Hodder to publish two Julian Stockwin novels a year

Hodder and Stoughton has acquired four new novels by Julian Stockwin featuring his Napoleonic-era naval hero, Thomas Kydd.

The deal was struck with Carole Blake at Blake Friedmann, upping Stockwin's output from one novel a year to two novels a year "due to popular demand". 

Following the publication of Inferno this autumn, Hodder will publish books 18 and 19 in 2017 and 20 and 21 in 2018.

Stockwin's editor, Oliver Johnson, called it "a testament to the enduring popularity of this series". He said: "Julian’s Kydd books are the most in-demand current series set in the Age of Fighting Sail and long may it, and he, continue!"

Stockwin said: "It's been a pleasure working with Hodder & Stoughton for the entirety of the Kydd Series to date. My readers regularly tell me to "please write faster!" and I'm delighted that from next year we are able to make this a reality with two titles published annually. Fair winds and a following sea!"

Blake added: "It gives an agent great pleasure to witness a long and satisfying partnership between author and publisher, and it's a joy to see fans demanding more from an author. Delighted to be able to celebrate both here."