Petition seeks to restore Writers Victoria funding
Thursday, 15 January 2026
Writers Victoria has launched a petition to restore its funding after it was refused multi-year support in the latest Creative Victoria funding round. The Creative Enterprises Program had funded Writers...
APA releases ABIA guide
Thursday, 15 January 2026
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) has released a guide for publishers entering the 2026 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA). Drawing on judging comments from last year’s awards, Judges Insights: A...
Nero Book Awards winners announced
Thursday, 15 January 2026
In the UK, the winners of the Nero Book Awards have been announced, representing “the very best in literary craft and storytelling, offering readers a wide range of voices and...
Besliev and Blake promoted at Simon & Schuster
Thursday, 15 January 2026
Simon & Schuster (S&S) Australia and New Zealand has promoted Tash Besliev and Cate Blake into newly created positions. Besliev has been appointed executive publisher, children’s publishing, having previously served...
Adult fiction stands out in 2025 US book trade roundup
Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Genre fiction boomed in the United States during 2025 – a year in which hundreds of new bookshops opened, reported the New York Times (NYT) in its retrospective on the...
New year, new audio: New local literary podcasts in 2026
Wednesday, 14 January 2026
As booksellers breathe out in the wake of the peak season and many publishing workers return to their desks after summer office closures, a couple of new local literary podcasts...
Adelaide Writers’ Week cancelled
Wednesday, 14 January 2026
The outgoing Adelaide Festival board announced yesterday that Adelaide Writers’ Week (AWW) will not be held this year. The decision follows the withdrawal of more than 100 writers from the...
HarperCollins acquires Mason’s next novel
Wednesday, 14 January 2026
HarperCollins has acquired ANZ rights to Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason, via a deal brokered by Felicity Blunt at Curtis Brown. Sophie, Standing There is a novel about “love, loneliness...
Silvey charged over child exploitation material
Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Author Craig Silvey has appeared in court on charges of possessing and distributing child exploitation material, reported the ABC yesterday. Silvey was charged by police after a search of his...
Indie Book Awards 2026 shortlists announced
Wednesday, 14 January 2026
The shortlists for the 2026 Indie Book Awards have been announced. Chosen from the longlist announced in December, the shortlisted titles in each category are: Fiction Mad Mabel (Sally Hepworth, Macmillan)...
Canelo acquires Puckboys MM romance series
Wednesday, 14 January 2026
UK publisher Canelo has acquired world English print rights to the Puckboys series by Eden Finley and Saxon James, in a 10-book deal between Canelo editorial director Emily Bedford and...
JR Lonie on “The Woman in the Spotlight”
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Sydney-based author JR Lonie is best known for his debut novel, The Woman from Saint Germain (S&S), and for co-writing the feature film Kokoda. His latest novel, The Woman in...
JR Lonie recommends
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
There are too many novels to single out one, so let me tell you of my favourite Australian author, Patrick White, and which of his books is still my favourite....
Books from abroad: Overseas nonfiction titles, February to April 2026
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Food, personal growth and educational reads can all be found among the nonfiction titles arriving in Australia in 2026. Books+Publishing looks at some of the internationally authored titles on offer...
Books from abroad: Overseas fiction and poetry titles, February to April 2026
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Historical fiction, romance and fantasy: international fiction titles are foregrounding intriguing settings and worldbuilding. Books+Publishing (B+P) lists some of the international fiction titles – as well as one poetry collection...
Books from abroad: Overseas CYA titles, February to April 2026
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Some perennial favourite topics are set to arrive on our shores in the coming months: Books+Publishing shares new international CYA titles arriving in Australia in 2026, featuring plenty of fantasy...
Newcastle Short Story Award 2025 winners announced
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
The Hunter Writers’ Centre has announced the winners for this year’s Newcastle Short Story Award. First prize ($3000) “Solastalgia” by Liz Allan Second prize ($1500) “Migration” by Cassie Hamer Third...
Sharwood’s ‘Kosciuszko’ recognised in Polish awards
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Anthony Sharwood’s Kosciuszko: The Incredible Life of the Man Behind the Mountain (Hachette) has received 3rd prize in a competition launched by Poland’s foreign affairs minister to recognise history books...
A&U acquires Jackman’s “Detention”
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to Detention, a new nonfiction title by author and teacher Ralph Jackman. According to the publisher, Detention is Jackman’s “powerful and moving memoir...
Australian book market up 3.2% in 2025
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
The book market in Australia in 2025 was up by 3.2% in value and 1.4% in volume, according to figures from NielsenIQ BookData. Nielsen’s snapshot of the year from 29...
Sussex story awards shortlists released
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
The shortlisted writers in the 2 divisions of the 2025 Roly Sussex Short Story Competition, run by the Queensland Branch of the English-Speaking Union (ESU, have been announced. The $10,500...
Contestable Fund recipients announced
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
In New Zealand Aotearoa, the Publishers Association of New Zealand/Te Rau o Tākupu (PANZ) has announced the recipients of the Copyright Licensing New Zealand Contestable Fund Grants. Of the 59...
HarperCollins acquires Palaszczuk memoir
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
HarperCollins has acquired world rights to the former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s memoir, Annastacia Palaszczuk: The Politics of Being Me. “In Annastacia Palaszczuk: The Politics of Being Me, Annastacia shares her...
Adler resigns as Adelaide Writers’ Week director
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Louise Adler, director of Adelaide Writers’ Week (AWW) since 2023, has resigned in response to the Adelaide Festival board’s decision to withdraw Randa Abdel-Fattah’s invitation to attend this year’s festival....
HarperCollins drops David Walliams
Tuesday, 13 January 2026
British writer and actor David Walliams, author of The World’s Worst series of children’s books, has been dropped by HarperCollins after allegations of inappropriate behaviour toward women, reported the Guardian....
Goodreads hosting allegedly fraudulent reviews
Monday, 12 January 2026
Some books listed on review site Goodreads have been reviewed before advance copies were sent to readers, reported the Bookseller. Authors Jo Furniss, Milly Johnson, Kathryn Whitfield and Leonie Mack...
Peter Porter Poetry Prize 2026 shortlist
Monday, 12 January 2026
Australian Book Review (ABR) has announced the shortlist for the 2026 Peter Porter Poetry Prize. Chosen from a longlist announced in December 2025, the shortlisted poets are: J Andros (United States)...
Authors withdraw from Adelaide Writers’ Week in protest
Monday, 12 January 2026
Approximately 110 authors have now withdrawn from Adelaide Writers’ Week following the Adelaide Festival Board’s removal of scheduled author and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah (Discipline) from the 2026 Adelaide Writers’ Week...
Creative Victoria funding decisions spark criticism
Monday, 12 January 2026
Creative Victoria’s latest Creative Enterprises Program grants, announced in late December, have drawn criticism from organisations including Writers Victoria, whose multi-year funding has been discontinued. Four literary organisations – Writers...
Ben Ball leaves Simon & Schuster Australia and New Zealand
Monday, 12 January 2026
Ben Ball announced his resignation as publishing director of Simon & Schuster (S&S) and Scribner at the end of 2025. After working for S&S earlier in his career, Ball rejoined...
