Local news | Books+Publishing

Hachette acquires two crime novels from Papathanasiou

Wednesday, 19 February 2025
MacLehose Press, an imprint of Hachette imprint Quercus, has acquired world rights to two new crime novels by Peter Papathanasiou in a deal brokered by Martin Shaw at Shaw Literary....

Summit Books acquires new Lee fiction

Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Simon & Schuster (S&S) imprint Summit Books has acquired ANZ rights to Bri Lee’s second novel, Seed, from agent Grace Heifetz at a4 Literary. The novel introduces Mitchell and Frances,...

Knox longlisted for 2025 Walter Scott Prize

Wednesday, 19 February 2025
In the UK, the Abbotsford Trust has announced the longlist for the 16th Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction (WSP). Among those longlisted is local author Malcolm Knox for his...

S&S Australia launches Atria imprint

Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Simon & Schuster (S&S) Australia has announced the launch of new imprint Atria Books Australia, to be led by publisher Anthea Bariamis. Atria Books is already an imprint with S&S...

Stricker wins 2025 Peter Porter Poetry Prize

Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Meredith Stricker was awarded the 2025 Peter Porter Poetry Prize, run by the Australian Book Review (ABR) and worth $6000, at a ceremony in Melbourne last night. ABR outgoing editor Peter...

Program announcements: Newcastle Writers Festival; Whitsundays Writers Festival

Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Newcastle Writers Festival (NWF) has announced its full festival program, which will run 4–6 April. Established in 2013, NWF also oversees the Fresh Ink Emerging Writers Prize for regional NSW...

Atlantic acquires Stephens debut

Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Atlantic Books Australia, a division of Allen & Unwin (A&U), has acquired ANZ rights to Clare Stephens’s debut novel The Worst Thing I’ve Ever Done, in a deal brokered by...

Creative Australia announces 2025 VIPs

Monday, 17 February 2025
Creative Australia has announced the 12 international publishers, editors and agents participating in the 2025 Visiting International Publishers (VIPs) program. This year’s participants represent ‘a range of territories; genre specialties;...

Ocean Reeve Publishing declares bankruptcy

Monday, 17 February 2025
Ocean Reeve Publishing, a hybrid publisher based in Queensland and in Aotearoa New Zealand, has declared bankruptcy. In a statement, the Reeve family said, ‘websites, emails, [and] social media related...

Keeperton to publish five TL Swan books

Monday, 17 February 2025
Arndell, an imprint of Keeperton, has announced it will publish worldwide print editions of The Miles High Club series by author and Keeperton founder TL Swan. The series consists of...

Tasmanian Literary Awards 2025 shortlists announced

Monday, 17 February 2025
The shortlists for the 2025 Tasmanian Literary Awards have been announced. Shortlisted titles in each category are: Premier’s Prize for Fiction ($25,000) The Angry Women’s Choir (Meg Bignell, Penguin) Heartsease...

DANZ Children’s Book Award 2025 longlists announced

Thursday, 13 February 2025
The 2025 longlists for the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) DANZ (Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand) Children’s Book Award have been announced. The longlisted titles in each category...

Silcox to depart Canberra Writers Festival

Thursday, 13 February 2025
Canberra Writers Festival (CWF) has announced the departure of artistic director Beejay Silcox. Silcox joined CWF in 2023, following the departure of Jeanne Ryckmans in 2022, and oversaw the 2023...

‘Tracker’ longlisted for 2025 Women’s Prize for Nonfiction

Thursday, 13 February 2025
In the UK, Alexis Wright’s book Tracker (Giramondo) has been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Nonfiction. Published in the UK in January by Other Stories, the book is one...

HarperCollins acquires Parker historical novel

Thursday, 13 February 2025
HarperCollins Australia has acquired ANZ rights for Until the Red Leaves Fall by Alli Parker, via Pippa Masson at Curtis Brown. The novel, set in 1957 Melbourne, follows Emmy Darling,...

New Australia Reads report identifies reader types, barriers to reading

Wednesday, 12 February 2025
A new report on reading behaviour based on research conducted by Monash University and book industry initiative Australia Reads has been released. The Understanding Australian Readers report, which surveyed 1622...

A&U acquires new historical fiction from Rose

Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to A Great Act of Love by Heather Rose, via Gaby Naher of the Naher Agency. US rights have sold to Judy Clain...

Bateman acquires Beatnik

Tuesday, 11 February 2025
Aotearoa New Zealand publisher David Bateman Ltd (Bateman Books) has acquired independent publisher Beatnik Publishing, effective from 1 February. In a statement, Bateman Books said Beatnik founder and publisher Sally...

Affirm acquires Johnson debut ‘King Tide’

Tuesday, 11 February 2025
Affirm has acquired ANZ rights to the debut crime novel King Tide by Luke Johnson, via literary agent Daniel Pilkington. Described by the publisher as a ‘beautiful, exhilarating and exquisitely...

Programs announced: Inaugural Footscray West Writers Fest, 2025 Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival

Monday, 10 February 2025
The inaugural Footscray West Writers Fest will run in the inner Melbourne suburb from 28 to 30 March this year. Supported by Maribyrnong City Council and presented by non-profit cultural...

Gwen Harwood Poetry Prize 2025 shortlist announced

Monday, 10 February 2025
The shortlist for the 2025 Gwen Harwood Poetry Prize has been announced. The shortlisted poems, chosen from almost 500 entries, are: ‘Whistling Space’ by Chris Andrews ‘Finding Pan’ by Jonathan...

ASA announces new rates of pay for literary award judges

Thursday, 6 February 2025
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has launched rates of pay for literary award judges. This new information, specifically for judges of literary awards for published books, has 'been established...

S&S acquires Morgan’s fiction debut

Thursday, 6 February 2025
Simon & Schuster Australia (S&S) has acquired world rights to Rachael Morgan’s commercial women’s fiction debut, in a deal between S&S commercial fiction publisher Cassandra Di Bello and Anjanette Fennell...

Varuna announces 2025 Writer’s Space Fellowship recipients

Thursday, 6 February 2025
Varuna, the National Writers' House has announced the recipients of its 2025 Writer’s Space Fellowships. Six recipients were chosen from a total of 116 submissions, in the fellowship program's first...

Booktopia liquidators investigating potential claim against former directors

Thursday, 6 February 2025
In a statutory report to creditors, the liquidators of Booktopia Group – Matthew Caddy, Damien Pasfield and Keith Crawford of McGrathNicol – said the group's estimated assets were ‘substantially consistent...

UWAP announces Affirm as new sales partner

Thursday, 6 February 2025
UWA Publishing (UWAP) has announced a new partnership with Affirm Press for sales representation, after 18 years with NewSouth Books. UWAP publisher Kate Pickard said, ‘Affirm Press has earned a...

2025 Bologna Best Children’s Publisher shortlist announced

Wednesday, 5 February 2025
The Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year shortlist has been announced. This year's Oceania shortlistees are: Affirm Press (Australia) Five Mile Press (Australia) Fremantle Press (Australia) Hardie Grant...

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