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BookPeople invites booksellers to Midsumma Pride March

Friday, 12 December 2025
BookPeople, the Australian Booksellers Association, has invited booksellers, publishers and book industry friends to march alongside members of the association at Midsumma Pride March in Melbourne on 1 February 2026....

GenreCon 2026 announces new venue

Friday, 12 December 2025
The Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) has announced that next year’s GenreCon, the QWC’s annual conference for genre writers, will be held at Brisbane’s Thomas Dixon Centre. QWC said, “To meet...

“Portraits of Drowning” wins Five Islands Poetry Prize

Friday, 12 December 2025
Madeleine Dale has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Five Islands Prize for her debut poetry collection Portraits of Drowning (UQP). The judges described the book as, “a...

Poetry in Translation Prize shortlist announced

Friday, 12 December 2025
Publishers Fitzcarraldo Editions, Giramondo and New Directions have announced the shortlist for the inaugural Poetry in Translation Prize. Chosen from 259 submissions in more than 55 languages, the shortlisted titles...

Final “Books+Publishing” newsletter for 2025

Friday, 12 December 2025
This is the final Books+Publishing newsletter for 2025. We return on Monday 12 January 2026. Best wishes to our readers for the holiday season and a very happy new year.

Magabala acquires Liddle’s “gritty” poetry debut

Friday, 12 December 2025
Magabala has acquired world rights to the experimental poetry collection Damn Good Television by debut Jabirr Jabirr author and musician Loki Liddle. Described as “gritty, bloodsoaked and unsentimental”, Liddle’s debut...

Book Club – holiday reads

Friday, 12 December 2025
After fresh reads for Christmas or long summer days by the beach? Our bumper holiday Book Club brings together standout new releases and great titles from throughout the year that...

Vale Madeleine Wickham (Sophie Kinsella)

Friday, 12 December 2025
UK author Madeleine Wickham, known by her pen name Sophie Kinsella, has died, aged 55. Penguin Random House writes: Madeleine, known to everyone as Maddy, wrote her first novel under...

Larrikin House acquires Vee & Layton’s next picture book

Thursday, 11 December 2025
Larrikin House has acquired rights to Archie Can’t Sit Still, a picture book by Dani Vee and James Layton, illustrated by Davilyn Lynch. According to the publisher, the picture book follows...

Grants bring Fremantle Press closer to activating heritage building

Thursday, 11 December 2025
Fremantle Press took a further step towards celebrating its 50th anniversary in its new building with the announcement of additional funding. The organisation has secured a Lotterywest grant worth $722,226...

2026 Faber Writing Scholarships announced

Thursday, 11 December 2025
The Faber Writing Academy (FWA) has named the recipients of the 2026 Faber Writing Scholarships. The recipients are: Paff Evara (to attend Writing a Creative Nonfiction), a Black lesbian writer...

Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books workers strike

Thursday, 11 December 2025
The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) has announced staff from Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books are taking industrial action to “secure a fair new agreement” to replace an...

Affirm acquires Lim’s new novel

Thursday, 11 December 2025
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to Rebecca Lim’s latest novel, The Graduate, via Annabel Barker Agency. The novel follows graduate Fei Fei Chou, a quiet misfit in a prestigious...

Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2026 shortlists announced

Wednesday, 10 December 2025
The Wheeler Centre has announced the shortlists for the 2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards. The shortlisted and highly commended works in each category are: Fiction ($25,000) A Piece of Red...

S&S ANZ appoints Curry as MD

Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Simon & Schuster Australia and New Zealand (S&S ANZ) has named Jane Curry as its new managing director, after the departure of Dan Ruffino. UK-born Curry, currently managing director of...

UQP acquires Wyld’s third novel

Wednesday, 10 December 2025
University of Queensland Press (UQP) has acquired world rights to KA Ren Wyld’s new novel, Whichway Shimmering Dust. This multi-generational novel follows an Aboriginal girl and a sentient willy-willy who...

Arts Queensland Poetry Award winners announced

Wednesday, 10 December 2025
The Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) has announced the winners of this year’s Arts Queensland Poetry Awards. The winners in each category are: Oodgeroo Noonuccal Prize for Indigenous Poetry Winner ($3500...

A&U acquires Silvey and Acton’s latest Runt story

Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to Craig Silvey and Sara Acton’s Annie and Runt from Lesley Thorne at Aitken Alexander Associates and Margaret Connolly at Margaret Connolly &...

A&U acquires third Rose McHugh Mystery novel

Tuesday, 9 December 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to Murder at Thornwood Park, the third book in Joan Sauers’s Rose McHugh Mystery series. Murder at Thornwood Park is “for readers who...

Indie Book Awards 2026 longlists announced

Tuesday, 9 December 2025
The longlist for the 2026 Indie Book Awards has been announced. The longlisted titles in each category are: Fiction Lyrebird (Jane Caro, A&U) Gravity Let Me Go (Trent Dalton, Fourth...

Peter Porter Poetry Prize 2026 longlist announced

Tuesday, 9 December 2025
Australian Book Review (ABR) has announced the longlist for the 2026 Peter Porter Poetry Prize. The longlisted poets are: J Andros (United States) Jamil Badi (Vic.) Daragh Byrne (NSW) Elena Croitoru-Reed...

Blak & Bright board director Harrison steps down

Tuesday, 9 December 2025
Literary festival Blak & Bright has announced that Jane Harrison (The Visitors, HarperCollins) has stepped down from the board. Harrison was the festival’s first artistic director and CEO. In 2024,...

Bakers Lane acquires Coomer’s “Ravensbourne”

Tuesday, 9 December 2025
Bakers Lane Books has acquired world rights to Ravensbourne, a young adult novel by Amy Coomer, in a deal brokered by agent Belinda Bolliger. Ravensbourne follows 17-year-old Maisie McDevitt as...

UWAP acquires McWilliams’s “Bandoola”

Monday, 8 December 2025
UWA Publishing (UWAP) has acquired world rights to Bandoola, a middle-grade historical fiction novel by Beverley McWilliams, following an Australian Society of Authors’ Virtual Literary Speed Dating event in March...

A&U acquires Tunny’s debut novel

Monday, 8 December 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to Over to You by Georgie Tunny, in a deal brokered by Cathy Baker at CMC Talent Management. According to the publisher, Over...

SLV controversy continues

Monday, 8 December 2025
State Library Victoria (SLV) has responded in more detail to media reporting of a leaked document outlining job and service cuts and redeployments. Over the past two weeks, the SLV’s...

Junior Book Club – holiday reads

Friday, 5 December 2025
On the hunt for great books to share with kids? Our bumper Junior Book Club holiday edition rounds up new releases for the month and top picks from the past...

Copyright Agency announces latest Cultural Fund grants

Thursday, 4 December 2025
Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund has announced the recipients of funding in its final round for 2025, including 3 new publishing fellowships. Launched earlier this year, the revamped publishing fellowships “are...