Pan Macmillan lands Hannah novel in six-figure deal

Pan Macmillan has landed Kristin Hannah's new novel in a six-figure deal ahead of the Netflix series of her book Firefly Lane (Pan).

Publishing director Trisha Jackson acquired UK and Commonwealth rights for The Four Winds from Rebecca Scherer and Andrea Cirillo at the Jane Rotrosen Agency in New York. It will be published in February 2021.

Acording to the synopsis: “The Four Winds is set against the backdrop of the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Dust Bowl, probably the worst environmental disaster in American history. It tells the story of Elsa Martinelli’s flight from her decimated family farm in the Great Plains in search of a better life for her children in California. Powerful, heart-wrenching and compelling, it is about the strength and resilience of women and the overriding bond between mother and daughter.”

Hannah has sold over 20 million books in nearly 50 languages worldwide, according to Cirillo. In the UK, she has sold 170,902 books in total for £857,064, through the BookScan Total Consumer Market. An adaptation of Firefly Lane will be screened on Netflix starring Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke in the autumn.

Jackson said: “I am incredibly proud to be publishing this wonderful book, which I believe is Kristin’s very best to date. I have long been a fan of her powerful and compelling storytelling, where the female perspective and landscape are conveyed so convincingly. I know this book will be another international number one bestseller for Kristin. It is enormously exciting that her star is rising even higher with the Netflix series and now the film.”

Hannah added: “I am thrilled to continue my relationship with Pan Macmillan. The care and support and enthusiasm they show for my work is every author's dream.”