Weekly news | Books+Publishing

Brow Books acquires two Lau novels, Pham debut

Tuesday, 9 April 2019
Brow Books has acquired world rights to two novels by Jamie Marina Lau. Gunk Baby, which will be published in 2020, follows the character Leen, who has just opened an...

Scribe acquires Guardian bureau chief’s book on Pell trial

Tuesday, 9 April 2019
Scribe has acquired world rights in a pre-empt to a book by the Melbourne bureau chief of the Guardian, Melissa Davey, on the trials of Cardinal George Pell. A Fair...

The Paperback Bookshop celebrates 50 years

Monday, 8 April 2019
The Paperback Bookshop in Melbourne's CBD is celebrating its 50th anniversary in April. Current co-owner Rosy Morton, who has owned the shop since 2000, said that she’s heard differing accounts...

Young shortlisted for 2019 Folio Prize

Friday, 5 April 2019
New Zealand writer Ashleigh Young has been shortlisted for the UK's Rathbones Folio Prize. Her Windham-Campell Prize-winning essay collection Can You Tolerate This? (Giramondo) is one of eight books in...

Report finds NZ writers earn $14.5k on average from their writing

Friday, 5 April 2019
New Zealand writers earn an average of NZ$15,200 (A$14,515) per year from their writing, according to a new report commissioned by Copyright Licensing NZ. The second Writers’ Earnings in New...

Leane wins 2019 Red Room Poetry fellowship

Friday, 5 April 2019
Wiradjuri poet and writer Jeanine Leane has won the 2019 Red Room Poetry Fellowship. Chosen from a shortlist of 11 poets, Leane receives a $5000 stipend, a $1000 commission to...

Authors, publishers join campaign to resettle Boochani

Friday, 5 April 2019
A number of prominent Australian writers, publishers and journalists have joined a new campaign calling on the federal government to resettle Manus Island-detainee and award-winning author Behrouz Boochani in Australia....

Griffiths wins 2019 Ernest Scott Prize

Friday, 5 April 2019
Billy Griffiths has won the 2019 Ernest Scott Prize for history for his book Deep Time Dreaming (Black Inc.). Griffiths book was chosen from a shortlist of four books, announced...

Australians nominated for 2019 Hugo Awards

Thursday, 4 April 2019
Several Australian writers and artists are among the finalists for this year’s Hugo Awards for science-fiction. Australian author Foz Meadows has been named a finalist in the Best Fan Writer...

Scribe acquires ‘major title’ on women of ISIS

Thursday, 4 April 2019
Scribe has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to The Guest House for Young Widows: the women of ISIS, by journalist, writer and academic Azadeh Moaveni. Scribe publisher Henry Rosenbloom describes...

Black Dog Books imprint to be absorbed into Walker’s flagship list

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
Walker Books Australia has announced that the Black Dog Books imprint will be absorbed into the flagship Walker Books Australia list from May 2019. Founded by Andrew Kelly and Maryann...

Melbourne City of Lit announces Booksellers in Residence program

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
The Melbourne City of Literature has announced a new initiative for Victorian booksellers to spend a week in an overseas bookshop in another City of Literature. Under the Booksellers in...

Storylines National Awards 2019 winners announced

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
The Storylines Children’s Literature Trust of New Zealand has announced the 2019 winners of three national awards. The winning entries in each category are: Joy Cowley Award for picture book...

Carey shortlisted for 2019 Walter Scott Prize

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
Peter Carey's novel A Long Way From Home (Penguin) has been shortlisted for the UK's Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. Set in the 1950s, A Long Way From Home...

Scribble wins Bologna Prize for children’s publishing

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
Scribe’s picture-book list, Scribble, has won the Bologna Prize for Best Children’s Publisher of the Year in the Oceania category. Scribble was chosen from a shortlist of four, which included...

Federal government expands asset write-off scheme

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
The federal government has proposed an expansion of its ‘instant’ tax deduction threshold for small businesses, increasing the asset threshold from $20,000 to $30,000. The eligibility criteria will also be...

Gleeson, James nominated for 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Awards

Wednesday, 3 April 2019
Libby Gleeson and Ann James have been nominated by IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Australia as the Australian candidates for the 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Awards. Gleeson...

McGregor awarded $2000 by Kat Muscat Fellowship Committee

Tuesday, 2 April 2019
Express Media and the Kat Muscat Custodial Committee have awarded $2000 to Caitlin McGregor, to develop a ‘series of essays around care’. McGregor was highly commended for the 2019 Kat...

EWF announces 2019 festival ambassadors

Tuesday, 2 April 2019
The Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF) has announced the five writers appointed ambassadors for the National Writers’ Conference, which runs from 22-23 June at State Library Victoria. The ambassadors are Katherine...

Thirty Big W stores to close

Tuesday, 2 April 2019
Woolworths will close approximately 30 Big W stores over the next three years, following a review of the chain’s 183 stores, reports ABC News. Two distribution centres in regional Queensland...

Hardie Grant acquires Tim Costello memoir

Tuesday, 2 April 2019
Hardie Grant has acquired world rights to a memoir by former CEO of World Vision Australia Tim Costello. The memoir, titled A Lot with a Little, will ‘take readers on...

Hachette acquires new Max Barry novel

Monday, 1 April 2019
Hachette Australia and Hodder & Stoughton have jointly acquired British Commonwealth rights to a new ‘high-concept’ novel by Max Barry, reports the Bookseller. Hodder & Stoughton associate publisher Oliver Johnson...

ALS Gold Medal 2019 longlist announced

Friday, 29 March 2019
The longlist for the 2019 Australian Literature Society (ALS) Gold Medal has been announced. The longlisted titles are: Aqua Spinach (Luke Beesley, Giramondo) Beautiful Revolutionary (Laura Elizabeth Woollett, Scribe) Blakwork...

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