Every time you pick up an author’s debut book, there is a chance that you’re picking up a soon-to-be bestseller, prizewinner or beloved classic. And there’s nothing quite so satisfying as reading a book by someone who will soon be your favourite writer. We at The Bombay Circle Press have put together a list of brilliant new authors you need to keep an eye on as they begin their careers.
Asha Thanki
She is the winner of the 2019 Arkansas International Emerging Writers Prize and fourth prize winner of Zoetrope’s 2020 Short Fiction Competition. A Thousand Times Before is her debut novel which won the 2025 Balcones Prize. It was the 2024 Best Book of the Year by NPR & the Boston Globe. This work of magical realism which follows three generations of women from pre-Partition India to modern-day New York City is a sweeping tale of inheritance power and trauma, art and motherhood.
Beena Kamlani
She is a former senior editor at Viking Penguin who has worked with numerous award-winning authors. She has finally published her debut novel, a work of historical fiction The English Problem. It follows an eighteen-year-old Shiv Advani who is handpicked by Mahatma Gandhi to travel to London to train to be a barrister and support the freedom struggle. This politically resonant and highly philosophical novel explores identity, desire and the tension between individual and collective freedoms.
Sam Dalrymple
He is a historian of South Asia, and storyteller exploring Partition, empire, and forgotten cities. He graduated from Oxford University as a Persian and Sanskrit scholar, and also studied at the University of Isfahan and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in Iran. His debut book, Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia, is all about how the Indian Empire was unmade with new borders drawn.
Seth Goodman
This author discovered his writing talent in the 8th grade when he won a schoolwide contest to write his class motto. After college, he went on to work as a newspaper columnist, food and wine critic, and freelance lifestyle writer, as well as a professional educator. His debut novel, For A Lark, is a tragic story of love and helplessness. Melody “Lark” Larkness is trying to run from her past by working at an exclusive Gentlemen’s Club. Romeo Mendes is a cautious food service manager with a predictable life. But neither can resist the friendship they build.
These rising voices in the world of books could be your new favourites. Keep an eye on the blossoming careers of these brilliant new authors. The Bombay Circle Press’ bulletin is a great place to find more recommendations too!