Boldwood announces author acquisitions as Rachel Faulkner-Willcocks joins as editorial director

Independent publisher Boldwood has announced the acquisition of 14 more authors, bringing the total number of writers on its list to 115. The development comes after a third year of trading, with the company growing its revenue by 70% to £4.6m and achieving a net profit of 35%. 

The 14 new authors range from romantic fiction writers Mandy Baggot, Sandy Barker and Sarah Hope, to thriller writer M A Hunter and “Viking aficionado” J C Duncan, via the historical storytellers Lynette Rees and Elaine Roberts. Also joining the list are women’s fiction writers Julia Jarman and Sheila Norton alongside Anita Davison and Kate Wells, who are bringing new mystery series, plus the US rom-com bestseller Camilla Isley. Romantic fiction writer Kim Nash and Sweet Shop series author Hannah Lynn will also be on the list, and all authors have been contracted on multi-book deals and will be published in every format simultaneously in all English-language territories. 

Rachel Faulkner-Willcocks will also be joining the Boldwood team in April as editorial director. Faulkner-Willcocks is currently at Head of Zeus imprint Aria, and has published authors both there and at Avon. 

She said: ‘I am hugely excited to join the brilliant Boldwood team — commercial editors are driven by a desire to connect great books with as many readers as possible, and few publishers are doing this as successfully as they are. Their readiness to innovate and reputation for excellent author care is incredibly inspiring, and I can’t wait to bring new voices to an already amazing list.”

Amanda Ridout, founder and c.e.o., added: “After a standout year in financial and bestseller terms for the company in 2022, we are delighted to be welcoming another 14 new authors and a new team member. Last year was our second consecutive year of 70% growth and we have now sold nearly 12 million books around the world, across multiple formats and through many diverse channels.”