Headline has acquired two novels from debut Irish author Nicola Doherty, who currently works as a copywriter for The Folio Society.

Associate publisher Sherise Hobbs bought British Commonwealth rights for The Out of Office Girl and a second book from Rowan Lawton at PFD.

Hobbs said: “Headline has always specialised in finding and nurturing new talent in the area of women’s fiction and when we read Nicola’s novel, we all knew we had discovered someone very special. She has absolutely captured the hilarious highs and excruciating lows of a young woman just starting out in her publishing career in London, and The Out of Office Girl will be a major paperback launch for us next summer.”

Doherty began her publishing career working for Anne-Louise Fisher, before becoming an editor at Hodder and then joining The Folio Society.

Taken from The Bookseller

It’s always great to hear about publishers obtaining new and exciting authors in the chick lit world, and this sounds like no exception! I’ve had a little look on Amazon and it’s scheduled for a release date of 15th March 2012, and by the sound of synopsis, it’s going to be one to look out for!

Alice Roberts may work on celebrity autobiographies, but her life is anything but A-list. She’s stuck in the office in rainy London for the summer, overlooked by her terrifying boss Olivia and she’s just been dumped by text message. Things couldn’t really get much worse. But her life takes a dramatic u-turn when Olivia is suddenly taken ill and Alice finds herself on a plane to Sicily to work with Hollywood film star Luther Carson on his book. Luther is perfect pin-up material: he’s beautiful, brooding and looks fabulous without his shirt on. But he’s also secretive; what is he hiding about his past? And when will Luther’s arrogant, yet infuriatingly attractive, agent, Sam, let Alice get on with her job? Alice has just days to come up with the book, or Olivia will make sure her career is over before it’s begun. Suddenly summer in Sicily doesn’t seem so dreamy after all. But maybe Alice is due her own Hollywood ending?

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