Penguin bags 'steamy feminist Greek myth reimagining' from debut author Fitzgerald

Penguin has bagged a “steamy feminist Greek myth reimagining” from debutant Bea Fitzgerald and two other titles in a “significant” six-figure pre-empt which halted a heated five-way auction.

Naomi Colthurst, senior commissioning editor, acquired world rights to Girl, Goddess, Queen from Hannah Schofield at LBA. Three-book rights deals have already been struck in seven major territories including Spain, Brazil, France and Italy. It will publish in summer 2023.  

The publisher said: “Girl, Goddess, Queen is a feminist, fierce and fresh YA fantasy retelling of the classic Greek myth of Hades and Persephone with a hefty dose of steamy romance. Fitzgerald’s reimagining shifts the power dynamic and repositions Persephone as a heroine with agency to control her own narrative, with extraordinarily fun results.” 

Fitzgerald who has amassed more than 100,000 followers on TikTok for her Greek myth parody videos, said: “I have always loved mythology – I’ll devour it in all its guises from ancient texts to podcasts to cartoon children’s films. But I’m particularly drawn to reimaginings, to stories that ask ’what if’ with the stories I love so much. Girl, Goddess, Queen is the Hades and Persephone myth as I wish it were: a fun, chaotic and steamy rom-com with a good measure of disrupting the patriarchy. Having my book become our book has been an incredible experience and I couldn’t ask for a better team behind it than agent extraordinaire Hannah, editorial genius Naomi and everyone else at Penguin whose enthusiasm, passion and support have been boundless.” 

Colthurst added: “Girl, Goddess, Queen is exceptional in every sense of the word: sharply feminist, savagely witty, and achingly romantic (with just the right level of #spice). Bea takes one of the most well-known Greek myths and firmly turns it on its head with a contemporary voice that sings and a commercially-minded spin that is all her own. We’ve been thrilled to see such fantastic foreign rights success so quickly after acquisition, and can’t wait for readers all over the world to read Bea’s fabulously twisted myths, for years to come.” 

Schofield also commented: “This utterly fresh take on the beloved Hades and Persephone myth enchanted me from its very first page – an enemies-to-lovers, fake-marriage romcom set in hell? Yes please! I am thrilled that Naomi and PRH shared my vision of launching Bea’s YA career with this incredible debut – they certainly came in swinging for it. I’m so excited for readers around the world to get to read Girl, Goddess, Queen in 2023!”