In a wide-ranging discussion the two writers compare notes on their experiences of publishing debut novels in English, how their work was packaged, presented and received - and the ways in which that diverged from their intentions when writing.

Saleem Haddad's GUAPA was published in 2016 by Europa Editions to great acclaim. His new novel, FLOODLINES, is about to come out. 

Yasmin Zaher's THE COIN was published in 2025 and won the Dylan Thomas Prize - one of the most prestigious awards for young writers. 

This episode was recorded between Paris and Lisbon on November 24th, 2025.

Subscribe to the PalFest Bookshelf here

Find us on our website or our socials:

Insta: @palfest Bluesky: @palfest.bsky.social YouTube: @Palfest

Sign up on Patreon for more content in the future