News | Books+Publishing

Hachette acquires junior fiction series ‘Kitty is Not a Cat’ in four-book deal

Wednesday, 8 May 2019
Hachette Australia has acquired world rights to four junior fiction titles based on the children’s television series Kitty Is Not A Cat, via Melanie Ostell Literary. The animated television show,...

Book buyer spotlight: Readings’ Angela Crocombe

Wednesday, 8 May 2019
Angela Crocombe has worked as an author, publicist, sales rep and in foreign rights before joining Readings as its children’s book buyer. She spoke to Books+Publishing for our ‘book buyer...

UK author earnings survey shows lack of diversity, drop in income

Wednesday, 8 May 2019
In the UK, the full results of a report on author earnings have been released, revealing that the vast majority of professional authors are white, reports Book Brunch. Only two...

Over 15,000 attend Clunes Booktown Festival; Caro, Birch top bestsellers list

Wednesday, 8 May 2019
Over 15,000 people attended Clunes Booktown Festival, held from 4–5 May in the former goldmining town of Clunes, Victoria. A spokesperson for Clunes Booktown told Books+Publishing that most of the...

First authors announced for Byron Writers Festival

Wednesday, 8 May 2019
The first authors have been announced for the 2019 Byron Writers Festival, which runs from 2–4 August. International guests include Kurdish-Iranian refugee Behrouz Boochani (who will appear via livestream from...

Text Prize 2019 shortlist announced

Wednesday, 8 May 2019
The shortlist has been announced for the 2019 Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing. The five shortlisted manuscripts are: ‘Tellurian Blue’ by Danielle Clode, a debut fantasy novel...

Ventura sells debut novel to Random House Germany

Wednesday, 8 May 2019
Ventura Press has sold German-language rights to Karyn Sepulveda’s debut novel Letters to My Yesterday to Random House Germany. Following a bidding war, agent Amanda Tokar sold the rights to...

Class act: Facilitating in-school author visits

Wednesday, 8 May 2019
An inspiring in-school appearance from an author is often the key to getting kids interested in reading. Andrea Hanke spoke to four speakers’ agencies about facilitating these important interactions. For Victoria-based...

Ractliffe to study consumer insights, digital data with $15,000 publisher fellowship

Tuesday, 7 May 2019
The Copyright Agency has announced Hachette Australia managing director Justin Ractliffe as the recipient of its $15,000 publisher fellowship. The fellowship ‘supports the pursuit of innovation and professional development from...

Australian Reading Hour nominated for international literacy award

Tuesday, 7 May 2019
The Australian Reading Hour is one of six projects shortlisted for the US$10,000 (A$14,340) Joy of Reading Award, established by Systematic and the Next Library conference to recognise initiatives that...

Dharker turns down British poet laureateship

Tuesday, 7 May 2019
In the UK, poet Imtiaz Dharker has turned down the British poet laureateship, reports the Guardian. ‘I had to weigh the privacy I need to write poems against the demands...

Labor pledges $2m for inclusive publishing

Tuesday, 7 May 2019
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has pledged $2 million for inclusive publishing if it wins government at the federal election on 18 May. In a release outlining the ALP's plans...

REAL Awards 2019 shortlists announced

Tuesday, 7 May 2019
The shortlists for the 2019 Reading & Enjoying Australian Literature (REAL) Awards—which act as shortlists for children’s choice book awards in New South Wales (KOALAs), Northern Territory (KROC Awards) and...

Serong longlisted for £15,000 Wilbur Smith Adventure Prize

Monday, 6 May 2019
Jock Serong has been longlisted for the £15,000 (A$28,230) Wilbur Smith Adventure Prize, for his novel Preservation (Text). Preservation is one of 12 titles longlisted for the prize, which celebrates...

Aurealis Awards 2018 announced

Monday, 6 May 2019
The winners of the 2018 Aurealis Awards for the best Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror writing published in 2018 have been announced. The winning titles were: Best science fiction...

Cohen wins Russell Prize for humour writing

Monday, 6 May 2019
David Cohen has won the 2019 Russell Prize for humour writing for his short story collection The Hunter and Other Stories of Men (Transit Lounge). Cohen’s ‘eclectic collection’ was chosen...

Four writers named 2019 ‘SMH’ Best Young Australian Novelists

Monday, 6 May 2019
Tom Lee (Coach Fitz, Giramondo), Robbie Arnott (Flames, Text), Jamie Marina Lau (Pink Mountain on Locust Island, Brow Books) and Ruby J Murray (The Biographer's Lover, Black Inc.) have been...

UQP sells world English rights to ‘The Lost Arabs’ to Andrews McMeel Universal

Monday, 6 May 2019
UQP has sold world English-language rights (ex ANZ) to Omar Sakr’s poetry collection The Lost Arabs to US-based Andrews McMeel Universal. UQP publishing director Madonna Duffy said the deal came...

ALS Gold Medal 2019 shortlist announced

Friday, 3 May 2019
The shortlist for the 2019 Australian Literature Society (ALS) Gold Medal has been announced. The shortlisted titles are: Aqua Spinach (Luke Beesley, Giramondo) Beautiful Revolutionary (Laura Elizabeth Woollett, Scribe) click here for...