News | Books+Publishing

Wakefield acquires Roff debut short fiction collection

Thursday, 25 February 2021
Wakefield Press has acquired world rights to the debut short fiction collection, provisionally titled Third Heaven, by Adelaide writer Andrew Roff, via Martin Shaw of Shaw Literary. ‘Roff’s daring, irreverent...

ARRA 2020 finalists announced

Thursday, 25 February 2021
The finalists for the 2020 Australian Romance Readers Association's (ARRA) annual awards have been announced. The finalists in each category are: Favourite paranormal romance Alpha Night (Nalini Singh, Gollancz) Famine...

UQP acquires Atkins picture book

Thursday, 25 February 2021
University of Queensland Press (UQP) has acquired world rights to Egg, the first picture book by YA author Clare Atkins. A ‘multi-layered picture book with thought-provoking metaphors around environment, generational...

How international book markets performed in 2020

Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Through the PubMagNet initiative—a collaboration between book industry trade magazines from around the world—representatives from publications in the UK, US, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Japan, Brazil and China have shared...

Griffiths appointed HarperCollins sales director

Wednesday, 24 February 2021
HarperCollins has appointed Karen-Maree Griffiths to the position of sales director, replacing Darren Kelly in the role. ‘We are delighted to welcome Karen-Maree back to HarperCollins,' said CEO said Jim...

CBCA 2021 Notable Books announced

Wednesday, 24 February 2021
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced its list of Notable Books for 2021. The books in each category are: Older readers The F Team (Rawah Arja, Giramondo)...

Sara Haghdoosti on ‘Sunburnt Veils’

Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Sara Haghdoosti's debut YA novel Sunburnt Veils (Wakefield, April) follows protagonist Tara as she navigates relationships, racism and political activism during her first year of university. Reviewer Mischa Parkee said...

Australians longlisted for 2021 Walter Scott Prize

Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Four Australian authors have been longlisted for the UK's £25,000 (A$44,440) Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. Steven Conte was longlisted for The Tolstoy Estate, K M Kruimink for A...

Pantera acquires Fa’Aoso memoir

Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Pantera Press has acquired world rights to the debut memoir by actor and former professional footballer Aaron Fa'Aoso in a six-figure pre-empt from Danielle Binks at Jacinta di Mase Management....

Williams wins 2021 MUD Literary Prize

Tuesday, 23 February 2021
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams (Affirm Press) has won the fourth annual MUD Literary Prize. Presented annually for the best debut literary novel by an Australian writer,...

Scribner acquires Haigh Evatt history

Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Under its Scribner imprint Simon & Schuster Australia has acquired world rights to The Brilliant Boy: Doc Evatt and the great Australian dissent, a new work of history by Gideon...

S&S acquires historical fiction debut

Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Simon & Schuster (S&S) has acquired world rights to The Understudy, a historical fiction debut by Julie Bennett. ‘The Understudy is set in 1973, the year the Opera House opened....

Text announces Steph Bowe Mentorship for Young Writers

Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Text Publishing has announced the Steph Bowe Mentorship for Young Writers, a new initiative designed to nurture and encourage a new Australian children’s writer under the age of 25. The...

Australian Book Design Awards 2021 longlists announced

Monday, 22 February 2021
The longlists for the Australian Book Design Awards, presented by the Australian Book Designers Association (ABDA), have been announced. Longlisted titles in some of the categories are: Best Designed Commercial...

ABIA 2021 longlists announced

Monday, 22 February 2021
The longlists for the 2021 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) have been announced. The titles in each category are: General fiction book of the year The Bluffs (Kyle Perry, Michael...

SRB to increase nonfiction reviews; festivals, Wheeler Centre receive funding

Monday, 22 February 2021
The Copyright Agency has announced funding from its Cultural Fund to support writers via the Sydney Review of Books (SRB) and panels at seven major writers festivals and the Wheeler...

Publisher, bookseller Facebook pages wiped of content

Friday, 19 February 2021
Many book publishers, literary journals and booksellers have had their Facebook pages wiped of content after the social media platform banned the sharing of all Australian news content in response...

Kelly departs HarperCollins

Friday, 19 February 2021
HarperCollins Australia has announced the departure of sales director Darren Kelly, after nine years in the role. HarperCollins ANZ CEO Jim Demetriou said, ‘Darren has been an amazing advocate for...

WAYRBA 2021 shortlists announced

Thursday, 18 February 2021
The shortlists for the 2021 West Australian Young Readers’ Book Awards (WAYRBA) have been announced. The shortlisted titles in each category are: Picture books Pig the Blob (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic) Twelve...

US 2020 bookstore sales down 28%

Thursday, 18 February 2021
In the US, full-year data for 2020 shows bookstore sales fell 28.3% from 2019, according to preliminary estimates from the US Census Bureau, reports Publishers Weekly. Bookstore sales were down...

PRH acquires Lattouf’s ‘How to Lose Friends and Influence White People’

Thursday, 18 February 2021
Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) has acquired the first book by journalist and activist Antoinette Lattouf, How to Lose Friends and Influence White People. The book was acquired at auction...

Inaugural Little Hare Illustration Prize winner announced

Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing (HGCP) has announced Meg Rennie as the winner of the inaugural 2020 Little Hare Illustration Prize. ‘Meg’s artwork enchanted the judging panel with her vivacious character...

Avery signs four-book deal after Walker Wednesday submission

Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Walker Books Australia has acquired world rights to two picture books and two graphic novels by Western Australian author Sean E Avery, after he submitted his manuscripts to Walker Wednesday....

Mothers and daughters: Jacqueline Maley on ‘The Truth About Her’

Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Jacqueline Maley's debut novel The Truth About Her (Fourth Estate, April) follows Suzy, a journalist and single parent who's blamed for the suicide of a young wellness blogger and drawn...

Meet Scholastic Australia rights manager Claire Pretyman

Wednesday, 17 February 2021
As the pandemic keeps rights sellers from meeting face-to-face, Books+Publishing is shining a regular spotlight on the work of Australian rights agents. Today, we hear from Scholastic Australia rights manager Claire Pretyman. How...