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Program announced for APA BookUp conference

Wednesday, 14 April 2021
The program has been announced for the Australian Publishing Association’s BookUp conference, which will run online and in-person in Sydney on Tuesday, 27 April. Hachette UK CEO David Shelley will...

PRH acquires Higgins memoir 

Wednesday, 14 April 2021
Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) has acquired a memoir by Brittany Higgins. Higgins, whose  decision to speak publicly about her alleged rape in a ministerial office was one of the...

Black Inc. acquires Plibersek biography 

Thursday, 8 April 2021
Black Inc. has acquired world rights to a biography of Tanya Plibersek to be written by Margaret Simons, via Lyn Tranter at Australian Literary Management. ‘This book will tell the...

NEWC awarded $50k Create NSW grant 

Thursday, 1 April 2021
The New England Writers’ Centre (NEWC) has been awarded a $50,000 grant from Create NSW under its Arts Restart program. The funding is for NEWC's The Inside Story project, which...

New writing prize for Western Sydney

Wednesday, 31 March 2021
WestWords and WestLit Libraries have announced a new writing competition for Western Sydney residents. With a prize pool of over $10,000, supported by Create NSW as part of Arts Restart,...

CBCA 2021 Book of the Year shortlists announced

Tuesday, 30 March 2021
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced its 2021 Book of the Year shortlists. The shortlisted books in each category are: Older readers The End of the World...

NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2021 shortlists announced

Wednesday, 24 March 2021
The shortlists for the 2020 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards have been announced. The shortlisted titles in each category are: Christina Stead Prize for Fiction ($40,000) A Room Made of Leaves  (Kate...

Scribd launches in Australia

Wednesday, 17 March 2021
US-based reading subscription service Scribd has launched in Australia. The platform, which charges $13.99 per month for unlimited access, offers access to two million ebooks and over a million audiobook...

Text signs Sheppard in two-book deal 

Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Text Publishing has acquired world rights to The Brink, the second YA novel by Holden Sheppard, in a two-book deal via Gaby Naher of Left Bank Literary Agency. The Brink follows a...

Scribner acquires Hooper’s ‘Bedtime Story’ 

Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Simon & Schuster Australia’s Scribner imprint has acquired ANZ rights to Bedtime Story, a new work of nonfiction by Chloe Hooper, from Andrew Wylie at The Wylie Agency. When her...

Auckland Writers Festival program announced

Auckland Writers Festival logo Thursday, 11 March 2021
The program for the 2021 Auckland Writers Festival, which runs from 11–16 May, has been announced. In-person guests include fantasy writer Neil Gaiman and his partner, singer and author Amanda...

Ultimo acquires Moore-Gilbert memoir 

Thursday, 11 March 2021
Ultimo Press has acquired world rights to Kylie Moore-Gilbert’s memoir, in a joint venture with James Erskine at Sports & Entertainment Ltd. Australian–British academic Moore-Gilbert was imprisoned for 804 days...

Byrne to adapt ‘The Geography of Friendship’ for TV 

Thursday, 11 March 2021
Sally Piper's 2018 novel The Geography of Friendship (UQP) will be adapted for television as a six-part series. Dollhouse Pictures, a creative collective and independent production company founded by actress...

Wollongong Writers Festival to close

Wednesday, 3 March 2021
Wollongong Writers Festival has announced it is closing following the loss of Create NSW annual organisations funding. Founded in 2013 by writer Chloe Higgins, the not-for-profit festival received annual funding...

S&S signs three ‘Halifax’ novels 

Wednesday, 3 March 2021
Simon & Schuster Australia (S&S) has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (ex Canada) to three novels by television writer and creator Roger Simpson, featuring his Halifax f.p. television character Jane...

Ockham New Zealand Book Awards 2021 shortlists announced

Wednesday, 3 March 2021
The shortlists for the 2021 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards have been announced. The shortlisted titles in each category, chosen from longlists announced in January, are: Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize...

Griffiths appointed HarperCollins sales director 

Wednesday, 24 February 2021
HarperCollins has appointed Karen-Maree Griffiths to the position of sales director, replacing Darren Kelly in the role. ‘We are delighted to welcome Karen-Maree back to HarperCollins,' said CEO said Jim...

CBCA 2021 Notable Books announced

Wednesday, 24 February 2021
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced its list of Notable Books for 2021. The books in each category are: Older readers The F Team (Rawah Arja, Giramondo)...

Australians longlisted for 2021 Walter Scott Prize

Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Four Australian authors have been longlisted for the UK's £25,000 (A$44,440) Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. Steven Conte was longlisted for The Tolstoy Estate, K M Kruimink for A...

Inaugural Little Hare Illustration Prize winner announced

Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing (HGCP) has announced Meg Rennie as the winner of the inaugural 2020 Little Hare Illustration Prize. ‘Meg’s artwork enchanted the judging panel with her vivacious character...

HarperCollins acquires two Foster novels 

Wednesday, 17 February 2021
HarperCollins Australia has acquired ANZ rights to two new novels by Sara Foster, via Tara Wynne at Curtis Brown in a ‘fiercely contested’ auction. The first title, The Hush, ‘is...

HarperCollins launches new illustrated imprint 

Wednesday, 10 February 2021
HarperCollins Australia has announced it will launch a new illustrated imprint, Harper by Design. HarperCollins said the ‘design-led' imprint, to be overseen by current head of design Mark Campbell in...