Neue Stimmen – Der Debütantensalon

At the Debut Authors’ Salon, three literary newcomers will present their debut novels. At the end, the audience will select the debut novel of the 2026 Herbstlese. This time, the jury has chosen three very different novels:

In conversation withhost Leo Paul, the following authorswill offerinsights into their books:

Inga Hanka: “Little Hollywood”

A summer full of freedom, caught between fear, courage, and new beginnings

Real life is a bitter disappointment. Leonie, known as Leo, wants to dive headfirst into freedom after school but instead finds herself facing the harsh reality. Arguments with her mother, a criminal complaint against her father, and vacation days with her little brother—instead of a summer with Olli, who first kissed her and then dumped her. Luckily, there’s “Little Hollywood,” the video store on the corner, whose only downside is Jo—who has “booze and mischief” tattooed on his arm and forces Leo to play “Truth or Dare” every time, even though she just wants to escape into a movie. Torn between the desire to throw herself into life and the fear of falling flat, Leo embarks on an unforgettable summer in which she learns what it means to be brave.

A tribute to the late ’90s: With great charm, Inga Hanka tells the story of those weeks in life when it feels like everything and nothing is happening at the same time—the weeks of the last summer before finally becoming an adult

Lilli Tollkien: “Supporting the Sky with Both Hands”

A childhood and adolescence spent in a state of emergency, and a girl who becomes the heroine of her own story.

Lale grows up in the ’80s in a Berlin men’s commune where parties are thrown and revolutions are planned. She’s allowed to stay up as late as she wants, eat candy, and watch TV forever. But she longs for security and reliability, while her own boundaries are repeatedly crossed. Walking the fine line between freedom and neglect, Lale searches for her path, teetering on the edge, and years later finds stability in the act of storytelling itself. Authentic, vulnerable, and full of poetic tension.

 “Lilli Tollkien writes with a force that’s almost unbearable—and that’s precisely why you have to read it.” Mareike Fallwickl

 “After the first page, I was shaken; after the first chapter, I was captivated. A novel of incredible pull, a rare gem.” Edgar Rai

 Rina Schmeller: “Co”

An encounter on a bridge. A realization, a love. The decision to share a life together—despite the drug that accompanies him and now dictates her daily life as well. She becomes entangled in his addiction, begins to revolve around him just as he revolves around the drug: a silent center, a third presence. She flees the violence time and again, yet always returns home—until one day she doesn’t. “Co” tells of compassion and of creeping self-sabotage. Of the dynamics of addiction, an illness from which no one is safe. It explores what it means to live as a codependent. And it’s about self-empowerment. The epitome of liberation, “Co” chronicles the journey of a woman who finds the strength to break free from her role as a codependent after years of codependency: her chance to survive. She begins, with difficulty but determination, to seek a life of her own—and grows more independent with each phase. Step by step, loop by loop, Rina Schmeller traces the rediscovery of her true self and powerfully recounts the process of regaining her own inner freedom. With language full of clarity, rhythm, and silence, she challenges the taboo.

 “Rina Schmeller tells the story of a woman’s codependency with empathy but without any sentimentality—and in doing so, reveals all the facets of horror, but also what love truly is.” Jenny Erpenbeck