Bluebird reveals raft of new deals with Johansen, Hart and Hayden

Bluebird has announced six new acquisitions made up of three two-book deals with authors Signe Johansen, Angel Hart and Torey Hayden. 

Bluebird publisher Carole Tonkinson said the deals demonstrated Bluebird's "commitment to building ongoing relationships with authors and investing in brands".

Signe Johansen, author of How to Hygge: The Secrets of Nordic Living, is penning two more books for Bluebird, signed from Sarah Williams at Sophie Hicks agency in a two-book deal for world rights.

Solo: The Joy of Cooking for One, due February 2018, is a cookbook with 100 recipes continuing themes of self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and simple pleasures from breakfast to supper, with extra chapters on sweets and treats. A drinks enthusiast and whiskey connoisseur, Johansen is also sharing her tips and recipes for the perfect tipple (to enjoy responsibly) in a third book in October 2018.

Angela Hart, previously unagented and a debut author for Bluebird, has also been signed for two further books. The two-book deal is for world rights on The Girl and the Ghosts: The true story of a haunted little girl and the foster carer who rescued her from the past, due May 2017, and an as yet untitled fourth book in Nov 2017.

The third signing is Torey Hayden, an author who according to Bluebird has sold 25m books worldwide, and over 1m copies TCM in the UK. A former special needs teacher, Hayden tells the stories of the children who came into her life and the "transformative" stories of their work together. The new deal with Shirley Stewart, acting on behalf of Curtis Brown US, is for UK and Commonwealth rights to Skylark, due in May 2018, and an as yet untitled book scheduled for May 2019.

Tonkinson said: "2016 was our first full year of publishing and it was a record breaking year. Not only for Joe Wicks but our other wonderful authors such as Kayla Itsines currently in the number one slot on amazon with her smash hit The Bikini Body 28 Day Healthy Eating & Lifestyle Guide.

"I'm delighted to have secured Signe and Angela for another two books each, as well as to be publishing Torey again. They are all inspiring writers and valued members of the growing Bluebird family."