News
- 08 Mar, 2024
MAXIS BOOK CLUB LIVE VIDEO LINK
Two days ago Louisa did a live video link with the members of the Maxis Book Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event was biiled as an eMeet & Greet and was held to celebrate International Women's Day, 8 March 2024. In addition to talking about her book, A Rainbow of Chaos, Louisa also discussed with the participants key issues such as women's empowerment and the need to face and overcome problems of whatever nature. All the book club members had previously been able to purchase copies of A Rainbow of Chaos and it is hoped to continue to collaboration with another such event in the future.
- 07 Aug, 2023
A LITTLE TREASURY OF KAGBENI HAIKU
Earlier this year, Louisa spent a month volunteering at Mustang Buddhist College in the northwest of Nepal. As part of her course, the young monks were asked to compose haiku in English as a way of helping them to be creative and spontaneous in the language. They all tried their best and, in order to further encourage them and also showcase the college itself, Louisa decided to create and publish them in book form. A Little Treasury of Kagbeni Haiku features both the students' haiku and her own photographs taken in and around Kagbeni. It is now in its final pre-publication phase and will also be available as a PDF file through this website. Watch out for full details on the Publications page!
- 25 Jul, 2023
INTERVIEW WITH LOUISA KAMAL ON BOOKVIEW
BookView Review had just publsihed an extended interview with Louisa Kamal in which she talks about the process of writing, her experiences of living abroad and plans for future books. Here is her answer to the question, "A Rainbow of Chaos is described as 'the first in an empowering nonfiction series.' Where do you envision the series going from here?"
I am currently in the process of writing the sequel, Rainbows in the Eyes, while simultaneously living through what is destined to become the basis of the third book in the series. One of my major concerns is how to maintain the reader’s interest, how to distinguish the sequels from the original. After all, Rainbows in the Eyes will pick up where A Rainbow of Chaos left off, and 2021 plunged both Nepal and me into an even worse phase of COVID than that which we had struggled through the previous year. Right now, I am trying reinvent the flashback technique which was the basis for A Rainbow of Chaos, using it in the sequel to provide insights into the earlier stages of my life, and thus enabling the reader to gradually learn more about what has made me the person I am today. As for the third book—right now I am thinking of abandoning my original working title of For Every Storm, A Rainbow in favour of Swallow the Sunset, Drink the Rainbow—the mood will become increasingly dark as my fight for legal freedom grows ever more tumultuous and distressing. Will there be more than a trilogy? Impossible to say at the moment: a lot depends on my readers, but I really hope so!
Read the full interview here.
- 24 Jul, 2023
BOOKVIEW GIVES A RAINBOW OF CHAOS A 4-STAR REVIEW!
A Rainbow of Chaos has been awarded a 4-star review by Book View. Here is how they assessed the book. "Not long after her last visit (the sixth) to the Himalayan country, Kamal returns to Nepal once again, hoping to find peace and clarity after her separation from her emotionally abusive husband in Thailand. But with the COVID-19 pandemic concerting its grip on the nation, she becomes stranded, unable to return to Thailand. She finds solace and comfort with one of the Nepalese “brothers” she has met earlier during her time in Nepal. Many years younger and the owner of a small trekking and expedition firm, Arjun turned out to be a love match. As they embark on their unconventional journey of love, there are moments of passion, doubt, joy, and small sorrows. But the relationship goes so well that the reader keeps waiting for it to crash, right up until they are finally together in the end having overcome all the difficulties. The memoir deftly captures the Nepalese customs, culture, and traditions within its pages, showcasing the unmatched beauty of the majestic Himalayas while never sugarcoating the prevalent corrupt political practices among the bureaucracy in the nation (despite the policy that foreign nationals cannot open a bank account, the author succeeds in obtaining a bank account complete with passbook and ATM card). At the same time, the book subtly explores the intricacies of love and relationships, second chances, mistakes, regrets, and self-discovery while delving into the tumultuous period of COVID lockdown. Both a travelogue and an insightful memoir about finding love and happiness during the COVID lockdown, this is a must-read." Click here to see the original review.
- 23 Jun, 2023
4-STAR REVIEW ON READERS' FAVORITE
Exciting news! 'A Rainbow of Chaos' has been given a 4-star rating and a very perceptive, postive review on the Readers' Favorite website.Here is an extract: "Louisa Kamal captures her mixed emotions of both highs and lows during her tumultuous year with resounding precision. The readers can share her struggles both internally and externally throughout A Rainbow of Chaos. Her story of finding love again in such an unpredictable and scary period of COVID-19 is inspiring and positive. She writes about the difficulties of her relationship with Arjun and the challenges they faced honestly." You can read the review in its entirety here.