Local news | Books+Publishing

Woollahra Digital Literary Awards 2022 shortlists announced

Monday, 7 November 2022
The shortlists for the Woollahra Digital Literary Awards have been announced. The shortlisted works in each category are: Fiction ($2500) ‘The Golden Bracelet’ (Deniz Agraz, Meniscus Literary Journal) ‘Smoking Gym’...

Voss Literary Prize 2022 shortlist announced

Monday, 7 November 2022
The shortlist for the Voss Literary Prize has been announced. The shortlisted works, chosen from a longlist of 10, are: The Other Half of You (Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Hachette) After...

Deborah Cass Prize shortlist announced

Friday, 4 November 2022
The shortlist for the 2022 Deborah Cass Prize for emerging writers from migrant backgrounds has been announced. The prize committee also announced that this year will be the prize's last....

Ractliffe to leave PRH

Friday, 4 November 2022
Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) publishing director Justin Ractliffe will leave the company following a review of its local adult publishing division. From next year PRH’s adult publishing and audio...

Walkley Book Award 2022 shortlist announced

Friday, 4 November 2022
The shortlist for this year’s Walkley Book Award has been announced. The three shortlisted titles, chosen from a longlist of nine, are: Currowan (Bronwyn Adcock, Black Inc.) The Game: A portrait...

HarperCollins acquires Parker WWII love story

Thursday, 3 November 2022
HarperCollins has acquired ANZ rights to the novel At the Foot of the Cherry Tree by scriptwriter Alli Parker, in a deal brokered by Clare Forster of Curtis Brown. Described...

Begbie wins 2022 Richell Prize

Thursday, 3 November 2022
Susannah Begbie has won the 2022 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers for her manuscript ‘When Trees Fall Without Warning’. Begbie grew up in rural New South Wales on a sheep...

BookTok, Romantasy in demand at small but ‘upbeat’ Frankfurt

Wednesday, 2 November 2022
Local publishers returning to Frankfurt for the first time since the pandemic reported an upbeat mood at the smaller-than-usual fair, where attendees were grateful to be face-to-face despite concerns over...

Erskine receives 2022 Lady Cutler Award

Wednesday, 2 November 2022
Gail Erskine is the recipient of the 2022 Lady Cutler Award, presented by the New South Wales branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) for distinguished service to...

Alcove acquires ‘The Laughter Effect’

Wednesday, 2 November 2022
Laura Apperson at Alcove Press has acquired world English-language rights (ex ANZ) to The Laughter Effect: How to build joy, resilience and positivity in your life by Ros Ben-Moshe, in a...

Dymocks Book of the Year 2022 shortlist announced

Monday, 31 October 2022
The shortlists for the 2022 Dymocks Book of the Year and young readers category have been announced. The shortlisted books in each category are: Book of the Year Horse (Geraldine...

Bitto wins 2022 Margaret and Colin Roderick Award

Monday, 31 October 2022
Emily Bitto has won the $20,000 Margaret and Colin Roderick Literary Award for her second novel Wild Abandon (A&U). 'A lot of very good books just didn’t make the shortlist. But...

Puncher & Wattmann acquires three Craig novels

Friday, 28 October 2022
Puncher & Wattmann has acquired world English rights (ex USA & Canada) to two novels by Blue Mountains–based writer Jen Craig, as well as world rights to her debut, via...

Fuge wins 2022 Bragg Prize for Science Writing

Friday, 28 October 2022
Lauren Fuge has won the 2022 UNSW Press Bragg Prize for Science Writing for her essay ‘Time travel and tipping points’, originally published in Cosmos Magazine. Fuge's story transports the...

Scribe acquires new Gott novel

Friday, 28 October 2022
Scribe Publications has acquired world English rights to Naked Ambition, a new novel by Robert Gott. Described by the publisher as a ‘playful’ novel, Naked Ambition explores the collision of...

Au, Burton, Archbold win 2022 Readings Prizes

Thursday, 27 October 2022
The winners of the three Readings Prizes for children’s, young adult and new Australian fiction have been announced. The winners are: New Australian Fiction Prize Cold Enough for Snow (Jessica...

UQP acquires book by leading Indigenous psychologist

Thursday, 27 October 2022
UQP has acquired world rights to a book by leading Indigenous psychologist Tracy Westerman outlining her life and work. Westerman is an internationally recognised psychologist specialising in culturally appropriate psychological...

Hachette acquires Jones’s ‘Cool Water’

Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Hachette has acquired world rights to literary novel Cool Water by Myfanwy Jones, in a deal negotiated by Jacinta di Mase Management. Following the story of a family over three...

Hedley appointed HarperCollins NZ publishing director

Wednesday, 26 October 2022
HarperCollins New Zealand has announced the promotion of Alex Hedley to publishing director, reports the Publishers Association of New Zealand. Hedly joined the New Zealand team in 2016, publishing bestsellers...

McGaughey wins Nakata Brophy prize

Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Jasmin McGaughey has won the Nakata Brophy Short Fiction and Poetry Prize for 'Sweet Anticipation'. McGaughey receives $5000 and a three-month writing residence at Trinity College at the University of...

‘People Who Lunch’ sells to Little, Brown Spark

Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Talia Krohn at Little, Brown Spark has acquired world English language rights (ex ANZ) to People Who Lunch: Essays on work, leisure & loose living by Sally Olds (Upswell), via Black...

Educational publishers respond to Grattan report

Tuesday, 25 October 2022
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) has criticised a recommendation by the Grattan Institute that governments should consider buying curriculum materials overseas ‘as an immediate priority’. In its report Ending the...