Penguin Michael Joseph takes two more from Fletcher

Penguin Michael Joseph has signed two new novels from Sunday Times bestselling author Giovanna Fletcher.

The deal, for world English language rights including audio, was agreed with Hannah Ferguson at Hardman & Swainson by fiction publishing director Maxine Hitchcock, with the first title publishing in autumn 2023.

Fletcher’s new novel, Walking on Sunshine, was released on 11th November with a major publicity and marketing campaign including interviews on BBC 1’s “The One Show”, ITV’s “Lorraine”, Channel 4’s “Sunday Brunch”, BBC Radio 2 Zoe Ball's show and Virgin Radio Breakfast with Chris Evans. Walking On Sunshine will be supported with a wide-reaching digital marketing campaign including podcast advertising, and the title has been chosen as the inaugural book to launch high street fashion brand Monsoon’s new book club.

In addition to having written six novels and two works of non-fiction, Fletcher is the presenter of the award-winning “Happy Mum Happy Baby” podcast and an actress. She will shortly appear in “A Ghost Story” at the Gielgud Theatre alongside Stephanie Beatriz and James Buckley. Since 2019, she has presented the CBeebies series “The Baby Club” and she won series 20 of “I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!”.

Hitchcock said: “Since we first published Giovanna in 2013, she has been an utter joy to work with and her warm-hearted and inspiring novels, featuring characters who are so real they feel like true friends, just keep getting better and better. We are so proud of everything Giovanna has achieved in every aspect of her impressive career and know she is destined to become a true superstar of the fiction world.”

Fletcher commented: “Penguin Michael Joseph has been home to my fiction since the start of my writing career and I’m thrilled to be sticking with the family moving forward. I carry great pride in being one of their authors and am forever grateful for the encouragement and support they give me. Maxine’s enthusiasm is second to none, and the way she and Hannah work together to get the best out of me is hugely appreciated. I cannot wait to let my imagination run free some more.”

Ferguson added: “From the very start of Gi’s publishing career she has always written characters with heart that connect with readers like no other. Her books are full of love, warmth, laughter and some tears. I’m delighted she will be publishing two new books with the team at Michael Joseph – there are no limits to where her writing can go from here.”