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MWF ticket sales up 47% 

MWF logo Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) recorded a 47% year-on-year increase in revenue for this year’s festival program, running 8–11 May. Representing the highest revenue since 2019, the festival reported over 21,000...

Jacky Winter Group launches Gildlings 

Gildings logo Wednesday, 28 May 2025
The Jacky Winter Group – a creative agency with offices in Melbourne, New York, and London – has announced the creation of new literary agency Gildlings. According to the organisation,...

SLV publishes ‘Ways of Working Commitment’

Tuesday, 27 May 2025
The State Library Victoria (SLV) has published a 'Ways of Working Commitment', following last year’s duty of care review. In its May newsletter, the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) noted...

King wins EWF Speculate Prize

Melissa Kind photo Tuesday, 27 May 2025
The Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF), in partnership with RMIT University, has announced Melissa King as the winner of the inaugural Speculate Prize for Emerging Writers for her short work 'The...

ABDA 2025 winners announced

ABDA winners Monday, 26 May 2025
The winners of the 2025 Australian Book Design Awards, presented by the Australian Book Designers Association (ABDA), have been announced. The winners in each category are: Designer's Choice Award Eat...

Atria acquires BookToker Bateman debut

Luke Bateman portrait. Monday, 26 May 2025
Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Australia, has acquired world rights to Luke Bateman’s debut fantasy series in a two-book deal, via Sean Anderson and Tim Wall at...

The Luna Foundation launches new NZ residency 

The Luna Foundation residency Monday, 26 May 2025
The Luna Foundation has launched an inaugural writers residency for Aotearoa New Zealand women writers. Running 3–7 November 2025, the Luna Foundation Writers Residency will be awarded to a woman writer...

PRH acquires two McInerney titles

Monica McInerney headshot. Monday, 26 May 2025
Penguin Random House (PRH) Australia has acquired ANZ rights for a new novel, When Sullivan Met Lola, and a new work of collected nonfiction from Monica McInerney, via Fiona Inglis...

Transit Lounge acquires Ouston’s Mine

Adam Ouston headshot. Thursday, 22 May 2025
Transit Lounge has acquired ANZ rights to author Adam Ouston’s second novel, Mine, via Martin Shaw at Shaw Literary. According to Shaw, Mine has been composed in one complete sentence. The...

Big Day of Books Perth program announced

Perth Big Day of Books. Thursday, 22 May 2025
ABC Radio, Fremantle Press, UWA Publishing, Magabala Books and Boffins Books have announced the program for the Big Day of Books Perth. 'When the Perth Writers Festival was postponed, Fremantle...

Raisin wins Romantic Novel of the Year Award 

a portrait of Rebecca Raisin Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Perth-based writer Rebecca Raisin has won the Contemporary Romance Novel Award for her book A Love Letter to Paris (Boldwood) in the 2025 Romantic Novel of the Year Awards. Chosen...

Pantera acquires Bridges’ book on perimenopause 

a portrait of Michelle Bridges Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Pantera Press has acquired The Perimenopause Method from Michelle Bridges, via Joseph Hanrahan at Profile Talent Management. According to the publisher, The Perimenopause Method is a ‘comprehensive and holistic guide’...

Purcell appointed The Nile head of books Australia 

a portrait of John Purcell Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Online bookseller The Nile has appointed John Purcell as head of books – Australia, joining Stacey Collins, who was recently promoted to head of books – New Zealand. Purcell was...

digiDirect acquires James Bennett 

James Bennett Logo Wednesday, 21 May 2025
The digiDirect Group, owner of Booktopia, has acquired Australian library supplier James Bennett from US library supplier Baker & Taylor. digiDirect Group chair and CEO Shant Kradjian said: ‘We are...

A&U acquires The Grade Cricketer book 

a portrait of Sam Perry and Ian Higgins Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to The Grade Cricketer: Alphas, Champs and Chop Kings, a new nonfiction title from Sam Perry and Ian Higgins. Since debuting on Twitter...

NZSA 2025 Youth Mentorships announced

New Zealand Society of Authors logo. Tuesday, 20 May 2025
The New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa has announced the recipients of the NZSA 2025 Youth Mentorship Programme. The four secondary school students selected for...

Le wins NSW Literary Book of the Year Award

36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem by Nam Le cover. Monday, 19 May 2025
The winners of the 2025 NSW Literary Awards have been announced. Nam Le's poetry collection 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem (Scribner) won the overall $10,000 Book of the...

SLV hosts World of the Book exhibition

SLV logo. Monday, 19 May 2025
State Library Victoria (SLV) has announced the 20th anniversary World of the Book exhibition, to open from 31 May 2025. The exhibition will include three new artefacts, including a medieval...

BookPeople 2025 Bookseller of the Year shortlists announced

Book people logo Monday, 19 May 2025
BookPeople has announced the shortlists for its 2025 Bookseller of the Year awards. The shortlisted booksellers include: BookPeople Hardie Grant Children's Publishing Bookseller of the Year Jennifer Jackson, Paper Bird...

Miles Franklin Literary Award 2025 longlist announced

The Miles Franklin 2025 longlist banner of covers. Thursday, 15 May 2025
The longlist for the 2025 Miles Franklin Literary Award has been announced. Longlisted titles for the $60,000 prize are: Chinese Postman (Brian Castro, Giramondo) The Burrow (Melanie Cheng, Text) Theory...

Ockham New Zealand 2025 Book Awards winners

The ockham new zealand book awards logo. Thursday, 15 May 2025
In Aotearoa New Zealand, the winners of the 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards have been announced. The winning titles, chosen from shortlists announced in March, are: Jann Medlicott Acorn...