Big Beginnings

A writer’s first introduction to readers with their debut is a momentous occasion.

In this panel discussion, three debut novelists discuss their emergence as writers and the journey to publication.

Florence Knapp’s Sunday Times bestseller The Names has been sweeping the world with its intricate story of family, violence and forging your own identity. First Name Second Name by Steve MinOn is similarly embedded in a turbulent family history, one which stretches from around the world and back again. In the far reaches of Scotland’s islands, a man tends his lighthouse with his son before trouble arrives in Michael Pedersen’s Muckle Flugga.

Join Florence, Steve and Michael as they discuss debut novels with host Madeleine Gray.