Austyn Wohlers in conversation with Richard Bailey

Presented by the Republic of Consciousness Prize, writer and musician Austyn Wohlers joins Hay Festival Forum Dallas to discuss her acclaimed debut novel, Hothouse Bloom, published by Hub City Press and shortlisted for the 2025 Republic of Consciousness Prize. A striking contemporary pastoral, the novel explores art, solitude, our relationship with the natural world, and the tension between the desire to withdraw from society and the realities of work, community, and economic life.

Moderated by Richard Bailey of Interabang Books, the conversation will explore Wohlers’ distinctive approach to fiction, her interest in art, nature, and consciousness, and the making of a debut that has established her as an exciting new voice in American literature. Wohlers, who is also a musician, will perform several songs during the event, bringing another dimension of her creative work into the conversation.