Inside the Australian and New Zealand book industry

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International Library News 

Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Colorado library opens branch at local Kmart Aurora Public Library in Colorado, US, has opened a satellite branch within the building of a local Kmart store, in a space formerly occupied...

Quote of the week 

Wednesday, 31 July 2013
‘Borders and Angus & Robertson’s sales were 40% Australian published books. Now our biggest bookshop, Amazon, has an infinitesimally small number of Australian books being sold. We have entered a...

Adidem Group acquires full ownership of Affirm Press

Tuesday, 30 July 2013
Melbourne-based publisher Affirm Press has been wholly acquired by previous part-owner, the Adidem Group. Affirm Press publisher Martin Hughes told Books+Publishing that he sold his share in the business to...

Booku to close this week 

Tuesday, 30 July 2013
Online bookseller Boomerang Books has again announced that it will close its ebookstore Booku, just over a month after announcing that the store would continue to trade. As previously reported...

Amazon US slashes new release prices

Monday, 29 July 2013
In the US, Amazon began discounting new release print titles by up to 65% over the weekend, reports Shelf Awareness. The discounted titles come from a range of publishers and include...

QLA people’s choice award shortlist announced

Monday, 29 July 2013
The Queensland Literary Awards (QLA) has announced the shortlist for the Courier-Mail People’s Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award, worth $5000. The shortlisted books are: Fiction My Hundred Lovers...

Bestsellers this week 

Monday, 29 July 2013
The Cuckoo’s Calling (Hachette) by Robert Galbraith, which was revealed to be an alias of J K Rowling, is at the top of the fastest movers chart this week. Following...

Inaugural Editia Prize winner announced

Monday, 29 July 2013
The inaugural Editia Prize has been awarded to Minyma by former social worker and freelance writer Carly Lorente. Lorente will receive a $2500 advance on royalties, with Minyma to be...

Warren wins Shirley Jackson Award 

Friday, 26 July 2013
Australian author Kaaron Warren has won in the novella category of the Shirley Jackson Awards, presented annually for ‘outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark...

BWF 2013 program launched 

Friday, 26 July 2013
A ‘Great Debate’ with former politicians and a day dedicated to comics and graphic novels are among the highlights of this year’s Brisbane Writers Festival (BWF), which has launched its full...

Hachette to close New Zealand publishing program 

Friday, 26 July 2013
Hachette has announced a major restructure of its New Zealand operations, which will involve the relocation of its finance, administration and IT divisions to Australia and the closure of its New...

RIP Marg Dennithorne 

Friday, 26 July 2013
Ian McCarthy from Penguin Australia writes: Marg (Margaret) Dennithorne passed away on Friday 12 July. Her funeral was held in Castlemaine one week later, on Friday 19 July. It was...

Pearson to close SA, WA, QLD offices 

Thursday, 25 July 2013
Pearson Australia has confirmed to Books+Publishing that it will close its offices in Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane as part of a major restructure of its educational publishing business, announced earlier...

Goodreads reaches 20 million members 

Thursday, 25 July 2013
Social reading and reviewing service Goodreads has announced that it has reached 20 million members, doubling its membership since August last year. Since Goodreads launched in 2007, more than 620...

Digital Virgo acquires online retailer VirginMega 

Thursday, 25 July 2013
In France, mobile and interactive media group Digital Virgo has acquired VirginMega, the online retail subsidiary of the defunct Virgin Megastore group, reports the Bookseller. Founded in France in 1988 by Richard...

Book Expo Australia announced

Thursday, 25 July 2013
A book expo to promote the Australian book industry and encourage readers to buy from Australian booksellers will be held at the Sydney Showground on the weekend of 30-31 August...

Austen to appear on £10 note 

Thursday, 25 July 2013
Novelist Jane Austen will be the next person to appear on the UK’s £10 banknote, reports the BBC. A portrait of Austen, along with a quote from Pride and Prejudice (‘I...

NZ Post Book Awards 2013 finalists announced 

Wednesday, 24 July 2013
The finalists for this year’s New Zealand Post Book Awards have been announced. The finalists in each category are: Fiction In the Absence of Heroes (Anthony McCarten, Vintage) The Big...