Orbit snaps up Atwater’s ‘utterly charming’ fantasy Regency romances

Orbit UK has acquired Olivia Atwater’s “whimsical and utterly romantic” Regency Faerie Tales series, beginning with Half a Soul, followed by Ten Thousand Stitches and Longshadow. 

Assistant editor Nadia Saward acquired world English rights in a three-book deal from Christabel McKinley at David Higham Associates. 

Orbit US senior editor Priyanka Krishnan has secured North American rights, while German rights have sold for six figures to CBJ at auction. French rights for Half a Soul have been sold to Albin Michel in a five-figure deal with other deals soon to be announced.  

Orbit UK will publish the books across June, July and August 2022. All three were previously self-published by Atwater. 

Saward said: “Half a Soul is the perfect, cosy comfort read that will appeal to fans of ’Howl’s Moving Castle’ and ’Bridgerton’. So many readers have already been charmed by this series, and we’re thrilled to be working with Olivia to bring her Regency Faerie Tales to a wider readership.”

Atwater added: “I wrote Half a Soul – a Regency romance novel with silly faeries and villainous aristocrats – thinking that no one would enjoy it but me. Now, two years later, I’m floored to realise that it will be in bookshops everywhere, along with its sequels. The entire team at Orbit has been incredibly enthusiastic about the series, silly faeries and all, and I couldn’t imagine being in better hands.”