Sphere unveils Rebecca Templeton's debut historical fantasy
Sphere has signed Lochbound, a debut novel by Rebecca Templeton. Former editorial director Rosanna Forte bought world all language rights from Emily Glenister, and Molly Walker-Sharp (editorial director) has taken over the reins on publication since Forte's departure. It will be published in hardback in spring/summer 2026.
Lochbound is a historical fantasy that reimagines The Little Mermaid in 1700s Scotland with loch-monsters instead of mermaids, witches instead of sea witches, and curses instead of wishes. It follows Iris, a heartbroken young woman cursed to spend her days imprisoned in the depths of the loch as a terrifying monster and her nights wandering the shores alone and frozen in time. But when dead bodies start appearing on the lochside, and a rugged hunter arrives to rid the town of the beast they hold responsible, she must find her true love and break the curse – or risk certain death.
Walker-Sharp said: "Lochbound combines so many of my favourite tropes and trends – fairytale reimaginings, enemies-to-lovers romance, Celtic folklore, a richly-drawn fantasy world that draws on real history, and magic and curses to boot – and Rebecca weaves all this and more together masterfully to create something entirely fresh. Gothic and spellbinding, this is grounded historical fantasy at its best, and I can’t wait for readers to discover the dark secrets that lurk in the depths of Loch Moine next year."
Glenister said: "I am absolutely delighted to see Lochbound find its dream home with Molly and the Sphere team. Rebecca is an incredibly exciting new voice in the historical fantasy space and the moment I began reading Lochbound I knew we had something special on our hands."
Templeton said: "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be lucky enough to see Lochbound in print. I am delighted to be working with the fabulous team at Sphere, whose vision for my characters so perfectly aligns with my own. Lochbound is very close to my heart and to see it brought to life with such care and passion is an incredible experience."