You are viewing your 1 free article this month. Login to read more articles.
Arrow, an imprint of Cornerstone, has acquired a new Victorian saga trilogy by Cathy Buckland.
The series follows three generations of women in Kentand and is based on the author’s own family history.
Arrow publishing director Jenny Geras negotiated the three-book deal with Laura Longrigg from MBA, and Francesca Pathak will be Buckland's editor at Arrow. The first book in the series Half a Sixpence will be published in summer 2017.
Buckland said: "The idea came from the stories passed down through my family. My great grandfather started out as a bird scarer and worked on the same farm as a labourer until he died at 100. My grandmother made ends meet by picking hops and fruit. She would take her children with her, along with a pram that had a false bottom where she could hide a few apples to take home. There were dark moments in my family's history, a tale of illegitimacy and its consequences, but my ancestors were proud and resourceful and their struggles have provided me with the inspiration for my heroines."
Geras said: "We’ve been looking a for a new star in this area of the saga genre for some time. Cathy is a great commercial storyteller and her family history makes her the perfect person to tell these stories."