Inside the Australian and New Zealand book industry

Image. Advertisement:

Free >

Vale Madeleine Wickham (Sophie Kinsella)

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...

2026 Faber Writing Scholarships announced

Photos of seven authors, whose names are given in caption below. 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

Photo of Rebecca Lim. 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...

S&S ANZ appoints Curry as MD

Photo of Jane Curry with book and coffee on desk. 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

Photo of KA Ren Wyld. 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

Queensland Writers Centre logo 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

Photo of Craig Silvey and Sara Acton. 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 &...

Submit your 2026 ABIA nominations now!

Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Australian Book Industry Awards. Book Award nominations are open until Wednesday 28 January Audiobook and Publisher Business Award nominations are open until Wednesday 11 February Nominations for all 2026 Retail...

Senior editor, New South Wales

Wednesday, 10 December 2025
HarperCollins Publishers HarperCollins Publishers has an exciting opportunity for an experienced book editor to join the HarperCollins Adult Books team. This is a full-time position, based at our head office...

A&U acquires third Rose McHugh Mystery novel

Joan Sauers 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

The logo for the Indie Book Awards. 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

ABR logo 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

An image of the Blak & Bright logo. 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”

Head and shoulders photo of Amy Coomer. 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”

Photo of author Beverley McWilliams. 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

Georgie Tunny credit Cameron Grayson 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

SLV reading room door 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

An image of the Copyright Agency cultural fund logo. 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...

Fremantle Press arrivals and departures

Fremantle Press lighthouse logo. Thursday, 4 December 2025
Fremantle Press has appointed Aimee Harrison as marketing and communications assistant, and farewelled publicist Adam Matthews, who is setting up his own bookstore, Page Boys. Fremantle Press CEO Alex Allan said,...

Writing Australia appointments

Thursday, 4 December 2025
Writing Australia has announced the appointment of Léa Antigny as program manager and Emily Stewart as senior project officer. Antigny has worked at Text Publishing, Pan Macmillan, Giramondo and Pantera...

Meerkat acquires Bacon’s first Sauútiverse novel

Cover of Eugen Bacon’s 'Crimson in Quietus'. Wednesday, 3 December 2025
Meerkat Press has acquired African-Australian author and editor Eugen Bacon’s Crimson in Quietus, the first novel set in the speculative Afrocentric Sauútiverse. Crimson in Quietus spans the five-planet Sauútiverse, which...

A&U acquires Wilkinson’s new YA novel

Photo of author Lili Wilkinson. Wednesday, 3 December 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to YA novel Lavender and Hemlock by Lili Wilkinson, in a deal negotiated by Katelyn Detweiler and Sam Farkas at Jill Grinberg...

Grattan releases PM summer reading list

Cover of Cordelia Fine's 'Patriarchy, Inc.'. Wednesday, 3 December 2025
Melbourne-based think tank Grattan Institute has announced its 2025 Summer Reading List for the Prime Minister. Grattan Institute selects five books each year which it recommends to the prime minister,...