartbreaking situation. I fear I have lost my daughter. I can only hope Joanne will one day come to understand why I did it,” the 67-year-old retired engineer said at the time. But he has now revealed that he has recently made up with the author and is “on good terms” with her. “Joanne and I are fine. We talk now. Everything is good. There is no problem anymore,” a leading daily has quoted him as saying at his 250,000-pound seaside flat in Swanage, Dorset. “Families are funny things but I am incredibly proud of my daughter. She is a brilliant girl. I have read all her books – though the first was my favourite. And I look forward to reading her new one. “I have heard it contains a vile character supposedly based on me – a man who has a difficult relationship with a teenager – but I don’t know if that’s true. Either way, I’ll keep smiling. That’s the sort of person I am,” he said. ANI