We’re happy to announce that KathaSatha will be launching BETWEEN QUEENS AND THE CITIES, Nepal’s first queer memoir written by Niranjan Kunwar. To celebrate this important moment in the Nepali literary scene, we are organizing a flurry of festivities throughout the month of December.

Between Queens and the Cities is the riveting tale of a 19-year-old Nepali gay man and his long journey from Kathmandu to New York and back. Set against the backdrop of contemporary Nepal, the author reveals, with elan and ease, queer spaces where friendships are fostered outside the normalcy accorded to family and marriage. In the process, he introduces many fellow travellers of the LGBTIQ community. With rare courage and outrageous emotional honesty, the author lays bare the ceaseless conflict of the mind and heart in exploring sexuality. He also compels the reader to interrogate dominant notions regarding love and longing and in doing so, reveals dynamic relationships that are not confined to the realm of queer intimacy alone. This memoir on the shaping of queer identity in the South Asian context bristles with deeper questions regarding belonging.

The book launch will take place on Saturday, December 5 at 6PM (Nepal Time) and 7:15AM (Queens, NYC Time). Writer Manjushree Thapa and blogger Lex Limbu will launch this important book, and author Niranjan Kunwar will give an exclusive reading from the memoir. We will close the party with an unveiling of a special part of the book never released before.

We invite you to join us on this virtual event that will be broadcasted LIVE via Facebook through KathaSatha, FinePrint and Nepal Literature Festival page.

LAUNCH FESTIVITIES

Saturday, 5 December | 6 PM Nepal Time [Live]
Book launch

Monday, 7 December
La.Lit Podcasts by Itisha Giri with Niranjan Kunwar

Friday, 11 December | 7:30 AM Nepal Time [Live]
Good Morning Nepal on AP1HD channel

Saturday, 12 December
LitDinner (by invitation only)

Sunday, 13 December
The Cover Story featuring Between Queens and the Cities

Saturday, 19 December
Lightroom Conversation by Muna Gurung with Niranjan Kunwar

Saturday, 26-27 December
Creative non-fiction writing workshop for queer writers

Please follow us on Instagram and Facebook and attend our launch party as we will post more information and updates on all events as the dates draw closer. We hope you will join us this December as we close what has been a difficult year for all. Here’s to ending on a good note!

ORDER A COPY OF THE MEMOIR TODAY:
In Nepal - THUPRAI and KITABYATRA
Rest of the world - AMAZON

Between Queens and the Cities by Niranjan Kunwar
December 2020
Publisher: FinePrint
Pages: 305

Niranjan Kunwar is invested in literature, contemporary art, queer issues and pedagogy. His practice focuses on investigating Nepal’s sociocultural and educational landscapes in order to encourage teachers and students to create more spaces for creativity and critical thinking in their lives. He writes about these ideas in order to reflect and document. He is currently taking a one-year diploma course in Narrative Practices and Ideas. In the future, he hopes to be more involved in programs that actively seek to counter dominant discourses and practices. For more, visit www.metronir.com.