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Affirm Press acquires Duckor-Jones coming-of-age novel 

Author photograph of Avi Duckor-Jones Thursday, 12 October 2023
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to Max, a coming-of-age novel by Avi Duckor-Jones, via Jane Novak Literary Agency. The titular protagonist is ‘grappling with questions about his birth parents and...

Rights round-up 

Wednesday, 11 October 2023
Sales Nonfiction Black Inc. has sold Korean rights to The Shortest History of China (Linda Jaivin) and The Shortest History of Democracy (John Keane) to Jinsung Books in a two-book...

Richell Prize 2023 shortlist announced

Logo for the Richell Prize, featuring a swooping bird Wednesday, 11 October 2023
Hachette, in partnership with the Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF), has announced the shortlist for the 2023 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers. The five shortlisted entries are: ‘When I Was Your...

Newcastle Poetry Prize 2023 shortlist announced

Wednesday, 11 October 2023
The Hunter Writers’ Centre has announced the 2023 shortlist for the $15,000 Newcastle Poetry Prize, with several poets reaching the shortlist with more than one entry. Shortlisted poets include: Eileen...

Deep in the Forest (Erina Reddan, Pantera) 

Tuesday, 10 October 2023
The Trenthen family’s revered reputation in Stone Lake crumbles when a damaging bushfire uncovers an item that appears to belong to Charli, a bookbinder and the family’s last surviving member, right...

Secret Sparrow (Jackie French, HarperCollins) 

Tuesday, 10 October 2023
Jackie French’s latest middle-grade novel, Secret Sparrow, focuses on the unheralded work of women in World War I. This exciting adventure story is told with dual timelines and begins in...

The Wiregrass (Adrian Hyland, Ultimo) 

Tuesday, 10 October 2023
With wild weather, swollen rivers, falling trees, a disgraced cop, a cult and a dead man, Adrian Hyland’s The Wiregrass is a thrilling mix of wry humour and page-turning crime....

Larrikin House acquires two graphic novels

Tuesday, 10 October 2023
Larrikin House has acquired world rights to two graphic novels set for release in 2024. One title is Ultra Violet by Cristy Burne, illustrated by Rebel Challenger, which ‘follows Violet, a science...

Tighe wins 2023 Varuna-NEWC Fellowship 

Author photograph of Matthew Tighe Tuesday, 10 October 2023
The New England Writers’ Centre (NEWC)—in partnership with Varuna, the National Writers’ House—has announced Matthew Tighe as the winner of the 2023 Varuna-NEWC Fellowship. Tighe will work on his steampunk...

Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction shortlist

Tuesday, 10 October 2023
In the UK, the shortlist for this year’s Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction has been announced. The six shortlisted books are: Time to Think: The inside story of the collapse...

Doig wins NZ$25,000 CLNZ/NZSA Writers’ Award

Monday, 9 October 2023
Tom Doig has been awarded the 2023 Copyright Licensing New Zealand (CLNZ) and the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) Writers’ Award,...

Leane wins 2023 David Harold Tribe Poetry Award

Monday, 9 October 2023
Jeanine Leane has won the University of Sydney's 2023 David Harold Tribe Poetry Award, worth $20,000. Leane's poem 'Water under the bridge' was chosen from a record of 522 poems,...

Read the latest Publishers Weekly 

Monday, 9 October 2023
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.

HarperCollins acquires Wilson memoir 

Cover image of the book Rebel Rising by Rebel Wilson, featuring a portrait of the actor wearing a sparkling red dress Thursday, 5 October 2023
HarperCollins has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to actor Rebel Wilson’s memoir Rebel Rising, via Matilda Forbes Watson at WME, reports the Bookseller. HarperCollins UK managing director and publisher Sarah...

Affirm acquires Brissenden novel 

An author photograph of Michael Brissenden, who is looking off-camera Thursday, 5 October 2023
Affirm has acquired ANZ rights to Smoke, a new crime thriller from journalist Michael Brissenden, via Shane Salerno and Daniel Pilkington of The Story Factory. The publisher described Smoke as...

Beveridge wins $10k ACU Poetry Prize

Wednesday, 4 October 2023
Sydney-based poet Judith Beveridge has won the $10,000 Australian Catholic University (ACU) Prize for Poetry for her poem ‘Two Houses’. Responding to this year’s theme of ‘Love’, Beveridge’s poem is...

The Drowning (Bryan Brown, A&U) 

Tuesday, 3 October 2023
The accidental drowning death of a local Gumbaynggirr boy—David, from whose viewpoint the book opens—brings a shadow of sadness over a small NSW coastal town. Then a backpacker doesn't turn up...

Silver Linings (Katrina Nannestad, ABC Books) 

Tuesday, 3 October 2023
Following the multi-award-winning success of Katrina Nannestad’s World War II novels for younger readers, Silver Linings sees her move from the battlefields of Europe to post-war Australia, and a story...

The Conversion (Amanda Lohrey, Text) 

Tuesday, 3 October 2023
When Zoe’s husband, Nick, dies unexpectedly, she finds herself adrift. Recently retired and unable to afford to continue living in the city, she purchases an old and rundown church in...

Stuck Up & Stupid (Angourie Rice & Kate Rice, Walker) 

Tuesday, 3 October 2023
Stuck Up & Stupid is the debut novel from a mother-daughter writing team: actor Angourie Rice and playwright Kate Rice. With a familiar yet fresh narrative, this contemporary YA reimagining of Pride and...