New appointments to Hachette ANZ board
27 November 2019
Hachette Australia and New Zealand (HANZ) has made a number of new appointments to its board, effective 1 January next year. Among the appointments are Emma Rusher, who will officially...
Hachette acquires Jan Fran autobiography ‘Of Middle Eastern Appearance’
26 November 2019
Hachette has acquired world rights to journalist and presenter Jan Fran’s memoir Of Middle Eastern Appearance, via Creative Representation managing director Jacinta Waters. Fran said: ‘Of Middle Eastern Appearance is...
The Co-op Bookshop, Curious Planet enter voluntary administration
26 November 2019
The University Co-operative Bookshop has entered voluntary administration. The company, which runs the retail network of 34 Co-op Bookshops and 63 Curious Planet (formerly Australian Geographic) stores, appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers as...
‘The Dictionary of Lost Words’ sold into multiple territories ahead of ANZ release
26 November 2019
International rights to Pip Williams’ debut novel The Dictionary of Lost Words (Affirm, April) have been sold in multiple territories following this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair. UK and Commonwealth rights...
Clark wins Sisters in Crime Scarlet Stiletto Award 2019
26 November 2019
The winners of the 2019 Scarlet Stiletto Awards, presented by Sisters in Crime, have been announced. Melbourne-based writer and former Herald Sun books editor Blanche Clark won the $1500 first...
Dr Karl awarded UNESCO Kalinga Prize
25 November 2019
The United Nations has awarded Karl Kruszelnicki, popularly known as Dr Karl, the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularisation of Science at the World Science Forum in Budapest, Hungary. He...
Matt Okine’s debut novel to be adapted for film
25 November 2019
Sydney-based production company Aquarius Films has acquired film rights to comedian Matt Okine’s debut novel Being Black 'N Chicken, & Chips (Hachette), reports the Sydney Morning Herald. Principal producer Angie...
PRH sells Aung Than graphic novel series to US in six-figure deal
25 November 2019
Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) has sold North American rights to the first three books in Gavin Aung Than’s middle-grade graphic novel series ‘Super Sidekicks’ to Random House Children's Books...
Black Inc. sells ‘The Motivation Hoax’ to UK
22 November 2019
Black Inc. has sold UK and Commonwealth rights (ex ANZ) to James Adonis’ The Motivation Hoax: A smart person’s guide to inspirational nonsense (Nero) to The History Press. The History Press,...
Hardy to step down as MWF artistic director
22 November 2019
Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) artistic director Marieke Hardy has announced she will leave her role ahead of the 2020 festival, after completing two years of a three-year contract. Hardy advised...
‘A Secret Safe to Tell’ wins Chinese children’s award
22 November 2019
In China, a translated edition of Naomi Hunter’s A Secret Safe to Tell (illus by Karen Erasmus, Empowering Resources) has won the gold award at the Children’s Choice Book Awards. Translated into...
‘Songwoman’ wins 2019 Most Underrated Book Award
22 November 2019
Ilka Tampke’s second novel Songwoman (Text) has won the Small Press Network’s (SPN) Most Underrated Book Award (MUBA) for 2019. Songwoman is a sequel to Tampke’s debut novel Skin (Text), published...
CPA report estimates $600m in private sector arts support
21 November 2019
Creative Partnerships Australia (CPA) has published a new report called Giving Attitude, the first of its proposed biennial surveys of private sector support for the arts. Giving Attitude is based...
Recipients of $150k The Next Chapter initiative announced
21 November 2019
The Wheeler Centre has announced the 10 recipients of the 2019 Next Chapter grants for developing writers, worth $15,000 each. The 2019 recipients are: Arthur Bolkas (nonfiction, VIC) Racheal Oak...
‘See What You Made Me Do’ to be developed as TV documentary series
21 November 2019
Journalist Jess Hill’s nonfiction book See What You Made Me Do: Power, control and domestic abuse (Black Inc.) will be adapted into a documentary series to air on SBS TV...
Hardie Grant Reconciliation Action Plan endorsed
21 November 2019
Reconciliation Australia has endorsed Hardie Grant’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which sets a path for the company to work towards reconciliation and constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander...
ABC Books acquires Tilley memoir in six-figure deal
20 November 2019
ABC Books has acquired world rights to radio broadcaster Tom Tilley’s coming-of-age memoir Speaking in Tongues, in a six-figure deal via the Fordham Company. Tilley will step down as host...
Di Bello joins S&S as commercial fiction publisher, Ivers steps down
20 November 2019
Simon & Schuster (S&S) Australia has appointed Cassandra Di Bello in the role of commercial fiction publisher, replacing Roberta Ivers who has moved into a freelance role as a publishing...
‘Heads and Tails: Insects’ wins CICLA for Best International Picture Book
20 November 2019
John Canty's picture book Heads and Tails: Insects (Berbay) has won an award for Best International Picture Book at the Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Awards (CICLA) in China. Heads...
Broadside festival: Garner tops bestsellers
20 November 2019
More than 16,000 people attended the inaugural Broadside festival on 9–10 November at the Melbourne Town Hall. Run by the Wheeler Centre, the festival featured international guests including UK author...
Affirm acquires novel, memoir from two Varuna fellowship recipients
19 November 2019
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to two books that grew out of manuscripts developed at Varuna, the Writers House, as part of the publisher’s mentorship award. Katherine Arguile’s debut...
HarperCollins launches new prize for YA, middle-grade
19 November 2019
HarperCollins Children’s Books Australia has launched a new prize for middle-grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction, called the Matilda Children’s Literature Prize. The winner of the annual prize will...
Voss Literary Prize 2019 shortlist announced
19 November 2019
The shortlist for the 2019 Voss Literary Prize has been announced. The shortlisted titles are: Book of Colours (Robyn Cadwallader, Fourth Estate) The Making of Martin Sparrow (Peter Cochrane, Viking)...
Pickard announced as new ASA chair
19 November 2019
Nicholas Pickard has been announced as the new chair of the Australian Society of Authors (ASA), succeeding Christopher Pash who will continue as a member of the board. Pickard is...
Publishers, suppliers owed $12.6m by the Co-op, Curious Planet
19 November 2019
The Co-op Bookshop and its Curious Planet stores owed $12.6 million to publishers and toy sellers as of last week, with $8.8 million owed for stock delivered and services rendered...
Horne Prize 2019 shortlist announced
18 November 2019
The shortlist for the $15,000 Horne Prize for narrative nonfiction has been announced. The shortlisted writers are: Claire G Coleman for ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’, on the prolonged suffering of...
De Zilva wins 2019 Deakin University Nonfiction Prize
18 November 2019
Olivia De Zilva has won the 2019 Deakin University Nonfiction Prize for ‘Let’s Eat 食飯!’. De Zilva described ‘Let’s Eat 食飯!’ as ‘an ode to my wonderful family’. ‘Let’s Eat...
Kat Muscat Fellowship increases to $5000
18 November 2019
The value of Express Media's annual Kat Muscat Fellowship has increased from $3000 to $5000. The fellowship, named in honour of the late writer and Voiceworks editor Kat Muscat, offers...
Albiston wins 2019 Patrick White Award
18 November 2019
Melbourne-based poet Jordie Albiston has been named the winner of the $20,000 Patrick White Literary Award for 2019. The annual award was established by Patrick White using the proceeds of...
HarperCollins to publish new Dalton novel in June 2020
15 November 2019
HarperCollins Australia will publish Trent Dalton’s second novel All Our Shimmering Skies in June 2020. Set in Darwin in 1942, All Our Shimmering Skies follows ‘motherless Molly Hook, the gravedigger’s...
