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MUP, Harlequin Escape join NetGalley 

Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Melbourne University Publishing (MUP) and Harlequin Escape are the latest local publishers to make electronic advance reading copies of their books available through NetGalley. The US-based NetGalley allows registered readers,...

‘Overland’ poetry prize shortlist announced 

Tuesday, 19 February 2013
The shortlist for the 2012 Overland Judith Wright Poetry Prize for New and Emerging Poets has been announced. The nine poems shortlisted are: ‘The Ether Comes’ (Dusk Dundler) ‘Augury?’ (Luke Fischer)...

Collins Booksellers Croydon for sale 

Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Collins Booksellers and ABC Centre in Melbourne’s eastern suburb of Croydon is up for sale. The store, which was established in August 1994, has been managed by owner Mark Elliott for its...

Rights round-up 

Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Sales Nonfiction—Austlit has sold Tay Bridge Disaster: The People’s Story (Robin Lumley) to the History Press in the UK in conjunction with the Abner Stein Agency. Children’s—Scholastic has licensed US...

Bestsellers this week 

Monday, 18 February 2013
Big Nate’s sloppiness is getting out of control and has gotten his best friend into trouble. Will Big Nate clean up his act or flip out? Young readers are clearly enjoying Big...

Riverbend participates in flash fiction napkin project 

Monday, 18 February 2013
Napkins bearing 300-word micro stories are currently available at Riverbend Books & Teahouse, along with several other bookstores and cafes around Brisbane, as part of a flash fiction napkin project....

2013 Tasmanian Literary Prizes finalists announced

Monday, 18 February 2013
The finalists for the 2013 Tasmanian Literary Prizes have been announced. The shortlisted titles in each of the categories are: Tasmania Book Prize ($25,000) for the best book with Tasmanian...

Ice Water Press placed into receivership 

Monday, 18 February 2013
Australian children’s publisher Ice Water Press has been placed into receivership and is no longer trading. Insolvency recovery firm Grant Thornton was appointed as the receiver for the company on...

ASA launches ebook conversion and sales platform 

Friday, 15 February 2013
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has launched a new service offering ebook conversions and direct sales through its website. ASA executive director Angelo Loukakis told Books+Publishing that the Authors...

Australian children’s laureates to attend Bologna summit

Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Australia’s inaugural children’s laureates Alison Lester and Boori Monty Pryor will attend the first international children’s laureate summit at this year's Bologna Children’s Book Fair. The event, to be held on...

RIP Margaret Dunkle 

Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Margaret Dunkle, children’s librarian, bookseller, author, reviewer and life member of the Victorian branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA), has died in Ubud, Bali, aged 91. Virginia...

Rights round-up 

Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Sales Fiction—HarperCollins has sold German translation rights to Amber (Deborah Challinor); Spanish translation rights to Destined to Feel and Destined to Fly (Indigo Bloome); Polish translation rights to Destined to...

Nagelkerke wins 2013 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal 

Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Christchurch writer, book judge and former librarian Bill Nagelkerke has won the 2013 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal and Lecture Award. The award recognises Nagelkerke’s contribution to New Zealand writing for...

Quote of the week 

Wednesday, 13 February 2013
‘Literary commentators often bemoan that there is not enough interest in the Australian classics. As publishers we have accepted the responsibility to bring these books back to the fore’—HarperCollins publishing...

QWC relaunches Writers on Rafts appeal 

Tuesday, 12 February 2013
The Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) has relaunched its Writers on Rafts appeal to help raise funds for Queenslanders who have been adversely affected by Cyclone Oswald and recent flooding across...

HarperCollins to publish new series of A&R Australian Classics 

Tuesday, 12 February 2013
HarperCollins is launching a new series of Australian classics called A&R Australian Classics. The series, which combines ‘traditional and contemporary’ literature from writers such as Miles Franklin, George Johnston, Eleanor...

ACP Books rebrands as Bauer Media Books 

Tuesday, 12 February 2013
Australian Consolidated Press (ACP) Books has changed its name to Bauer Media Books, following the sale of parent company ACP Magazines to Bauer Media Group in the second half of...

2013 Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellows announced 

Tuesday, 12 February 2013
New Zealand novelists Hamish Clayton and Tanya Moir are the recipients of the 2013 Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship, reports Booksellers New Zealand. Clayton and Moir will each receive NZ$20,000 (A$16,300)...

Bestsellers this week 

Monday, 11 February 2013
Diet books are doing well on the charts this week. Your Best Body by Michelle Bridges (Viking) is number one on the highest new entries chart and number two on the fastest...

Booksellers embrace Valentine’s Day

Monday, 11 February 2013
A number of booksellers across the country are gearing up for Valentine’s Day on 14 February by showcasing books that appeal to the heart, with many turning to social media...

Busuttil promoted at Parragon, Ashmore dismissed 

Monday, 11 February 2013
Darren Busuttil has replaced Ian Ashmore as managing director of Parragon Publishing Australasia. Busuttil, who was previously sales and marketing manager for Parragon in Australia and New Zealand, was appointed...

Wilkens joins ABA management committee 

Friday, 8 February 2013
Rolf Wilkens, managing director of the Swinburne University Bookshop in Melbourne, has joined the Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) Committee of Management. The ABA said in a statement that Wilkens replaces...

Asialink 2013 residencies announced

Friday, 8 February 2013
Asialink at the University of Melbourne has announced the recipients of its 2013 Arts Residencies. The recipients of the Arts Management residencies related to writing, and the projects they will...