Alice joins Byron Writers Festival as artistic director
17 January 2024
Byron Writers Festival has announced the appointment of Jessica Alice as its new artistic director. Alice, who announced in December that she was resigning as CEO of Writers SA, replaces...
Australian book market down 2.1% in value
17 January 2024
The book market was down in Australia by 2.1% in value and 1.7% in volume, according to figures from Nielsen BookData's BookScan service. Nielsen's 2023 snapshot, covering 1 January to...
Indie Book Awards 2024 shortlists announced
17 January 2024
The shortlists for the 2024 Indie Book Awards, presented by Leading Edge Books, have been announced. The titles shortlisted in each category are: Fiction Lola in the Mirror (Trent Dalton, Fourth...
100 Story Building among Creative Ventures Program recipients
10 January 2024
The 100 Story Building in Footscray, Victoria, is among the funding recipients of the Creative Ventures Program, a Creative Victoria program that provides two-year grants to small creative organisations. The program...
Local creators nominated for 2024 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
13 December 2023
Four local authors, illustrators and organisations have been announced as candidates for the 2024 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world’s richest prize for children’s literature. The Australian candidates are: Ursula...
HarperCollins acquires Katherine Collette duology
13 December 2023
HarperCollins has acquired world rights to Shellsville, a duology for early middle-grade readers by Katherine Collette, via Danielle Binks and Jacinta di Mase of Jacinta di Mase Management. Described by...
APA, ASA welcome establishment of copyright and AI reference group
13 December 2023
The Australian Publishers Association (APA), Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and the Copyright Agency are among an 'alliance' of 22 organisations to welcome the announcement by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus that...
Wiley acquires Dalla-Camina nonfiction book
13 December 2023
Wiley has acquired world rights to a nonfiction title from Megan Dalla-Camina, titled Women Rising, via Lou Johnson at Key People Literary Management. The publisher described the title as ‘the...
Hachette updates and expands inclusive policies
6 December 2023
Hachette Australia has announced the introduction of several new and updated inclusive policies, which it said ‘promote a safe and supportive environment for all employees; and recognises the critical role...
MUP appoints Kong as publisher
6 December 2023
Melbourne University Publishing (MUP) has appointed Foong Ling Kong as its new publisher. Kong’s appointment comes after the MUP board split the role of CEO and publisher following Nathan Hollier’s...
Haldane to retire; Hume, Ractliffe, Rae join T&H
6 December 2023
Thames & Hudson has announced several staff changes to take effect in the coming months. Head of product and operations Mark Haldane has announced that he will retire on 5...
HarperCollins acquires Grace illustrated ‘great sex’ handbook
6 December 2023
HarperCollins has acquired world rights to an as-yet-untitled debut nonfiction book from Georgia Grace on ‘the A–Z of great sex’. In the hardcover handbook, sex and relationship practitioner Grace ‘will...
Aotearoa publishers receive audiobook funding
29 November 2023
The successful recipients of the first round of funding in the Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage audio publishing seed program in Aotearoa New Zealand have been announced by...
UQP acquires Caldwell nonfiction on sexual empowerment
29 November 2023
University of Queensland Press (UQP) has acquired ANZ rights to Slutdom by Hilary Caldwell via Tom Gilliatt at Left Bank Literary. Described by UQP as 'a controversial, celebratory and courageous book...
UWAP acquires Mead poetry collection
29 November 2023
UWAP has acquired world rights to The Infant Vine, a debut poetry collection from Isabella G Mead. The Infant Vine is described by the publisher as ‘a stunning collection exploring...
Ultimo acquires Makereti novel ‘The Mires’
22 November 2023
Ultimo Press has acquired ANZ rights for Tina Makereti's novel The Mires, in a deal brokered by Charlotte Seymour at Johnson & Alcock in London. The publisher described the novel...
Catton shortlisted for UK’s inaugural Nero Book Awards
22 November 2023
In the UK, Eleanor Catton has been shortlisted in the fiction category of the inaugural Nero Book Awards for her novel Birnam Wood (Granta). The other titles shortlisted for the...
2023 Australian Business Book Award winners announced
22 November 2023
The winners of the Australian Business Book Awards 2023 have been announced. The winners are: Book of the year Time Magic (Melissa Ambrosini & Nick Broadhurst, HarperCollins) Communications and sales...
Hachette acquires Klim memoir
22 November 2023
Hachette Australia has acquired the memoir of Australian Olympic swimming champion Michael Klim. Klim, to be published by Hachette senior nonfiction publisher Scott Henderson, charts the life of the Polish-born...
The Next Chapter 2024 recipients announced
15 November 2023
The Wheeler Centre has announced the 2024 recipients of The Next Chapter writing development program. This year's five recipients are Raqiya Ahmed, Claire Cao, Jake Corvus, Laniyuk, and Maria van Neerven. The...
Booksellers sign statement of solidarity with Palestine
15 November 2023
Local and international booksellers have signed an open letter in solidarity with Palestine. Published on Overland and attributed to Booksellers for Palestine, the letter states: ‘We stand against the collective...
Larrikin acquires Vee, Faber junior fiction
15 November 2023
Larrikin House has acquired world rights to a junior fiction title by author and illustrator Jules Faber and Larrikin publicist Dani Vee, titled How Not To…. Described by the publisher...
Upswell acquires Jones poetry book
9 November 2023
Upswell Publishing has acquired world rights to The Empty Grandstand, the first book of poetry by Aotearoa New Zealand author Lloyd Jones. ‘Lloyd Jones was seven years old the first...
Jennings, Graham nominated for 2024 Yoto Carnegie Medal
8 November 2023
In the UK, several Australian authors and illustrators have been nominated for the 2024 Yoto Carnegie Medals. Paul Jennings has been nominated for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing for...
New England Illustration Prize 2023 winners announced
8 November 2023
The New England Writers' Centre has announced the winners of this year’s New England Illustration Prize for Children’s Picture Book Publishing. The winners of the 2023 award are: First prize...
Nature Writing Prize 2023 shortlist announced
8 November 2023
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Australia has announced the writers shortlisted for the 2023 Nature Writing Prize. The shortlisted writers are: Bonny Cassidy (Chewton Bushlands) for 'A Custodial Species', which 'draws...
Handsel offers Hardie Grant books in gift packs
8 November 2023
Hardie Grant is selling books in gift packs through its new online gift-giving service Handsel. Created by HGX, the Hardie Grant–owned digital venture studio, Handsel is described as ‘reimagining the...
Completely Normal (and Other Lies) wins inaugural Gab Williams Prize
1 November 2023
Completely Normal (and Other Lies) by Biffy James (HGCP) is the winner of the inaugural Gab Williams Prize. Readings established the Gab Williams Prize in addition to its annual Readings...
McNicol Smith to depart Affirm
1 November 2023
Affirm Press publicity manager Laura McNicol Smith is departing the organisation. Discussing the move, McNicol Smith said: 'After six wonderful years at Affirm Press, I’ve decided it’s time for a...
AI, Spotify, high/low fiction: Australian impressions of Frankfurt
1 November 2023
AI dominated conversations at this year's Frankfurt Book Fair, according to Australians in attendance. 'A day didn’t pass at the book fair without a conversation about AI, the good, the...
