BookPeople invites booksellers to Midsumma Pride March
Friday, 12 December 2025
BookPeople, the Australian Booksellers Association, has invited booksellers, publishers and book industry friends to march alongside members of the association at Midsumma Pride March in Melbourne on 1 February 2026....
GenreCon 2026 announces new venue
Friday, 12 December 2025
The Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) has announced that next year’s GenreCon, the QWC’s annual conference for genre writers, will be held at Brisbane’s Thomas Dixon Centre. QWC said, “To meet...
“Portraits of Drowning” wins Five Islands Poetry Prize
Friday, 12 December 2025
Madeleine Dale has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Five Islands Prize for her debut poetry collection Portraits of Drowning (UQP). The judges described the book as, “a...
Poetry in Translation Prize shortlist announced
Friday, 12 December 2025
Publishers Fitzcarraldo Editions, Giramondo and New Directions have announced the shortlist for the inaugural Poetry in Translation Prize. Chosen from 259 submissions in more than 55 languages, the shortlisted titles...
Harry Hartog closes ANU store
Friday, 12 December 2025
Harry Hartog Booksellers has closed its Australian National University (ANU) campus store. In a joint statement, ANU and Harry Hartog said, “University bookshops are special places. Since 2019 the Australian...
Boys Don’t Cry?: How picture books shape what children learn about pain and gender
Friday, 12 December 2025
BookUp’s inaugural research day was held on 8 August this year. As part of this full day dedicated to book industry research, Sarah Wallwork shared some of hers and Dur-E-Nayab Mehar’s findings...
Minogue and Irwin feature in new Australian Little Golden Book biographies series
Friday, 12 December 2025
Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) has announced Australian Little Golden Book biographies, a series of books “celebrating some of the nation’s most iconic and influential personalities”. To be released on...
Final “Books+Publishing” newsletter for 2025
Friday, 12 December 2025
This is the final Books+Publishing newsletter for 2025. We return on Monday 12 January 2026. Best wishes to our readers for the holiday season and a very happy new year.
Magabala acquires Liddle’s “gritty” poetry debut
Friday, 12 December 2025
Magabala has acquired world rights to the experimental poetry collection Damn Good Television by debut Jabirr Jabirr author and musician Loki Liddle. Described as “gritty, bloodsoaked and unsentimental”, Liddle’s debut...
State Library Victoria abandons reorganisation
Friday, 12 December 2025
Following widespread opposition among writers, researchers and librarians, the State Library Victoria has announced it will no longer proceed with the planned reorganisation. “After careful consideration of feedback received during...
Book Club – holiday reads
Friday, 12 December 2025
After fresh reads for Christmas or long summer days by the beach? Our bumper holiday Book Club brings together standout new releases and great titles from throughout the year that...
Vale Madeleine Wickham (Sophie Kinsella)
Friday, 12 December 2025
UK author Madeleine Wickham, known by her pen name Sophie Kinsella, has died, aged 55. Penguin Random House writes: Madeleine, known to everyone as Maddy, wrote her first novel under...
From Summer Reading for MPs to a new publishing house
Thursday, 11 December 2025
Readers and Writers Against the Genocide (RWAG) describes itself as “a community of readers and writers who believe in the power of literature to enable us to speak up and...
Larrikin House acquires Vee & Layton’s next picture book
Thursday, 11 December 2025
Larrikin House has acquired rights to Archie Can’t Sit Still, a picture book by Dani Vee and James Layton, illustrated by Davilyn Lynch. According to the publisher, the picture book follows...
Grants bring Fremantle Press closer to activating heritage building
Thursday, 11 December 2025
Fremantle Press took a further step towards celebrating its 50th anniversary in its new building with the announcement of additional funding. The organisation has secured a Lotterywest grant worth $722,226...
Public Lending Rights International
Thursday, 11 December 2025
In international news, Public Lending Rights International (PLRI) has been announced as a “formal international association” of organisations managing or distributing public lending rights payments to authors, illustrators, translators and...
2026 Faber Writing Scholarships announced
Thursday, 11 December 2025
The Faber Writing Academy (FWA) has named the recipients of the 2026 Faber Writing Scholarships. The recipients are: Paff Evara (to attend Writing a Creative Nonfiction), a Black lesbian writer...
Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books workers strike
Thursday, 11 December 2025
The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) has announced staff from Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books are taking industrial action to “secure a fair new agreement” to replace an...
Affirm acquires Lim’s new novel
Thursday, 11 December 2025
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to Rebecca Lim’s latest novel, The Graduate, via Annabel Barker Agency. The novel follows graduate Fei Fei Chou, a quiet misfit in a prestigious...
Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2026 shortlists announced
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
The Wheeler Centre has announced the shortlists for the 2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards. The shortlisted and highly commended works in each category are: Fiction ($25,000) A Piece of Red...
New Year 2026 preview: Poetry
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
As 2026 approaches, publishers highlight forthcoming poetry collections to look out for. Among the year’s poetic offerings, readers can expect anything from literal “deep dives” to nuanced explorations of identity...
New Year 2026 preview: Fiction
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
As 2026 approaches, publishers highlight forthcoming adult fiction titles to look out for – from stories of selkies to vampire romances. Books+Publishing (B+P) shares titles publishers are excited about. B+P’s...
S&S ANZ appoints Curry as MD
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Simon & Schuster Australia and New Zealand (S&S ANZ) has named Jane Curry as its new managing director, after the departure of Dan Ruffino. UK-born Curry, currently managing director of...
UQP acquires Wyld’s third novel
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
University of Queensland Press (UQP) has acquired world rights to KA Ren Wyld’s new novel, Whichway Shimmering Dust. This multi-generational novel follows an Aboriginal girl and a sentient willy-willy who...
Arts Queensland Poetry Award winners announced
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
The Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) has announced the winners of this year’s Arts Queensland Poetry Awards. The winners in each category are: Oodgeroo Noonuccal Prize for Indigenous Poetry Winner ($3500...
A&U acquires Silvey and Acton’s latest Runt story
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to Craig Silvey and Sara Acton’s Annie and Runt from Lesley Thorne at Aitken Alexander Associates and Margaret Connolly at Margaret Connolly &...
ANU’s Centre for Biography, National Dictionary Centre saved
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
A philanthropic donation will fund the National Centre for Biography (NCB) and the Australian National Dictionary Centre (ANDC) for two years, amid a round of staff cuts by the Australian...
A&U acquires third Rose McHugh Mystery novel
Tuesday, 9 December 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to Murder at Thornwood Park, the third book in Joan Sauers’s Rose McHugh Mystery series. Murder at Thornwood Park is “for readers who...
BookTokers debate the value of negative reviews
Tuesday, 9 December 2025
In the UK, the Bookseller has canvassed opinion among popular BookTok creators about the value and desirability of posting negative reviews. Critical reviews on the popular TikTok subcommunity can meet...
Indie Book Awards 2026 longlists announced
Tuesday, 9 December 2025
The longlist for the 2026 Indie Book Awards has been announced. The longlisted titles in each category are: Fiction Lyrebird (Jane Caro, A&U) Gravity Let Me Go (Trent Dalton, Fourth...
