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US chain Book World to close its 45 stores

Friday, 3 November 2017
In the US, bookselling chain Book World has announced it will close its 45 outlets across the Midwest by mid-January next year, reports Publishers Weekly. Book World senior vice-president Mark...

Zusak, Fox top 2016-17 lending rights surveys

Friday, 3 November 2017
Books by Markus Zusak and Mem Fox have topped the lists of the highest scoring books in the most recent Public Lending Rights (PLR) and Educational Lending Rights (ELR) report....

Better Reading launches food spinoff, Cooking the Books

Friday, 3 November 2017
Book recommendation website Better Reading has launched a new food-focused Facebook page, called Cooking the Books. Better Reading director Cheryl Akle said Cooking the Books is ‘a new take on...

Grey-Smith promoted to publisher at Fremantle Press

Friday, 3 November 2017
Fremantle Press has promoted senior editor Naama Grey-Smith to the role of publisher. Grey-Smith will commence in the role on 1 November, joining Fremantle Press’ two other publishers Cate Sutherland...

‘Squishy Taylor’ series optioned for TV

squishy taylor Thursday, 2 November 2017
Robyn Kershaw Productions (RKP) has optioned the TV rights to Ailsa Wild’s ‘Squishy Taylor’ children’s book series (illus by Ben Wood, Hardie Grant Egmont). Eight titles have been published so...

PMLA judging panels overhauled

Thursday, 2 November 2017
The judging panels for the 2017 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards (PMLAs) have been announced, revealing an overhaul to the 2016 panels. The judging panels include: Nonfiction and history Lynette Russell,...

Coley wins 2017 Richell Prize

Thursday, 2 November 2017
Adelaide-based writer Sam Coley has won the 2017 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers for his entry ‘State Highway One’. Coley’s novel follows two siblings as they travel New Zealand’s State...

UNESCO announces nine new Cities of Literature

Thursday, 2 November 2017
UNESCO has designated nine new Cities of Literature. They are: Bucheon (Republic of Korea) Durban (South Africa) Lillehammer (Norway) Manchester (UK) Milan (Italy) Québec City (Canada) Seattle (United States of...

Rights round-up

Wednesday, 1 November 2017
Sales Fiction—Hachette has sold Czech rights to The Secret Recipe for Second Chances (J D Barrett). HarperCollins has sold German rights to The Pretty Delicious Café (Danielle Hawkins) to Bastei Lubbe...

Quote of the week

Wednesday, 1 November 2017
‘The majority of Australian writers, especially those writing literary fiction and/or published by independent publishers, are lucky to get advances of $5000’—author Annabel Smith surveys a cross-section of authors on...

Libraries awarded NLA community heritage grants

Wednesday, 1 November 2017
The National Library of Australia (NLA) has announced the recipients of the 2017 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program, including a number of libraries. In NSW, the Albury Library Museum received...

Affirm acquires memoir ‘Sophie’s Boys’

Wednesday, 1 November 2017
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to Sophie’s Boys, a memoir by Sophie Smith, who lost her triplets after going into labour prematurely, as told to journalist Deborah Fitzgerald. Sophie’s...

Footprint Books to distribute Human Kinetics

Wednesday, 1 November 2017
Footprint Books is pleased to announce a new sales & distribution partnership with Human Kinetics in Australia & New Zealand. Human Kinetics produce innovative, informative books in all areas of...

NewSouth Books to distribute Europa Editions

Wednesday, 1 November 2017
NewSouth Books is delighted to take on distribution of Europa Editions via Ingram Publishing Services, effective February 2018. Europa is one of America’s leading publishers of international fiction, publishing about...

Ngaio Marsh Award 2017 winners announced

Tuesday, 31 October 2017
Fiona Sussman’s The Last Time We Spoke (Allison & Busby) has won the 2017 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel. Sussman is the first female author to win the award, which...

YABBAs 2017 winners announced

Tuesday, 31 October 2017
The winners of the 2017 Young Australians Best Book Awards (YABBAs), Victoria’s children’s choice awards, have been announced. The winning titles are: Picture storybooks Do Not Open This Book (Andy...

Waterstones owner Mamut considering sale of the chain

Tuesday, 31 October 2017
Waterstones owner Alexander Mamut has asked corporate advisors from the investment banking company N M Rothschild to explore a £250m (A$429.5m) sale of the UK bookselling chain, reports the Sunday...

CBCA NSW announces shortlist for 2017 mentorship program

CBCA Tuesday, 31 October 2017
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) NSW branch has announced the shortlist for the 2017 Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program for unpublished children’s writers. The three shortlisted writers are: Angela...

‘SRB’ to publish anniversary anthology

Monday, 30 October 2017
The Sydney Review of Books (SRB) will publish an anthology of essays on Australian fiction, poetry and nonfiction to mark its five-year anniversary. Essays in The Australian Face, previously published...

‘Extinctions’ wins 2017 Colin Roderick Award

Saturday, 28 October 2017
Josephine Wilson’s Miles Franklin Award-winning novel Extinctions (UWA Publishing) has won the 2017 Colin Roderick Award and the HT Priestley Medal, administered by the Foundation for Australian Literary Studies at James...

‘The Dry’ wins CWA Gold Dagger

Friday, 27 October 2017
Australian author Jane Harper has won the 2017 UK Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Gold Dagger for her debut novel The Dry (Pan). The Dry was one of seven titles shortlisted...