Free | Books+Publishing

WA Prem’s Book Awards returns to annual cycle in 2019

Friday, 29 June 2018
The Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards will return to an annual format, beginning in 2019. The decision was announced by the Minister for Culture and the Arts David Templeman at...

Govt to offer $48 million ‘innovation fund’ for regional and small publishers

Friday, 29 June 2018
The federal government has established a new fund for regional publishers, small publishers and content providers that produce ‘public-interest journalism with an Australian perspective’. The Regional and Small Publishers Innovation...

Text sells US, UK rights to Collette debut; Hillman picked up by Faber

Thursday, 28 June 2018
Text Publishing has sold North American rights to Katherine Collette’s forthcoming debut The Helpline to Tara Parsons, editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster’s (S&S) Touchstone division in the US, in a...

UK survey reveals 15% drop in average author earnings since 2013

Thursday, 28 June 2018
In the UK, the latest income survey from the Authors Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) has found that writers' average earnings have fallen by 15% since the last review in...

UQP acquires Birch’s new novel ‘The White Girl’

Thursday, 28 June 2018
University of Queensland Press (UQP) has acquired author Tony Birch’s third novel, The White Girl. World (including translation) rights were acquired by UQP publishing director and acting-CEO Madonna Duffy, as...

‘Boy Swallows Universe’ to be published globally through HarperCollins

Thursday, 28 June 2018
HarperCollins Australia has announced a global deal for Trent Dalton’s debut Boy Swallows Universe that will see the book published through HarperCollins companies across major English and translation markets. HarperCollins...

HK public libraries remove LGBTQIA+ kids books

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
The Hong Kong government has been accused of moving several LGBTQIA-themed children’s books out of public view in the city's public libraries, following complaints by an anti-gay group, reports the Standard....

Podcast spotlight: Spun Stories

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Established in 2015, Spun: True Stories Told in the Territory evolved from a quarterly live storytelling event in Darwin that showcases ‘extraordinary stories by ordinary people’. Hosted and produced by...

Rights round-up

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Sales Fiction Giramondo Publishing has sold German-language rights to Border Districts (Gerald Murnane) in a two-book deal to Suhrkamp; Arabic-language rights in Egypt to A Million Windows (Gerald Murnane) to Al...

NSW govt cuts public library funding by 18% in 2018-19 state budget

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
The NSW state budget has cut funding to public libraries by 18%, according to peak body Local Government NSW (LGNSW). The 2018-19 NSW state budget allocated $23.5 million to libraries,...

Mason appointed chair of NLA

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
The federal government has appointed Brett Mason as the new chair of the council of the National Library of Australia (NLA). Mason—a diplomat and academic, as well as a former...

APA publisher internships

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) has received support from the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund to offer Australian graduates an opportunity to take up an internship with a professional Australian publisher....

Melbourne Prize for Literature entries close 9 July

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Entries close Monday 9 July, 5pm Don't miss out. Visit www.melbourneprize.org to enter the Melbourne Prize for Literature 2018 & Awards. Melbourne Prize for Literature 2018: $60,000 Best Writing Award 2018: $30,000 NEW Readings...

CBCA 2019 award submissions now open

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Publishers and creators with books eligible for the 2019 CBCA Book of the Year Awards can now submit entries online: awards.cbca.org.au. Books can be delivered to: The CBCA Awards Administrator, Level...

Bookshop for sale

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Busy, independent city-based bookshop is for sale in sunny Townsville. Has solid trading figures, an established reputation and a loyal customer base. There is a long lease and lots of...

Tickets on sale for Educational Publishing Awards

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Tickets for the 25th annual Educational Publishing Awards are now on sale at the special early bird price of $120. Early bird prices are available until 10 August, so book...

Varuna Residential Fellowships for Writers 2019 applications open

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Varuna, the National Writers’ House, invites writers from across Australia to apply for a Varuna Residential Fellowship. A Varuna Residential Fellowship offers writers working across a wide range of literary...

Change for Boys Town Press

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Publisher: Boys Town Press Old distributor: Footprint Books New distributor: None Changeover date: 1 July 2018 Returns cut-off: 1 August 2018

Copyright Agency sues NSW government after unsuccessful mediation

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
After an unsuccessful mediation last week, the Copyright Agency is pursuing a law suit it filed against the New South Wales state government last year over the non-payment of copyright...

Rapper ‘Loki’ wins 2018 Orwell Prize

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
In the UK, Darren McGarvey, also known as the rapper ‘Loki’, has won the £3000 (A$5547) Orwell Prize for Books for Poverty Safari: Understanding the Anger of Britain’s Underclass (Luath...

Hardie Grant acquires Pascoe’s travel guide

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Hardie Grant Travel has acquired world rights to a travel guide book by Bunurong writer Bruce Pascoe. The as-yet-untitled book will look at places in Australia ‘where evidence of Indigenous...

Goldin’s escape room thriller attracts six-figure North American deal

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Australian author Megan Goldin’s second novel, The Escape Room (Michael Joseph), has sold into North America in a six-figure, two-book deal negotiated by David Gernert of the Gernert Agency on...

Heartland

Wednesday, 27 June 2018
A perfect companion to Evicted and Nickel and Dimed, Heartland reveals one woman's experience of working class poverty with a startlingly observed, eye-opening, and topical personal story. Sarah Smarsh was born a fifth generation...

Maguire’s ‘An Isolated Incident’ sold to UK

Tuesday, 26 June 2018
UK publisher Lightning Books has acquired Emily Maguire’s 2016 crime novel An Isolated Incident (Picador), reports the Bookseller. Lightning Books editor-at-large Scott Pack acquired world English-language rights (excluding Australia and...