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Hachette acquires Harry middle-grade verse novel

Monday, 7 October 2024
Hachette Australia has acquired ANZ rights to Pip Harry’s middle-grade verse novel Drift, via agent Benython Oldfield at Zeitgeist Agency. According to the author, Drift tells the story of Nate and...

Van Neerven receives 2024 Creative Australia Fellowship for literature

Monday, 7 October 2024
Author Ellen van Neerven is the recipient of the 2024 Creative Australia Fellowship for literature, worth $80,000. Van Neerven’s fellowship ‘will allow for the creation of new work over two...

HarperCollins acquires three Ringland books

Monday, 7 October 2024
HarperCollins Australia has acquired ANZ rights to three new books by Holly Ringland, via Benython Oldfield at Zeitgeist Agency. The first book scheduled for release under the deal is a...

Smith to join Wheeler Centre as head of programming

Thursday, 3 October 2024
The Wheeler Centre (TWC) has announced the appointment of Gene Smith as head of programming ‘following an extensive search’. Smith, who was most recently head of programming of the Emirates...

Untapped releases findings report

Thursday, 3 October 2024
Untapped: The Australian Literary Heritage Project has released a new report on project findings. Titled Untapped Potential: Results from the Australian Literary Heritage Project and written by project members Paul...

Aotearoa New Zealand publishers represented at Frankfurt

Thursday, 3 October 2024
Five publishers are exhibiting at the Frankfurt Book Fair as part of the Aotearoa New Zealand collective stand. The stand will be managed by Publishers Association of New Zealand Te...

A&U acquires Gorry memoir

Thursday, 3 October 2024
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world rights to Katrina Gorry: A Matildas Hero’s Story of Football, Motherhood and Breaking Down Barriers, written by Katrina Gorry with Robert Wainwright, in...

Rural and regional writers festival round-up

Tuesday, 1 October 2024
Headland Writers Festival will run from 18–20 October in Tathra, New South Wales. Described as 'a celebration of reading, writing, sharing stories and indulging the mind', this year's festival will...

Several Pantera staff moving to Hardie Grant

Tuesday, 1 October 2024
Hardie Grant, which last week announced it agreed to acquire Pantera Press, has confirmed it has ‘retained the employment of key publishing and marketing staff to drive forward the business’....

Matuku wins inaugural NZSA Shaw Writer’s Award

Monday, 30 September 2024
The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) (NZSA) has announced Steph Matuku as the inaugural winner of the $5000 NZSA Shaw Writer’s Award....

Graphic novel publishing guide released by Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellow

Monday, 30 September 2024
Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellow Sophie Splatt has produced a guide to graphic novel publishing. The report, titled ‘Graphic Novels: Can We Grow Them at Home? The Editing and Publishing of Graphic...

Newcastle Poetry Prize 2024 winners announced

Tuesday, 24 September 2024
The Hunter Writers’ Centre has announced the winners of the 2024 Newcastle Poetry Prize. Winning pieces include: First prize ($15,000) ‘Dombóvár’ by Christopher (Kit) Kelen Second prize ($5000) ‘Welcome Swallow’...

Kostakis appointed to PLR Committee

Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Author Will Kostakis has been appointed to the Public Lending Right (PLR) Committee for a four-year term as an author representative. Minister for the Arts Tony Burke said: ‘Will is...

PRH acquires Westerfeld, Larbalestier novel ‘The Mortons’

Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Penguin Random House (PRH) Australia has acquired ANZ rights to The Mortons by Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier in a two-book deal at auction, via Jill Grinberg Literary Management. The Mortons was...

Affirm acquires Lefevre’s memoir

Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to Carol Lefevre’s memoir Bloomer, via literary agent Fran Moore. Lefevre is a visiting research fellow at the University of Adelaide, where she gained...

Chief Minister’s NT Book Awards shortlist announced

Monday, 23 September 2024
The shortlists for the 2024 Chief Minister’s NT Book Awards have been announced. Shortlisted titles in each category are: Fiction futurespective (Sophie Benkemoun, Travel Maker Press) Hush (Ciella Williams, Playlab...

‘Rewi’ wins best book at PANZ Book Design Awards

Monday, 23 September 2024
The winners in the 2024 New Zealand Te Rau o Tākupu Publishers Association (PANZ) Book Design Awards have been announced, with Māori and Pasifika designers winning the top honours. Winners...

Leckie awarded 2024 NZSA Peter and Dianne Beatson Fellowship

Monday, 23 September 2024
The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) has announced Jacqueline Leckie as the recipient of the 2024 NZSA Peter and Dianne Beatson Fellowship,...

De Tores wins 2024 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize

Monday, 23 September 2024
In the UK, Australian author Francesca de Tores has won the 2024 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize for Best Published Novel for her novel Saltblood (Bloomsbury). De Tores’ novel charts...

City of Fremantle Hungerford Award 2024 shortlist announced

Monday, 23 September 2024
The shortlist for the 2024 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award has been announced. Shortlisted manuscripts include: ‘Far From Wonderful’, a fiction work by Howard McKenzie-Murray ‘Screech’, a fiction work by...

Canberra Writers Festival 2024 program announced

Thursday, 19 September 2024
Canberra Writers Festival (CWF) has announced its program for the 2024 festival, to be held on 23–27 October, featuring over 100 guests. Among guests speaking at the event are Tim...

The Brand Licensing Group to distribute Phidal children’s books

Thursday, 19 September 2024
Victorian wholesaler The Brand Licensing Group has partnered with Canadian children’s publisher Phidal Publishing to distribute its books into the Australian market, beginning October. Phidal's list includes books for younger...