News | Books+Publishing

Saunders awarded 2026 Peter Blazey Fellowship

Thursday, 13 November 2025
Author and academic Mykaela Saunders has won the $20,000 Peter Blazey Fellowship for her work in progress, “Dear Uncle”. “Dear Uncle” is about Koori artist Kev Saunders (1956–2012), a Dharug...

UQP mentorship prize winners announced

Thursday, 13 November 2025
The University of Queensland Press (UQP) has announced the winners of the inaugural UQP Mentorship Prize for under-represented writers. Chosen from a shortlist of 5, the winners are: SD Munawara...

ASA appoints Mills as chair

Thursday, 13 November 2025
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has appointed Jennifer Mills as chair of its board of directors. Mills first became an ASA director in 2022 and has served as deputy...

Wombat acquires Page’s interactive novel

Thursday, 13 November 2025
Wombat Books has acquired world rights to Gabriella Page’s The Nardi Puzzle, an interactive middle-grade story that allows readers to solve puzzles alongside the characters. The novel follows Sebastian Walker’s...

WestWords acquires Lee’s debut novel

Thursday, 13 November 2025
WestWords Books has acquired adult novel Bound by Samantha WL Lee. Set in four countries – China, Malaysia, Britain and Australia – and extending over more than a century, Bound...

A&U acquires Flynn biography

Thursday, 13 November 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to Errol Flynn, Patricia A O’Brien’s biography of Australian-born Hollywood actor Errol Flynn, known for his swashbuckling roles and controversial off-screen life....

Random House acquires Cherry Lake Publishing Group

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
In the US, Random House Children’s Books (RHCB), a division of Penguin Random House, has acquired children’s publisher Cherry Lake Publishing Group. According to PW, the sale involves approximately 6000...

SLQ fellowship, medal recipients announced

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
State Library of Queensland (SLQ) has announced the 2026 recipients of 6 fellowships, worth $105,000, along with 2 John Oxley Library Medals. The recipients in each category are: John Oxley...

New First Nations metadata standards published

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) and Australian publishing staff have contributed to new international metadata standards designed to make First Nations books and publishing more consistently labelled and more easily...

CWF: Casual in the capital

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
The 9th Canberra Writers Festival (CWF) ran from 22 to 26 October – the first under the current programming team of CEO Travis Green, artistic director Andra Putnis and artistic...

Wiley acquires O’Connell’s “Unscript”

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Wiley has acquired world rights to broadcaster Christian O’Connell’s personal development book Unscript. Unscript strips away “the ghost scripts that keep us disconnected, through a mix of vibrant storytelling, authentic...

Riveted acquires Gordon’s latest children’s book

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Riveted Press has acquired world rights to The Midlands by Kate Gordon, in a deal brokered by Alex Adsett Literary. The Midlands takes place during the First World War as 11-year-old Lorna Whittle and her 4...

Affirm acquires Keegan’s second novel

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to Lauren Keegan’s second novel, The Woman in the Seal Skin. Set on a Scottish island, the novel follows Malie, who grew up hearing...

Submit your Christmas closing dates

Wednesday, 12 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...

NewSouth acquires Kale’s debut

Wednesday, 12 November 2025
NewSouth Publishing has acquired world rights to Foreign Return: On Art and Inhabitation, the debut literary nonfiction work by writer and cultural critic Neha Kale. Kale migrated from India to...

Kay Kerr recommends

Tuesday, 11 November 2025
The last two Australian books I read and loved were Moonlight and Dust by Jasmin McGaughey – for the intrigue and lush, gorgeous writing, and Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica...

Kay Kerr on “Might Cry Later”

Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Queensland-based author Kay Kerr made her debut with Please Don’t Hug Me (Text, 2020), followed by Social Queue (Text, 2021). Her latest release, Might Cry Later (Macmillan, November), marks her...

Pantera acquires Bassingthwaighte memoir

Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Pantera Press has acquired world rights to the memoir Love Like This by actor and singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte. The publisher described Love Like This as an “unflinchingly honest and intimate memoir...

Szalay wins 2025 Booker Prize for “Flesh”

Tuesday, 11 November 2025
David Szalay has won the 2025 Booker Prize, worth £50,000 (A$100,800), for Flesh (Jonathan Cape). “Written in spare prose, and spanning decades – from a Hungarian housing estate to the mansions...

Baker & Taylor shutdown ripples across industry

Tuesday, 11 November 2025
In the United States, international library wholesaler Baker & Taylor’s recent trading problems and looming closure is impacting publishers, retailers and libraries, according to several industry professionals. B&T owner and...