Raynor Winn, acclaimed author of The Salt Path, has admitted through her lawyers that she wrote a book years before her celebrated memoir. The BBC Sounds podcast Secrets of the Salt Path confirmed Winn published How Not to Dal Dy Dir in 2012 under the pseudonym Izzy Wyn-Thomas. The novel was released by Gangani Publishing, a company she and her husband Moth owned.
Contradicting Her Own Words
For years, Winn insisted The Salt Path was her first attempt at writing. In a 2020 Waterstones interview, she said: “It’s the first thing I’ve written since I was a teenager leaving school – the first thing.” Her husband Moth echoed the claim, saying he was surprised she could write at all.
The House Raffle Controversy
The 2012 novel was tied to a controversial house raffle. Buyers of the book were entered into a draw to win the couple’s home in north Wales. Advertised as mortgage-free, Land Registry documents later revealed debts and a high-interest loan against the property. While no investigation followed, critics argued the scheme could have amounted to fraud.
Local Reactions and Publishing Struggles
Farmer Matt Swarbrick recalled buying the book after seeing it promoted online, believing it reflected experiences similar to his own. Meanwhile, Pwllheli bookseller Stephen Lloyd Wright denied claims he refused to stock the novel, despite online posts suggesting otherwise. Another local bookshop briefly carried five copies but reported little interest.
Awards and Changing Rules
Despite the revelation, Winn won the £10,000 Christopher Bland Prize in 2019 for The Salt Path. The Royal Society of Literature clarified that self-published authors were eligible that year, though rules changed in 2020. The memoir’s success led to a film adaptation in 2025 starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs.
Impact on Future Work
Winn’s fourth book, originally scheduled for release in 2025, was delayed until 2028 due to what Penguin described as “considerable distress.” The controversy continues to raise questions about authenticity, transparency, and the blurred line between self-publishing and debut recognition.
