Fig Tree scoops second novel from Alderton

Fig Tree has scooped the “wise, funny and achingly relatable” second novel by Dolly Alderton. Publishing director Helen Garnons-Williams acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Good Material in a two-book deal from Clare Conville at C&W Agency. US rights have been acquired by Jenny Jackson at Knopf, and Canadian rights by Bhavna Chauhan at Doubleday.

Good Material, to be published in hardback on 2nd November 2023, follows 35-year-old Andy as he faces the realities of his life, career and relationship. According to the publisher: “Dolly Alderton’s highly-anticipated second novel is about the mystery of what draws us together – and what pulls us apart – the pain of really growing up and the stories we tell about our lives”.

Garnons-Williams said: "Good Material demonstrates, once again, Dolly’s extraordinary talent for mapping the human heart.”

Alderton is an author, screenwriter, journalist, a columnist for the Sunday Times Style. Her first book, Everything I Know About Love (Fig Tree) became a top five Sunday Times bestseller in its first week of publication, won a National Book Award (UK) for Autobiography of the Year and was also made into a BBC One TV series.

She is the author of the novel Ghosts (Fig Tree), and Dear Dolly (Fig Tree), a collection of her agony aunt columns from the Sunday Times Style magazine.

Alderton said: “Good Material has challenged me as an author in new ways, and I’ve loved the process of writing it.”