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Jones on Orange longlist 

Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Australian author Gail Jones has been included on the longlist for this year's Orange Prize for Fiction. Jones, the only Australian on the longlist, has been nominated for Sorry (Vintage)....

Around the world 

Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Among the many international booktrade stories added to our Around the World blog in the past week:Penguin US to launch 'e-classics'Borders reduces range to increase salesRomance world in a tizz over...

RiP Sir Arthur C Clarke 

Tuesday, 18 March 2008
British science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke has died aged 90. Author of more than 100 fiction and nonfiction books, he came to fame in 1968 when a short...

Bestsellers this week 

Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Number one in the Highest New Entries chart this week is Mr Paparazzi. This book details the world of paparazzi photographer Darryn Lyons, a 'self-made millionaire' who tells all in...

Forthcoming events 

Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Trade events coming up over the next week, as shown on our events calendar, include: Swancon 2008 - Australian national science fiction convention, 20-24 March, Northbridge, WA To view these...

Two more fake ‘memoirists’ exposed 

Tuesday, 18 March 2008
The veracity of two more 'misery memoirs' has been called into question. Margaret Jones's Love and Consequences (Riverhead US) and Misha Defonseca's Surviving with Wolves (Piatkus) joined the ranks of Memoirs...

ASA survey slams educational publishers 

Monday, 17 March 2008
Educational publishing in Australia is in trouble and authors are paying the price, according to an Australian Society of Authors (ASA) report released this week. The survey of educational writers found...

Media Extra: What’s Hot 

Sunday, 16 March 2008
There was no clear winner in this week's MX Most Mentioned chart - three titles shared the the highest number of mentions. One of them was David Stratton's new memoir...

Miles Franklin longlist 

Wednesday, 12 March 2008
As reported in a WBN Special Bulletin last week, the longlist for the 2008 Miles Franklin award has been announced. The nine novels selected are:Landscape of Farewell (Alex Miller,  A&U)Love...

Miles Franklin longlist 

Wednesday, 12 March 2008
The longlist for the 2008 Miles Franklin award has been announced. The nine novels selected are:Landscape of Farewell (Alex Miller,  A&U)Love without Hope (Rodney Hall,  Picador)Orpheus Lost (Janette Turner Hospital,...

Hartnett wins Lindgren award — and over $800,000 

Wednesday, 12 March 2008
Australian author Sonya Hartnett has been announced as the winner of this year's Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.She is the first Australian winner of the prestigious award, established by the Swedish...

Around the world 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Among the items added to our Around the World blog in the past week:Arab countries to boycott Paris Salon du LivreAuthor asks Amazon to stop selling his bookPiracy is 'caused...

Quote of the week 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
'It is unlikely that a transaction between the two companies will proceed'--A&R Whitcoulls announces that its Borders bid has gone cold. 

Adelaide Writers’ Week winds up–in style 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
After a record-breaking start, this year's Adelaide Writers' Week continued to draw impressive crowds on its final two days last week, despite temperatures reaching 38 degrees on Friday. ‘We didn't...

Perth Writers’ Festival at home at UWA 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
This year's Perth Writer's Festival, held from 22 to 24 February, attracted ‘over 15000' people according to program manager Katherine Dorrington.This was an increase of around 3000 on last year...

A&R and Borders ‘unable to reach agreement’ 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Angus & Robertson Whitcoulls (ARW) has announced that negotiations with Borders on a deal to acquire its Australian and New Zealand stores have ceased. 'As a result, it is unlikely...

Bestsellers this week 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
A Prisoner of Birth, Jeffrey Archer's new thriller set in London, makes it to the top in the Highest New Entries chart this week as well as securing third place...

Forthcoming events 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Trade events coming up over the next week, as shown on our events calendar, include: Closing date for 2008 NSW Premier's History Awards, 14 March, 2008Swancon 2008 - Australian national...

RiP Gary Gygax 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Gary Gygax, fantasy author and co-creator of the first role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, has died at the age of 69.

RiP Suzanne Goodwin 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Romance novelist and 'natural storyteller' Suzanne Goodwin has died at the age of 91.

RiP Richard King 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Richard King, managing editor of Canterbury University Press in New Zealand, died last week.

RiP Julian Rathbone 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Twice Booker-nominated novelist Julian Rathbone has died aged 73.

In brief 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
New copyright guide on ‘special case exception'The Copyright Council has published a new information booklet on Special case exception, designed primarily to inform educators, libraries, galleries & museums on the...

Dymocks Literacy Foundation gets into the swing 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Authors Matthew Reilly and Bradley Trevor Greive were among over 100 golf enthusiasts getting into the swing of things at the inaugural Dymocks Literacy Foundation Golf Day held last Thursday....

Jefferis Award shortlist 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
The shortlist for the inaugural Barbara Jefferis award has been announced by the Australian Society of Authors (ASA).Valued at $35,000, the award will be offered annually for ‘the best novel...

Neal to leave ABC Books; O’Brien new manager 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Stuart Neal, ABC Books' long-serving commissioning editor, and its publisher since 2002, is leaving the ABC ?for personal reasons'.Neal began his 28-year career at the ABC as a purchase-order clerk,...

Winton a hit at 2008 Leading Edge conference 

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
The 2008 Leading Edge Books conference, held in Alice Springs from 7 to 10 March, attracted ‘about 150' delegates from around Australia, as well as representatives from most Australian publishing...

Free books for Victoria’s toddlers 

Monday, 10 March 2008
Victoria’s toddlers will receive around 280,000 free books over the next four years, thanks to a $2.1 childhood literacy program from the State Government. A literacy pack containing a rhyme...