News | Books+Publishing

No newsletter on Friday

Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Books+Publishing will not publish a newsletter on Friday, 26 September due to a public holiday in Victoria. The next newsletter will be published on Monday, 29 September.

ARA Historical Novel Prize shortlists announced

Wednesday, 24 September 2025
The Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA) has announced the shortlists for the 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize. Chosen from longlists announced earlier this month, the shortlisted books in each category...

Julia Busuttil Nishimura recommends

Tuesday, 23 September 2025
The Japanese Art of Pickling and Fermenting by Yoko Nakazawa. I recently picked this book up and have read it cover to cover. I love the book design, the gorgeous...

Julia Busuttil Nishimura on ‘Sundays Under the Lemon Tree’

Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Melbourne-based food writer and cookbook author Julia Busuttil Nishimura made her publishing debut with Ostro (Plum, 2017). Her first picture book, Sundays Under the Lemon Tree (Scribble, November), is ‘a...

Stella Day Out to host Hobart events

Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Literary organisation Stella has announced the program for its second Hobart event, running 26 September at the University of Tasmania. Michelle de Kretser, the 2025 Stella Prize winner, will discuss...

UQP acquires O’Keeffe’s third novel

Tuesday, 23 September 2025
The University of Queensland Press (UQP) has acquired world rights to Angela O’Keeffe’s third novel, Phanton Days, via Martin Shaw Literary. In this forthcoming novel, the story is narrated from...

Pink Shorts Press acquires Crisp’s first nonfiction title

Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Pink Shorts Press has acquired Pearls, a collection of essays by Tracy Crisp. According to the publisher, Pearls is a collection of ‘coming-of-middle-age’ memoir essays, ‘drawn from a series of...

Hilary Mantel Prize launched

Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Literary agency AM Heath has launched a biennial prize for novel writers in the UK and Ireland, in honour of late author Hilary Mantel. ‘Hilary was a staunch supporter of...

Baker’s ‘Sight Lines’ wins best book at PANZ Book Design Awards

Monday, 22 September 2025
The winners of the 2025 New Zealand Te Rau o Tākupu Publishers Association (PANZ) Book Design Awards have been announced. Chosen from finalists announced in July, the winners are: Gerard...

Hachette acquires Carmody’s dystopian romantasy

Monday, 22 September 2025
Hachette Australia has acquired The Shadows that Listen, a debut dystopian romantasy by Louisa Carmody, in a deal brokered between Hachette head of fiction Rebecca Saunders and C&W Agency, after...

Pink Shorts Press acquires ‘Scared Angry Laughing’ by Merrilees

Monday, 22 September 2025
Pink Shorts Press has acquired Scared Angry Laughing, a nonfiction title by Margaret Merrilees. Scared Angry Laughing is a creative memoir essay collection, said the publisher. ‘These pieces speak to...

PW revives Freedom to Read issue

Monday, 22 September 2025
In the wake of ongoing threats to access to books in the US, Publishers Weekly (PW) has revived its ‘Freedom to Read’ issue. In a letter introducing the issue, PW...

DARTS and MDA announced the Luminas honours program

Monday, 22 September 2025
Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS) and Media Diversity Australia (MDA) have announced the Luminas, a national honours program recognising and celebrating ‘the trailblazers transforming Australia’s cultural and media landscapes’. The Luminas categories, to...

Stella Day Out to host Byron Bay event

Monday, 22 September 2025
Literary organisation Stella has announced two Byron Bay sessions, running 17 October at the Byron Community Centre. Michelle de Krester, the 2025 Stella Prize winner, will discuss Theory & Practice (Text)...

KUPU Māori Writers Festival releases full program

Thursday, 18 September 2025
The KUPU Māori Writers Festival has released its full program, running 17–18 October in Rotorua. Among those headlining the event are Poia Rewi, Tim Finn, Hana Tapiata, Donovan Farnham, Mike McRoberts,...

Berbay announces new travel imprint

Thursday, 18 September 2025
Children’s publisher Berbay Publishing has announced Berbay Travel, a new imprint dedicated ‘to revealing the hidden and unseen elements of destinations around the globe’. The imprint will launch with ‘a...

Mihai Eminescu Central University Library: An active cultural hub

Thursday, 18 September 2025
With libraries, their work, and free access to information under increasing threat around the world, B+P and the Melbourne UNESCO City of Literature Office reached out to libraries in other designated cities of...

A&U acquires Buttifant, Farr tough nonfiction

Thursday, 18 September 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to Life's Tough—Be Tougher by David Buttifant and Nick Farr. ‘Life's Tough—Be Tougher is a straight-talking guide to building resilience and thriving when hard...

Transit Lounge acquires new Cameron novel

Thursday, 18 September 2025
Transit Lounge has acquired world rights to Bloomfield, the third novel by Donna M Cameron, in a deal brokered by Jeanne Ryckmans at Key People Literary Management. ‘When the eccentric...

Readings’ A Day in Carlton program announced

Thursday, 18 September 2025
Readings has announced the full 2025 program for ‘A Day in Carlton’, which will run 13–15 November in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton. The festival will open with author Trent...

Melbourne Books acquires Pellegrino’s ‘Melbourne Coffee Roasters’

Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Melbourne Books has acquired world rights to Melbourne Coffee Roasters, a nonfiction title by Dominic Pellegrino. Melbourne Coffee Roasters focuses on the history of Melbourne-founder coffee roasters and houses, including Vittoria, Pellegrini's...