Free | Books+Publishing

Farrell’s Bookshop celebrates 40 years

Monday, 26 February 2018
Farrell’s Bookshop in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Farrell’s was founded in 1978 by Roy and Liz Farrell, who set up the shop in Mornington’s...

Clarke to edit new anthology ‘Growing Up African in Australia’

Monday, 26 February 2018
Black Inc. has announced it will publish a new anthology in 2019, Growing up African in Australia, which will be edited by Maxine Beneba Clarke, with assistance from writers Ahmed...

Shortlist announced for 2018 Jhalak Prize for BAME writers

Friday, 23 February 2018
The shortlist for the UK’s Jhalak Prize for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) writers has been announced. The shortlisted titles are: The Golden Legend (Nadeem Aslam, Faber) Kumukanda (Kayo...

PEN America Literary Awards 2018 winners announced

Friday, 23 February 2018
In the US, Pen America has announced the winners of its 2018 Literary Awards. Among the award winners are: PEN/Jean Stein Book Award Whereas (Layli Long Soldier, Graywolf Press) PEN/Robert...

Marriott wins Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal

Friday, 23 February 2018
Children’s author, editor and teacher Janice Marriott has won the 2018 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal, presented annually for lifetime achievement and distinguished contribution to New Zealand children’s literature. Marriott is...

UK consumer report finds fewer preschoolers being read to by parents

Thursday, 22 February 2018
A UK report has revealed just 51% of preschool-age children are read to on a daily basis, a drop from 69% in 2013, reports the Bookseller. The survey, which was...

‘Overland’ Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize 2017 shortlist announced

Thursday, 22 February 2018
The shortlist for Overland’s Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize for travel-themed short fiction has been announced. The 13 shortlisted entries are: ‘If there are zebra finches’ (Claire Aman) ‘Hot days’...

Yolngu artist Warrkatja wins inaugural Magabala illustrator award

Thursday, 22 February 2018
Yolngu artist Johnny Warrkatja Malibirr has won Magabala Books’ inaugural Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award, reports the Australian. New to illustrating books, Warrkatja is a painter whose work draws on traditional...

McLean appointed acting CEO of UPLIT and BWF

Thursday, 22 February 2018
Ann McLean has been appointed acting chief executive officer for 2018 at UPLIT, the organisation responsible for the Brisbane Writers Festival (BWF). McLean will serve in the role while the...

Rights round-up

Wednesday, 21 February 2018
Sales Fiction: Allen & Unwin has sold film rights to The Twentieth Man (Tony Jones). Fremantle Press has sold Italian rights to The Hope Fault (Tracy Farr) to Parallelo45 Edizioni....

Taylor & Francis scraps licensing change after opposition from libraries

Wednesday, 21 February 2018
In the UK, Taylor & Francis has reversed its decision to charge extra for older journal material after more than 110 libraries in the UK and Ireland signed an open...

The state of bookselling in America: Tom Hoskins on attending the American Booksellers Association Winter Institute

Wednesday, 21 February 2018
This year’s American Booksellers Association Winter Institute conference in Memphis was the largest gathering to date: 680 booksellers from around the world were joined by more than 130 authors and...

Concept plans released for ‘long-awaited’ Gosford library

Wednesday, 21 February 2018
Concept plans for the ‘long-awaited’ Gosford Regional Library have been released, reports the Daily Telegraph. Community residents are being asked to consider the two concept plans for the library and...

Quote of the week

Wednesday, 21 February 2018
‘We, as publishers, have not done a great job going digital. We’ve tried. We’ve tried enhanced or enriched ebooks—didn’t work. We’ve tried apps, websites with our content—we have one or...

‘ABR’ Peter Porter Poetry Prize 2018 shortlist announced

Wednesday, 21 February 2018
The shortlist for the 2018 Australian Book Review (ABR) Peter Porter Poetry Prize has been announced. The shortlisted poets are: Eileen Chong (Sydney) Katherine Healy (Adelaide) L K Holt (Melbourne)...

Creative Victoria announces new Diversity and Inclusion Program funding

Wednesday, 21 February 2018
Creative Victoria has announced new funding opportunities under its Diversity and Inclusion Program to ‘address barriers to participation by underrepresented groups in Victoria’s creative industries’. As part of the initiative,...