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UQP sells UK and Commonwealth rights to “Dead Ink”

A portrait of Jordan Prosser. Monday, 24 November 2025
University of Queensland Press (UQP) has sold UK and Commonwealth (excluding Canada and ANZ) rights to Jordan Prosser’s Blue Giant to Dead Ink Books. According to the publisher, Blue Giant...

2025 National Book Awards announced 

Cover of 'The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother)'. Monday, 24 November 2025
In the US, the National Book Foundation (NBF) has announced the five winners of this year’s National Book Awards. The winners are: Fiction The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and...

NewSouth acquires Grant’s latest book

Photo of author Stan Grant in his tsudy. Monday, 24 November 2025
NewSouth Publishing has acquired world rights to author and broadcaster Stan Grant’s When Words Fail Us: Truth beyond time, in a deal brokered by Tara Wynne at Curtis Brown. The...

PRH acquires debut Crozier novel

Photo of Lily Crozier. Thursday, 20 November 2025
Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) has acquired ANZ rights to vampire romantasy Vow of Eternal Night by debut author and PRH marketing executive Lily Crozier. PRH rights manager Sarah McDuling...

Spiers Prize winners announced

A photo of Kate Pickard, Zahina Maghrabi, Rebeca Green, and Gail Spiers. Maghrabi and Green hold certificates up. Thursday, 20 November 2025
UWA Publishing (UWAP) has announced the winners of the inaugural Spiers Prize as Zahina Maghrabi for “The Girl, The Calico and The Soldier” (young adult) and Rebeca Green for “A...

IPEd appoints Macdonald as chair 

Thursday, 20 November 2025
The Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) has appointed Catherine Macdonald as chair of the board following the 2025 AGM on 10 November. Macdonald has been on the committee of Editors...

Shanghai Children’s Book Fair probes a changing market 

Scene at China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair. Thursday, 20 November 2025
The 12th China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) finished its three-day run at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre on 16 November. Co-organised by Ronbo BolognaFiere Shanghai,...

PRH’s owner posts small gains in third quarter 

The Bertelsmann Corporate Center in Gütersloh. Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Penguin Random House (PRH) was among the 4 operating groups contributing to a 0.8% revenue increase in revenue for parent company German-owned Bertelsmann over the first 9 months of 2025,...

James, Bradley win business book of the year award

Cover of "The Quick Start Guide to Investing". Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Glen James and Nick Bradley have won the 7th Australian Business Book Award for The Quick Start Guide to Investing (Wiley). Founders Michael Hanrahan and Andrew Griffiths announced James, Bradley...

Langton awarded inaugural Rechnitz Memorial Award

Photo of Marcia Langton in university quadrangle. Wednesday, 19 November 2025
The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia has announced academic, author and activist Marcia Langton as the inaugural winner of the Rechnitz Memorial Award, which recognises “excellence in research...

Beale named 2026 NZSA President of Honour

Photo of Fleur Beale. Wednesday, 19 November 2025
The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (NZSA) has named children’s and YA author Fleur Beale this year’s NZSA President of Honour. The author of more...

Last chance to submit your Christmas closing dates 

Wednesday, 19 November 2025
To be included in Books+Publishing’s annual list of publishers’ and distributors’ trade closing dates for the holiday period, please complete our Christmas closing dates survey by noon on Tuesday, 25...

HarperCollins acquires new Whiting novel

Photo of Frances Whiting with a pile of books. Wednesday, 19 November 2025
HarperCollins ANZ has acquired world rights to The Nocturnals, a new novel by journalist and author Frances Whiting. According to the publisher, The Nocturnals tells the story of a close-knit group from...

Metzenthen wins Children’s Peace Literature Award

Cover image of The Truth of It by David Metzenthen Tuesday, 18 November 2025
David Metzenthen’s The Truth of It (Ford Street) has won the 2025 Children’s Peace Literature Award, South Australian Psychologists for Peace (SAPP) has announced. The Truth of It, a middle-grade...

