Sphere acquires two new books from Jenny Colgan

Sphere has acquired two new books in Jenny Colgan's School by the Sea series: Lessons and Studies. 

The new books will continue the story of Maggie Adair, a teacher at a girls’ boarding school on the Cornish coast.

Deputy publisher for Sphere fiction Maddie West acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Jo Unwin at the Jo Unwin Agency.

Lessons will be published in digital edition first over three instalments, divided by the three school terms. The first, Lessons: Autumn, will coincide with the beginning of the new school term in September 2018. 

A musical based on the first two books in the series, "The Girls of Downey Hall", is meanwhile premiering at the Other Palace Theatre in London's West End this summer.

West said: “Publishing Jenny Colgan’s funny and fabulous boarding school stories for grown-ups is an absolute delight. I’m thrilled that there is more to come in Maggie’s story.”

Colgan added: "Year after year, it's been such a delight hearing from new readers gradually discovering this series, particularly the more fervent ones, so I'm just over the moon to carry it on with Sphere. I've loved going back to Downey House boarding school and spending time with Maggie, David and all the pupils and teachers again, and I can't wait to share it with everyone."

The news follows Colgan's embroilment in a Twitter row earlier this year after making comments in a Guardian book review about celebrity authors turning to writing novels "when there’s only so much to go around".