News | Books+Publishing

Booktopia announces senior appointments Archive

Monday, 5 October 2020
Online bookseller Booktopia has appointed chief financial officer Wayne Baskin as executive director, and named Geoff Stalley as the retailer’s new CFO. As executive director Baskin joins the Booktopia board,...

Reminder: Love Your Bookshop Day this Saturday Archive

Friday, 2 October 2020
The Australian Booksellers Association's (ABA) annual Love Your Bookshop Day will take place this Saturday, 3 October. As well as an opportunity for Australian booksellers to thank their customers for...

Serpell wins 2020 Arthur C Clarke Award for ‘The Old Drift’ Archive

Friday, 2 October 2020
Zambian author Namwali Serpell has won the 2020 Arthur C Clarke award for science-fiction for her debut novel The Old Drift (Vintage), reports the Guardian. The Old Drift, described as ‘a...

Affirm Press acquires Chatfield’s ‘So Let’s Unpack That’ Archive

Friday, 2 October 2020
Affirm Press has acquired ANZ rights to ‘feminist handbook’ So Let’s Unpack That by reality television star Abbie Chatfield, via her management, Stage Addiction. With the acronym ‘SLUT’, Chatfield’s book...

Fenster wins 2020 Michael Gifkins Prize Archive

Friday, 2 October 2020
Gigi Fenster has won the 2020 Michael Gifkins Prize for an Unpublished Novel for ‘A Good Winter’. Chosen from a shortlist of three, the winning manuscript was announced during an...

Barbara Jefferis Award 2020 shortlist announced Archive

Friday, 2 October 2020
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has announced the shortlist for the $50,000 Barbara Jefferis Award. The shortlisted novels are: The White Girl (Tony Birch, UQP) Too Much Lip (Melissa...

Proportion of UK YA writers of colour doubles since 2017 Archive

Thursday, 1 October 2020
In the UK, a study has found the proportion of authors of colour writing YA in the UK has more than doubled since 2017, reports the Guardian. According to research...

Big Issue announces 2020 fiction edition line-up Archive

Thursday, 1 October 2020
The Big Issue has announced the authors that will appear in its 16th annual fiction edition. The 2020 edition features 14 stories from Australian writers, including new commissioned work from...

UQP acquires Thunig’s ‘Tell Me Again’ Archive

Thursday, 1 October 2020
The University of Queensland Press (UQP) has acquired world rights to Indigenous academic, writer and media commentator Amy Thunig’s first book, Tell Me Again. UQP said the collection of essays...

Christmas buyers’ picks: Ruth Ellis at WHSmith Archive

Wednesday, 30 September 2020
In the lead-up to Christmas 2020, Books+Publishing is asking book buyers across the country to share what titles they're investing in for the busiest time of year on the bookselling calendar. In...

UK, North American bodies form green book supply chain alliance Archive

Wednesday, 30 September 2020
The UK’s Book Industry Communication (BIC) has formed an international green book supply chain alliance with Canada’s BookNet and US body the Book Industry Study Group, reports the Bookseller. Under...

The Turning Page Bookshop to become co-op Archive

Wednesday, 30 September 2020
The owners of the Turning Page Bookshop in the Blue Mountains suburb of Springwood, NSW are in the process of transforming the business into a co-operative, after putting the shop...

Affirm acquires Bontempelli picture book Archive

Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to a children’s picture book by Western Bulldogs AFL player Marcus Bontempelli, via Tom Petroro of TLA. To be co-authored with Fiona Harris, the...

Pan Macmillan acquires Rushton’s ‘The Most Important Job in the World’ Archive

Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Pan Macmillan has acquired ANZ rights to The Most Important Job in the World by journalist Gina Rushton. The book, a blend of reportage, memoir and essay exploring ‘the most pressing...

Australian Short Story Festival 2020 cancelled Archive

Tuesday, 29 September 2020
The organising committee of the Australian Short Story Festival (ASSF) has announced the 2020 festival will not go ahead in October in Adelaide as planned, due to the Covid-19 pandemic....

Little Pink Dog Books announces Authorstrator Prize Archive

Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Independent children's publisher Little Pink Dog Books has announced a new annual prize for picture book author/illustrators. The Authorstrator Prize recognises picture book creators who 'work their magic with both...

Scribe acquires Sparrow’s ‘A Secret History of Climate Change’ Archive

Monday, 28 September 2020
Scribe has acquired world rights to Jeff Sparrow’s A Secret History of Climate Change, via Martin Shaw at Shaw Literary. Scribe publisher Henry Rosenbloom said: ‘Jeff is one of Australia’s...

New $10.2m Arts Recovery Fund for SA Archive

Monday, 28 September 2020
South Australian premier Steven Marshall has announced a new $10.2 million funding package for the state’s arts and culture sector. The Arts Recovery Fund, which is focused on creating employment...

Davitt Awards 2020 winners announced Archive

Monday, 28 September 2020
Sisters in Crime Australia has announced the winners of the 2020 Davitt Awards for the best crime books by Australian women. The winning titles in each category are: Adult crime...

Children’s nonfiction sales boom in UK Archive

Friday, 25 September 2020
In the UK, Nielsen data shows sales of children’s books have boomed during 2020 due to nonfiction sales, reports the Bookseller. According to Nielsen media manager Philip Stone, children’s nonfiction...

Vic Prem’s History Award 2020 shortlist announced Archive

Friday, 25 September 2020
The shortlist for the 2020 Victorian Premier’s History Award and Community History Awards has been announced. A total of 48 projects and publications have been shortlisted for prizes ranging from...

WestWords, Booktopia launch ‘Booktober’ fundraiser Archive

Friday, 25 September 2020
In partnership with Booktopia, WestWords has launched Booktober, a new annual event ‘to encourage people in reading more books’ and raise funds for WestWords’ work providing books and literacy programs...

Hachette announces $2.5m investment in ADS capacity Archive

Thursday, 24 September 2020
Hachette Australia has announced it is making a 'major infrastructure investment' of $2.5 million in its distribution business Alliance Distribution Services (ADS), based in Tuggerah, New South Wales. ADS director...

QBD, Dymocks petition Vic premier to reopen Melbourne stores Archive

Thursday, 24 September 2020
Bookselling chains QBD and Dymocks have each written to Victorian premier Daniel Andrews asking that bookstores be allowed to open in Melbourne, which has been under stage four lockdown since...

NewSouth acquires Gunaydin’s nonfiction debut Archive

Thursday, 24 September 2020
NewSouth Publishing has acquired world rights to Sydney writer Eda Gunaydin’s debut nonfiction collection. Provisionally titled Root and Branch, the collection explores race, class, gender and violence and Turkish diaspora. The publisher...