Record numbers at 2025 QLF 

Authors signing books at Queenscliffe festival. Tuesday, 18 November 2025
The 11th annual Queenscliffe Literary Festival (QLF), held in the seaside Victorian town from 17 to 26 October, attracted a record 4330 attendees – significantly more than the borough’s population...

Haddad, Walker win 2025 KYD Creative Nonfiction Essay Prize

A photo George Haddad and and a photot of Sarah Walker. Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Kill Your Darlings (KYD) has announced George Haddad and Sarah Walker as joint winners of the 2025 KYD Creative Nonfiction Essay Prize. “ وجبت wejbet”, Haddad's winning essay, is described by KYD as “anchored...

Atlantic acquires Cornish’s “The Missing Mother”

Photo of Mali Cornish. Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Atlantic Books Australia has acquired ANZ rights to Mali Cornish’s adult novel The Missing Mother in a deal brokered by Martin Shaw at Shaw Literary. The publisher describes The Missing...

Henderson wins 2025 Australian Fiction Prize

Photo of Troy Henderson. Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Troy Henderson has won the Australian Fiction Prize for his unpublished crime thriller River City. The novel follows the violent struggle of “warring factions, loose-cannon allies and a city on the brink”...

Duffy appointed as UQP director

Photo of Madonna Duffy. Tuesday, 18 November 2025
The University of Queensland has appointed Madonna Duffy as director of the University of Queensland Press (UQP), with her new role to commence on 1 December. Duffy joined UQP in...

Publishers reaching across borders at Sharjah

Volodymry Samoylenko and Terri-ann White at the Sharjah Book Fair. Monday, 17 November 2025
Now in its 4th decade, the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) is the world’s third largest book fair, attracting hundreds of thousands of people. Earlier this month Upswell publisher Terri-ann...

Cunningham announced as 2026 Dahl fellow

A photo of Sophie Cunningham. Monday, 17 November 2025
The Board of Eucalypt Australia has announced Sophie Cunningham as a 2026 Dahl fellow for her manuscript “Eucalyptus: A story in twenty trees”. According to organisers, Cunningham’s work will investigate...

Wiley acquires Lishman’s next nonfiction title

A photo of Marny Lishman. She is wearing black and sits on a brown couch. A potted plant is in the background. Monday, 17 November 2025
Wiley has acquired world rights to self-help title Only You by Marny Lishman, via Simone Landes of TLS Talent. According to the publisher, Only You is designed for readers experiencing...

Bertelsmann appoints Coesfeld as chair and CEO for 2027 

Photo of Thomas Coesfeld. Monday, 17 November 2025
In Germany, Thomas Coesfeld has been appointed as the future chair and chief executive officer (CEO) of Bertelsmann, owner of Penguin Random House, by the company’s supervisory board. Current chair...

Readings Prize 2025 winners announced

Cover of “I Want Everything” by Dominic Amerena. Friday, 14 November 2025
Readings has announced the winners of the 2025 Readings Prize in each category and the winner of the Gab Williams Prize. The winning titles are: New Australian Fiction Prize I...

Book Club – this month’s reads

Friday, 14 November 2025
Looking for your next great group read? Our monthly Book Club rounds up new release titles that are perfect for sparking conversation and perhaps even some debate. From compelling fiction to...

PRH Write It fellowship recipients announced

A banner for the Penguin Random House Write It Fellowship. Thursday, 13 November 2025
Penguin Random House (PRH) has announced the recipients of the 2025 Write It Fellowship. Chosen from a shortlist announced in July, the winners are: Dayle Fogarty for “After Dark” Naomi...

Small Press Network partners with IPG UK

Thursday, 13 November 2025
The Small Press Network (SPN) in Australia and the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG) in the United Kingdom have established “a new alliance to provide their members with mutual benefits,” said...