Local news | Books+Publishing

Affirm acquires Lim’s new novel

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...

Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2026 shortlists announced

Wednesday, 10 December 2025
The Wheeler Centre has announced the shortlists for the 2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards. The shortlisted and highly commended works in each category are: Fiction ($25,000) A Piece of Red...

S&S ANZ appoints Curry as MD

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

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

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

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 &...

ANU’s Centre for Biography, National Dictionary Centre saved

Wednesday, 10 December 2025
A philanthropic donation will fund the National Centre for Biography (NCB) and the Australian National Dictionary Centre (ANDC) for two years, amid a round of staff cuts by the Australian...

A&U acquires third Rose McHugh Mystery novel

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

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

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

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”

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”

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

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

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...

Copyright Agency announces latest Cultural Fund grants

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

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

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

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

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,...

Rockpool acquires Major Street

Tuesday, 2 December 2025
Rockpool Publishing has announced its acquisition of independent Australian publisher Major Street Publishing. Rockpool will now “assume ownership of Major Street’s brand, frontlist, backlist and author relationships,” said organisers. Major...