Indian-origin British writer Sharan Dhaliwal's "Queer British Indian" memoir cum guide for the South Asian queer community, will be published by UK-based publisher Hardie Grant in autumn.
Sharan Dhaliwal is the founder of leading South Asian magazine in the UK called Burnt Roti. Burnt Roti provides a safe space to talk about mental health, sexuality, sexual health, women's and LGBTQIA+ rights and more.
She is also the director of Middlesex Pride and Oh Queer Cupid, a queer dating app. Her works have focussed on the the representation of queer South Asian women and her articles have been featured in newspapers such as The Guardian.
The publication acquired the worldwide rights of Burning My Rotis: Breaking Barriers as a Queer Indian Woman, which will be published in September 2021.
The publisher Kajal Mistry, who herself is of Indian origin, said in an interview to The Bookseller that she had been 'desperate' to see books representing South Asian experience and feels particularly close and "hugely honoured to be working with Sharan on this.”
The book is a compilation of Dhaliwal's personal experiences and interviews of South Asian women from different walks of lives. Dhaliwal said in the interview that she always wanted to read a book that talked unabashedly about queer Asian women but never came across one.
The Bookstore quoted Dhaliwal: "I've always wanted to read a book about a queer British Indian, her life, the issues she went through and the way she lives unashamedly. And now, I'm writing the book I've always wanted to read."
In a Twitter post, Dhaliwal said she was excited to share the book with the world. "My dear friends, who have all appeared in at least one of my sex dreams, thank you so much for your kind words. I can’t wait for you to read it. Hope it’s not shit!!!! Imagine!!!!!," tweeted Dhaliwal.
my dear friends, who have all appeared in at least one of my sex dreams, thank you so much for your kind words. i can’t wait for you to read it. hope it’s not shit!!!! imagine!!!!!
— sharan dhaliwal (peatree bojangles) (@sharandhaliwal_) February 22, 2021
The news about the book was welcomed on social media. "Having read the likes of Dolly Alderton, Pandora Sykes, and Elizabeth Day all these years, I've always said that there are zero coming-of-age books like theirs for young brown women, so this may well be the first! Such an exciting step, Sharan Dhaliwal," said writer Navi Ahluwalia.
having read the likes of Dolly Alderton, Pandora Sykes, and Elizabeth Day all these years, I've always said that there are zero coming-of-age books like theirs for young brown women, so this may well be the first! Such an exciting step @sharandhaliwal_ ???? https://t.co/qjyX1c7zeH
— n a v i (@naviwbu) February 22, 2021
Akriti is pursuing journalism at Delhi University's Delhi School of Journalism.
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