News sections | Books+Publishing

Echo acquires Parker debut historical novel ‘Fulvia’ in two-book deal

Monday, 29 April 2024
Echo Publishing has acquired world rights to two historical novels from debut author Kaarina Parker (Ngāpuhi), via Vicki Marsdon at High Spot Literary. Fulvia, which is the first of the...

New literary journal, student press; Age Book of the Year shortlists; Michael Gifkins Prize longlist

Wednesday, 24 April 2024
In this week's news are two new ventures: new independent publishing house Vitagraph Publishing has launched Written Off, a new literary journal dedicated to Australian literature; and student-run Elephant Page...

Vale June Factor

Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Folklorist, social historian and author June Factor has died, aged 87. Factor was the compiler of a list of 1980s children’s schoolyard rhyming books published by Brolly Books, including Far...

Rights round-up

Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Sales Fiction Bold Type Agency has sold the Swedish rights to The Italian Marriage (Jenna Lo Bianco, Macmillan), on behalf of Jacinta di Mase Management; Italian rights to Why Do...

Upswell acquires Spirovski debut, ‘White Hibiscus’

Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Upswell Publishing has acquired world rights for White Hibiscus: A portrait in words, the debut work of visual artist Loribelle Spirovski. Publisher Terri-ann White described the book as ‘a poetic...

Transit Lounge acquires Dombroski debut novel ‘Xenograft’

Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Transit Lounge has acquired world rights to Xenograft, a debut novel by Western Sydney author Ann Dombroski. In the novel, 40-year-old Alice Kaczmarek wants a baby, but her husband, Daniel, is...

Read the latest Publishers Weekly

Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Books+Publishing is partnering with US trade news magazine Publishers Weekly to provide our subscribers with exclusive access to the weekly digital edition of PW magazine. View the edition here.

Brock the Croc (Adrian Beck, illus Dean Rankine, Larrikin House)

Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Brock the Croc is a humorous early chapter book for kids aged 7+ who have recently become comfortable with independent reading. Brock is the only crocodile in the swamp, and...

Hammer, Morton on Daggers longlist

Tuesday, 23 April 2024
In the UK, the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) has announced the longlists for its Dagger Awards. Chris Hammer’s Dead Man’s Creek (published locally as The Tilt, A&U) and Kate Morton’s...

Pantera acquires Rai debut novel ‘An Onslaught of Light’

Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Pantera Press has acquired world rights to An Onslaught of Light, a debut novel by Natasha Rai. In the novel, in 1990, Vijay and Indu depart India for Australia—a move...

Age Book of the Year 2024 shortlists announced

Tuesday, 23 April 2024
The shortlists for the 2024 Age Book of the Year Award have been announced. The shortlisted works in each category are: Fiction Women & Children (Tony Birch, UQP) Anniversary (Stephanie...

Ferris receives inaugural Meanjin InPlace residency

Monday, 22 April 2024
Literary journal Meanjin has announced Ella Ferris as the inaugural recipient of the Meanjin InPlace residency. Ferris is a Taribelang writer, actor, theatre maker and poet, who now lives on...

Michael Gifkins Prize 2024 longlist announced

Monday, 22 April 2024
Text Publishing and the New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) have announced the longlist for the 2024 Michael Gifkins Prize for an unpublished...

Hachette acquires Coburn YA verse novel ‘The Foal in the Wire’

Thursday, 18 April 2024
Hachette Australia has acquired world rights to The Foal in the Wire, a YA verse novel from poet Robbie Coburn, via Belinda Bolliger at Key People Literary Management. Described by...

Pantera acquires Sursok memoir

Wednesday, 17 April 2024
Pantera has acquired world rights to an as-yet-untitled memoir from Tammin Sursok. Among many other roles—including producing, directing, writing, music, media appearances, and entrepreneurship—Sursok is known as an actor who...