Hachette acquires Wilkinson’s debut historical nonfiction
Monday, 27 October 2025
Hachette Australia has acquired The Titanic Story of Evelyn by journalist, broadcaster and author Lisa Wilkinson, via the Fordham Agency. The Titanic Story of Evelyn follows the life of South...
Hardie Grant acquires Joyce memoir
Monday, 27 October 2025
Hardie Grant Books has acquired world rights to former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce’s memoir, in a deal brokered by Robert Joske at Robert Joske Management. Joyce “will take a reflective...
Inaugural Spiers Prize shortlist
Monday, 27 October 2025
UWA Publishing (UWAP) has announced the shortlist for the inaugural Spiers Prize, as well as some changes to the award. The publisher announced that “due to the enthusiastic number of...
2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award candidates
Monday, 27 October 2025
The nominees for the 2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award have been announced. The Aotearoa New Zealand and Australian nominees are: Alison Lester Gavin Bishop (NZ) Oliver Jeffers Susanne Gervay Ursula...
Janson, van Loon, Vucic awarded Copyright Agency fellowships
Thursday, 23 October 2025
The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund has announced the recipients of its 2025 Fellowships for established and emerging Australian writers. Julie Janson, a Burruberongal woman of the Darug Aboriginal Nation and...
BWF breaks attendance records in new venue
Thursday, 23 October 2025
Brisbane Writers Festival (BWF) recorded more than 16,000 attendees at its 2025 program, held in its new venue partner, the Brisbane Powerhouse. The program comprised more than 100 live events...
Inaugural AusArt Day seeks to support creative work
Thursday, 23 October 2025
Creative Australia’s (CA) inaugural national giving to the arts day, AusArt Day, takes place today, 23 October. The new initiative is “designed to support artists and arts organisations to fundraise...
Fremantle Press announces new board members
Thursday, 23 October 2025
Fremantle Press has announced that Libby Jackson-Barrett and Ben Paganoni have joined the publishing house’s board of directors. Jackson-Barrett, a proud Whadjuk woman, is the associate dean (Academic) within Kurongkurl...
History Unbound festival launches program
Thursday, 23 October 2025
The Historical Novel Society Australasia have announced the full program for the History Unbound festival, which will take place from 1 to 2 November in Parramatta. The event marks a...
UQP announces mentorship prize for under-represented writers shortlist
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
The University of Queensland Press (UQP) has announced the shortlist for its inaugural mentorship prize for under-represented writers, which was initially announced in May. The shortlisted writers are: Carielyn Tunion...
Farrells wins best LYBD display
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Mornington Peninsula bookshop Farrells has won the Love Your Bookshop Day (LYBD) award for the best window display. According to BookPeople, the Australian booksellers association, “Their amazing window display captured...
Melbourne Books warns writers about imposter publisher
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
A scam publisher is trying to convince authors that it is Melbourne Books, but the real publisher is fighting back. Books+Publishing’s Andrew Wrathall has taken a closer look at the...
New journal of trans and gender-diverse creativity launches
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
transitive rag, a journal for trans and gender-diverse creativity, has launched its first issue. The quarterly online journal will publish poetry, personal writing, art and digital projects from transgender and...
A&U acquires Wright fiction
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to Michelle Wright’s Good Boy, in a deal brokered by Alexandra Christie at Curtis Brown Australia. The novel follows Cookie, an inmate in a...
Dukes awarded 2025 Peter and Dianne Beatson Fellowship
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) has announced Breton Dukes as the recipient of the NZSA Peter and Dianne Beatson Fellowship 2025,...
UQP acquires new Prosser novel
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
University of Queensland Press (UQP) has acquired world rights for Blue Giant by writer and filmmaker Jordan Prosser. The novel centres on disillusioned Melburnian millennial Abby Horne. “Abby once believed...
Create NSW announces literature strategy
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
The New South Wales government has launched Stories Matter: A Writing and Literature Strategy for NSW to support writers and readers across the state and beyond. The strategy, developed in...
Manawatu wins 2025 Keri Hulme Award
Monday, 20 October 2025
Becky Manawatu (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe, Waitaha) has been awarded the 2025 Keri Hulme Award for Kataraina (The Cube Press) as part of the biennial Pikihuia awards. The Keri Hulme...
Boy Swallows Universe takes top spot in ABC Radio National top 100
Monday, 20 October 2025
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton (Fourth Estate, 2018) took first place in ABC Radio National’s Top 100 Books of the 21st Century poll. The results were announced on air...
Varnish lit mag, prize launches
Monday, 20 October 2025
Varnish, a new Australian literary journal that aims to publish “evocative written art with timeless beauty”, has launched. “Motivated by the desire to see a broadening space for literary culture,...
Murdoch acquires King nonfiction
Monday, 20 October 2025
Murdoch Books has acquired world rights to Screen Wise by Madonna King. Screen Wise will address screen time and online safety, “the biggest issue facing parents today”, said the publisher....
Hachette to host panel on LGBTQ+ support and allyship in the workplace
Monday, 20 October 2025
Hachette Australia has announced an OutWOMAN+ panel discussion in collaboration with Out Leadership, a global platform aiming to promote LGBTQ+ equality. The panel, which will take place 21 October between...
Australian Short Story Festival 2025 program announced
Monday, 20 October 2025
The Australian Short Story Festival (ASSF) has announced its 2025 program. The festival will be held in Adelaide from 21 to 23 November 2025 under the theme “Good Things Come...
David Brooks wins 2025 Patrick White Literary Award
Monday, 20 October 2025
Poet, writer, and academic David Brooks has won the $20,000 Patrick White Literary Award for 2025. Award trustee Perpetual described the award as “a richly deserved recognition of [Brooks’s] profound...
Walkley Book Award 2025 longlist announced
Monday, 20 October 2025
The Walkley Foundation has announced the finalists for the 70th annual Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism. The works longlisted for the Walkley Book Award are: All Women Want (Alyx...
Tan announced as managing editor for Overland
Monday, 20 October 2025
Overland has announced Cher Tan will step into the role of managing editor. An essayist, editor and critic, Tan takes over from Natasha Seymour, who is leaving the journal after seven...
Arnott, Walton, Leal win 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize
Thursday, 16 October 2025
Robbie Arnott and Tasma Walton will share the $100,000 ARA Historical Novel Prize in the adult category for their works Dusk (Picador) and I Am Nannertgarrook (Bundyi) respectively, while Suzanne Leal has...
Ventura Press acquires Fitzsimmons’s debut crime novel
Thursday, 16 October 2025
Ventura Press has acquired world rights to The Rising, a gripping police procedural crime novel by journalist Whitney Fitzsimmons. The Rising follows journalist Bec Carter, who finds the bones of...
2025 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers shortlist
Thursday, 16 October 2025
Hachette Australia and the Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF) have announced the shortlist for the 2025 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers. Chosen from the longlist announced last month, the 5 shortlisted writers...
Wombat Books acquires Ahola’s debut middle-grade novel
Thursday, 16 October 2025
Wombat Books has acquired world rights to Miles Thorne and the Forbidden Magic by Rebecca Ahola. After being kicked out of Nox Wizarding Academy, Miles Thorne is terrified of his...
