Fiona McPhillips & 'When We Were Silent': Debut Discussions

On this episode of Debut Discussions we’re chatting with Fiona McPhillips about her debut novel, When We Were Silent, an unputdownable, thrilling story of exploitation, privilege, and retribution about an outsider who threatens to expose the secrets at an elite private school. Fiona shares with us the moment she knew it was time to follow her long-held dream of writing a novel; how she wove together elements of literary fiction and thrillers to create a compelling and unflinching story that explores the silence and denial surrounding abuse; the inspiration she drew from personal stories, those of others, and the realities of the world; why she wanted to explore the complicated dynamics of mother-daughter relationships; and her journey to finding an agent and securing a book deal. Listen now to Fiona’s story wherever you get your podcasts. When We Were Silent is out now – buy it, read it, and share it (in other words, make a debut author’s dreams come true!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices