O’Neill moves to Transworld for six figures in five-way auction

Author Louise O’Neill is moving to Transworld from Quercus in a six-figure deal following a five-way auction for her next two novels.

Publishing director Frankie Gray bought English-language UK and Commonwealth rights to Idol and a second book from Juliet Mushens at Mushens Entertainment. It will be a lead publication for Transworld in 2022, and will publish through its Bantam Press imprint in hardback, e-book and audio in the spring. 

The publisher said Idol explores the world of online influencers and our relationship with our heroes, and asks how well we can ever really know those who we follow online, and how two memories of the same event can differ. It follows Samantha Miller, an American influencer who runs a wellness empire and whose powerful brand as a motivational speaker has won her legions of adoring fans. 

Its synopsis goes on: "Her career is booming: she's just hit three million followers, her new book 'Chaste' has gone straight to the top of the bestseller lists and she's appearing at sell-out events. Determined to speak her truth and bare all to her fans, she writes an essay about her sexual awakening as a teenager, with her then-best friend, Lisa. She's never told a soul but now she's telling the world. The essay goes viral. But Lisa doesn't remember it that way at all. Her memory of that night is far darker. It's Sam's word against Lisa's—so who gets to tell the story? Whose 'truth' is really a lie?"

Gray said: "I have loved Louise’s writing for a very long time and it is a huge honour to welcome her to the Bantam Press list. Louise never shies away from challenging topics, shining a light on the darkness that can exist within us, and our society, and blazing a trail with every book she writes. Idol is a triumph: riveting, compulsive and bold. It is thought-provoking and powerful and left me desperate to discuss it with others. We are so excited to publish next year."

Mushens added: "Frankie and Louise are the dream team—we were bowled over by Frankie’s editorial sensitivity but also by her ambition to get this book into readers’ hands. I was hooked by the story: it’s page-turning and commercial but the kind of book you want to discuss with your friends. Louise is a star and I’m excited to see Transworld take her to the next level."

O’Neill commented: "In Idol, I am exploring themes that I’ve been preoccupied with for my entire career—power, sexuality, consent—but pushing myself further than I ever have before. This book has been both challenging and exciting to write and I couldn’t have done so without the support of my incredible agent, Juliet Mushens, and the extraordinary editorial vision of Frankie Gray. I feel very lucky to have found a new home at Transworld and I can’t wait for readers to meet the inimitable Samantha Miller."