Before The Names, Florence Knapp was Flossie Teacakes

What's in a name? Florence Knapp reclaimed her own name for her novel The Names, but before that she had a crafting blog with the moniker "Flossie Teacakes".

As Florence Knapp describes to Claire Nichols, names are intrinsic to how we see ourselves and how others see us. The Names is about a woman's choice of name for her newborn son - should she call him Gordon, Julian or Bear? There are deep questions about what shapes us - nature versus nurture - and the 'what if' sliding door moments. Florence reveals her own sliding door moment when she moved to Australia as a child.

The story also explores the power of the handmade, and if you feel like making something with your hands after reading The Names, look up Flossie Teacakes' Guide to Paper Piercing.

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This event was recorded at the 2026 Sydney Writers Festival with Florence Knapp via satellite.

The Book Show interview with Florence Knapp

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Before The Names, Florence Knapp was Flossie Teacakes

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